EA responds to next gen

[Graphik]

Re: EA responds to next gen

All this says to me is that casual gamers are taking notice to the lack of efford from EA. They can point fingers all they want but the truth is in the products.

But if anyone can create hype for a game, EA can. They'll be able to win its customers back when the hype machine starts rolling next year. I hope its not the case but they're good at what they do.

[luv_mist]

Re: EA responds to next gen

I think casual gamers are becoming less casual more hardcore than before. People might just be more aware of what's going on which is sweet. That might mean that quality games might make a move through, but then again, it might now. I'm quite surprised cause so many kats were talking about how great all the EA games looked and how they were still dropping love for their games. This is a first of course. And as for the COD 2 joint, I'm not buying it until I get my system out. Fortunately, I did buy 2k6 which is depressing cause everytime I pick it up, I just think about what should be but won't be for a while.

By the way, did anyone pick up that Need For Speed title? Definitely curious about that joint.......

[edaddy]

Re: EA responds to next gen

Eventually consumers get tired of hearing the same excuses year after year whcih is exactly the case hear...Ea has been cutting corners for years and thier products bear witness to that....There was no excuse to put out a half-produced Madden for the 360...especially when all they have neen touting in the past is that they were putting their resources into the next generation of gaming...If ea had an even marginally better product for the 360 they would have earned profit regardless of 360 distribution..This is the first year that people refuse to buy an obvious inferior product (live, madden, tiger woods) and the proof is in the pudding...Ea needs to step way up particulary in the sports dept..to gain a stranglehold on consumers again..Whats really killing them is the nba live series as it is getting manhandled by take 2 nba 2k6....

[burnwood]

Re: EA responds to next gen

Well maybe if they would have hired enough programmers to do their next-gen games like Madden, Tiger and NBA Live correctly and not chop out 50% of everything on the old-gen games then their games wouldn't be getting their butts kicked so badly by TakeTwo and all the other publishers? Just my 2 cents...

You are right. Although, if EA thinks the PS3 will be better for them they are kidding themselves. Not only do they need smart programmers but they need engineers as well that understand how to program for multi-core processors--symmetrical processing for the 360, and asymmetrical for the PS3. And let me tell you. Engineers that know how to do one or both are VERY scarce.

If someone was smart out there they would hire these engineers and programmers, start up a company that makes game engines for the two next-gen architectures, and license the engines to the game companies. But I doubt that may happen.

[Skyboxer]

Re: EA responds to next gen

Not by most major review sites. 8 and higher has been the standard for any EA game when it comes to major mags and sites. Now that you see 6s and 7s sprinkled all around that would leave a bad taste and any gamers mouth. The shortage is part of the blame but I think its mostly due to the dismal reviews they've been recieving.

Exactly. A better release just would have meant more game returns.

[Erv]

Re: EA responds to next gen

You guys are reading way too much into this. Just because someone has a 360, doesn't mean they don't have a current gen madden that they play. You have to realize the system is $400 plus, people are going to cling to 1-2 games that stand out the most...it doesn't necessarily correlate with the status of EA. I also recall even though Madden 06 got it's worst reviews by a longshot, it was the biggest selling version yet. Reviews mean nothing once a game becomes a cultural icon.

Of course the shortage is huge unless you live in a cave. Go to your local store and count how many non-hardware sku's are collecting dust because the people who want the system can't get one.

[Rodster]

Re: EA responds to next gen

By the way, did anyone pick up that Need For Speed title? Definitely curious about that joint.......

Very solid game, EA finally got away from the NFSU genre. NFSMW on the 360 will take you back when NFS games were fun. It ain't perfect but it's a damn good racer.

[Rodster]

Re: EA responds to next gen

Well I read the interview and I do believe EA put out sub par Madden and Live games on the 360. But I also get the impression that EA was lead to believe maybe from their talks with Microsoft that they COULD get several million 360 units out within 90 days. It ain't gonna happen, and I think that's ticked EA off.

If that wasn't the case they wouldn't have made references to the PS3 as their "CORE" business. They also leaked that the PS3 price may be lower thsan we thought. If EA thinks there's a shortage of Xbox 360 wait till the PS3 hits the street next year.

[umd]

Re: EA responds to next gen

I think the $60 prices may have somethin to do w/ it as well - besides demand/xbox 360 bein limited etc etc. People seem to re-evaluate what games they just throw their money at w/ the cost.

[RubenDouglas]

Re: EA responds to next gen

the botton line is there is MORE choice.

Some gamers look at it like, well I already bought madden on xbox. why do i need it for 360. GIVE US REASONS TO BUY THE GAME and be excited. Instead they relye on their shifting fanbase and their "name brand" to sell stuff.

the tides are turning. more gamers are finding better products out there and dont feel a need to buy a game with 3 new features for the same price.. they choose to buy something different and keep the old, which is basically the same version

[Rodster]

Re: EA responds to next gen

the botton line is there is MORE choice.

Some gamers look at it like, well I already bought madden on xbox. why do i need it for 360. GIVE US REASONS TO BUY THE GAME and be excited. Instead they relye on their shifting fanbase and their "name brand" to sell stuff.

the tides are turning. more gamers are finding better products out there and dont feel a need to buy a game with 3 new features for the same price.. they choose to buy something different and keep the old, which is basically the same version

And EA chose to release Madden 360 at the tail end of the NFL Season. Truthfully I played all their 360 Sports games this year at my local EB and they are ALL PRETTY AWFUL.

[SoMiss2000]

Re: EA responds to next gen

That's so true. Not to mention, they can't really claim a shortage unless every person out there with a 360 has already bought there games, and I know for a fact that a lot of Xbox users aren't rushing out to get Madden and Live along with their new 360's. That's their own fault, not Microsoft's...

i agree because i'm one of those 360 owners. It pains me not to have a pro football game. I liked xbox madden 2006. I refuse to pay $60 for the crap they put out for 360. Since Links 2004 is not backwards compatible yet, id love a golf game, but I refuse to pay $60 for a stripped down, 6 course Tiger Woods.

[burnwood]

Re: EA responds to next gen

Wow! 6 courses??? I didn't know that.

[goh]

Re: EA responds to next gen

***** please! Try I dunno,making good realistic games instead of the score coming out 137-56. I managed to score 28 points in that Madden demo that has 1 minute quaters after playing it for a bit. Live wasn't bad with that sort of thing but I'm sure 2K6 is better.

Call of Duty 2 is selling great,I just read the other day that something like 70% of 360 owners bought COD 2 and it sold out once here almost twice now. PDZ sold out 3 times at one Walmart and twice at another where I just got it today and there was only 1 left after that so probably 3 times there now too.

"For some odd reason I always buy EA games EVERY YEAR. I have Live and Madden for 360 and I am very, very disappointed.

EA needs to win back customers ASAP. To win customers back they will have to LISTEN TO WHAT CUSTOMERS WANT!! "

Thing #1 is the exact reason they'll never do thing #2.

Looking at bestbuy.ca they now list how many copies of a game they have left. They have 57 copies of Madden.

[HMcCoy]

Re: EA responds to next gen

I think EA shot themselves in the foot with the NFL deal. I think that its likley that Sega/Take2 knew of the impending deal and were forced to get 2K5 out at 20 bucks as a last ditch effort to push brand awareness, and to some degree it worked. Even the casual masses who remained loyal to Madden had to start looking at their favorite title with a bit more scrutiny after being exposed to VC's products...and that's the very last thing EA ever wanted or needed. I'm sure that price cut they were forced to implement didn't help EA's image or bottomline either, especially after scoffing at TT for reducing their price.

Either way, it takes more than tanking EA sports franchises to hurt a publisher that large, they must be having disappointing returns on their non-sport franchises as well. As stated, it couldn't happen to a nicer company.

BTW...what happened to all the "business analysts" that praised EA for making such a "brilliant" move in the first place?