Madden NFL 25 News Post

Madden Sales Down Significantly This Year

10:33 AM - September 6, 2013 by RaychelSnr

It appears, on the surface at least, fans are no longer happy with the Madden status quo.

EA Sports reported sales of just over 1 million copies of Madden in its first week on store shelves. While EA was touting the success of Madden NFL 25, those sales numbers are down significantly from last year's number of 1.65 million in the same time span, a nearly 40% drop in sales.

The obvious culprit does seem to be many gamers are holding out for next-gen Madden, which makes a lot of sense. However, with incentive programs to upgrade to the next-gen game around and being touted by EA, it also does seem a large chunk of consumers simply are tired of Madden's current form and waiting for something new.

This puts even more pressure on the next-gen product to deliver a new and unique experience to the series, as fans are likely looking for that with the new game. However, for a year at least, it is likely the next-gen version of Madden will be a huge seller when the new consoles hit store shelves in mid to late November.

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Member Comments

# 61 gr18 @ 09/06/13 11:27 PM

With emphasis put on pre-ordering these days I'm not sure the economy or the gaming market dictates that new system sales will be where they might hope or expect them to be.I think the numbers may work out based on the people that have systems want to buy games for it but EA likely will have their projections at a number that they won't meet.

Last years game did alot of harm to sales for the general public that bought the game to find out many of the things they came to expect were taken out and they lost money on a trade-in as a result.Some of these people will be reluctant to trust purchasing based on the experience.

# 62 Step2001 @ 09/06/13 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	Unfortunately, listening to the Ian podcast, I don't have much hope for next years Madden. If sales are down overall, then external depts will have their say. ie marketing and suits He explained pretty clearly this is what happened between 10 and 11. 10 became more sim orientated, but didn't sell well. 11 was a step back in sim.

If I recall, Madden 10 was a huge FIX. The Dev Team had to go in a fix things that had been broken. Re-Tune the overall logic in how the game played. Nothing was added, just fixed.
Madden 11 was a disappointment because they did not add anything. Not until Madden 12 did they go a revamp Franchise Mode.

They ask for input, we give it to them & they go off and do what they do. I don't fault the Dev team. I know it's business. When People (upper management) start having a say that have no clue as to what is going on, progress can & will be halted.

# 63 Step2001 @ 09/06/13 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghettogeeksta


	PS4 vs Xbox One - Pre-Order Totals to August 24th 2013 PlayStation 4 - Top 10 Pre-orders 1. Battlefield 4 - 246,965 2. Call of Duty: Ghosts - 240,090 3. Killzone: Shadow Fall - 221,710 4. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag - 160,637 5. Watch Dogs - 118,315 6. Madden NFL 25 - 65,123 7. Destiny - 44,018 8. NBA 2K14 - 43,430 9. Knack - 40,982 10. FIFA Soccer 14 - 35,095 Xbox One - Top 10 Pre-orders 1. Call of Duty: Ghosts - 229,628 2. Battlefield 4 - 125,368 3. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag - 104,980 4. Watch Dogs - 69,152 5. Dead Rising 3 - 61,254 6. Ryse: Son of Rome - 57,962 7. Forza Motorsport 5 - 56,201 8. Madden NFL 25 - 43,167 9. Destiny - 35,627 10. Titanfall - 27,956 Looks like Madden 25 has only a little over 100,000 pre-orders for the next-gen consoles as of 08/24.

These numbers can drop after Info drops about Madden 25 "Next Gen"

That's what I am waiting for.......

# 64 ryan36 @ 09/07/13 12:46 AM

I'm not buying, because I hear about an unstoppable offense, and I think next-gen is gonna suck.

Right now, it'll be the first Madden I skip since '93. I'm not spending money until I see the reviews for next-gen.

The game is fine, and I enjoyed last year. They didn't improve on IE in any meaningful way, and selling hot dogs and relocation is cool... I'd dig the revamped owner mode , BUT - the gameplay is apparently worse.

# 65 secondsolution @ 09/07/13 12:50 AM

I'm kind of glad I live in Australia where the PS4 comes out a couple of weeks after the US. It will give me time to read reviews and OS to decide whether I want to go ahead with next Gen this year. If next Gen Madden sucks, there is a good chance I will cancel my pre-order and wait 12 months.

# 66 Dolphins88 @ 09/07/13 01:06 AM

C'mon 2 k make a 2 k15 and end this video game football debacle.. Nfl better let them make it!

# 67 sportzbro @ 09/07/13 01:18 AM

This is what happens when you put out a mediocre product year after year. Say all you want about " JUST WAITING 4 NEXT GEN!!1!" but there are numerous trade-in deals for the next gen version that you can still get by buying the PS3/360 one first.. I'd say NCAA Football should take note, but who knows what's happening with that mess and it'd probably fall on deaf ears anyway.

# 68 NYBorn81 @ 09/07/13 02:03 AM

If only 2k haven't already come out and said that they have little interest in making another NFL title.

# 69 252Life @ 09/07/13 02:04 AM

Yeah okay but I bet the Next Gen version will be bare bones like 06 was.

# 70 252Life @ 09/07/13 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYBorn81


	If only 2k haven't already come out and said that they have little interest in making another NFL title.

So 2k is not interested in making anymore football games? Man WTF? Ok then where is 989 Sports or somebody else, please get back into the fold when this license is over lol

# 71 mestevo @ 09/07/13 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 252Life


	Yeah okay but I bet the Next Gen version will be bare bones like 06 was.

What are you being exactly because anyone paying attention to next gen would gladly take you up on that.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

# 72 Iceman87GT @ 09/07/13 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 252Life


	Yeah okay but I bet the Next Gen version will be bare bones like 06 was.

They learned from their mistakes on the current gen in this department. It won't be bare-bones, doesn't mean the game will be good but it will at least be full-featured.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 252Life


	So 2k is not interested in making anymore football games? Man WTF? Ok then where is 989 Sports or somebody else, please get back into the fold when this license is over lol

Cost a lot of money to get all that stuff together, its gonna have to be a 2 year process, I think 2K will make a run at it but the lawsuit (putting an end to exclusive licensing for EA) was settled last year and the fact that they haven't started the process now means it won't be any time soon. Also 989 Sports hasn't made game since 2006, it was absorbed into SCEA San Diego, there's no way they take focus away from the Show to start what could be a failure.

What amazes me is how many people are automatically attributing this to consumers finally having enough with the product... Really? They've been buying it for years, regardless of quality (and fyi the general public doesn't have as many negative things to say about various sports franchises as the visitors to this site do,), and now that sales are down with the Next Generation of consoles set to debut in 2 months and 13 days your gonna ignore that fact and come to the conclusion that they are finally going to come to their sense?

Sales are down because of the Next Gen anticipation, that's a fact. The only question is how much of that is purely because they are waiting for Next Gen and how much is because they heard bad things about the game and aren't bothering with the current gen in the meantime. Yes there are some who have sworn off the series entirely, but they are the minority.

650,000 people haven't quit the series, there are a lot of reasons to look forward to Madden on the Next Gen and this is influencing people's purchase decision.

And its important to note that 1M in the first week is still extremely good, just down from recent years, this isn't going to hurt EA's bottom-line and it is easily explainable to shareholders that its due to the Next Gen.

You're fooling yourselves if you think this is going to hurt EA, cause the NFL to pull their rights (no one is there to take over, and its no longer legal to grab exclusive rights, the NFL would literally be losing a video game deal for the year if they "rethought their partnership with EA). EA is going to keep making Madden, hopefully someone will step in and create some competition, because even if M25 on the XB1 and PS4 is everything we have been hoping for, it is always better for their to be great incentive to improve upon the last iteration. Without competition things become stagnant, even if they are working to bring you the best game possible (see MLB the Show, still a fantastic game but its review scores are dropping by the year, its hard to improve on perfection, especially when their is no legitimate competition trying to one-up your perfect game).

# 73 JaymeeAwesome @ 09/07/13 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iceman87GT


	They learned from their mistakes on the current gen in this department. It won't be bare-bones, doesn't mean the game will be good but it will at least be full-featured. Cost a lot of money to get all that stuff together, its gonna have to be a 2 year process, I think 2K will make a run at it but the lawsuit (putting an end to exclusive licensing for EA) was settled last year and the fact that they haven't started the process now means it won't be any time soon. Also 989 Sports hasn't made game since 2006, it was absorbed into SCEA San Diego, there's no way they take focus away from the Show to start what could be a failure. What amazes me is how many people are automatically attributing this to consumers finally having enough with the product... Really? They've been buying it for years, regardless of quality (and fyi the general public doesn't have as many negative things to say about various sports franchises as the visitors to this site do,), and now that sales are down with the Next Generation of consoles set to debut in 2 months and 13 days your gonna ignore that fact and come to the conclusion that they are finally going to come to their sense? Sales are down because of the Next Gen anticipation, that's a fact. The only question is how much of that is purely because they are waiting for Next Gen and how much is because they heard bad things about the game and aren't bothering with the current gen in the meantime. Yes there are some who have sworn off the series entirely, but they are the minority. 650,000 people haven't quit the series, there are a lot of reasons to look forward to Madden on the Next Gen and this is influencing people's purchase decision. And its important to note that 1M in the first week is still extremely good, just down from recent years, this isn't going to hurt EA's bottom-line and it is easily explainable to shareholders that its due to the Next Gen. You're fooling yourselves if you think this is going to hurt EA, cause the NFL to pull their rights (no one is there to take over, and its no longer legal to grab exclusive rights, the NFL would literally be losing a video game deal for the year if they "rethought their partnership with EA). EA is going to keep making Madden, hopefully someone will step in and create some competition, because even if M25 on the XB1 and PS4 is everything we have been hoping for, it is always better for their to be great incentive to improve upon the last iteration. Without competition things become stagnant, even if they are working to bring you the best game possible (see MLB the Show, still a fantastic game but its review scores are dropping by the year, its hard to improve on perfection, especially when their is no legitimate competition trying to one-up your perfect game).

Bravo Iceman. Finally someone that knows both business and finance and how board members think.

# 74 simbayless @ 09/07/13 09:10 AM

Wow if EA think they can get by next gen by good graphics and hype only they in trouble!

# 75 HennessyWilliams @ 09/07/13 09:12 AM

If the game wasn't so blatantly bad. I boycotted last years and was able to get this years free. Owner mode is the only thing good about this game. The menu's take forever to load and it is so unrealistic. Impossible to play good defense because the computer throws over the middle too easy. PLUS THE RETURN OF THE CORNER ROUTE! (MADDEN 2003) DOMINANCE!. It's stupid to say the least. Plus my biggest gripe. TOO MANY RETURNED KICKOFFS. HAD THE GAME FOR 2 WEEKS HAVENT KICKED 1 KICKOFF OUT OF BOUNDS! That is blatant not wanting to change anything by EA. I will not buy any other EA sports games because of this. Also. TOO MANY ILLEGAL HITS! This is not 2000. Madden still harbors on these hard hits like its the old school madden's where they had people getting their heads taken off in the promo videos. This is 2014 no more hits allowed like that. GET WITH THE PROGRAM EA. Im gonna play this sorry game for one more week and just get my 30 dollars towards NBA 2K14.

# 76 MuchToLearn @ 09/07/13 09:55 AM

all i can say to anyone wishing/hoping/praying that ps4/next-gen madden 25 will be better than this madden 25 is..

the hell are you on?!

it's almost guaranteed to be the same game with a bit better gfx.. we all remember the debacle of 360/ps3 first edition maddens when they ditched their old sim roots and went strictly arcadeish

it'll be like that

first-edition games for new consoles generally speaking aren't that good

# 77 giantsrule01 @ 09/07/13 10:19 AM

I'm going to keep watching the message boards, but from what I've read so far I have been underwhelmed. I won't be buying Madden this year.

# 78 Skyboxer @ 09/07/13 10:26 AM

I'm a HUGE NFL fan I have skipped over Madden current gen and will get my first NFL gameplay with the PS4.
So there are some (more than people probably think) that are waiting.

# 79 jenglund @ 09/07/13 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyboxer


	I'm a HUGE NFL fan I have skipped over Madden current gen and will get my first NFL gameplay with the PS4. So there are some (more than people probably think) that are waiting.

Similar here. This is the first Madden I haven't purchased...um, I can't remember the last one I didn't buy. My reasons:
1. Players immediately disappeared on the demo for me...so, I instantly got the feeling of, "This one may not be too polished."
2. Impressions seemed to be decidedly lackluster during preview weekend.
3. I was frustrated with Madden 13 but actually got back into playing it this summer with the help of OS sliders, and I found a game that worked fine for me.
4. Feeling burned every year by price drops a month after the game comes out, and realizing, "Patches don't even hit until 4-6 weeks out."

Seriously, it was incredibly hard to resist buying, but so far, I'm glad I did. I still may pick it up cheap (not sure about getting a PS4 yet), but for me Madden 13 works (despite RBs falling down when running into the big butts of the O linemen.)

# 80 TeeDogg @ 09/07/13 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyboxer


	I'm a HUGE NFL fan I have skipped over Madden current gen and will get my first NFL gameplay with the PS4. So there are some (more than people probably think) that are waiting.

between the launch of the next gen consoles and Christmas this "sales slump" will be as if it never existed. there aren't many sports gamers, kids, nor casuals that like sports that wont have Madden along side their new console. The current gen hs been around a looong time, I think we will see more early adapters than usual

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