More Legal Trouble for EA

[ZoneBlitz]

Quote: Originally Posted by bangpow

C'mon, man! Things may have gotten a little heated over the last couple of days, but the thread started to get back on track and you have to start pulling this crap.

Yeah, let's not make this personal. It's all in fun. Goodness. Relax.

Anyway, the way you talk QC, it's as if behemoth companies have never fallen. It happens all the time and EA is no different. Will it happen soon. Probably not. However, they are not invincible which is all I'm saying.

[quietcool72]

Quote: Originally Posted by ZoneBlitz

Yeah, let's not make this personal. It's all in fun. Goodness. Relax. Anyway, the way you talk QC, it's as if behemoth companies have never fallen. It happens all the time and EA is no different. Will it happen soon. Probably not. However, they are not invincible which is all I'm saying.

Zone,

Everyone falls eventually, but I wouldn't count on EA doing it in the near future. They have a strong position to make a good run even better. They just have to avoid the "Nintendo Trap" where they make games THEY feel that people "Should" play, instead of making games people want to play.

That's EA's challenge.

EA will fall from grace eventually. Probably not for a while though (I'm talking years.) It just happens. Look at the sad state that Sega and Nintendo are in.

I think that we have seen a split between the games of a "far eastern mindset"- which is where Nintendo/Sega made their money. Cute games for a culture that favors cuteness and fun over realism. Notice that its now American developers who have the upper hand, when they were once the minority. EA helped lead that charge, along with Blizzard, Midway, etc. Now Take Two is coming to bat strong, so is Ubi.

So what once was a pretty Japan-centric group of Nintendo, Sony, and Sega making the games everyone bought has totally switched to Amercan/European developers catering towards more western tastes. (Realism, sports, gore, rough subjects like GTA). Somewhere along the way, Sega and Nintendo failed to realize that the 18 and up crowd became the majority of the nation's game buyers. EA filled in that void along with the other companies mentioned.

Sega and Nintendo have not adapted. Visual Concepts was a rare gem for Sega, but one they didn't know how to deal with. I'd bet you that VC is elated to be with Take Two now.

So my point is, you'll see Nintendo and Sega fall LONG before EA falls. It will be a while for EA to falter.

But you are right, the cycle will change eventually. It always does. 12 years ago, everyone was buying fighting games. Look how the market has changed. But EA is good with diversification.

Look for Blizzard and Take Two to really start rising though. They are positioning themselves really well. Looking at the screen shots for Take Two's "Elder Scrolls-Oblivion" for PC, I know I'm down. Plus (though some won't believe this) I'm a huge fan of VC's games. It will be interesting to see VC make games without having to run things past Sega and deal with Sega's poor marketing of late. They are probably ELATED to be with Take Two.

[BigTigLSU]

Quote: Originally Posted by quietcool72

Zone, Everyone falls eventually, but I wouldn't count on EA doing it in the near future. They have a strong position to make a good run even better. They just have to avoid the "Nintendo Trap" where they make games THEY feel that people "Should" play, instead of making games people want to play. That's EA's challenge. EA will fall from grace eventually. Probably not for a while though (I'm talking years.) It just happens. Look at the sad state that Sega and Nintendo are in.

I think EA will last as long as video gaming stays big....

Sega and Nintendo fell off because they lost the console wars. When Dreamcast fell off and then Nintendo only sells to kids and RPG geeks. They lost alot of money and thus lost the ability to continue making different genres of games.

[ZoneBlitz]

Quote: Originally Posted by quietcool72

Zone, Everyone falls eventually, but I wouldn't count on EA doing it in the near future. They have a strong position to make a good run even better. They just have to avoid the "Nintendo Trap" where they make games THEY feel that people "Should" play, instead of making games people want to play. That's EA's challenge. EA will fall from grace eventually. Probably not for a while though (I'm talking years.) It just happens. Look at the sad state that Sega and Nintendo are in. I think that we have seen a split between the games of a "far eastern mindset"- which is where Nintendo/Sega made their money. Cute games for a culture that favors cuteness and fun over realism. Notice that its now American developers who have the upper hand, when they were once the minority. EA helped lead that charge, along with Blizzard, Midway, etc. Now Take Two is coming to bat strong, so is Ubi. So what once was a pretty Japan-centric group of Nintendo, Sony, and Sega making the games everyone bought has totally switched to Amercan/European developers catering towards more western tastes. (Realism, sports, gore, rough subjects like GTA). Somewhere along the way, Sega and Nintendo failed to realize that the 18 and up crowd became the majority of the nation's game buyers. EA filled in that void along with the other companies mentioned. Sega and Nintendo have not adapted. Visual Concepts was a rare gem for Sega, but one they didn't know how to deal with. I'd bet you that VC is elated to be with Take Two now. So my point is, you'll see Nintendo and Sega fall LONG before EA falls. It will be a while for EA to falter. But you are right, the cycle will change eventually. It always does. 12 years ago, everyone was buying fighting games. Look how the market has changed. But EA is good with diversification. Look for Blizzard and Take Two to really start rising though. They are positioning themselves really well. Looking at the screen shots for Take Two's "Elder Scrolls-Oblivion" for PC, I know I'm down. Plus (though some won't believe this) I'm a huge fan of VC's games. It will be interesting to see VC make games without having to run things past Sega and deal with Sega's poor marketing of late. They are probably ELATED to be with Take Two.

Indeed, I think your analysis is on point. In spite of all of the problems facing it, if anyone can rise up and strategically obliterate the competition it is EA. A company with so many resources has a lot going for it.

I am wondering, do you think in the future that a console need to do well in the Japanese (or Asian) market to do well? I've been thinking with a population of nearly 300 million, that a console could be a success if over 5 years they managed to sell 40 or 50 million units in the U. S. with game that cater to the American market.

Regarding the football games, I'm thinking that a generic game, that stayed close to the NFL rules and organization styles, but had insanely realistic gameplay, unbelievable depth, and jaw-dropping, system-squeezing next-gen graphics, and great animations (think the Vick to Owens commercial: http://www.mastudios.com/nike.html ), then I think it will do well. To sum up what the market response's might be, when a friend of mine saw that commercial, he said he thought it was a game and no matter what price it cost he was going to get it. He said he would have paid $500 dollars for the game. Anyway, that's also why I'm a bit disappointed that MSN sports is done and it seems as if no company is stepping up to challenge EA with a football sim. TT has been quiet on the issue and I don't know what other companies are planning. But, if I was a company, I would use it as an opportunity to make a truly breathtaking game. They could innovate ans still stay true to what professional football is all bout. The non-liscensed Blitz that's coming out does not look like a viable sim option. If only someone could produce a great game, it would be awesome.

Holla,

[volabroad]

This is nothing...

Trust me, 95% of public companies have a similar suit. All it takes is a drop in stock price, and a shareholder will sue for lost damages due to "non-disclosure of material information" etc...

Equity holders generally are the last in line in bankruptcy, so the class-actions will line up with their hands out just in case...

Not a big deal for EA.