What If EA Didn't Have Exclusive Rights to the NFL? (1up.com)

[Franchise408]

While I agree with the overall point of the article - The exclusive license is bad for gamers, and EA can churn out inferior products year after year because they eliminated the superior products via their checkbook instead of stepping their own game up - I'm not a fan of this particular article.

Yes, I think competition would only be a good thing for gamers because 1.) we would have a choice in what NFL game we wanted to play, and could go with the game that meets our needs and 2.) Madden would more than likely improve just because it would have to in order to compete, but I don't think that this article was effective in getting that point across. I mean, seriously, what does Mad Balls have to do with other studios developing their own competing NFL games, and all the studios putting their best efforts into their products to be the best on the market?

[ryan36]

Quote: Originally Posted by Franchise408

While I agree with the overall point of the article - The exclusive license is bad for gamers, and EA can churn out inferior products year after year because they eliminated the superior products via their checkbook instead of stepping their own game up - I'm not a fan of this particular article. Yes, I think competition would only be a good thing for gamers because 1.) we would have a choice in what NFL game we wanted to play, and could go with the game that meets our needs and 2.) Madden would more than likely improve just because it would have to in order to compete, but I don't think that this article was effective in getting that point across. I mean, seriously, what does Mad Balls have to do with other studios developing their own competing NFL games, and all the studios putting their best efforts into their products to be the best on the market?

Aww, don't turn this serious. Let's talk about how horrible the article is. I mean it is BAD. He was probably having an herbal remedy going , "hahahahah mad balls." Dude's a *******.

I also think that it was pretty easy to see what he was trying to do. I didn't read it that carefully, because if you're gonna write a fake historical piece it better good.

This was no good.

[Franchise408]

Sorry, talk of the exclusive license just brings out the worst in me, I will always hold a grudge against EA because of it, beyond even the Madden franchise. My feelings on the matter are... very strong, lol.

But I agree with you, I don't think this article successfully addresses the issue.

[PGaither84]

Quote: Originally Posted by ryan36

[...] if you're gonna write a fake historical piece it better good.

Agreed:

[steelersfan77]

Just another spoof article about what might have beens. They get old.

There's no question in my mind that EA's Madden football will still be the leader in football gaming even if there was competition.

It would just be a better game then what it is today because it would have been pushed to be better in the world of video gaming.

That's all that article needed to say, instead of making up fictional names of games like "MAD BALLS". C'mon Man!

[Franchise408]

Depends on what you mean by leader.

Commercially? Yea, agreed.

Critically? Doubtful. The game whose name shall not be spoken was getting much better critical reviews back in 2004 than Madden, and the company behind the game whose name shall not be spoken has a track record of critically successful sports games, showing trend.

However, Madden fans would have a better game themselves, and those of us that don't like Madden would have an alternative, and everyone would be happy. It would truly benefit everyone if the exclusive deal never happened.

Alas, the exclusive deal did happen, there's not much that can be done about it except deal with it or don't play it (and pray to the football video game gods that someday, somehow, the exclusive deal comes to an end), and articles that talk about the theoretical existence of Mad Balls isn't going to provide any kind of evidence towards the positives or negatives of an exclusive deal, lol.

[JMD]

If we were all watching the great TV show Fringe, this story would be from the alternate universe.

[StarrMatthieu]

Quote: Originally Posted by Senator Palmer

I get it. Took me a second. I haven't had my breakfast yet, but I get it. And I think PG's point was just the notion of this discussion always starts a sh**storm, no matter what the intentions. And just critiquing the article itself, it wasn't well written at all. If it was going for satire it should have gone all the way. It wasn't written with enough sly humor, IMO. And if it was trying to do a serious examination of the subject (which I don't think it was trying to do), it just flat out failed. No offense to you though, splff. Just an observation.

I very much agree with your point of view