EA could be in trouble

[spankdatazz22]

Quote: Originally Posted by PhilCrenshaw

regarding the "what would it be like if Madden were eliminated" question... Check the ESPN 2k5 baseball boards, how many threads do you see dedicated to pissed off MVP fans? I know it is not an identical situation, but it is the best comparison that can be made at this point. Obviously Madden fans would be just as upset, but I, for one, would see it exactly as it is, a done deal. No amount of complaining on my part would change things and I certainly would not be playing a game without the NFL license, much less an outdated game. PhilC

I think there are a couple reasons you don't see a lot of threads about MLB exclusivity, but there's one major one:

The news didn't affect this year's game.

I'd venture to say that if NFL2K6 were releasing with the license - basically, a more fully realized version of 2K5 - people would be a lot more satisfied and content that the game "had it's chance", so to speak, to be more fleshed out. If you look at MVP, it's about as solid a sports game as it gets. Other than presentation, there isn't a lot of room where people can see where MVP needs major improvement. NFL2K5 was a very exciting but also very flawed game that showed tons of promise. The frustration a lot of people feel is that the game was sort of cut at the knees before the potential it showed could be realized. Most people can see themselves playing MVP in the future with updated rosters, simply because there aren't a lot of improvements the game needs to satisfy most gamers that already love it.

MVP wasn't suddenly taken from it's fans; people were looking forward to MVP 2005 - not MVP 2006. Contrast that with people looking forward to NFL2K6, only to be forced with the reality of realizing the game will be changed drastically because it won't have the license. Or, that the possibility exists that VC may not release a football game at all. There's a dramatic difference between the two situations, and that's what adds even more fuel to the fire. And we don't need to add in EA's bull in a china shop approach to the way it does things rubbing people the wrong way also.

I don't think it's a stretch to say that if there were a NFL2K6, and it was as good as people were hoping it'd be, there would be a lot more people content with the situation.

[ODogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by JayBee74

I thought Madden's best improvements came in Madden 2002. After that it's been pretty much the same, and even less in Madden 2004 (IMO!!!!). I don't think EA is in any trouble, easily outselling what I consider a superior game the last couple of years, and now not even having to deal with any competition.

I don't really see how anyone can have this opinion but to each his own I guess. I think Maddens largest leap by far was Madden 2005 and I have played it from day 1 of it's PC incarnation back in early days.

[PhilCrenshaw]

I can buy that, Spank, which is why I prefaced it by saying it is not an identical situation, but the most similar one we can come up with now.

Even then, I know a lot of MVPers who are upset that, after playing this years game, that there will not be one next year. Isn't that the essence of what the ESPNers are saying? If so, the situation is pretty close. You could agrue that people are still playing the new baseball games and haven't had time to post yet, but even then it seems a bit weak.

The bottomline is, and for the most part people have grasped this, there is no way that there is going to be an NFL2k6. I think I speak for most of the people on the Madden boards when I say stop starting threads like this one, they make no sense and just serve to give ESPNers that haven't come to grips with the fact that they don't have a game anymore a place to whine and pout.

Keep the "woe is us" nonsense in the ESPN forum where it should be.

PhilC

[spankdatazz22]

Quote: Originally Posted by PhilCrenshaw

Even then, I know a lot of MVPers who are upset that, after playing this years game, that there will not be one next year. Isn't that the essence of what the ESPNers are saying? If so, the situation is pretty close. You could agrue that people are still playing the new baseball games and haven't had time to post yet, but even then it seems a bit weak.

If NFL2K6 were releasing this year, I doubt you'd see the level of hostility that some have shown - for now. MVP fans aren't pissed about there being no MVP because there IS an MVP this year. NEXT year is when you'll see the complaints start coming in. Especially if MLB has the same stiff anims, same close up outfield camera, or one of any other issues - MVP fans are going to rail on them. At least, that's what I'd fully expect.

I remember people railing on NBA2K5 this past fall, throwing Inside Drive into nearly every thread they could. And ID died a "natural" death, from lack of support. Yet it had a really loyal group of fans that love it to this day. It made me almost run out and get the game, because it was made out to be near-perfect - had to wonder why it failed in the first place.

I agree wholeheartedly with you that ESPN fans shouldn't come to the Madden lobby just to start trouble. In the EsPN lobby I've seen people feel the need to make a pro EA or pro Madden comment if a particular pro-ESPN topic gets too out of hand. It goes both ways - Madden vs. NFL2k, Live vs. NBA2k, MLB vs. MVP, PS2 vs. XBox, Sega Genesis vs. SNES. It's just the nature of forums of this type I would think. Long as people are respectful I don't see anything wrong with trying to intelligently debate a subject - regardless of how many times the topic has been brought up. If someone doesn't want to talk about it, they can just ignore the thread.