|
Pro
OVR: 6
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Pa, USA
|
Re: How will the (apparent) ESPN price drop affect Madden?
Just to type a little more about this...
I think EA will always be the "bully" in terms of who sets standards and such. The rumor about NFLPA exclusivity was an example of this. Regardless of whether the claim was legit or not, it fit their mission objective IMO.
I think if ESPN is going to price drop, it would have to be a noticeable drop in order for it to "matter." Because if they drop it to $30 (for instance), they are going to lose money compared to selling it at $49. And I don't think dropping it to $30 is enough to add more fans/buyers to make up for the profit hit they are taking by lowering th price. Furthermore, if they would drop it to $20, they would have to sell double (or more) copies in order to reach the profits they would if they had kept the price at $50. These numbers are all speculation, but I am just using them as an example. I don't know what the prices were/will be.
Also, if you lower the price too much, people start to think that the game is mediocre. We, at the forums, know that ESPN or Madden won't be mediocre.
However, someone that doesn't visit forums, doesn't keep up with the gaming news and companies, may see ESPN for $20 and Madden for $50, and figure well, for $20, the product quality is likely inferior, and thus throw the extra money down and buy Madden.
Buyers go to the store ready to spend $50ish on a game, and if they see one for $20, I honestly think they might be partially turned off, because we seem to generally accept the saying that you, "pay for quality."
Honestly, I think it would be best overall if ESPN didn't price drop, even if that means I spend more for the game this year. If they want to remain a contender, they probably want to make a nice profit, and I don't see that happening if they drop the price right away.
People are used to spending $50 on a game, to the point where they become comfortable with it, and when they see a game for less, they get suspicious about why it is so cheap, and possibly also pass on it.
Again, the general game purchaser isn't necessarily the one that goes to the forums, reads game magazines, and is in the "know." Especially when we are talking about a football game. It's arguably the most popular sport in the nation, and therefore "everyone" buys it. Hardcore gamers, and passing fans alike.
With a game that has a very small target audience (rally racing, for instance), the buyers know about the product, what they want, and how much they are going to pay. Because most people buying it are "into" it. With football, you have all kinds of people buying the game.. Some hardcore fans, but a lot more passing fans that are buying on brand recognition alone.
I think ESPN is getting there in terms of being a contender, but people are almost hard coded to buy Madden, because it is THE football game that is played when people get together. Popular and pricey can work, and it does with the Madden series.
ESPN isn't popular in the sense Madden is, but it is improving more and more every year, and eventually it will start to balance out the scale.
However, Madden going online for XBox this year hurts ESPN, because now XBox'ers that were on the fence, can safely fall back on the Madden side.
And it's important to remember that many of the people that buy football games don't read forums, don't read magazines, and don't really know a lot about what the two games have to offer in terms of features and improvements. We do, but many don't, so they buy what their friends do; and that is generally Madden.
|
06-09-2004, 06:18 PM
