The Power Of The Media

[mcquillian]

I hope this becomes a sticky, not because of what I am going to say, but because of what YOU the "consumer" think. I have been playing video football games since the very early days Mattel, Tecmo and so on. In ESPN Football, I have found one of the most exciting and fulfilling video games I have ever purchased.

So WHY do I feel like I need to go out and rent Madden 2004 again? I mean EVERY magazine I open (even my wife's Entertainment Weekly) is touting the "greatness" of Madden 2004. Watch ESPN. It seems that Madden 2004 comercials run consistenty through Sundays games. It's weird. Does it not seem strange to you that Madden 2004 was crowned "King" by MANY of the major Video Game magazines BEFORE ESPN even hit the shelves?

The purpose of this post is not to bash Madden, but to raise some very valid opinions and questions, and to furthermore substantiate the "POWER" of advertizing and how well placed ads with still images of a video game captured at the optimal moment can pursuade potential buyers.

I am truly curious to hear the opinions of other football gamers regarding this issue. Thank you for your time.

[mike62474]

Yea, make this a sticky, it's groundbreaking stuff.

[Jistic]

Must play Madden....powerless to resist TV commercials....must play Madden...

[Hammerhunker]

Drink Coors beer and you are instantly in the middle of a wild redneck party...or so the commercials lead you to believe. Advertisement is only a form of hypnosis. It is all ok really, because hopefully Madden will step it up a notch with next year's title, along with the advertisement blitz, and in turn so will ESPN, and guess who will be the winners then?

[Neolithic]

Quote:

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Hammerhunker said:
Drink Coors beer and you are instantly in the middle of a wild redneck party...or so the commercials lead you to believe. Advertisement is only a form of hypnosis. It is all ok really, because hopefully Madden will step it up a notch with next year's title, along with the advertisement blitz, and in turn so will ESPN, and guess who will be the winners then?

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Actually...the last 3 times I had Coors Beer....I did end up/was in a big redneck party.....odd......

[bobby1907]

Here is how i look at it. I bought Madden because i knew what i was getting before i got it. A solid football game(in my opinion). Well i figure that i would play that until ESPN came out, and i did. Then ESPN comes out and i have to wait several days before i can rent it. In that time i read all the great reviews and all the cool things everyone was talking about in the forums. I thought to myself, this game is going to kick aZZ with all the great reviews that is was given. Finally i get to rent it and see all the bells and whistles that they added with all of the presentation, Chris Berman, ect... Finally start playing the game and getting use to the controls again(i have NFL2K3 still). I liked this game a lot to begin with, but then i just lost all interest in it for some reason. Maybe it was the computer kicking from my 25 yard line or the crazy penalty calls. The gameplay is sweet, but its like the computer is trying to lose the game. Anyways, my point is people can have their own opinion. I have yet to see anyone crown madden as the champ. I know operationsports didnt along with: IGN.com, gameinformer magazine, and i know there are others that gave ESPN better score than Madden and vice versa(not including the madden fan sites). Video games remind me of cars we all argue about whose is better. For example: Ford, Dodge, and Chevy. You will have people that will buy one of these three and never try any of the other ones because they like that particular and they want to stick with what works. On the hand you have some people that will try all (like me). Doesnt matter who you are you will always go back to what you like best after trying them all or maybe just one other one. Madden has been around a long time therefore has a much bigger fan base that ESPN. Although ESPN has made huge strides in a lot less time than madden has, but it will take them a little while to build up the same kind of fan base that madden has. Then you have fever chomping at the heels of both of them. There will never be an end to the arguing and bickering back and forth over which one is better. In the end its just one gamers opinion vs. another. Personally i like them both, but i prefer madden this year. Maybe next year will be different. I'll just have to wait and see.

P.S. If you have the money get both

[ChicagoSparty]

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mcquillian said:
So WHY do I feel like I need to go out and rent Madden 2004 again? I mean EVERY magazine I open (even my wife's Entertainment Weekly) is touting the "greatness" of Madden 2004. Watch ESPN. It seems that Madden 2004 comercials run consistenty through Sundays games. It's weird. Does it not seem strange to you that Madden 2004 was crowned "King" by MANY of the major Video Game magazines BEFORE ESPN even hit the shelves?

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That's true. Madden was crowned "King," but since the actual games have come out, I have seen many reviews online that have put ESPN higher.

As for advertising, EA Sports has some pretty vast resources. VC and Sega cannot keep up with EA's advertising budget right now, and we don't really know the level of attention and resources that ESPN has given to its game.

At any rate, I think the end result is that most people have given both games a fair chance. I prefer Madden for playing, ESPN for "coach mode." It's great that both games are so good, because there is a higher level of competition now, which breeds innovation such as Owner's Mode and FPF, among other things. I really like the fact that VC is pushing the envelope, because Madden had gotten pretty stagnant the last few years, and hopefully this will push EA to do some new things.

[mike62474]

Madden's been around for nearly 15 years now, it should be crowned king until someone dethroned it. Until 2k4, nothing came close to it.