EA Producer speaks on the negative community reaction

[saabcaptain]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheBandit

I happen to think Tiburon is a very good developer, but the bottom line just isn't their call. They don't set the development cycles or the budgets. They answer to EA and EA has a tried and true formula they'd prefer to stick with. So while I'm fully sure that Tiburon would love to show us all that our concerns about quality are baseless -- what prideful developer wouldn't? -- but they are not the obstacle here.

You hit right on the money. I am sure Tiburon wants to prove everyone wrong but they can only do so if EA provides them with the proper support, R&D money, time, personel etc. and frankly other than a big "bang" with the new console versions I suspect EA will cut back.

[quietcool72]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dondadda

Hahaha! Very funny. Nice post. Yeah, this EA guy is sooo full of it. As if the product already hasn't slacked off during the last 3 years, already!!! This guy has no credibility, and is a total joke . . . now EA will give you a $60 update. What a disgrace. I'd rather buy Blitz: Playmakers than any EA NFL game. I'm through.

You need to evaluate both products equally.

Okay- now seriously- NFL 2K has used the same engine since 2K3- and this year they did nothing to the graphics of the PS2 version. Many of the same 2k4 bugs carried over into 2K5, the hot double teams often didn't work properly, and hot "Spy" was an inneffective, useless command.

And then- lets talk about FRANCHISE.. that's where the your EA Hating/ESPN Loving argument falls on its face completely.

So- your only complaint SHOULD be that ESPN charged you ONLY $20 for an "update", and EA charged $50.

...a valid argument.

But Take Two announced last week that they would probably be raising the price of 2K6 next season, since it is a "premium product".

So your argument falls apart further.

But, that's cool - you can sit at home and hate EA. But I'm here to tell you that things were equally flawed and buggy over in ESPN-Land this year. Perhaps even moreso.

And remember- the league WANTED this license to be exclusive. Someone had to be the high bidder. I see no logic in hating that bidder. Its the NFL you should be mad at. Go play Blitz Playmakers when it comes out and have at it.

[glucklich]

Quote: Originally Posted by bassiladelph

And that's why I think the NFL doesn't care. Even if you didn't agree with ESPN or Blitz or Gameday's control schemes, they were different enough to appeal to other people and keep money rolling in for the NFL. Forcing someone to accept one's idea of a "sim title", especially in the diverse world we live in, smacks of negligence. And the NFL still won't care because they've already got their money up front for the licensing. EA will still keep their product where it is and people will still buy it because it's the only game in town. So EA and the NFL make their millions while we're forced to take a title and accept it being "new and innovative", even if it may not be. You can't say EA made a great move by cornering the market, then think they'll put their best foot forward when they know their market share won't decrease dramatically. Their core fan base will remain; even more people will be forced to fork out the $$$ for EA's game (and if you think the licensing deal won't be felt by the gamers, you're nuts). This was a bottom line move, and EA will cut corners (like any business would) to keep their bottom line high for their stockholders, while gamers still get fed the same stuff over and over again. It's like that Honey Nut Cheerios commercial where everything in the store is Honey Nut Cheerios.

Everyone keeps saying that its a great move by EA and it might be but not necessarily. I think the comparison to FIFA is a valid one. Back in the early 90s the best EA games were NHL and FIFA but look at those titles now. The big market is football and if EA encounters disinterest because of roster updates then the whole industry suffers and it might spill over to other genres. Also, the comparison to Windows isnt exactly the same thing because a computer is closer to a need than a VG-- needs/wants are two different things. The one thing that makes me somewhat optimistic is that on the old system in the late 90s EA was really the only show yet they still made decent innovation in Madden. Before Madden had implemented the franchise mode I had not played VG football on a console for 7 or 8 years (I play FPSFBPRO in the interim).

[mgoblue]

Quote: Originally Posted by glucklich

Everyone keeps saying that its a great move by EA and it might be but not necessarily. I think the comparison to FIFA is a valid one. Back in the early 90s the best EA games were NHL and FIFA but look at those titles now. The big market is football and if EA encounters disinterest because of roster updates then the whole industry suffers and it might spill over to other genres. Also, the comparison to Windows isnt exactly the same thing because a computer is closer to a need than a VG-- needs/wants are two different things. The one thing that makes me somewhat optimistic is that on the old system in the late 90s EA was really the only show yet they still made decent innovation in Madden. Before Madden had implemented the franchise mode I had not played VG football on a console for 7 or 8 years (I play FPSFBPRO in the interim).

you're right on...what really worries me is how EA got really stale in the late 90's...NHL, Triple Play, and Live were pretty bad...I don't want to see that complacency again, and I'm going to reserve judgement until I see the product EA puts out

[ComfortablyLomb]

BULL. !@#$.

[ronnyballgame]

shouldnt we be more concerned with things than EA and the NFL, like our soliders in Iraq and hoping for their safety. Bitching won't get anything done, I am sorry, but what like 4 or 5 million people buy Madden a year, and saw like a few thousand people say they are not going to buy it, I would laugh if I were EA.

They are the only game on the market, and people are going to buy the game regardless, and more people will buy it for the NFL is a ever expanding market. I work in the business world, and if you have an understanding of how the business world works, this deal was too good to pass up on. And you say that the NFL doesn't care about their videogames, I think EA is like 2nd or 3rd on their list of people that use their name for their product or imagine. I think ABC/ESPN and Fox are the only ones above them in cases of amounts of dollars.

I am a football guy, I am neither a fanboy for either series, they both offer a lot and bring things to the table that are interesting and enjoyable. Do I think that EA sports is going to step it up with innovation no, but they will continue to make a game that everyone is going to buy. We are all going to buy this game, we go nuts when a new football game arises, and truthfully, being a lover of sports and my favorite football, there is no way I would ever pass up on a football game.

It was a great deal for both sides and people will be scorned, but oh well, **** happens, so I am going to go home today and just to get a better feel of Madden 2005 as I get ready for Madden 2006.

[glucklich]

Quote: Originally Posted by ronnyballgame

shouldnt we be more concerned with things than EA and the NFL, like our soliders in Iraq and hoping for their safety. Bitching won't get anything done,

You do realize this is a video game website, right?

[ComfortablyLomb]

Quote: Originally Posted by scamden311

Dont worry guys, im sure hes telling the truth. They are probably hard at work updating the rosters, creating a customize team bus feature, and adding a useless function to the right analog stick as we speak.

Hah, you're probably closer to the truth than you think.