Bring Madden back to PC

[Skyboxer]

I doubt a Madden PC version would dent the console sales enough to warrant not making it. Could be wrong but I just don't see that being the case.

[Argooos]

Madden PC would be a dream come true if just for the modding community that would spring up as a result.
Coincidentally, that's probably at least part of the reason Madden isn't going to come back to PC any time soon.

[Profit89]

Quote: Originally Posted by BrianFifaFan

The answer is pretty simple. Both NBA2k and Fifa have global audiences. PC gaming is far more popular overseas. Madden has a pretty much all stateside audience. Consoles rule here. As much as I hate it, ( i have both NBA and Fifa on PC and they look and play awesome) Madden most likely won't be back. Which, honestly, doesn't please me. With Origin-only release, the whole piracy argument is lame. It's more about having to port the exact game over to PC, which means a dedicated team to deal with all of the normal PC compatibility headaches. But Fifa did it, and sold a ton of copies. I'm with the original poster; bring it back, please! (begs...)

^This. 100% correct.

Madden is not a global game. No one really cares about the sport outside USA. And PC is, and will always be, far superior to the consoles. Consoles are coming to an end imo. They are turning into PCs, it's so obvious. In 5-10 years no one will have just a strictly gaming machine that you put disks into. Everything will be digital. And the piracy argument is complete BS. Make a great game with good online multiplayer. Problem solved.

In the long-run, not going to PC/Tablet gaming is a stupid business decision. The advantages are just too massive to ignore: Better online, mobility, mods, etc.

[Profit89]

Quote: Originally Posted by Nza

I see no reason why Madden PC couldn't compete with other versions of Madden sales wise, like some of the portable platforms they release on. The real reason, IMO, is because Madden PC (unlike portable versions) would compete directly with the 360 and PS3 version, probably surpassing both in visual quality, features due to user creations etc. EA, Sony and even Microsoft don't want this. EA want their primary audience on a safe locked down console where micro transactions are easy and user content doesn't go beyond basic roster files. Even though the PC version would hardly make a dent in the audience of the console versions, if you don't believe in the ideals of PC gaming as a company like EASports don't, why bother supporting it. As for why FIFA is on PC, look no further than PES being on PC too. I guarantee you if PES went off PC, FIFA probably would too in a year or so afterwards.

Exactly, consoles are so limited that people won't know what they are missing. It's an excuse to allow EA to be mediocre. Which is exactly what Madden has been for years: Mediocre.

[BrianFifaFan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Argooos

Madden PC would be a dream come true if just for the modding community that would spring up as a result. Coincidentally, that's probably at least part of the reason Madden isn't going to come back to PC any time soon.

Agreed. Here's what boggles my mind. Even with the console versions you have many dedicated sites for stats/dynasties; many of these guys are community leaders. They do their work on PC's. And Madden 08 had HUGE mod support. To say that there is no market is a stretch. With Origin and the resulting cost savings of not having to press discs and packaging, it can't help but be profitable. I saw the original piracy arguments as being valid; it's no longer a valid excuse. It's now more about investment vs. return. I have long thought that Tiburon is really shortsighted and tends to be the "play catchup" studio, as opposed to EA Canada. All the major tech stuff has come out of there.(Procedural awareness, ANT,Player Impact Engine) It's true that Hockey isn't PC anymore, as was stated earlier in the thread; but that's apples and oranges. The NHL is at the same level of world popularity as the NBA had sunk to in the late 70's. Tiburon needs to treat the football franchises with the same care that EAC has done with Fifa; not factor in the NHL. World class games with release on every possible device. There are really no valid excuses.... Just poor choices; as evidenced by this whole series of Madden/ NCAA's this generation.

That said, I am feeling the new power structure at Tiburon seems to be getting the sense of urgency that has been missing. Maybe this will trickle down to this issue at some point? One can hope......

P.S. I do have to say that Fifa team screwed up Euro; so they aren't perfect, either..... (Didn't want to get that thrown up in my face....)

[bwburke94]

I used to be a Madden PC guy, but then I got a PS3.

[Nza]

Quote: Originally Posted by Profit89

Exactly, consoles are so limited that people won't know what they are missing. It's an excuse to allow EA to be mediocre. Which is exactly what Madden has been for years: Mediocre.

I don't want to sound like a PC elitist (I actually don't game much anymore at all anyway), but another harsh truth is PC audiences are definitely less forgiving than console and are smarter consumers. Casual gamers make up a lot of consoles sales and they simply don't have the same expectations.

You can't release the same engine year in year out for half a decade plus with minimal improvements per iteration and expect the game to sell on PC. There is a reason the big PC hits usually refresh every few years with a new engine.

Look at the new Sim City PC coming out in 2013 - a total redo from top to bottom, and it's generating a lot of buzz. If it was just Simcity 4 with a few tweaks it would be out by now, but it would flop. Its fighting chance is serious improvements in all aspects of the game - a complete modernization. However almost every console game not on its series debut release is exactly the opposite - the same thing with a few tweaks - because the hardware prevents too much in the way of drastic improvement. Don't console gamers ever wonder why these big titles rely so heavily on marketing? By comparison a game like Sim City will be hardly advertised at all, it will rely on being an actual groundbreaking addition to the series more than anything else to sell.

So really, if EA wanted success on PC with Madden, they'd have to go down a different path, like random releases with content updates bridging the gaps with each major release being significantly different than the last, and this doesn't fit inside the oven with the current cookie molds EA have made themselves. Therefore, PC is a poor match, so why bother.

[Aranor]

But that still doesnt excuse the fact that they completely just discontinued making the game for the PC. As they said, PC and XBOX are not that different, so why not attempt to please the fans that dont want a console but to use the PC?