A sliver lining to this lawsuit cloud?

[RandyBass]

I'm kind of a show no mercy type of person when it comes to EA. I guess years and years of disappointment will do that. I'll also give credit where credit is due, as some of my most enjoyable moments in gaming have come while playing one of EA's sports games.

This lawsuit is certainly casting a great big cloud over the future of college football gaming. The irony of it all is that it comes at a time when playoffs are just about to be introduced to the sport and game, a feature I have longed for since playing EA's college football games on the Sega Genesis way back in the mid 90s.

So what I'm wondering now is, if EA could weather the storm and scrap together some form of a college football game these coming years, will they be free to open things up a bit and give us the option to customize the post season to our liking?

In one of those Genesis versions I seem to remember being able to go all the way to a 32 team playoff if you wanted, and I loved it! I'm not even that big of a college football guy, but really liked the different flavor those games brought, especially with the customizable playoff option there if you wanted.

I know EA catches a lot of flack, including from yours truly, but in this situation I am sort of rooting for the NCAA series to stay alive because of the potential freedom it might bring. Heck, I may even go pick up a copy of NCAA 14 to help with those lawyer's fees and any possible settlement.

I don't know, I just don't see this situation as being as dire as some make it out to be. EA put out a college baseball game for crying out loud... College baseball. I have to think they aren't going to just lay down and die here. In fact without the handcuffs of overbearing licensors, it just might do them some good.

Goal posts coming down anyone? After a run through a 32 team playoff?

[mestevo]

I find it hard to find a silver lining if the end result is a game even fewer people will want to buy.

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[BA2929]

EA might not just give up, but it'll be pretty hard to put out a college football game people will want to buy if there are no colleges or universities (or conferences) that want their logo's used.

[majesty95]

150 schools have indicated they want to remain in their relationship with EA. The conferences mean nothing more than the NCAA did. Name and logo. As long as EA adds customizable conferences, you won't notice a difference.

[BA2929]

Quote: Originally Posted by majesty95

150 schools have indicated they want to remain in their relationship with EA. The conferences mean nothing more than the NCAA did. Name and logo. As long as EA adds customizable conferences, you won't notice a difference.

I suggest you read this then:

http://www.operationsports.com/forum...ensing-ea.html

Quote:

It is likely schools could end their relationship with EA Sports at any time, as the finances for getting out of a current contract are likely reasonable enough that such a jump would be easy to make, especially if a university feels they may be on the hook for millions from future lawsuits by being involved in future games.So while all but one school appears to be in next year's game -- that doesn't indicate that schools won't jump in the future. Arkansas, Kentucky, and Washington are just three schools which have indicated they are on the fence about participating in future EA Sports games.

And why would EA risk putting custom conferences in? Just to get sued by each conference when their logos are used on 'Conference Builder'?

[RandyBass]

Mestevo, BA2929... Do you guys even know what "silver lining to a cloud" means?

Obviously a lot remains to be seen, but once the dust settles there very well could still be an opportunity there, and one with a bit more freedom as outlined above. Having a minuscule number of schools and a few conferences drop out won't make that big of a difference; it's a few chinks in the armor. The majority of college football fans aren't looking for every fine little detail to be there in the game. So barring some sort of mass exodus by schools, a game could easily still be made and profited from.

[Gambo187]

I dint think custom conferences would cause a legal issue. There are dozens of text based games that have used this system in other sports to get around the legal ramifications.

Personally I feel custom conference when combined with team builder will open up possibilities, especially for "older" gamers who could have the old SWC or Big 8.

They also could make custom rules such as kickoff spot etc to replicate the older era.

There has been a movement in games toward "classics". Baseball games often have old stadiums and retro settings, nba games with classic scrnarios, legend of wrestling and EA themselves has set the precedent with old ncaa football classic scenarios in game and the success of former golfers and boxers in their own product.

I wouldn't be surprised if within a couple years this is the route they go.

[BleedGreen710]

I don't know much at all about the case, but seeing the term 'silver lining' has made me imagine just how much more entertaining the case would be if Jennifer Lawrence were involved.