EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

[Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by SamuraiX

I think the thing is alot of the reviewers from these gaming sites don't really know anything about football or at least not enough to make the in depth critiques that alot of people do for Madden. As long as it has some semblance of football they're gonna say it's good.

No, the game isn't being given a pass for having "a semblance of football".

The game is being reviewed as good because it has a variety of gameplay modes, presents interesting challenges to users, has interesting and balanced gameplay mechanics, and has a lot of depth and nearly infinite replay value.

These things transcend whatever genre of game you want to put Madden in. That's what mainstream video game review sites are looking for - is Madden an entertaining video game and worthy of purchase compared to all other options?

Hardcore fans of the genre will evaluate the game through a much more focused lens, yes, but that doesn't invalidate the opinion of the average video gamer or the mainstream video game reviewer, who may be introducing the game to a person who has never played it before.

[SamuraiX]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

No, the game isn't being given a pass for having "a semblance of football". The game is being reviewed as good because it has a variety of gameplay modes, presents interesting challenges to users, has interesting and balanced gameplay mechanics, and has a lot of depth and nearly infinite replay value. These things transcend whatever genre of game you want to put Madden in. That's what mainstream video game review sites are looking for - is Madden an entertaining video game and worthy of purchase compared to all other options? Hardcore fans of the genre will evaluate the game through a much more focused lens, yes, but that doesn't invalidate the opinion of the average video gamer or the mainstream video game reviewer, who may be introducing the game to a person who has never played it before.

Yes all that is great to have if your looking strictly from a video game point of view but let's not forget Madden is supposed to be a simulation videogame first and foremost. That means how the gameplay mechanics compare to real world football is just as if not more important than all those things you listed.

[mestevo]

He's looking strictly from the context provided: mainstream video game review sites and the majority of purchasers for the most part.

What you state isn't incorrect, but it's only most important for a minority of buyers. All of that stuff is important to me too, yet Madden remains my most played game every year for probably the last decade (w/ NCAA really it's only competition for that title some years).

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[kjcheezhead]

Quote: Originally Posted by Valdarez

How is the game selling year over year? I put together this chart on Madden sales several years ago. At that time, EASports was claiming sales were down because of the recession.

I had to get the numbers off vgchartz, which I hear is questionable with its accuracy. I prefer finding articles from gaming sites that give first week sales, etc.


That said, here goes




Madden 11 12 13 25


360: 2.63 mil 2.62 2.75 1.95


PS3: 2.32 2.16 2.39 1.50



Wii: .70 .42 .46 NA


PS2: .50 NA NA NA


Xone: NA NA NA .56


PS4: NA NA NA .65


PSP: .35 .20 .27 NA


WiiU: NA NA .07 NA


Total: 6.5 mil 5.4 mil 5.94 mil 4.66 mil




There was a slight bump for Madden 11, but Madden 10 was down 1.34 million from Madden 09 and the lowest since Madden 05. Madden 13 has the only other rise year over year, but Madden 12s ps2 numbers were unavailable. Its probably a slight increase to flat sales if you include those. That was the year they added real time physics as well. Probably the most anticipated addition to the game in years.

[Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by SamuraiX

Yes all that is great to have if your looking strictly from a video game point of view

Since Madden NFL is a video game first and foremost, it stands to reason that evaluating Madden NFL as a video game is a perfectly valid standard.

[hanzsomehanz]

EA is lucky to of had John Riccietiello on board when their sales were languishing during the transition to PS3 and 360. They better count their blessings re the Ultimate Team communities too.

It was John who shed light on them regarding using the internet as a market for gaming and second: their game quality is not swell and needs polishing.

It was hard for them to accept the reality then, back in '07 as they were contentedly stuck in their ways but John shook them out of the trance.

John's no longer w them and I do not mean to glorify him as a Savior - he did leave some stains and damages they are still trying to repair but wihout him I do not think they would have survived to make it this far.

Along with John's severance pay was the severance owed to 1,000's of other employees which totaled an expense on the Millions - EA also added in the press article that they made these cuts as part of their strategy to lower operating costs which later led to the development of the Egnite Engine.

EA is still trying to break even on past games that did not bring in enough revenue to cover the operating costs.

As someone put it regarding NBA Elite (Live '11), "EA hurt EA."

When EA botched the server delivery for the latest Sims, it stirred the community into a frenzy of fits but there were other fails too like the ending to Mass Effect that was so bad the community complained still when EA released an alternate ending as a DLC.

I am one who firmly believes it is only EA who can undo this exclusivity to the NFL Liscense: not the Madden community nor a competitor.

They want to be the giant on every corner of the gaming market and it is to their own detriment each time they try to butt heads with the other chiefs who have planted flags in their proven markets .

The Madden SIM Community is not a community loud and effective enough to exact the type of change many are looking for, that is my firm belief.

EA is getting burned with lawsuits and are burning their own hands with their poorly delivered products: it will be them who bring their own demise upon themselves at this rate, not the Madden community.

The only whisper of a threat that I do hear could be spurnned by the Madden Community is a lawsuit on how EA conducts busines in the Ultimate Team mode from a gambling POV.

If EA loses that baby or their UT baby suffers an attack: that could certainlly spell disaster for EA Sports and EA as a whole as Framchise and Single Player Offline is no longer a pillar for their three Sports pillars: NBA, FIFA and Madden but Ultimate Team is the one pillar and gluttonous cash cow.

It would be devastating for anyone to put a mark on the UT mode which drives so much pure revenue for them and helps to offset the decline in sales.

Well, if the UT cow gets gutted: I hope they don't cry over the spilled milk.

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[mestevo]

There a source for any of that, or wishful thinking?

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[bucky60]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

The game is being reviewed as good because it has a variety of gameplay modes, presents interesting challenges to users, has interesting and balanced gameplay mechanics, and has a lot of depth and nearly infinite replay value.

I would tend to disagree with the bold (off field/off season).