How EA Can Bring Fans Back to NHL's Franchise Mode

[capnbuh]

Let's be honest, EA doesn't want people playing GM mode, unless they can come up with a way to work in microtransactions.

[actionhank]

Quote: Originally Posted by capnbuh

Let's be honest, EA doesn't want people playing GM mode, unless they can come up with a way to work in microtransactions.

Sadly, I think you're right. The focus on getting features right in the offline modes has been painfully absent.

I keep saying "Oh, maybe next year" but so far every year's just the same bit of surface work. NHL16 is way better than 15, don't get me wrong, but 15 was such a trainwreck that that wasn't hard to do. NHL16 literally seems like NHL14 on Next-Gen with better presentation (in some areas. The stat issue is unforgivable, and the fact that Doc and Edzo repeat so much of their dialogue gets old quick. If I hear "Being the top scorer means you'll get a lot of attention" once more, I might lose it).

NHL16 still plays the same to me. I don't see enough of a difference in NHL16 to differentiate it from NHL11-14. The players move pretty much the same, the skating is just as frustrating. I would even argue that when they made L2 the backskate, they made doing simple things more frustrating. Before, I could easily face the play on defense by holding L2, and my player would stay facing the puck. Now I'm stuck making tons of micro movements to get my guy accurately facing the right way, because half the time I have to start actually skating backwards to get him to face the play. Throw in the fact that I have no real control over my poke check, and the fine movements required for decent defense are all but impossible. Getting into the right position is tough, but even harder is doing anything once you're there.

[CubFan23]

I am an offline only player and this game is the shortest time I've ever owned a game. I just bought this a week or so ago and already traded it in. I think I am finally done with this series.

[RBUDD88]

Quote: Originally Posted by jake19ny

This article is spot on sadly my personal feeling is EA does not care about offline gamers nearly as much as online and HUT. The lingering offline issues, remaining bugs from last year in offline mode, lack of attention to detail in the offline modes, and the recent tuner debacle, all support my theory.

HUT is their main source of money from customers that is why so much goes into it

[actionhank]

Quote: Originally Posted by RBUDD88

HUT is their main source of money from customers that is why so much goes into it

I think most everyone understands why HUT gets the attention it does in development, but even that doesn't excuse the years of issues that have remained unchanged. I think NHL 15 showed what poor offline gameplay gets you...record numbers of people simply not buying the game. I don't think I've ever seen as many frustrated people as I did when NHL 15 was released. I've purchased every year since NHL 07, despite saying for the past few years "This is the last time I buy this. They're just not improving".

EA has to realize that if they want to exclusively focus on one part of the game, they're going to lose people from the other. Offline gamers might not generate the constant purchases or ad revenue from online play, but at $60 a pop, it's still not a market EA can continue to ignore like they have.