EA Sports and the NFL "Still Have a Number of Years" on License

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by kjcheezhead

Id just point out that you may be right, but why does EA continue to pay a premium for exclusive then? Madden has name recognition, a large fan base in place and a 9 year head start on development. It should easily dominate the market and be the last game left as you say.If EA and the NFL agreement is still exclusive, it's because there is a market for more games.

You make a great point and to answer that, maybe, just maybe, they are the ones that feel the competition would eliminate them at some point.

They may have felt that 10 years ago.

[FaceMask]

Quote: Originally Posted by kjcheezhead

Id just point out that you may be right, but why does EA continue to pay a premium for exclusive then?

For the same reason they snatched up the: NCAA license, Arena Football League license, and ESPN license, and then Riccitiello being heard on a shareholder call stating that "EA needs to ensure 2K's All-Pro Football is not Repeatable." And for the same reason EA Execs were sending fearful memos and plans to stop 2K around the office in anticipation of NFL 2K5's release as shown in the Pecover V Electronic Arts case: This was all done to disarm 2K's football series in every way they could, and preserve Madden.

Heck, not long ago they even got the Blitz license, though a number of companies wanted that badly. Would've been nuts if 2K could've nabbed it. Made me sad when I saw all the Blitz The League logos in a photo of EA's NFL Blitz, smh. That really sucked.

[Bruce LeRoy]

This sucks, means that we will never get to see the true potential of an NFL Football game. Just imagine what 2K could do to a football game with the Eco Engine. Imo Madden is the equivalent of NBA Live but with no competition. I hate EA, if you're gonna snag exclusive license at least make good games but they can't even do that, instead they ruin franchises by spending all their money on exclusive licenses and marketing and slacking on game development.

[King_B_Mack]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

King, I'm not saying two couldn't survive. All I'm saying I don't see any 3 or more sport video games out in the market like we did a decade or more ago. To me, that tells me that market has changed. What has been happening in the last decade, despite the competition, one game becomes more dominate and sells more than the others and after awhile, there is only one game left standing. Take baseball for instance. The game is only made on one console now. So, in order for someone to play a SIM MLB game, if you don't have a PS, you need to plunk $500 down to play a baseball game? Doesn't seem right. Just like it's not right to only be forced to play one NFL football game.

I get you to an extent, but I think you're looking at things the wrong way. You're looking at the end result of things and saying there's no market for something because of where we are and that completely ignores why we're at the destination.

Using baseball as an example, just saying we've got one game now and that's proof that there isn't a market for three to exist or that they'd eventually get eaten up by one of the other games. MLB is the second (or third depending who you believe) most popular sport in America, you can't tell me that three titles all matching or right near each other in quality couldn't exist because there isn't a market for all of them. We have one baseball title right now, not because there isn't a market that could hold more than one, but partially because of the exclusive license and because 2K made poor decisions on the title as well. Like giving it to Kush in the first place.

The way the market is NOW, in the wake of exclusive deals and piss poor series management and design shouldn't be your determining factor on whether or not the market could hold X amount of games. Again, these companies own choices and their refusal to do anything to grow their markets is also a problem. For example, the NBA. NBA 2K since 2K 11 has routinely done about 4 to 5 million units or more by itself. Live, 2K and Fastbreak combined have never sold 5 million+ a year while here we are with a single bball title doing just that. Outstanding quality is the main reason for that with the death of two franchises playing a part as well. But look at next gen, people that don't even play sports games bought 2K with their consoles. Quality will grow the market. Too many companies were looking for overnight success instead of making quality titles and played major roles in killing themselves. Bottom line I think, there's a market for 2-3 games for at least the three major sports, gaming companies have to have a commitment to making it happen though and not focused solely on how soon they'll see big sales numbers.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by King_B_Mack

I get you to an extent, but I think you're looking at things the wrong way. You're looking at the end result of things and saying there's no market for something because of where we are and that completely ignores why we're at the destination. Using baseball as an example, just saying we've got one game now and that's proof that there isn't a market for three to exist or that they'd eventually get eaten up by one of the other games. MLB is the second (or third depending who you believe) most popular sport in America, you can't tell me that three titles all matching or right near each other in quality couldn't exist because there isn't a market for all of them. We have one baseball title right now, not because there isn't a market that could hold more than one, but partially because of the exclusive license and because 2K made poor decisions on the title as well. Like giving it to Kush in the first place. The way the market is NOW, in the wake of exclusive deals and piss poor series management and design shouldn't be your determining factor on whether or not the market could hold X amount of games. Again, these companies own choices and their refusal to do anything to grow their markets is also a problem. For example, the NBA. NBA 2K since 2K 11 has routinely done about 4 to 5 million units or more by itself. Live, 2K and Fastbreak combined have never sold 5 million+ a year while here we are with a single bball title doing just that. Outstanding quality is the main reason for that with the death of two franchises playing a part as well. But look at next gen, people that don't even play sports games bought 2K with their consoles. Quality will grow the market. Too many companies were looking for overnight success instead of making quality titles and played major roles in killing themselves. Bottom line I think, there's a market for 2-3 games for at least the three major sports, gaming companies have to have a commitment to making it happen though and not focused solely on how soon they'll see big sales numbers.

All of your points are very good and I would agree.

I just take a look around and see what's been happening over the last several years up to this point. Maybe there is a market for two or more games, but, then, I would ask, is there a market where two or more competent companies can make equal quality games. At this time, based on my observations , I would say no.(for all the above reasons you gave)

Could that change? Absolutely, but until that happens..................I'm more of a seer than a believer.

[mestevo]

I think that's especially true early in a console transition.

Sent from my VZW Note 3

[inkcil]

@ Bruce...I agree, if Madden was on par with Fifa, the Show or NBA 2k14 then there wouldn't be half the uproar there is over the licensing. Our best sport in America gets our worst video game. Crazy...

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by inkcil

@ Bruce...I agree, if Madden was on par with Fifa, the Show or NBA 2k14 then there wouldn't be half the uproar there is over the licensing. Our best sport in America gets our worst video game. Crazy...

Ink, you had me until 2k. Couldn't play it at all. Had to trade it in early. I'm not the only one, either. GS said a lot were coming back.