EA/Microsoft to bury the hatchet (XBox Live?)

SirFozzie · 12-10-2003, 07:50 AM

It's been talked about for quite some time now. Why can't Electronic Arts and Microsoft settle their differences so that gamers can benefit? There are tons of Xbox owners who would like to play EA games such as Madden NFL 2004 or the recently released The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King over Xbox Live.

Well, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel since EA and MS are still "actively talking" to one another in an effort to come to some sort of resolution. IGN recently conducted an interview with Chip Lange, the new head of the EA Sports Nation. Here's a snippet from their discussion:

IGN Sports: Yeah, but if you want the most amount of people to play online and join the Nation, doesn't that mean that you eventually have to support Xbox Live and bring your games beyond the PlayStation 2?

Chip Lange: Yes. There's an audience there that we're not currently tapping, and I think the customers are speaking out and saying "We want to play Madden on Xbox Live!" Madden outsells every other Xbox football game, and I think it's clear that the grand slam homerun is Madden playable online on all platforms. That's always been EA's model. There are some business model things and some consumer relationship issues that we're working on with Microsoft...we talk to them on a very regular basis, and everybody's hoping. I think both Microsoft and EA, if you talked to them, would say that we're hoping that we can figure out a solution so we can get there. There's certainly no bad blood there, and the good thing is, we're talking. If gamers are out there wondering what's going on, I definitely wouldn't say hope is lost. We're actively talking. We'd love to provide more gaming opportunities for our customers, that's what it's all about. So yeah, we're talking, and hopefully something can be worked out soon.

Hopefully is the keyword in that quote, so for now we must collectively keep our fingers crossed. For the full interview, head on over to IGN.

SirFozzie · 12-10-2003, 07:50 AM

(oh: article from http://microsoft.gamerfeed.com/gf/news/4676/)

BigDPW · 12-10-2003, 10:29 AM

Seems to me that if Madden already outsells all other franchises on XBox then why would they feel the need to support X-Box-Live???

I still see them holding out a year or two more and by then there will be a new system a year or so away...

As a PS2er I hope you guys get EA support for X-Box though and I would love for the two versions of Madden to be able to play on the same Network so I could double my potential opponents... (Probably a long way off though)

vex · 12-10-2003, 11:15 AM

Won't happen.

Joe Canadian · 12-10-2003, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vexroid
Won't happen.

Care to expand?

Kodos · 12-10-2003, 12:49 PM

Maybe by then I will have broadband and can get Xbox Live. Until then, my PS2 is just fine for Madden online.

dawgfan · 12-10-2003, 03:08 PM

I can foresee EA and MS coming to an agreement to get EA games on Xbox Live - it makes too much sense for both companies in the long run. The current struggle obviously is over revenue - EA being the Goliath of software companies has leverage over MS and wants a bigger cut of the Live revenue pie than MS grants everyone else.

I've always suspected that Sony has had some cozy deals with EA, so it'll be interesting to see how they react to any EA-Xbox Live deal.

As far as interconnectability between Xbox Live and any other online console systems - don't hold your breath. The games themselves would have to be re-written so that the information that is transmitted between different machines was in a generic format with a layer of interpretive code at the console end so that the instructions between a PS2 version of Madden could talk to an Xbox version of Madden. I just don't think either system has the horsepower or memory to be able to do this and maintain a satisfactory amount of sync between the games. So, before you even get to issues of whether MS would be willing to open Xbox Live to allow connections to rival platform online efforts and matching ping rates, the idea is basically dead in the water.

Bonegavel · 12-10-2003, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dawgfan
EA being the Goliath of software companies has leverage over MS

I'm not taking away from your point, but that made me chuckle

dawgfan · 12-10-2003, 04:15 PM

Sounds ironic I know, but in the world of gaming software it's absolutely true.

Pumpy Tudors · 12-10-2003, 07:49 PM

A link to this very article went around a couple of months ago, if I remember correctly. After reading it, I'm still not thoroughly convinced that anything will definitely happen. It's great to try to pick positives out of it, but there's nothing definitive in there.

kingnebwsu · 12-10-2003, 08:06 PM

Not this generation...or probably ever. Unless EA gets paid a portion of the XBL fees or EA is able to charge extra for their sports games. We'll see.

Bonegavel · 12-10-2003, 08:09 PM

EAs ultimate goal is get customers to pay monthly fees to some sort of online dealie which they keep trying to make work. They have to first realize that, if people are paying for this sort of thing, they will want more than just a matching service.

12-10-2003, 07:50 AM	#2
SirFozzie Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: The State of Insanity	(oh: article from http://microsoft.gamerfeed.com/gf/news/4676/) __________________ Check out Foz's New Video Game Site, An 8-bit Mind in an 8GB world! http://an8bitmind.com

12-10-2003, 03:08 PM	#7
dawgfan Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Seattle	I can foresee EA and MS coming to an agreement to get EA games on Xbox Live - it makes too much sense for both companies in the long run. The current struggle obviously is over revenue - EA being the Goliath of software companies has leverage over MS and wants a bigger cut of the Live revenue pie than MS grants everyone else. I've always suspected that Sony has had some cozy deals with EA, so it'll be interesting to see how they react to any EA-Xbox Live deal. As far as interconnectability between Xbox Live and any other online console systems - don't hold your breath. The games themselves would have to be re-written so that the information that is transmitted between different machines was in a generic format with a layer of interpretive code at the console end so that the instructions between a PS2 version of Madden could talk to an Xbox version of Madden. I just don't think either system has the horsepower or memory to be able to do this and maintain a satisfactory amount of sync between the games. So, before you even get to issues of whether MS would be willing to open Xbox Live to allow connections to rival platform online efforts and matching ping rates, the idea is basically dead in the water. Last edited by dawgfan : 12-10-2003 at 03:08 PM.

12-10-2003, 07:49 PM	#10
Pumpy Tudors Bounty Hunter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	A link to this very article went around a couple of months ago, if I remember correctly. After reading it, I'm still not thoroughly convinced that anything will definitely happen. It's great to try to pick positives out of it, but there's nothing definitive in there. __________________ No, I am not Batman, and I will not repair your food processor.

12-10-2003, 08:09 PM	#12
Bonegavel Awaiting Further Instructions... Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Macungie, PA	EAs ultimate goal is get customers to pay monthly fees to some sort of online dealie which they keep trying to make work. They have to first realize that, if people are paying for this sort of thing, they will want more than just a matching service. __________________

12-10-2003, 10:29 AM	#3
BigDPW College Prospect Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Raleigh, NC	Seems to me that if Madden already outsells all other franchises on XBox then why would they feel the need to support X-Box-Live??? I still see them holding out a year or two more and by then there will be a new system a year or so away... As a PS2er I hope you guys get EA support for X-Box though and I would love for the two versions of Madden to be able to play on the same Network so I could double my potential opponents... (Probably a long way off though)

12-10-2003, 11:15 AM	#4
vex Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Tulsa	Won't happen.

12-10-2003, 12:49 PM	#6
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	Maybe by then I will have broadband and can get Xbox Live. Until then, my PS2 is just fine for Madden online.

12-10-2003, 04:15 PM	#9
dawgfan Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Seattle	Sounds ironic I know, but in the world of gaming software it's absolutely true.

12-10-2003, 08:06 PM	#11
kingnebwsu College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Ohio	Not this generation...or probably ever. Unless EA gets paid a portion of the XBL fees or EA is able to charge extra for their sports games. We'll see.

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