Madden 12 News Post

Madden Creative Director, Ian Cummings is Leaving Tiburon

03:05 PM - April 12, 2011 by Benicio10

According to PastaPadre, Ian Cummings, Creative Director of the Madden franchise, is leaving Tiburon.

He also states there are quite a few other big names going with him.

What do you think about this news?

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Member Comments

# 61 mike24forever @ 04/12/11 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coogrfan


	I read this five times, and I still don't know what he was trying to say.

Maybe he was typing with his elbows?!?

# 62 RGiles36 @ 04/12/11 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	How long did it take for those people say they missed David Ortiz ?

I'd say 1-2 years before I saw people talking about how Ortiz was onto something with Madden 08

# 63 TheShizNo1 @ 04/12/11 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coogrfan


	Not necessarily. Think about it: they haven't really had six years, they's had six one year cycles. During those cycles they have had to try to overcome a myriad of things that were done wrong initially while at the same time creating a new game that has to ship every August come Hell or high water.

Do they? Phase/Cycle/Year 2-3, you know have an understanding of things, improve on what you already have. I'm sorry, I cannot and will not cut slack for EA for what Madden has and hasn't become. Especially when I look at games like CH2K7&8, NBA2K7,8,&11, TheShow, Fifa, etc.

# 64 JBH3 @ 04/12/11 05:17 PM

I don't see this as a bad thing to be honest.

# 65 at23steelers @ 04/12/11 05:20 PM

I don't think Ian did a fantastic job, but most of us are upset, because we don't know what the future brings. IMO, Ian tried his best and wanted only SIM things added. He talked to the community a lot as well. I wish it was Donny Moore over Ian leaving, but what can you do? I think the marketing team is what controls madden and decides almost all the features in the game. I think Ian got tired of that and left. Hopefully, they fire the marketing people and promote someone like Phil to pick up where they left off.

# 66 Garrett67 @ 04/12/11 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	I don't know what his major was, but he was offered a game tester position before graduating college. A lot of the guys on the development team don't have degrees in a related field.

...and look at Madden. Perhaps they should start hiring people with knowledge .

# 67 Bgamer90 @ 04/12/11 05:23 PM

I will definitely miss Ian. While Madden 11 wasn't a big step from 10 imo, Ian did make Madden get up to a much faster speed compared to how things were before. Ian had a three year vision starting with Madden 10. Looking forward to seeing if that vision comes true w/ Madden 12 (Ian's Swan Song).

Also, I don't accurately know how things here on OS were when David Ortiz was the producer of Madden but it seems to me like people criticized Ian more than David (during Madden 06-09). While Ian handled things better than I would have, I'm pretty sure it got to him. Working 80-100 hours weeks just to get called "lazy" can't be fun. It did obviously ruin the amount of communication we use to have with him here on OS. That communication though did make ones use Ian as a scapegoat for certain things.

But anyways, the new place he's going to will probably be a lot less stressful on him. I wish him the best.

# 68 Bgamer90 @ 04/12/11 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett67


	...and look at Madden. Perhaps they should start hiring people with degrees and knowledge instead of hiring internet forum posters because they are suck asses. Sorry but its true.

# 69 Hooe @ 04/12/11 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	I don't know what his major was, but he was offered a game tester position before graduating college. A lot of the guys on the development team don't have degrees in a related field.

You're right on with this.

And Google says he started as software engineering but switched his major to finance. It is truly scary how easily I found that out.

# 70 coogrfan @ 04/12/11 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheShizNo1


	Do they? Phase/Cycle/Year 2-3, you know have an understanding of things, improve on what you already have.

I think most would agree that they have done so. Madden 11 was light years ahead of the abominations that were Madden 06-07 (360).

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheShizNo1


	I'm sorry, I cannot and will not cut slack for EA for what Madden has and hasn't become. Especially when I look at games like CH2K7&8, NBA2K7,8,&11, TheShow, Fifa, etc.

I'm not cutting EA slack. I'm saying that most of the problems with the game now are due to things that occurred when EA was creating the first next-gen Madden. Some of those things were EA's fault, while others were beyond their control.

As I've stated a couple of times in other threads, NBA 2k is a perfect example of how EA should have handled the leap to next gen. Instead of creating a new game from scratch VC chose to take the previous gen version, give it a graphical makeover, and port it to the 360. The result was a title that proved to be one of the best of the 360 launch titles and a solid foundation for future development.

One can't help but wonder where the Madden/NCAA series might be today if EA hadn't decided to attempt to build a new football engine from the ground up.

# 71 TheShizNo1 @ 04/12/11 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coogrfan


	I think most would agree that they have done so. Madden 11* was light years ahead of the abominations that were Madden 06-07 (360).*

True. Like we've agreed on, I would expect 11 to be better than what it is. I feel I should be anticipating Madden thinking "this may be one of the best football games ever." and not "man, I hope they got it right this year."

# 72 Hooe @ 04/12/11 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	Somebody had to say it.

No, nobody had to say that.

Ian Cummings worked his way up the company ladder at EA like anyone else in a corporate situation, and if I say so in his time as the lead guy for the Madden games he and the rest of his team did a bang-up job making a fun video game.

It's simply the popular opinion on this forum to bash Madden and bash anyone associated with Madden at any given point in time, regardless of facts or respect for the opinions and feelings of anyone else.

It's what making these forums insufferable.

# 73 Garrett67 @ 04/12/11 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHooe


	No, nobody had to say that. Ian Cummings worked his way up the company ladder at EA like anyone else in a corporate situation, and if I say so in his time as the lead guy for the Madden games he did a bang-up job making a fun video game. It's simply the popular opinion on this forum to bash Madden and bash anyone associated with Madden at any given point in time, regardless of facts or respect for the opinions and feelings of anyone else. It's what making these forums insufferable.

I wasn't talking about Ian, I like Ian.

# 74 Bgamer90 @ 04/12/11 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	Somebody had to say it.

I just don't get how people can not say he has done nothing at all and/or has completely sucked.

I mean, don't get me wrong, Madden isn't where it should be IMO but he has definitely made Madden better and more enjoyable than how it previously was and added things that were more in tune with what the sim community wanted.

# 75 RedZoneD25 @ 04/12/11 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHooe


	No, nobody had to say that. Ian Cummings worked his way up the company ladder at EA like anyone else in a corporate situation, and if I say so in his time as the lead guy for the Madden games he did a bang-up job making a fun video game. It's simply the popular opinion on this forum to bash Madden and bash anyone associated with Madden at any given point in time, regardless of facts or respect for the opinions and feelings of anyone else. It's what making these forums insufferable.

It's not about popular opinion, in my case. Yes, he made fun NFL games, but fact is the same things missing from when he got the Lead Designer title back in 09 are still missing from the game at the current time. Show me franchise depth and deep Superstar mode...Show me the initiative to do more than Play Now. It's not about him doing a BAD job, it's just that nothing has really changed outside of improved gameplay and new menus/fonts. That said, I'm still interested in Madden 12, just as I'll be interested in 13.

# 76 TheShizNo1 @ 04/12/11 05:35 PM

Was Ian the one that worked on HC09?

# 77 TheShizNo1 @ 04/12/11 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WTFitsDaveyJ


	It's not about popular opinion, in my case. Yes, he made fun NFL games, but fact is the same things missing from when he got the Lead Designer title back in 09 are still missing from the game at the current time. Show me franchise depth and deep Superstar mode...Show me the initiative to do more than Play Now. It's not about him doing a BAD job, it's just that nothing has really changed outside of improved gameplay and new menus/fonts. That said, I'm still interested in Madden 12, just as I'll be interested in 13.

Agree 100%............except the last sentence...so I guess that makes it like 99 %.....or 90%......

# 78 RGiles36 @ 04/12/11 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bgamer90


	Also, I don't accurately know how things here on OS were when David Ortiz was the producer of *Madden but it seems to me like people criticized Ian more than David (during Madden 06-09).* While Ian handled things better than I would have, I'm pretty sure it got to him. Working 80-100 hours weeks just to get called "lazy" can't be fun. It did obviously ruin the amount of communication we use to have with him here on OS. That communication though did make ones use Ian as a scapegoat for certain things.

I can't speak to that as well, as I didn't come here prior to Jan 08 I believe. And while the forums were on fire with justified harsh criticism during that time, I don't think the criticism for Ortiz was ever as personal as it was for Ian. That kind of came with the territory with trying to be buddy-buddy with a disgruntled fanbase I guess.

# 79 Hooe @ 04/12/11 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WTFitsDaveyJ


	It's not about popular opinion, in my case. Yes, he made fun NFL games, but fact is the same things missing from when he got the Lead Designer title back in 09 are still missing from the game at the current time. Show me franchise depth and deep Superstar mode...Show me the initiative to do more than Play Now. It's not about him doing a BAD job, it's just that nothing has really changed outside of improved gameplay and new menus/fonts. That said, I'm still interested in Madden 12, just as I'll be interested in 13.

A fair point. I think an argument can be made that the football part of a football game is the most important part of it, thus the focus. That said, I'd be lying if I were to argue that Franchise / Superstar modes do not matter.

# 80 RedZoneD25 @ 04/12/11 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheShizNo1


	Agree 100%............except the last sentence...so I guess that makes it like 99 %.....or 90%......

Well, obviously you want to enjoy Madden. You wouldn't be here if you didn't. I mean I'll be interested in following the game, not necessarily buy it.

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Madden Creative Director, Ian Cummings is Leaving Tiburon