Don't we usually have more info and initial impressions by now.

[CheesHd09]

Quote: Originally Posted by jmurphy31

I really think the getting the game early has died down due to the season ticket. People selling the game on ebay dont really make a ton of profit selling games. Even if you buy in bulk the games are still pretty high price. So it was more worth while when people would pay hundreds for the game. Now most people wont to have it a day maybe two before the season pass.

Yeah true , just missing it cause it would always hype me up for the game

[xylocaine]

Why would season ticket impact game sites being able to review and hype up the game prior to release?
It seems if you had a great product, EA would want the media to spread the word and hype it up (free advertising essentially)

[azdawgpound]

Quote: Originally Posted by xylocaine

Why would season ticket impact game sites being able to review and hype up the game prior to release? It seems if you had a great product, EA would want the media to spread the word and hype it up (free advertising essentially)

because most places and ppl signed the piece paper saying they cant talk about it till then that's why alot of the reviews come out around the early release.

[jmurphy31]

Quote: Originally Posted by xylocaine

Why would season ticket impact game sites being able to review and hype up the game prior to release? It seems if you had a great product, EA would want the media to spread the word and hype it up (free advertising essentially)

Season Ticket impacts people who don't receive the game from EA directly. Like I said before, most people would rather pay the $25 for every EA sports game early and play it on the Friday before it comes out vs. paying over $100 for the game on Wed, Thursday, or Friday morning.

As to my guess why EA has the parties involved hold information to a certain date, not quite sure. In past big sites like IGN would have exclusive information (which they probably paid for) before anyone else. Now, its most of these game changers who have websites (that they probably profit off of) who provide information probably sign the NDA so they can play the game early, and have rights to certain EA information.

My guess to the reason its so late. Like I said before the people who go looking for videos or pieces of information are the hardcore Madden players and it is mostly them who break down every video and dissect poor pursuit angles, morphing, linemen interaction (or lack of), CB/WR interaction. etc.

Just look at how many demo videos are out there already ripping the game and EA.

[mestevo]

I think people w/ early copies this year just don't frequent OS or chose not to post. They're out there.

[kehlis]

Quote: Originally Posted by xylocaine

Why would season ticket impact game sites being able to review and hype up the game prior to release? It seems if you had a great product, EA would want the media to spread the word and hype it up (free advertising essentially)

EA has never shipped a game to "OS" or if they did no one on the staff has ever posted about it.

It just always happened that a person who posts here always found a way to get the game early from year to year and would share that info with OS.

Besides, if EA did provide OS a copy willingly they would have done so with strict rules about what they could and couldn't post.

[xylocaine]

I can understand why Season pass pretty much made trying to find early releases obsolete, plus it's good business for EA to get more cash.

And, I can somewhat understand EA doesn't like the hardcore people nitpicking the game from early videos and reviews. But I still think all the exposure and hype that the Q&A's along with the streaming video specials, reviews and chit chat on forums etc. far outweigh the minority of people complaining.
I'm the biggest Madden critic and feel 2K would be killing them if not for the monopoly but that is for another topic. I just miss the pre-Madden hype and info stuff.