Don't Expect a Change in the NFL License Status Quo

[rtkiii]

Well written and it saddens me.

[SamoanSteelerFromAus]

I often reminisce growing up as a teenager and feeling the joy every year around the time when NFL games would release. There were numerous games to choose from and I always played all of them whenever I had the chance. My favorites included NFL qb club on N64, NFL fever on xbox and Madden and NFL 2K.

It was enthralling to experience different game companies spin on an NFL simulation, there were always flaws but whenever I got sick of one I could just pop in another for a breath of fresh air . Little did I know back then that would all come to a screeching halt. Looking back in retrospect I wish I cherished those days more because never was I entertained by video games like I was back then. Each title that came out always kept me preoccupied until the next title released a year later. It's sad that those days are over for me. I played M13 for two months until I couldn't put up with the repetitiveness and the flaws that can been recognized during one day of testing.

Lately I had to go out of my way to buy an xbox from USA so I can get a copy of all pro football and as I sit here today playing it there is nothing out there fundamentally better than this game from a gameplay standpoint but also the presentation exceeds M13. I couldn't believe after the first game of M13 that I was seeing the same replays with the same cam views over and over again IN SLOW MOTION! That was horrid and I feel liike a company that has such an oversight to such a simple feature doesn't deserve my business so I gave the game away .

Not sure why im giving a life story, I think I was just looking up the nfl license details and was discouraged by this article and felt i needed to vent. All I know is it feels like EA have robbed me of years of playing good football games and I cannot for the life of me give them any of my hard earned money. After such poor execution of 13 I'm surprised the amount of people hyping this next one. I pray 2k make a NFL comeback, I don't think anyone would be happier.

[reddogmaddogbul]

Quote: Originally Posted by SamoanSteelerFromAus

I often reminisce growing up as a teenager and feeling the joy every year around the time when NFL games would release. There were numerous games to choose from and I always played all of them whenever I had the chance. My favorites included NFL qb club on N64, NFL fever on xbox and Madden and NFL 2K. It was enthralling to experience different game companies spin on an NFL simulation, there were always flaws but whenever I got sick of one I could just pop in another for a breath of fresh air . Little did I know back then that would all come to a screeching halt. Looking back in retrospect I wish I cherished those days more because never was I entertained by video games like I was back then. Each title that came out always kept me preoccupied until the next title released a year later. It's sad that those days are over for me. I played M13 for two months until I couldn't put up with the repetitiveness and the flaws that can been recognized during one day of testing. Lately I had to go out of my way to buy an xbox from USA so I can get a copy of all pro football and as I sit here today playing it there is nothing out there fundamentally better than this game from a gameplay standpoint but also the presentation exceeds M13. I couldn't believe after the first game of M13 that I was seeing the same replays with the same cam views over and over again IN SLOW MOTION! That was horrid and I feel liike a company that has such an oversight to such a simple feature doesn't deserve my business so I gave the game away . Not sure why im giving a life story, I think I was just looking up the nfl license details and was discouraged by this article and felt i needed to vent. All I know is it feels like EA have robbed me of years of playing good football games and I cannot for the life of me give them any of my hard earned money. After such poor execution of 13 I'm surprised the amount of people hyping this next one. I pray 2k make a NFL comeback, I don't think anyone would be happier.

Well said brother couldn't of said it no better myself,cmon guys wake up and smell the coffee,it's all about the money,we deserve another company to give it a go,simpliy put "save 65$ and get off the HYPE TRAIN."

[funkyflights]

OK... People there is a solution... STOP BUYING THE DAM GAME!! I know it sucks not to get your roster updates but that's pretty much all it is year after year anyway... Look Madden sucks sadly and EA has no incentive to really improve the game-play with no competition.... Just look at there NBA title! They got buried to the point of scrapping there last NBA game completely! Same thing would happen to Madden right now with it's broken down engine... And the NFLPA needs to care about what product represents them... EA is not representing the NFL very well ... Corporate crap always ruins things and the NFLPA needs to look at it's fans and care!! I personally haven't bought a next gen Madden game and I never will...

[AaronS444]

EA is "not representing the NFL very well"?...

I doubt the NFL would agree considering this game is one of the top five sellers year in and year out. Nevermind the check EA writes them.

The diehards are upset about eight sub-par releases in a row. Sadly the NFL probably doesn't even care. They just smile as they cash the checks.

[ghettogeeksta]

Quote: Originally Posted by AaronS444

EA is "not representing the NFL very well"?... I doubt the NFL would agree considering this game is one of the top five sellers year in and year out. Nevermind the check EA writes them. The diehards are upset about eight sub-par releases in a row. Sadly the NFL probably doesn't even care. They just smile as they cash the checks.

I think after buying the license to Star Wars upon other things, I believe EA is in negotiations with the NFL right now to attempt to get a cheaper deal than in the past. Both parties want this to happen so they probably will come to an agreement, but you never know, the NFL may not accept what EA is offering and decide they can make more money by allowing multiple companies to make NFL games.

And it's only a top 5 seller by default, people love the NFL in America; hell if they had the exclusive license to the NBA it would be a top seller too. Just think, how screwed the NBA gaming community would be if EA had the exclusive license. They would be brainwashed into thinking it was a good NBA game like most Madden fans are brainwashed into thinking it's a good football game.

[Dr Death]

Here's what kills me about this "exclusive license." In the NFL, every single team believes in COMPETITION for each position, unless, of course, you have the luxury of having a Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning or Drew Brees at QB.

There are a few others, but you get the point - competition makes players better. But when it comes to making a video game of said league - no competition is the way to go... does this make one bit of sense? Absolutely not.

I told my brother back in 2004/05 - whenever it was that the EA/NFL deal went down - that the exclusivity license would be the death-knell for gamers everywhere - and now, all these years later, I have been proven right.

WAKE UP NFL... There's more to life than cashing a check you greedy ********!!!!

[JaymeeAwesome]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dr Death

Here's what kills me about this "exclusive license." In the NFL, every single team believes in COMPETITION for each position, unless, of course, you have the luxury of having a Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning or Drew Brees at QB. There are a few others, but you get the point - competition makes players better. But when it comes to making a video game of said league - no competition is the way to go... does this make one bit of sense? Absolutely not. I told my brother back in 2004/05 - whenever it was that the EA/NFL deal went down - that the exclusivity license would be the death-knell for gamers everywhere - and now, all these years later, I have been proven right. WAKE UP NFL... There's more to life than cashing a check you greedy ********!!!!

You haven't been proven right due to the fact that Madden is still one of the best selling games in the US. The NFL doesn't care about competition, they care about control. This exclusivity is all about control. The NFL does exclusivity with other entities other than gaming. How many times do you hear commercials talk about, "The beer of the NFL..." or the "Soft Drink of the NFL...". This is their product and they want to be able to control how it's portrayed. Until they change their business model, we will continue to see exclusivity with EA.

Although I don't expect the Madden name to continue much longer. I'm thinking Madden25 may be the last one....