EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

[hanzsomehanz]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

It all depends on your product, but growth tends to be logarithmic in this case, not linear or exponential. Eventually you start running out of football gamers in general, you know what I mean? This also hinges on the fact that everybody would have paid a $60 for NFL 2K6 as well.

I value your suggestion of logarithmic growth.

The $19.99 price tag gained more try and see consumers but it would take more years of sales at the standard price rate to evaluate the *loyalty of those consumers and lasting product value of the NFL 2K brand.

When the unit prices would eventually rise in line w EA's: would the sales also continue to rise - would they even reach the same base unit sales of NFL 2K5?

I would like to see the '03 sales for the two '04 titles and compare them to the $19.99 vs $29.99 sales of 2K5 and Madden 05.

*I do not doubt the loyalty of NFL 2K fans: there does seem to be a fraction more of them playing outdated football games compared to madden fans.

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[coogrfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by hanzsomehanz

I value your suggestion of logarithmic growth. The $19.99 price tag gained more try and see consumers but it would take more years of sales at the standard price rate to evaluate the *loyalty of those consumers and lasting product value of the NFL 2K brand. When the unit prices would eventually rise in line w EA's: would the sales also continue to rise - would they even reach the same base unit sales of NFL 2K5? I would like to see the '03 sales for the two '04 titles and compare them to the $19.99 vs $29.99 sales of 2K5 and Madden 05. *I do not doubt the loyalty of NFL 2K fans: there does seem to be a fraction more of them playing outdated football games compared to madden fans. Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

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Quote: Originally Posted by coogrfan

For what it's worth, according to vgchartz: Madden NFL 2004 (North America) PS2 4.26 million units + XB 1.02 million units = 5.28 million units. ESPN NFL Football (North America) PS2 .27 million units + XB .27 million units = .54 million units. Madden NFL 2005 (North America) PS2 4.18 million units + XB 1.61 million units = 5.79 million units. ESPN NFL 2k5 (North America) PS2 2.15 million units + XB .1.54 million units = 3.69 million units.

[Big FN Deal]

Quote: Originally Posted by JMD

That's all the info you need right there. 2K made a huge leap forward in one dev cycle and I believe had it not been for EA buying the exclusive rights , what would have been NFL 2K6 would have out sold Madden 06 forcing EA to step up their game or pack it in. Man how I would have loved to live in that world for the past 10 years.

Just thinking of what a great episode of Dr Who the bold would make, I wonder what "butterfly effect" no exclusive NFL license would have had on the world, lol.

[Greenblood60]

Quote: Originally Posted by FaceMask

Exactly. The NFL didn't care about the pricing. EA however did care for reasons solely regarding their own profit margins, not wanting to cut the price of Madden to hang on to market share. They said it themselves in the Pecover memos. The whole "The NFL went crazies about $19.99!" is a long-standing inaccurate tale that was told a decade ago in conjecture by internet posters and never died, despite the facts coming out disproving the tale, which most never read. At this point, I just figure too many people believe it now that it will just stay the story people go with. It also doesn't help that there is a guy on YouTube spreading the same misinformation to his thousands of subscribers. I saw a poster mention the facts to him at the top of one vid, but apparently he ignored it because he keeps making videos spreading the misinformation. I sometimes wonder if some of these guys are paid to do that kind of thing, like disinfo agents or something.

Exactly, the reason why EA acquired the exclusive license ( to every major American football league ) was because of the price that 2k was selling 2k5 for, and when they were releasing it. 2k5 ( if I'm not mistaken ) was released before NCAA 05 and Madden 05, which affected their sales and forced them to sell both games at a cheaper price. They also got the rights to the Hall Of Fame. 2k was still able to sign HOF players individually, but their efforts were less effective.

EA wanted to sell their games at a certain price, which was the same price as almost every other game, and they stopped 2k ( or anybody else ) from preventing that.

[Kramer5150]

Quote: Originally Posted by hanzsomehanz

*I do not doubt the loyalty of NFL 2K fans: there does seem to be a fraction more of them playing outdated football games compared to madden fans. Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

and why do you think that is??

[GiantBlue76]

Quote: Originally Posted by CowherPower

and why do you think that is??

No one WANTS to play an outdated football game. How many people do you hear about playing MLB the Show '08 or NBA 2k7? Probably none. People want to play the BEST game. That is something, as strange as it may seem, that appears to escape the minds of many on this board. They want to believe that it is fanboyism or "agenda" pushing instead. All of that is complete nonsense and is not worth entertaining in the least. Gamers want high quality and realism in their sports games, that has ALWAYS been the case. No one gives a damn about brands and who's name is on the box. They will gravitate towards the best games that meet those two requirements. It is extremely telling that you have a significant number of people still reaching back and playing outdated games when it comes to football. Madden is finally on a track of improvement after a completely wasted decade in which football gaming went backwards. Yes - backwards. We have less now than we did 10 years ago and football is the only sport in that situation. The bar has significantly been raised in all other major sports. Madden is still struggling to deliver a full featured, complete game while other franchises are adding things like real TV presentation, multiple broadcast teams, incredibly deep career and owner modes, storylines, etc. Meanwhile, football is still clamoring for proper player movement, penalties, ball physics, player interaction and authenticity.

I still own 2k5 and 2k8. The two best football games I've ever played. There was a time when Madden was the best game I'd ever played (going back to 1988 through 1993). I'd like that to happen again where I would be willing to get rid of the 360 and not care to play those other two games again. Unfortunately, I can't do that yet. I'm still getting compartmentalized football one microscopic piece at a time each year. I'm seriously hoping that will change sooner rather than later. I want to have that excitement of waiting in line at Gamestop at midnight because I can't wait until the next day. Football gaming was once there. Now if you go to a midnight release, you can show up late and walk right in and grab it.

[hanzsomehanz]

Quote: Originally Posted by coogrfan

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Did you share the NFL 2K(year '99/'00) sales? There is no year date offered - just looking for confirmation that those are the sales for NFL2K4.



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[hanzsomehanz]

Quote: Originally Posted by CowherPower

and why do you think that is??

The new ones aint always the best ones, like classic love songs: we sometimes playback the oldies because they have an everlasting appeal.

Its more than nostsalga; the classic product has a genuine everlasting pleasure that appeals to your senses.

Those games, NFL 2K4 and 2K5, Madden 04 and 05, they were rated very high and packed a fresh substance that still lingers today.

Those classic games of the past held that unique aura of Je ne sais quoi that these current Madden titles lack.

I personally feel the game becomes more cheapened the more it replaces sim aspects with gimmicky practices.

Fast food Football gaming will not satisfy my appetite: feed me a gourmet menu.

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