What is 2K's goal with APF 2K8?

[DaveDQ]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Soldier

If anything, it's everything that's RIGHT with the American consumer public. They buy Madden because it's the best game to them, and then 2k fills the niche for others. You're better off coming out and saying "I hate Madden and am angry that the rest of the country doesn't share my exact taste in video games"

You're obviously not a marketing strategist. First and foremost, the core of marketing is to establish "brand." That simply means that you want someone to think Kleenex when you say tissue.

EA Sports has been very successful in creating their brand by investing in strategies that have given them a very exposed platform to a very broad audience. Madden is a household word. If you ask someone between the ages of 13-18 what the best football video game is, their response will be, "Madden."

I have nothing against EA for being successful with that. They've done a great job in achieving their goals, which is to gain profit. But, don't for a second think that the majority of consumers that buy Madden are making an educated decision. EA is trusting the consumers are like sheep, they go in the direction of what's most popular.

Madden is pop-culture, and that's exactly what EA wants it to be.

[Cebby]

A lot of them ARE making an educated decision. Madden allows them to do what they want to do in a football game. Most people don't want to set up the pass with a tough inside running game. Most people don't want to draft a defensive tackle to clog the run.

Most people ENJOY lobbing to Moss. Most people don't want to play defense, but if they have to, it's INT, big hit, or bust. Most people enjoy having a team of all 99 players and going 16-0 every year.

[SageInfinite]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Soldier

A lot of them ARE making an educated decision. Madden allows them to do what they want to do in a football game. Most people don't want to set up the pass with a tough inside running game. Most people don't want to draft a defensive tackle to clog the run. Most people ENJOY lobbing to Moss. Most people don't want to play defense, but if they have to, it's INT, big hit, or bust. Most people enjoy having a team of all 99 players and going 16-0 every year.

[eldogg]

co sign sage.

[K_GUN]

i'm a fan of 2k...always have been.,always will be


with that said...


2k wants to stay around in the consumers mind until the license is avail again

IF they were to make 2k5 BC they don't see any coin in that process.

IF they give it a fresh coat of paint & tweak some gameplay issues and then sell it for next-gen at least they see some revenue AND stay on the football gamers radar until 2009 (versus reason 2)

contrary to many they are doing a great job marketing this 2k5.V3 football game

[GnarlyKing]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Soldier

A lot of them ARE making an educated decision. Madden allows them to do what they want to do in a football game. Most people don't want to set up the pass with a tough inside running game. Most people don't want to draft a defensive tackle to clog the run. Most people ENJOY lobbing to Moss. Most people don't want to play defense, but if they have to, it's INT, big hit, or bust. Most people enjoy having a team of all 99 players and going 16-0 every year.

Sad, but very true.

[Cebby]

Quote: Originally Posted by GnarlyKing

Sad, but very true.

I don't agree with it, but that's how it is. People can give me bad smileys all they want.

I enjoy the music of the Wu Tang Clan. Others see rap as an abomination to music. Am I stupid for enjoying the Wu? I don't think so.

2k and Madden aren't similar games. They're both football just like the Wu and Pink Floyd are both music makers. People who like Madden don't necessarally have worse taste in games than those who like 2k, they just have different taste.

I personally can't play Tom Clancy games. They bore me to tears. But up the action a bit, and Counter Strike and Metal Gear are 2 of, if not my two favorite games. I could play Tom Clancy games every time they come out, and I'd still not like them. That's the difference between Madden and 2k. A lot of Madden players have played 2k, they just don't like it. They're 2 different audiences. Madden is for high scoring, 1 handed catches. 2k5 is being thrilled with a 3rd down conversion or a 15 yard run.

[pietasterp]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Soldier

If anything, it's everything that's RIGHT with the American consumer public. They buy Madden because it's the best game to them, and then 2k fills the niche for others. You're better off coming out and saying "I hate Madden and am angry that the rest of the country doesn't share my exact taste in video games"

I guess where we're having a fundamental disagreement is in separating the concepts of "popularity" and "merit". Popularity is a function of marketing and business strategy, whereas merit speaks for itself (or would in an ideal world). Popularity is "American Idol" being the highest rated show on television; does that necessarily make it the best show on TV? The most well-thought-out? The edgiest/funniest/most clever/most intelligent? Of course not. It's a pop culture phenomenon. Chi-Chi's is the #1 Mexican Restauant in the U.S. - is there anyone that seriously believes they have the best Mexican food in the country? So is it the case that sales make a product meritorious, or vice versa?

If you are making the argument that some significant percentage of Madden purchasers have bought and/or evaluated every football product on the market and have come to the determination that Madden is the best game for them, then I'd have to say that's just patently untrue. If, on the other hand, you are saying the vast majority of people buy Madden because it's what they know and what their idea of videogame football is or should be, then we're in complete agreement. Although exactly WHY that's an average person's idea of football is a different argument completely.

Oh, and by the way: I hate Madden and am angry that the rest of the country doesn't share my exact taste in video games