Competition in the marketplace

[spankdatazz22]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

My recollection in dealing with them is they were going to go a whole other direction.

Perhaps. But given what happened they really wouldn't have had much of a choice anyway. It's not EA bashing. People get on EA for the same reasons people get on Microsoft

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by spankdatazz22

Perhaps. But given what happened they really wouldn't have had much of a choice anyway. It's not EA bashing. People get on EA for the same reasons people get on Microsoft

Fair enough.

[BejitaSan]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

I see where you are going with this. But it's simply business. And good business at that. I don't see where this could be contrued as wrong, or unethical. They did what any other well run business would do in their shoes. They secured their marketshare. You think if 2k had the resources they wouldn't have done the same thing, or Midway or whomever? I mean it's a complete no-brainer. Again, I have been affected by this as much as anyone else. I was a 2k player, really never played Madden at all. Never liked Madden, still don't. But I Am not going to call a business move unethical because of events that didn't go the way I would have liked. At least EA put out a football 360 and PC game. They took the NASCAR game, and now I don't think there is a 360 or PC version coming out. That really stings. But it is what it is.

I'd certainly saying buying out the Arena and Legends licenses was certainly unethical because the sole motivation was to avoid competition. Football competition of any kind was unacceptable to EA.

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by BejitaSan

I'd certainly saying buying out the Arena and Legends licenses was certainly unethical because the sole motivation was to avoid competition. Football competition of any kind was unacceptable to EA.

Don't see it. But ok.

[Foddzy]

The villains here are not EA or anyone else buying exclusive rights, they are acting well within ethical bounds of the free market.

The real villains are the NFL and the NCAA; they sold out their fans for a large short term (and short sighted) monetary windfall.

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by Foddzy

The villains here are not EA or anyone else buying exclusive rights, they are acting well within ethical bounds of the free market. The real villains are the NFL and the NCAA; they sold out their fans for a large short term (and short sighted) monetary windfall.

Yes but it's much easier to hate EA.

You are exactly right.

[longhorn35]

Seems like it is always easy to hate the entity in the majority. EA held market share and the license was offered up.

[ZekeRoberts]

Quote: Originally Posted by longhorn35

Seems like it is always easy to hate the entity in the majority. EA held market share and the license was offered up.

I think that a very important point in this whole issue is getting lost by BK and others who talk about what a smart business move that EA made with the purchase of these licenses. I myself don't hate EA solely because they bought the NFL license. BKRich has reminded me again and again and again and again that they simply applied their "resources" to limit NFL fans' options.

The REAL reason that we can be upset with EA is because it is obvious to many people that the development teams on thier football titles have slacked off since they don't have to worry about competition. Consider this: in the past couple years which titles have we seen EA improve upon (or try to) the most? I hear all sorts of talk in anticipation of EA's next NHL game, and also about how NBA Live is supposed to be (once again) new and improved this year. Furthermore, where can we all expect most of EA's efforts to go in the next couple years? Into the football games that are already selling great? Or into other sports titles where they still have to worry about putting the best game on the market to bring in the highest numbers (the way it is SUPPOSED to be).

I know that I started this thread with talk of monopolies and ethics... well I can put that to rest if it pleases the master-posters among us. But I am sticking to the title of "competition in the marketplace" because as I stated above, we have already seen the effects of it (and the lack thereof). As dedicated sports gamers I just think that we might as well be passionate about the "wrongs" that we are dealing with rather than say "it's just a smart business move, if we were EA we would have done the same thing, gee that EA Sports shore is a smart comp'ny, some day I wanna move to Redwood City and work fer them because they shore are on the cuttin edge of this here teknologee"