Madden Sales Down Significantly This Year

[SWynn]

As someone who has bought every Madden incarnation for atleast the past five years, I know that I'll probably be passing on M25. I've been hearing far too much about glitches, bugs, features that don't work correctly, and features that have been removed for apparently no reason. Most of these things would almost certainly be gamebreakers for me as I play the game as a franchise/league simulator.

While M13 has some of these same problems, I'll continue to play that version or move back to 12 until the issues get ironed out.

Sorry if that was soapboxy but that's just my take on why I didn't buy it this year. Perhaps it's representative of some others who have not as well.

[Bull_Dozer]

Good. People are fed up with the same ole, and tiny incremental changes each year. I haven't bought Madden 25 on current-gen. And unless next-gen gets stellar reviews, I won't buy that either.

[SmashMan]

Quote: Originally Posted by GiantBlue76

Sounds more like OTHER to me. There is no other reason, period. Instead, there is always excuses. That is exactly what has contributed to the mess we got this generation. Everyone wants Madden to be great, so in order to convince themselves that it is better than it actually is, they will do everything they can to rationalize why they think it's a good game.

Madden is not great - don't know if I was coming off that way, so want to clear that point.

Madden hasn't been great for a while. Sales have been declining, but this is the year 650,000 people suddenly didn't buy it in its' initial week? You can't link all of those to any one reason, whatever it is.

• Final quality is subjective (as everyone plays differently), but we can all agree Madden isn't where it should be. That's a factor.

• Next-generation systems are coming out. That's a factor.

• Next-gen Madden has the 'maybe it'll be better' hope, where potential buyers know what they're getting with current-gen. That's a factor.

• Grand Theft Auto V. That's a factor.

I'm in no way discounting that the quality is driving away sales, I'm just arguing that it's not the only reason for the drop in Madden 25's first-week sales, which is what this story is about.

[Artman22]

Quote: Originally Posted by mva5580

Agreed, pretty humorous to see people actually thinking that this matters. Now if Madden 2015 sales are down significantly on the PS4/Xbox One release, then it's something worth talking about. But this means absolutely nothing. People making something out of nothing, as usual.

Well I actually skipped on madden this year because I got tired of the usual and still no penalties etc. All my friends did the same. Yes I'm getting the Xbox one, but if it's just graphical improvements I'm not buying either. I will no longer give away money to companies that aren't pushing to make great games..

[opd897]

Quote: Originally Posted by Art1bk

Well I actually skipped on madden this year because I got tired of the usual and still no penalties etc. All my friends did the same. Yes I'm getting the Xbox one, but if it's just graphical improvements I'm not buying either. I will no longer give away money to companies that aren't pushing to make great games..

Agreed. I didn't buy Madden 25 because I'm tired of the same 'ole thing every year. Pretty much the same gameplay, no penalties and there is always something wrong with the game that has people, as well as myself in the past, screaming for a patch. Just tired of it plus Madden '13 really turned me off last year.

Having said that I have updated my Madden '12 rosters and am playing that. I've pre ordered a PS4 and will take a look at Madden 25 at that time but am not expecting to see anything that will have me buying it.

This is one consumer who is not just waiting around for the next-gen to buy and I suspect there are others like me.

[xanmank]

Quote: Originally Posted by friscob

Sunday Ticket definitely helped sell a lot of copies of games that instantly got put on Craigslist and Ebay b/c the people wanted nothing to do w/ the actual game

A guy at work doesnt even play video games period, but he bought the SE to get Sunday ticket and sold the game to me for $50. Cant beat that since I was gonna buy it anyway (skipped last years, so this was the year to buy)

[AaronS444]

**golf clap***

Next step: the NFL takes note and realize they are in bed with the wrong partner.

[GiantBlue76]

Quote: Originally Posted by SmashMan

Madden is not great - don't know if I was coming off that way, so want to clear that point. Madden hasn't been great for a while. Sales have been declining, but this is the year 650,000 people suddenly didn't buy it in its' initial week? You can't link all of those to any one reason, whatever it is. Final quality is subjective (as everyone plays differently), but we can all agree Madden isn't where it should be. That's a factor. Next-generation systems are coming out. That's a factor. Next-gen Madden has the 'maybe it'll be better' hope, where potential buyers know what they're getting with current-gen. That's a factor. Grand Theft Auto V. That's a factor. I'm in no way discounting that the quality is driving away sales, I'm just arguing that it's not the only reason for the drop in Madden 25's first-week sales, which is what this story is about.

I understand what you are saying, and there is validity here. However, I disagree that there are any other factors because it's Madden. If it were any other game, I would say you are 100% correct. However, Madden has been around for 25 years. It is ingrained in the pop culture like no other game franchise. Yet it's the worst of its genre going on 9 years now. This was a HUGE opportunity lost by EA.