Madden Creator Wins $11 Million in First Round of Lawsuit

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by GiantBlue76

Yes Road, that's the one. I was never actually able to read the article, so I'm not claiming to be correct on this one. Can you summarize?

Article states they aren't sure why the step drop of profits from the NFLPA. It mentions EA is the main supplier of those profits. Not sure if it's from the strike season as the NFLPA asked for upfront money.

The last time the NFLPA reported commercial revenue of less than $100 million for a full year was 2005.

The prevailing reason for the decline: Revenue from Electronic Arts in the most recent 12 months was $2.155 million. Between 2006 and 2011, the NFLPA’s EA revenue averaged $32 million, far and away the biggest sponsor or licensee in those years, often by two- to threefold.

For the eight months covered under the 2012 NFLPA filing, EA income came in at less than $1 million to the NFLPA. So combining that total with the 2013 amount, the NFLPA for a 20-month period brought in less than $3 million from its historically top licensee.

t is possible the NFLPA took an upfront payment from EA during the lockout period of March 12-July 25, 2011, to help sustain the players during their battle with the owners. There are no indications the economics of EA sales of its football video games have changed in any way to suggest such a steep drop in royalties.

Both parties wouln't comment, so, the article is specualating as to why the drop off in payoff from EA to NFLPA.

[cadalyst17]

Now he should repay all our money for the crappy games we have bought : )

[Shadymamba]

I mean if he was the "originator" and the new guys wanted him gone - it's only right that he get his cut, and for them not too in the past wow - well good for him then!!!! - we wonder how the big companies stay big - cutting corners

[Iceman87GT]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gotmadskillzson

11 million to EA would be like 11 dollars to your average person. They really not going to feel it.

It's an average of $11 Million per year, I don't know if that is from the game's start, or if its from the point in which he was fired/pushed out. They can now pursue similar payments for games made after 1996. And the sum for those games would be even greater than the one they received for the initial suit.

That hits the wallet a lot harder, its not good for investors, and it can hurt your stock value. It's not going to stop them from making Madden games but its a lot more than the chump change you seem to suggest it is.

My question is does he really deserve any royalties (or is he even legally entitled to any) for games that simply bear the name of Madden? Certainly any time the used the same stuff that he helped develop/create for the game he should be compensated, but when the game made the jump to the Playstation/N64, then the PS2/Gamecube/Xbox, and then again to the 360 and PS3, and I'd argue that the Wii gets its own category because of its gameplay mechanics.

I mean common sense would say he doesn't deserve money for games he had no part in developing. So assuming he didn't work on the 3D versions we started seeing on the N64 and Playstation, he shouldn't be getting money for those, because at that point the only thing connecting his work to those games would be the title, and I guess the general concept of a football video game. But legalese may stipulate that he is entitled to those profits, despite the fact that the game has not resembled the game he helped create and worked on for well over a decade.

[xylocaine]

Karma is a bitch isn't it EA. Hope they lose the NFL license and 2K starts making real football again

[JaymeeAwesome]

Quote: Originally Posted by xylocaine

Karma is a bitch isn't it EA. Hope they lose the NFL license and 2K starts making real football again

Madden will always have a license. Whether or not it will be exclusive is a different story. I still don't see any changes happening in the near future as the last 2k football game was 5 years ago. Now we are going into next gen they would have to build from the ground up, very costly. I think we are going to have Madden as the only NFL game for at least 3 years. I would expect a game company to need 2 years alone to build a football game back up.


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[DukeC]

I think this was an appropriate way to go about a lawsuit. He was cheated, EA didn't pay up, so he sued (rightfully).

I hope he enjoys his money

[infemous]

how does this affect Madden?