Even without exclusive deals, what a difference a few years makes...

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  • ehh
    Hall Of Fame
    • Mar 2003
    • 28962

    #1

    Even without exclusive deals, what a difference a few years makes...

    NBA 2K8
    Live 08
    NBA 08
    College Hoops 2K8
    March Madness 08

    And now we have just 2K11. At least 2K11 looks like it'll be the best basketball game yet - still disappointing what's happened to this genre.
    "You make your name in the regular season, and your fame in the postseason." - Clyde Frazier

    "Beware of geeks bearing formulas." - Warren Buffet
  • youvalss
    ******
    • Feb 2007
    • 16601

    #2
    Re: Even without exclusive deals, what a difference a few years makes...

    The leader is the one who sets the bar. It used to be Live some years ago (especially in the 90's and for some time in the 2000's, now it's 2K. Sony's games (never played the 90's ones) never were the stars of the genre but were a nice alternative, but I guess they just don't sell well as a "nice alternative" anymore. Pretty much the same goes for Konami.

    Not a fan of college basketball so I don't know much about it, but I guess EA has something to do with that, and there are probably other reasons that I don't really know (because, as I said, I'm not into college sports).

    But it also got something to do with the internet and the way games are being marketed today. In the 90's, even though there was internet (in the 2nd half of the 90's), we didn't really expect to read/know everything about the game. There was probably a TV commerical, some preview (later on a review) and add to that the back of the box - that's pretty much what we had.

    Later on (around the early 2000's) it became more and more intense - people expect trailers, photos, info, Q&A's etc.etc..

    So today, by the time a game is released, you know about it pretty much everything that's possible to know without actually playing it. So, expectations are built early on - not when the game is released, but months before.

    All that means that it's a much more risky business and there's no room for "nice alternatives" anymore. Add to that, that it's much more expensive to produce a game than what it used to be, you really have to make sure that it sells well, or you may not be making another one the following year.

    That's pretty much why we don't have many options today, and why some titles aren't even being released anymore.


    At least, that's the way I see it.
    Last edited by youvalss; 09-27-2010, 11:00 PM.
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    • 23
      yellow
      • Sep 2002
      • 66469

      #3
      Re: Even without exclusive deals, what a difference a few years makes...

      Remember this thread, ehh?

      Lots of nuggets in here

      http://www.operationsports.com/vBull...nt-fellas.html

      Comment

      • HustlinOwl
        All Star
        • Mar 2004
        • 9713

        #4
        Re: Even without exclusive deals, what a difference a few years makes...

        sad really, if you look at it. Especially for a NCAA head like myself. I am forced to go NBA route, something I have not done since NBA 2k4

        Comment

        • jsg
          Pro
          • Jul 2004
          • 529

          #5
          Re: Even without exclusive deals, what a difference a few years makes...

          it is pretty crazy. with budgets being so big, companies cant take risks on games anymore. so much stuff is involved now with sports games. for a generation that has my favorite sports game of all time(college hoops 2k8), its been pretty disappointing sports wise. i'm wondering if ea releases a quality game next year and no one buys it, what will happen to the basketball game genre. i love 2k but i want to see some competition. it brings the best out these companies.
          Psn: Sprigg

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