Release NCAA Football Later

[J-Unit40]

Quote: Originally Posted by dkrause1971

#1- People will want draft classes. You don't need anything from madden for NCAA so it makes sense to release first. #2- Unless the contracts state that NCAA has to come first, i assume EA figures that NCAA will sell better if it is released first than if it was second. Alot of people buy NCAA just to have a football game for that month before Madden but not vice versa. Another reason i think the games are released when they are- you get the hardcore to buy the game at release then another bump when the season starts.

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner on all points. I'm glad they release NCAA when they do. If it were a week later that would be cool too, but think about how many kids in the summer are waiting for NCAA before two-a-days start and have a new football game in the middle of their summer break.

[mjussawalla]

I like the release date the way it is.

But everyone should note, that NCAA and even Madden are developed in 9 months, not 1 year like everyone thinks.

Think about it, the game has to be done pretty much by the first week of June, then for a couple of months, the team scrambles to fix the bugs. (Patch 2 was sent out last week to the console guys for approval).

I am sure Adam isn't the only one on a much deserved vacation. Thus, the team will not get down to serious business for NCAA 11 until the first week of September, may be the last week of August.

[xfactor9600]

Moving the game back to a different date only buys "extra time to work on the game" once. The next one year development cycle starts whenever it starts. If they moved the game back to August for instance, they would buy themselves one month of extra time. Every year after that would still be the same amount of time there is now between releases. (July to August year: 1 extra month in year one then AUgust to Sugust in years 2 and on: same time between game there is now).

[Buckstopshere]

Quote: Originally Posted by dkrause1971

#1- People will want draft classes. You don't need anything from madden for NCAA so it makes sense to release first. #2- Unless the contracts state that NCAA has to come first, i assume EA figures that NCAA will sell better if it is released first than if it was second. Alot of people buy NCAA just to have a football game for that month before Madden but not vice versa. Another reason i think the games are released when they are- you get the hardcore to buy the game at release then another bump when the season starts.

This is it exactly.

I think the lesson here, at least for me, finally has to be: Stop buying the game the day it comes out and wait until news of at least the first major patch being released comes out before considering a purchase. I'm 3 years overdue to finally get that message and comply by it as far as NCAA goes. For Madden, 07 and 08 cured me forever of buying those on day one.

[JaBronie247]

Im not saying after Madden im saying like near the end of july!

[stevedrumsdw]

The release date is fine, but half the game being broke when we buy it is not cool.

[rspencer86]

Quote: Originally Posted by xfactor9600

Moving the game back to a different date only buys "extra time to work on the game" once. The next one year development cycle starts whenever it starts. If they moved the game back to August for instance, they would buy themselves one month of extra time. Every year after that would still be the same amount of time there is now between releases. (July to August year: 1 extra month in year one then AUgust to Sugust in years 2 and on: same time between game there is now).

Great point, but I've been posting this very same explanation for years and there are still countless people who throw this idea out there as a way to give the devs more time. I guess people just don't get it.

[barats]

Quote: Originally Posted by MrOctober430

The could always release NCAA end of July or beginning of August. Madden could still be released before the school season starts. It'll be better so they have MORE TIME TO WORK ON THE GAME.

You are talking about a couple weeks extra to work on it. That is not much at all. I mean, it's not like other games where they are designing a game from scratch. The base of the game, which is the hardest part, is there. So is almost everything else. Basically they have 9 months to edit a game and they still can't get it right. A few extra weeks will not help.