Open Letter to Peter Moore, EA Sports President

[thudias]

I hope this actually helps a message get across. I wouldn't hold your breathe.

[countryboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by AnthonyPhillips

Hmmm. Let me try an explain this to you. Lets use the auto industry for an example. Lets say we are the Ford company. We put out crappy SUVs and Trucks and all of our cars have terrible gas millage. What happens to the consumers? They look elsewhere for their vehicles. They go to Honda or Toyota. What does Ford do now? They improve on their product so that the consumers come back and purchase their vehicles (or they continue to do the same and end up asking the Government for a bail out). Ford now has to make improvements on their vehicles so that they can bring back the buyers and make profits again. Now lets say we are Ford....But there is no Honda, Toyota, Dodge or GM (or any other vehicle makers). We can now put out our crappy cars and people have to buy them. We now make huge profits and don't care if the product is bad because no matter what people will have to buy it if they want a vehicle. See the difference. There is no other NFL game so the people that make Madden can continue to put out a crappy game and people will still buy it. When your the only horse in a one horse town alot of people want to ride you.....

Your analogy doesn't work. There are other video games out there. No, not football games, but there are other video games to choose from. And actually, Madden has competition at the level of the football genre, Backbreaker, Blitz, NCAA, those are all competitors. But in any event, thats why I added what I did to the end of the post.

ALL CEO's, Presidents, Owners, or what have you care about profit. Like I said, thats the defining factor as to whether or not a business is successful. Now with that said, they have to have quality products or there product won't sell. Sure, they'll have a few fans of the product continously buy, but they will never gain new customers, will lose some of the "casual" customers and will eventually lose their profit margin. Saying that a company only cares about profit and doesn't care about their product is a contradicting statement. The two go hand in hand.

I do agree that its time for Madden to get out of this rut and make something happen. But I'm more concerned about Ian & Phil's attitude towards the game than I am some guy sitting behind a desk all day that has no hands on involvement with the game.

[Cusefan]

Quote: Originally Posted by AnthonyPhillips

I'm saying that Madden has no competition at all when it comes to NFL football. The game of football is also available on "The Blitz" but its not NFL football. The current players and teams are all owned by EA so thats what im talking about. Competition improves products. Thats all i was getting at.

yes yes yes, i get that. What I am saying is, The NFL license does not make up for a Poor product. If Madden Does not improve, they will not sell as many copies as they usually do. this no Competition argument is tired and old, It basically says that madden does not compete against other Games which is BS.

[AnthonyPhillips]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cusefan

yes yes yes, i get that. What I am saying is, The NFL license does not make up for a Poor product. If Madden Does not improve, they will not sell as many copies as they usually do. this no Competition argument is tired and old, It basically says that madden does not compete against other Games which is BS.

Madden has (to me anyway) been getting worse ever year. They throw something new into it (as of late been taking things out) but every year its a let down. This years game was unplayable for what 3 months because it had to be patched so that the game could be played without freezing. There was glitches and lack of progression. All these things could have been caught before the product was released but they released the game when they knew it was flawed. The competition does exist is other games but it does not of the NFL platform. Everytime i watch ESPN and hear about NFL Football i get the urge to play Madden not NCAA or Blitz. I want to play Madden because they have Manning, Farve, Portis, The Falcons, Rams and Cowboys. You know i want to play the real teams with the real players.

[Cusefan]

Quote: Originally Posted by AnthonyPhillips

Madden has (to me anyway) been getting worse ever year. They throw something new into it (as of late been taking things out) but every year its a let down. This years game was unplayable for what 3 months because it had to be patched so that the game could be played without freezing. There was glitches and lack of progression. All these things could have been caught before the product was released but they released the game when they knew it was flawed. The competition does exist is other games but it does not of the NFL platform. Everytime i watch ESPN and hear about NFL Football i get the urge to play Madden not NCAA or Blitz. I want to play Madden because they have Manning, Farve, Portis, The Falcons, Rams and Cowboys. You know i want to play the real teams with the real players.

That is silly, Madden does get better every year, but its not the improvement we would have thought that the next generation systems would provide.

I remember playing madden and NCAA on PS2 and thinking how awesome the next generation System would be. Maybe I had to High Expecations but i see what NFL 2k5 did for Presentation. There is absolutly NO reason why Madden has not exceeded what 2k5 did for presentation. I have high Hopes that Ian and Phil will make excellent strides, but I am not holding my breath, I will believe it when i see it.

[AnthonyPhillips]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cusefan

That is silly, Madden does get better every year, but its not the improvement we would have thought that the next generation systems would provide. I remember playing madden and NCAA on PS2 and thinking how awesome the next generation System would be. Maybe I had to High Expecations but i see what NFL 2k5 did for Presentation. There is absolutly NO reason why Madden has not exceeded what 2k5 did for presentation. I have high Hopes that Ian and Phil will make excellent strides, but I am not holding my breath, I will believe it when i see it.

Thats why i added "to me" because people have different opinions. This years game does have some improvements but you cant argue the fact that they had to patch the game about 3 months after it was released just so people could play more than 2 games back to back without it freezing.

My fear is that this will become the norm. Games will be released without all the flaws fixed and they will then patch their way to a playable game. I think Microsoft and Sony have a 2 or 3 patch limit agreement per game but that still allows games to be made half-as#ed and fixed over 2 or 3 patches.

[Cusefan]

Quote: Originally Posted by AnthonyPhillips

Thats why i added "to me" because people have different opinions. This years game does have some improvements but you cant argue the fact that they had to patch the game about 3 months after it was released just so people could play more than 2 games back to back without it freezing. My fear is that this will become the norm. Games will be released without all the flaws fixed and they will then patch their way to a playable game. I think Microsoft and Sony have a 2 or 3 patch limit agreement per game but that still allows games to be made half-as#ed and fixed over 2 or 3 patches.

Well have a little faith in Ian and Phil. Hopefully they listen to the Ideas and the constructive criticism we give them to create a better game. I think they will come through and create an awesome Madden game.

[SoxFan01605]

Quote: Originally Posted by AnthonyPhillips

Thats why i added "to me" because people have different opinions. This years game does have some improvements but you cant argue the fact that they had to patch the game about 3 months after it was released just so people could play more than 2 games back to back without it freezing. My fear is that this will become the norm. Games will be released without all the flaws fixed and they will then patch their way to a playable game. I think Microsoft and Sony have a 2 or 3 patch limit agreement per game but that still allows games to be made half-as#ed and fixed over 2 or 3 patches.

Here's a quick update for you...this is already the norm. First, the patch wasn't released solely for freezing issues. In fact, many contend the patches did nothing in that regard. Secondly, patches within the first few months of release happen with nearly every game, of every genre, on every system. This is basically the PC world being transferred to consoles (i.e. nothing new). So if fixes for your "half assed" games is your fear...be afraid

These may or may not be used as excuses to rush a product out. I think it depends on the game and the company (for example, a licensed game like Madden that is also on an annual cycle would probably have more pressure to release in a certain window; where a game like GTA can be pushed back numerous times with little consequence.). Patches are viewed as negative, but in reality games are no more "buggy" now than they ever were on older consoles without the function. Now you can at least have a chance to improve them.

Back in the cartridge days you had to beat your system to death to get a game to work right sometimes (yes Nintendo, I'm looking at you with my palm outstretched). The difference is now you have a means to fix issues on consoles too (without the acompanying violence).