OS Roundtable: Could Another Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

[RaychelSnr]

OS roundtable question: Given the current hostile environment, lower video game sales and the question of licensing in NCAA video games, could another company succeed where no one else has for a decade (other than EA Sports) in making a commercially successful NCAA Football game?

Dustin Toms: If this question was asked a year ago, my answer would have been an overwhelming yes. But after seeing the improvements in NCAA Football 11, any team that could put out a game this year would be foolish to do so. EA has finally made a football game with replay value, and it should get better from here on out. Sure, the series may not improve much when '12 comes out, but the mere fact that '11 was well received should scare off other companies. And for all you 2K fans, even if the studio jumped on board to make a college football game, EA would still outsell the 2K title by a mile in year one.

So to put in bluntly, no.

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[jbrew2411]

I don't know who this Toms fella is but I say yes if done in a different way. You will always have those people that want another game company to make a game. I don't see NCAA 11 with the playability as Toms sees it. The gameplay changes about 6 years in when the lower rated recruits take over. A game is more then just graphics. While NCAA 11 is much improved in that area it still has major gameplay flaws. If you are playing human vs human games then this game is as good as it gets. I only play offline, human vs cpu, dynasty mode and the game is hard to enjoy.

Back to the question of could another game maker have success with a college football game. I think if they took the time to get things wright before they release it then yes. If a game maker took time to prefect a true simulation of the college game. Allowed for 100% customization for the user inside and outside each mode. Had some form of weekly wrap up show. A deep dynasty mode that pulls you in and want let you go. Allows both offline and online users to enjoy the game and not building the game around one or the other. That would be hard to top.

Sometime new ideas is a good thing. While I feel EA has finally got it and has started doing what the consumer wants. They are not 100% there yet and I don't think NCAA 12 will be the benchmark game. There is no way any game maker could put out a game to rival NCAA 13 but maybe NCAA 14. I have said this before, if you want to sale more product then make a better product. Word of month is the most positive or negative thing that can happen to you. When a game is release games flood this site and others to post about how much they love the game or all the bad things. As long as another game maker gives the game 3 things, gameplay, depth, and graphics, I think they will have success.

[Cryolemon]

I think another company could do it pretty well. The obvious choice would be 2k, but I can't see them doing it.

[fistofrage]

Unfortunately, it would take another company a few years to get a game as solid as this one.

Our best hope is that EA fixes the issues with this game before they add more gimmicks.

All we need is for EA to step up and fix what is broken and not break what currently works and we'll be all set.

[JohnZapp]

Quote: Originally Posted by fistofrage

Unfortunately, it would take another company a few years to get a game as solid as this one. Our best hope is that EA fixes the issues with this game before they add more gimmicks. All we need is for EA to step up and fix what is broken and not break what currently works and we'll be all set.

i agree. IMO EA does a great job in this series and it took them a long time to get it right. so for another company to make a college football game would take them a long long time

[Cryolemon]

Quote: Originally Posted by fistofrage

Unfortunately, it would take another company a few years to get a game as solid as this one.

True, but the question you have to ask is whether another company could do a better long term job (so, would a new company's NCAA 2k15 be better than NCAA 15 if EA carry on at the current rate?). Obviously there's no real way to know.

[fistofrage]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cryolemon

True, but the question you have to ask is whether another company could do a better long term job (so, would a new company's NCAA 2k15 be better than NCAA 15 if EA carry on at the current rate?). Obviously there's no real way to know.

Problem is, if the sales aren't there, the other company won't be around in the long term. See the other 2k sports.

[kjcheezhead]

I really don't understand all the love for NCAA 11. The ball carrier looks and feels like the ball carrier is on skates, the animations suffer from just as much morping and choppiness as its professional counterpart.

Saying no game can compete with it is like only driving a Ford Taurus and claiming no car company could possibly beat that car. Any inteeligent man should have the obvious response, "How can you possibly know?"

Financially I don't think NCAA sells enough for any new company to get in the game for a small piece of that small pie, but if there were more sales to be made, I think a few developers could...and top NCAA 11 sales eventually.