Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

[Big FN Deal]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

With respect to FIFA, FIFA sees very strong sales internationally (not surprising, soccer is an international game). It actually sees the bulk of its sales in Europe, not the United States (though it sells reasonably well on this continent as well) and is easily the best-selling sports title on the market. In contrast, Madden never has seen strong sales outside of the United States on consoles (or PC, before the SKU was dropped after Madden 08).

Still doesn't fully explain no Madden on PC, IMO, but it's a data point to consider.

My rebuttal, if it can be called that, is that the same holds true for FIFA on consoles, yet Madden is still available on consoles. Meaning, even though FIFA is a world wide brand, the Madden NFL brand is popular enough to justify not only selling Madden NFL but also paying for an exclusive license.

To simplify, Madden NFL sells enough to warrant making that year after year and paying for the branding, considering the presumed lower cost of porting a PC version now and already having the branding, PC sales wouldn't have to be astronomical to turn a profit.

[aholbert32]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

My rebuttal, if it can be called that, is that the same holds true for FIFA on consoles, yet Madden is still available on consoles. Meaning, even though FIFA is a world wide brand, the Madden NFL brand is popular enough to justify not only selling Madden NFL but also paying for an exclusive license.

To simplify, Madden NFL sells enough to warrant making that year after year and paying for the branding, considering the presumed lower cost of porting a PC version now and already having the branding, PC sales wouldn't have to be astronomical to turn a profit.

I dont know why EA WOULD consider putting it on PC. One, for the reasons CM stated its arguable that EA would ever see a profit on PC. Two, PC games continue to be easy as hell to pirate and could potentially cut into a small bit of the console sales. Look, I'm a bit of a scumbag and if I had a PC that could play the games at a high level....I'd probably download illegally Madden on the PC instead of buying it on consoles. I think there are a few other people who would do the same.

[roadman]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

MMMM, outside the box thinking, sounds like Big wants a "souped up" (modded) Madden that plays better on the PC vs console. lol

All said in jest, Big.

I have nothing else to add that's been already said in the thread.

[Big FN Deal]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

I dont know why EA WOULD consider putting it on PC. One, for the reasons CM stated its arguable that EA would ever see a profit on PC. Two, PC games continue to be easy as hell to pirate and could potentially cut into a small bit of the console sales. Look, I'm a bit of a scumbag and if I had a PC that could play the games at a high level....I'd probably download illegally Madden on the PC instead of buying it on consoles. I think there are a few other people who would do the same.

So I ask again, how does this reasoning not apply to FIFA, which is available on PC? The fact that FIFA sells more doesn't seem to explain it because, again FIFA outsells Madden on consoles yet there is enough sales to warrant console Madden. Considering that I would presume Madden on PC would sell enough in relation to FIFA PC.

MMMM, outside the box thinking, sounds like Big wants a "souped up" (modded) Madden that plays better on the PC vs console. lol

All said in jest, Big.

I have nothing else to add that's been already said in the thread.

Oh there is no doubt Road, that's exactly my frame of mind, lol. I did the same thing a couple years ago with regard to dang near begging Tiburon to add a true Coach mode in Madden, just hoping I can find some way to enjoy the only NFL game around.

I'm desperate not to give up this gaming vice, lol.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

Madden on the PC would be awesome. Look at the mods people do with NBA 2K and FIFA every year on the PC. Think about it, if you have NBA 2K on the PC, you also have all the college teams as well with updated rosters and college uniforms from those mods.

So no doubt they would do the same thing with Madden on the PC, make a NCAA football mod.

[aholbert32]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

So I ask again, how does this reasoning not apply to FIFA, which is available on PC? The fact that FIFA sells more doesn't seem to explain it because, again FIFA outsells Madden on consoles yet there is enough sales to warrant console Madden. Considering that I would presume Madden on PC would sell enough in relation to FIFA PC.

It doesnt apply to FIFA because according to sales it appears that international gamers are more open to buying PC games than American gamers. Using Video Games Chartz numbers (not the most reliable but all we have to work with), FIFA 14 sold 10,000 copies in North America. It sold 230,000 in Europe and 60k in the rest of the world. Now the only reason that FIFA is even released in the US on PC is because its already released in the rest of the world (where it produces decent sales).

So if you are EA and you see that your most popular game only does 10k in sales on PC in North America....why would you release your 2nd most popular game on PC? Sales show you that US fans arent interested in buying sports games on PC and you cant even rely on sales from the rest of the world like you can with FIFA.

[DCEBB2001]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

So if you are EA and you see that your most popular game only does 10k in sales on PC in North America....why would you release your 2nd most popular game on PC?

I have a reason. Because otherwise SOME PEOPLE won't purchase the game at all.

I will never purchase another Madden game until one of the following occurs:

1) Madden becomes something that can actually rival the overall game-play/franchise/etc. of NFL 2K5

OR

2) Madden becomes available on the PC so people like me can MOD the hell out of it.


Until one of these two happens, EA will NEVER get a dime from me. I would even be willing to pay upwards of $100 for a PC game or a great Madden on the console. How about THAT for a reason?

It's up to EA to prove to me that they deserve my money, but as of right now, they don't deserve a single cent.

[aholbert32]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

I have a reason. Because otherwise SOME PEOPLE won't purchase the game at all.

I will never purchase another Madden game until one of the following occurs:

1) Madden becomes something that can actually rival the overall game-play/franchise/etc. of NFL 2K5

OR

2) Madden becomes available on the PC so people like me can MOD the hell out of it.


Until one of these two happens, EA will NEVER get a dime from me. I would even be willing to pay upwards of $100 for a PC game or a great Madden on the console. How about THAT for a reason?

It's up to EA to prove to me that they deserve my money, but as of right now, they don't deserve a single cent.

I just dont think there are a ton of people like you out there. Not enough to justify making the game on the PC. None of the sports games that release PC versions are even moderate sellers. NBA2k sold under 10k on PC. So did PES. Fifa sold around 10k. The market just isnt there right now.

You guys dont think EA has looked at PC as a a possible way to make more revenue? They love money/revenue so I'm sure they have and if the money was there they would absolutely release it on the PC.

[wordtobigbird]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

I dont know why EA WOULD consider putting it on PC. One, for the reasons CM stated its arguable that EA would ever see a profit on PC. Two, PC games continue to be easy as hell to pirate and could potentially cut into a small bit of the console sales. Look, I'm a bit of a scumbag and if I had a PC that could play the games at a high level....I'd probably download illegally Madden on the PC instead of buying it on consoles. I think there are a few other people who would do the same.

Scumbag checking in here. Would definitely download Madden on PC first and only buy it IF the online play was worth it.

[kehlis]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

I have a reason. Because otherwise SOME PEOPLE won't purchase the game at all.

I will never purchase another Madden game until one of the following occurs:

1) Madden becomes something that can actually rival the overall game-play/franchise/etc. of NFL 2K5

OR

2) Madden becomes available on the PC so people like me can MOD the hell out of it.


Until one of these two happens, EA will NEVER get a dime from me. I would even be willing to pay upwards of $100 for a PC game or a great Madden on the console. How about THAT for a reason?

It's up to EA to prove to me that they deserve my money, but as of right now, they don't deserve a single cent.

And they would cater to you why?

If you buy a game that can be modded on the PC would you ever need to buy the game again?

Their goal is year to year sales. Not once every five years.



I do think however that it has more to do with international sales than anything else.

[jmurphy31]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

And they would cater to you why?

If you buy a game that can be modded on the PC would you ever need to buy the game again?

Their goal is year to year sales. Not once every five years.



I do think however that it has more to do with international sales than anything else.

I agree. There are people still modding madden 08 for the pc. They updated player pics, uniforms , etc.

More than likely it's about the sales. Or lack there of

[Big FN Deal]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

I think DCEBB makes a good point and it's sorta what I was getting at in the OP. If it's accurate that porting a game already being made for PS3/360 consoles over to PC, wasn't that costly, then it begs to reason that it's even less costly with PS4/Xbox1 development being even closer to high end PCs, Madden on PC would seem like a no risk proposition, in regard to sales. Meaning the most likely outcome would be increased revenue, not a loss.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2008/04/another-blow-for-pc-gaming-ea-drops-pc-version-of-madden-09/

.....EA's Peter Moore commented about the lack of a PC version on his official EA blog. "We knew that our decision to not develop this year’s Madden for the PC would be an unpopular decision in some circles," Moore admitted. "But I'll reiterate what I said a couple of weeks ago in this space... the PC presents some very serious business challenges to us in the sports category, particularly because so many of you all are playing your favorite sports games on the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii. We are committed to shipping a limited number of our games on the PC this year, but we’ve also had to cut a few of our games from the platform."......

......While to some the loss of a PC version of a series built to legacy on consoles may seem trivial, there's no question that a definitive statement has been made by EA. Given the concurrent development of an Xbox 360 version, a PC port would not be too costly an endeavor. And for the hardest of hardcore football fans, the PC versions of Madden were often the version of choice: after all, they were the only versions that allowed user-generated content and roster updatability.

Peter Moore acknowledged that it would be "an unpopular decision in some circles" and I presume some in those circles were buying Madden PC. This was back in 2007 when piracy was much more of an issue, imo, so again it seems to me there is more to this now than Madden PC wouldn't make profit. Also, I remember either during this same time or shortly after came the whole "monetize" the consumer statement from Moore, which of course seems much easier to execute on consoles.

So I'm guessing that while Madden PC would turn a profit, EA wouldn't be able to monetize the PC gamer year round the way they can console gamers, to maximize profit, so they don't bother.

[aholbert32]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

I think DCEBB makes a good point and it's sorta what I was getting at in the OP. If it's accurate that porting a game already being made for PS3/360 consoles over to PC, wasn't that costly, then it begs to reason that it's even less costly with PS4/Xbox1 development being even closer to high end PCs, Madden on PC would seem like a no risk proposition, in regard to sales. Meaning the most likely outcome would be increased revenue, not a loss.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2008/04/another-blow-for-pc-gaming-ea-drops-pc-version-of-madden-09/

.....EA's Peter Moore commented about the lack of a PC version on his official EA blog. "We knew that our decision to not develop this year’s Madden for the PC would be an unpopular decision in some circles," Moore admitted. "But I'll reiterate what I said a couple of weeks ago in this space... the PC presents some very serious business challenges to us in the sports category, particularly because so many of you all are playing your favorite sports games on the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii. We are committed to shipping a limited number of our games on the PC this year, but we’ve also had to cut a few of our games from the platform."......

......While to some the loss of a PC version of a series built to legacy on consoles may seem trivial, there's no question that a definitive statement has been made by EA. Given the concurrent development of an Xbox 360 version, a PC port would not be too costly an endeavor. And for the hardest of hardcore football fans, the PC versions of Madden were often the version of choice: after all, they were the only versions that allowed user-generated content and roster updatability.

Peter Moore acknowledged that it would be "an unpopular decision in some circles" and I presume some in those circles were buying Madden PC. This was back in 2007 when piracy was much more of an issue, imo, so again it seems to me there is more to this now than Madden PC wouldn't make profit. Also, I remember either during this same time or shortly after came the whole "monetize" the consumer statement from Moore, which of course seems much easier to execute on consoles.

So I'm guessing that while Madden PC would turn a profit, EA wouldn't be able to monetize the PC gamer year round the way they can console gamers, to maximize profit, so they don't bother.

Thats a bit of a leap. You completely ignore that Moore said that the "the PC presents some very serious business challenges to us in the sports category." That means its either a financial challenge or a resource/manpower challenge. Neither one of those things would be considered a challenge if the PC game was a revenue generator.

Removing a version of the game is always going to be unpopular in some circles. I'm sure there are some Wii fans who are furious that the game no longer comes out on that console too. Just because those circles exist doesnt mean they are significant.

Also why would piracy be less of an issue now than in 2007? Internet speeds are faster now. Back in 2007, I would have to leave my computer on all day to download a 2GB file (the size of Madden 08) and worry about possible disconnects. Now I can download the file in less than a 30 minutes.

[DCEBB2001]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

And they would cater to you why?

If you buy a game that can be modded on the PC would you ever need to buy the game again?

Their goal is year to year sales. Not once every five years.



I do think however that it has more to do with international sales than anything else.

I would HOPE that they would cater to me for my money. When Madden was on the PC, I bought it EVERY YEAR from 1999 to 2008. Back then, they actually made the game better. Most of the modding, that I am aware of, came after they stopped making the game for the PC (the FF/Football Idiot guys). Every year was great because I got to make rosters, draft classes, etc. I never even thought about not buying it one year because I could MOD it.

The short answer is that you COULD opt to buy it every year if you want realistic stats, schedules, etc in your game from year to year. Play it for a year, see where it goes in your franchise, and then buy it the next year. That was fun to me. Seeing how much play I could get out of it. I recall several Maddens on the PC getting the full 30 years out of franchise mode.

[DCEBB2001]

Re: Why Is Madden Still Not Available On PC At This Point?

I agree. There are people still modding madden 08 for the pc. They updated player pics, uniforms , etc.

More than likely it's about the sales. Or lack there of

One of the reasons many people are still modding Madden 08 is because they have no other choice of a more recent game to play on the PC in the Madden series. They are forced to MOD the crap out of it to get it up to date with today's uniforms, stadiums, rosters, etc.

I am willing to bet that if EA released Madden 15 on PC, the modding of Madden 08 would come to a screeching halt.