Is EA Considering A Madden Without A NFL License ?

[tlc12576]

Quote: Originally Posted by RiderGH

exactly, he said "Madden is years ahead of any Franchise that would come out now" I say, lets compare Madden 11 to Madden 05 and really ask yourself if Madden is years ahead.

The main point his post proves is that there are people who automatically associate Madden with phenomenal success and quality. That's all EA potentially needs to move enough units without the overhead cost of a NFL license, along with still selling DLC and marketing social modes, to make a sweet profit. User customization would just be icing on the cake to get gamers who want Madden but need away to recreate the NFL as best they can.

At EA, if it can make them dollars, they will find away to convince Madden Nation it makes cents! LOL

[ryan36]

Quote: Originally Posted by tlc12576

The main point his post proves is that there are people who automatically associate Madden with phenomenal success and quality. That's all EA potentially needs to move enough units without the overhead cost of a NFL license, along with still selling DLC and marketing social modes, to make a sweet profit. User customization would just be icing on the cake to get gamers who want Madden but need away to recreate the NFL as best they can. At EA, if it can make them dollars, they will find away to convince Madden Nation it makes cents! LOL

That might work for one year. Then they'd be DOA. Plus Madden not having nfl teams would be common knowledge before that. Trust me, sales would drop the 1st year, they wouldn't be able to improve the product, and the 2nd year, Madden wouldn't move at its current price point.

There is NO way to overcome a lack of professional license- if a current game has it.

[tlc12576]

Quote: Originally Posted by ryan36

That might work for one year. Then they'd be DOA. Plus Madden not having nfl teams would be common knowledge before that. Trust me, sales would drop the 1st year, they wouldn't be able to improve the product, and the 2nd year, Madden wouldn't move at its current price point. There is NO way to overcome a lack of professional license- if a current game has it.

Now this is of course, all just harmless speculation but it's grounded in some known facts. One of which, some people buy Madden, regardless of if they think it best represents NFL football or not. People can give last gen Madden all the accolades and praise they want when comparing it with next-gen Madden but when other companies could make NFL games, Madden was not always the best NFL simulation video game every year. People can say they had the most fun with Madden or the best memories but I don't think any reasonable person would say Madden was the best NFL simulation every year there was competition.

That said, it doesn't matter one bit that Madden wasn't the best NFL game every year, it still sold the most every year. So it is by no means a stretch for EA to actually calculate the potential for Madden to produce large sales and profit without a NFL license, even if a competitor's is NFL licensed.

You already have people who are not just blind consumers saying they might prefer a user customizable football game over a NFL licensed one. That just from that vague poll question, imagine what EA marketing could come up with to pitch some of this stuff. The overhead saved from giving up the exclusive NFL license and not getting any NFL license the first year might trump about 2-3 years total profit, under this exclusive license.

That alone would make giving up the NFL license a sound investment and the way some people seem to have such blind devotion to buying this game, EA could potentially repeat that yearly model at least a good 3-4 years.

Have you actually seen the way some people talk about Madden, it is more like a cult phenomenon than a video game for some. I have been caught in this Madden "Twilight Zone" for 6 years now because of the exclusive NFL license and I can honestly say if 2k or any other company had made a customizable football game that had good football simulation and diverse game modes during this time, I would have bought them at least 3 of these 6 years.

Now take how I feel and multiply that by millions of devoted Maddenites. It potentially equals EA having low cost and large profit, big business's two favorite things, for several years at least.

[Only1LT]

Quote: Originally Posted by tlc12576

Now this is of course, all just harmless speculation but it's grounded in some known facts. One of which, some people buy Madden, regardless of if they think it best represents NFL football or not. People can give last gen Madden all the accolades and praise they want when comparing it with next-gen Madden but when other companies could make NFL games, Madden was not always the best NFL simulation video game every year. People can say they had the most fun with Madden or the best memories but I don't think any reasonable person would say Madden was the best NFL simulation every year there was competition. That said, it doesn't matter one bit that Madden wasn't the best NFL game every year, it still sold the most every year. So it is by no means a stretch for EA to actually calculate the potential for Madden to produce large sales and profit without a NFL license, even if a competitor's is NFL licensed. You already have people who are not just blind consumers saying they might prefer a user customizable football game over a NFL licensed one. That just from that vague poll question, imagine what EA marketing could come up with to pitch some of this stuff. The overhead saved from giving up the exclusive NFL license and not getting any NFL license the first year might trump about 2-3 years total profit, under this exclusive license. That alone would make giving up the NFL license a sound investment and the way some people seem to have such blind devotion to buying this game, EA could potentially repeat that yearly model at least a good 3-4 years. Have you actually seen the way some people talk about Madden, it is more like a cult phenomenon than a video game for some. I have been caught in this Madden "Twilight Zone" for 6 years now because of the exclusive NFL license and I can honestly say if 2k or any other company had made a customizable football game that had good football simulation and diverse game modes during this time, I would have bought them at least 3 of these 6 years. Now take how I feel and multiply that by millions of devoted Maddenites. It potentially equals EA having low cost and large profit, big business's two favorite things, for several years at least.

I will say this. Madden, has by far the best chance, to be successful, without a license, than probably any other sports game franchise in the history of gaming. Because of it's name and storied history, that no other sports game franchise can match.

Having said that. It may take one year. It may take two years, but even Madden, with it's big name, storied history, and huge following, would become an after thought, if it did not have licensed players, while another game, especially one as big as 2K, did.

You will get some mommies (sexist I know lol) that buy the game for their kids, without realizing that it isn't an NFL game anymore, once or twice at the most. You will get the Madden head that loves the brand of Football that Madden plays, that buys it to keep his stick skills alive. You will get some people that will buy the game because of a great marketing job that EA does for the game.

But as sure as the check is in the mail (lol) Madden will never outsell a game that has the NFL license, for much longer than it takes for word to get out that Madden no longer means real teams, and real players.

Madden has the best chance to do it of any sports game you can name, in the history of gaming, but that chance is still named slim and none.

[PGaither84]

Um, this already happened. Madden 64 for my Nintendo 64 didn't have the NFL in it. Not that I would buy one now. I was just a kid back then, and wanted a polygonal football game to replace the SNES days.

[ryan36]

Quote: Originally Posted by tlc12576

People can say they had the most fun with Madden or the best memories but I don't think any reasonable person would say Madden was the best NFL simulation every year there was competition.

Indeed, I would never say that, but I never enjoyed 2k over Madden...I didn't appreciate 2k until it didn't come out...2 completely diff styles of games...there was a place for both on my shelf.

Quote:

That said, it doesn't matter one bit that Madden wasn't the best NFL game every year, it still sold the most every year. So it is by no means a stretch for EA to actually calculate the potential for Madden to produce large sales and profit without a NFL license, even if a competitor's is NFL licensed.

Of course it isn't a stretch. But still the longevity would not be there, IMO.

Quote:

You already have people who are not just blind consumers saying they might prefer a user customizable football game over a NFL licensed one. That just from that vague poll question, imagine what EA marketing could come up with to pitch some of this stuff. The overhead saved from giving up the exclusive NFL license and not getting any NFL license the first year might trump about 2-3 years total profit, under this exclusive license.

This is a prime example of consumers not knowing they want. Nobody would buy said title, in reality. They're just attesting to what they don't currently have.

Quote:

That alone would make giving up the NFL license a sound investment and the way some people seem to have such blind devotion to buying this game, EA could potentially repeat that yearly model at least a good 3-4 years.

No. Consumers buy on "top of mind awareness." If I say "diamond ring", what's the first thing that pops into your head. If Madden disappeared for 3-4 years, it would be another apf when it came back.

Quote:

Have you actually seen the way some people talk about Madden, it is more like a cult phenomenon than a video game for some. I have been caught in this Madden "Twilight Zone" for 6 years now because of the exclusive NFL license and I can honestly say if 2k or any other company had made a customizable football game that had good football simulation and diverse game modes during this time, I would have bought them at least 3 of these 6 years.

Yes, Madden is a cult phenomenon, which is why it needs to stay developed yearly. Branding.

Quote:

Now take how I feel and multiply that by millions of devoted Maddenites. It potentially equals EA having low cost and large profit, big business's two favorite things, for several years at least.

You are underestimating the reason people are devoted to Madden. It was the pioneering NFL game, released yearly. Take these 2 things away, demand diminishes.

[ryan36]

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

Um, this already happened. Madden 64 for my Nintendo 64 didn't have the NFL in it. Not that I would buy one now. I was just a kid back then, and wanted a polygonal football game to replace the SNES days.

True Gaither but they had player names, because of the NFLPA. Would someone try to use jersey numbers now? And generic stadiums? I feel like whoever the license holder was (if exclusive) would sue.

[PGaither84]

I just find it hard to imagine a forum where people, other than a select few, would come in talking about how they wish EA still had the exclusive license.

I honestly think the NFL is keeping Madden afloat. Rip the NFL out of Madden and I certainly don't have much of a reason to play it.

[Playbooks are better, and off the field stuff in Madden is really nice, or at least it used to be. It's just okay now.]