Madden NFL 11 News Post

EA Sports Plans To Digitize Madden 11 Consumer (IGN)

09:17 PM - March 1, 2010 by bang911

Madden NFL 11 fans should expect to purchase digital content this season, according to this write up from IGN.

Quote:


	""I think we need to move much quicker, in particular with Madden, through a digital world," Moore stated. "You're going to see more announcements there how we digitize our Madden consumer. It keeps the disc in the drive longer, it stalls trading the game in, it allows me to be able to take further advantage of that consumer over a longer period of time," he said. "Even if we do get second sales, we see that as an opportunity to drive digital margins." "Sports games, because their seasonality runs out, are always something tempting to trade in. We've got to be able to build business models around allowing that consumer to trade it in and then monetize them," he added "We're certainly going to do a lot of that this year."

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Member Comments

# 21 Crimsontide27 @ 03/02/10 01:36 AM

Mark my words on this...

A company I used to work for has looked into this practice and its heading this way wether we like it or not. While you are thinking of just $1 here, or $5 there.....you are missing the bigger picture.

Video games in general are seeing a ton of 2nd and 3rd owners these days due to gamefly and gamestop. At the end of the day, the companies that produce these games are not making the money they feel they should be and are losing money due to people buying them used elsewhere = no money in the game companies pockets.

The problem is so widespread that we are about to see the dawn of a new era...and its one we will not like. Full games and movies that you download to a drive will be the next push. This way , even though you pay full retail price, you will not be able to take it somewhere and trade it in and let it be resold.

Its coming sooner that you expect..

# 22 Nadal @ 03/02/10 02:26 AM

Option A) Create a quality product that even ranks among the PS3 elites of the other genres (Final Fantasy XIII, God of War III, Gran Turismo 5, MLB The Show), then provide, for free, updates throughout the remaining months that will keep the consumer playing the game until the next installment.

Option B) Create an average product that slightly bests last year's effort and nickle and dime the consumer until you end up losing them forever.

Hm. I wonder which EA will pick.

# 23 veritas1 @ 03/02/10 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pantherbeast


	I love how the EA is trying to extend the life of madden this coming year. Even when some people trying to give madden a bad rep. Madden is a great game that just needs some better graphics and tweaks here and all .

Graphics are the least of Madden's problems...

# 24 raz77 @ 03/02/10 06:10 AM

This is just bad. I mean Ian did a lot to repair the image of Madden around here and this guy is just ruining it.

# 25 ZoneKIller @ 03/02/10 07:26 AM

Well if Teambuilder makes it in,They could offer new stadium designs,logos,upgrades,field types and jersey types,the list could go on and on.

Id be happy with that.

# 26 TheWatcher @ 03/02/10 10:13 AM

This will go one of two ways:

1. They offer downloads that improve the product in real ways over the course of the season.

2. They hold back features that would've otherwise shipped with the game under normal circumstances, and make them DLC only in an effort to do nothing more than increase revenue and keep that stream going over the course of the season.

IF... IF #2 is what this is, then we're about to get taken for a ride. It's good business for them if #2 is the case, but for the consumer it's a bad deal.

# 27 jkra0512 @ 03/02/10 10:16 AM

Tell you what, if I have to pay $60 for a digitalized version of any game that I can't trade in, I'm finding a new hobby. I live off trading games in because they are so expensive to buy new.

# 28 JMD @ 03/02/10 10:30 AM

Sounds to me like EA is scrambling to come up with anything they can to try and get people to pay attention to Madden. A whole lot of nothing is correct. I smell fear, can you say Backbreaker........The closer BB gets to it's release the more hype will will hear from EA. Kind of brings me back 6 years..... I love playing with the official NFL teams and players , and I always root for Madden to be great, but from what I've seen this morning from the BB hands on reviews I just don't think the real NFL teams and players are going to matter.

# 29 achain @ 03/02/10 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albert_24


	I wonder how they could digitize madden? I do like how they want to prolong the life of madden. Making a better madden game goes a long way to help prolong its life. And obviously ultimate team was a major feature that made ea more money and also extended it somewhat.

Um, do you realize what this means? They think we'll keep the game longer if they release new content packs after the game comes out and then charge money for them.

This has nothing to do with making the game higher quality and has everything to do with EA maximizing profit potential.

# 30 ScoobySnax @ 03/02/10 11:28 AM

Major turnoff...

It's definitely effed up, but what can we do? OS could boycott it, but we're just .0031% of the Madden population.

# 31 Valdarez @ 03/02/10 12:06 PM

Quote:


	Moore stated that every iteration of Madden typically sells around six million units. The company is looking at ways to generate more revenue from that install base every year.

In other words, instead of working to create a better game and grow the install base, they are going to try to bleed the consumers they currently have...

Digital Content is one thing, in the form of DLC, but if Madden 10 is evidence of what's to come, it's going to get ugly.

1. In Madden, EA Sports charges consumers extra money to play online if they buy used (around $10), in an attempt to get 2x profits from a single product sale
2. In Madden, EA Sports introduces unseen of in game advertisements that actually overlay the gameplay in an unrealistic manner, breaking their own mantra/vision of 'if you see it on Sunday'.
3. In Madden, EA Sports charged money for the QA test codes (in game cheat codes) that most companies give away for free

EA Sports is consistently taking advantage of the consumer with their business practices. Instead of putting the consumer first, and reaping the benefits of a happy consumer, they are constantly putting their bottom line first, effectively taking advantage of their monopoly hold on the NLF and in turn taking advantage of the consumer.

# 32 Valdarez @ 03/02/10 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raz77


	This is just bad. I mean Ian did a lot to repair the image of Madden around here and this guy is just ruining it.

Agreed. Best thing that could happen to the image of EA Sports is #1 drop exclusive license deal, and #2, drop Peter Moore.

# 33 kjcheezhead @ 03/02/10 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScoobySnax


	Major turnoff... It's definitely effed up, but what can we do? OS could boycott it, but we're just .0031% of the Madden population.

I'm just .0031% of that .0031%, but I'm still seriously considering boycotting on principle alone. This article was ridiculous.

If gamers are trading in a sports title 4 weeks into the regular season, it might have something to do with the games quality. Maybe that's where EA should focus it's efforts, not on how they can take further advantage of their customers.

# 34 TDKing @ 03/02/10 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWatcher


	This will go one of two ways: 1. They offer downloads that improve the product in real ways over the course of the season. 2. They hold back features that would've otherwise shipped with the game under normal circumstances, and make them DLC only in an effort to do nothing more than increase revenue and keep that stream going over the course of the season. IF... IF #2 is what this is, then we're about to get taken for a ride. It's good business for them if #2 is the case, but for the consumer it's a bad deal.

I agree, IF they take something that we already have in the game or something that should be included with the game then leave it out and charge for it. I'm Done and don't care how good the game is, If i can't get a full game for 60 bucks I'm out! My guess...Beware Online Franchise users

We might finally see those server side patches at a cost of course.. imo

# 35 Valdarez @ 03/02/10 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWatcher


	This will go one of two ways: 1. They offer downloads that improve the product in real ways over the course of the season. 2. They hold back features that would've otherwise shipped with the game under normal circumstances, and make them DLC only in an effort to do nothing more than increase revenue and keep that stream going over the course of the season. IF... IF #2 is what this is, then we're about to get taken for a ride. It's good business for them if #2 is the case, but for the consumer it's a bad deal.

Seriously, based on their track record, why'd you even take the time to write #1?

# 36 Zealous Dissent @ 03/02/10 12:32 PM

If they really don't want people to trade in the game - eliminate the game disc. Make the game a DLC game (ala Steam). The majoirty of the population that plays Madden - plays online. You may off-set revenue loss of the few who don't have internet connections, by eliminating the trade-in capability of the consumer. But then again, I would bet that there would be a nasty round-table discussion between Game Stop Execs, and EA Execs if that was the case...

If I am a young up-and-comer with Game Stop - I would be working night and day to come up with some kind of "steam-like" service for console games, because like one poster said early, "it's moving into the digital direction". People didn't think it would happen with CDs, but take a look at the CD section at a Best Buy, pretty slim pickins.

# 37 RedZoneD25 @ 03/02/10 12:33 PM

WOW.

As a guy who hasn't missed a Madden since 94....I'm done. I am officially waiting on this game...Unless it gets The Show-like reviews, I'm not buying and I'll get BB

# 38 djordan @ 03/02/10 12:38 PM

You guys will be in line for Madden 11...Mark my words lol.

# 39 HitDoctor @ 03/02/10 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marktg30


	I think I just made my decision on Madden 11 based on those comments. Pretty much tells me that EA has been holding back on anything truly groundbreaking in order to squeeze every dime out of the consumer. It truly speaks volumes of what 'corporate' is doing to the devs. It seems to me that Ian and his team have the desire to make leaps and bounds with their game but Moore is probably the guy saying, "Lets hold back on all those Franchise Features and include one or two. We can hold off on Online Franchise updates, they will pay extra for those next year. etc etc etc.".

True. I for the life of me can't understand why they couldn't implement the franchise model from HC '09. This read and your comments really clears this up. Really have to think long and hard. I didn't crack the game open for days after I bought so I think I can do a boycott, especially since backbreaker is coming out.

# 40 ComfortablyLomb @ 03/02/10 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goethe88


	That article was a whole lot of nothing. Seems their focus is every but on gameplay. Par for the course.

Specifically, their focus is apparently on bleeding the consumer dry.

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