Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

[Toupal]

We are officially over a quarter into the Madden season. Most people have either moved on to another game by now with the exception of the die-hard football fans or online players.

I would consider myself to be a huge football fan, but could not bring myself to purchase Madden 18. I have played in numerous times at the expense of borrowing it from a friend, yet I still find myself holding out for Madden 19 hoping for more.

With the disappointment of Madden 18 for franchise mode, it started a discussion amongst my friends and I about why Franchise has received little to no love in the last few years, and why it has about as much depth as a puddle of water.

There were numerous reasons. Reasons such as:

1. The jump from PS2/XBOX to PS3/360- Does anyone else remember the depth that Madden 05/ 06 had? You could create stadiums, jerseys, fans, view hall of fame players, do offline tournaments, skill trainers, and even a superstar mode.


2. Madden 13 reboots Franchise with CFM- Arguably the worst rendition of franchise mode, Madden 13 removed a lot of valuable features that we have yet to get back today. Because of this, Franchise had to start back at Day zero, and we still don't have a large portion of what we once had.
Here is a link in regards to new additions to Madden 12.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPvqzHvS2Io

This is the exact opposite of what they did this year.

3. MUT- It is no secret now that EA makes more than half of their money off of post-game transactions with modes like Ultimate Team.

Ultimate Team doesn't require fancy new features every year, and they certainly don't require as much development as a mode like Franchise or Super Star.

With that, they are able to make a game for a lot less, with less effort for the same income at the end of the day.

It was pointed out numerous times that EA has spent roughly $300 million less on development from 2009-2016. So why is that?

I can't recall the source off the top of my head, but essentially EA is making a little more than it did 5 years ago, yet they make way less off of game sales, and make a lot more off of post game sales.

Bottom Line
It is evident that EA's bread and butter is Ultimate Team. It is easy money, and there is a reason if you go to almost any Madden developers twitter page, roughly 90% of their posts are in regards to competitive play or MUT.

Are they afraid that other modes would detract attention away from MUT and potentially hurt their extra income?

Is it even fair to say that Madden is in a worse state today that it was 10 years ago?

What do you see from the future of Madden and other sports games for that matter? (especially with the legal attention that lootboxes have drawn)

[TexInOrd]

Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

I see a monetized, micro transaction filled CFM experience.

Or a stagnant CFM experience much like we have today with small improvements every few years.

I think the future is clear for Madden. They have stated their priorities and we can see it in action every time we fire up the game and dismiss a bunch of MUT content.

It is a football facade, with an MUT/fantasy heart, and I can’t see that changing, unless there is a tremendous shift in what the majority of sports gamers prioritize with their purchases.

[Datninja619]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

No.
You make valid points. And your explanation of 3 is where I lay. This game mode brings in money post sale. Same as DLC does for single player games. For a company, in theory, that would mean you can do bigger and better things.

I don't know the hierarchy of EA as some of you may, but VISION can ruin a game. Maybe it takes one person to say "Hey guys, what if, just what if, we focus on Franchise mode this year. I mean people will play MUT regardless."

IF EA used alllllllllll of the MUT money to better franchise mode, then people would be thanking MUT big spenders.

LACK OF COMPETITION IS RUINING MADDEN.


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[cusefan74]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

MUT hasn't ruined Madden, it's ruined franchise mode.

[roadman]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

In a word, no.

Also, Clint's post aren't 90% MUT or competitive.

It may appear that way because that is the clientele of Twitter and that is a wide deep market.

[ForUntoOblivionSoar∞]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

Yes. Yes it is. It is siphoning off resources from modes more centered upon sports simulation. It is creating a pay-to-win culture. It is creating a monster where all the developmental resources go to new ways to nickle and dime consumers rather than toward making better art.

So yes, yes it is ruining sports gaming.

[TheShizNo1]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

Some of y'all need to get that MUT hate out your heart.

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[roadman]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

Some of y'all need to get that MUT hate out your heart.

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It isn't going to disappear, love it or hate it and I don't even mess with it, but I know millions do.

And not everyone has stopped playing Madden in a offline franchise. The people that still have the game are either still playing a CFM or thinking about trading it in sometime.

All the evidence one needs is take a peak at the slider forum. There is a more active discussion in that side forum vs the main forum.

[reyes the roof]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

Franchise mode started going down hill long before MUT was ever a part of the game

[Junior Moe]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

I wouldn't say so. It's just the natural progression (or regression depending I you look at it) of gaming. Thats where the money and interest is. The only reason

I bought GTA5 on the XB1 after beating it on the 360 was because I was looking forward to the DLC. I just knew some San Fierro and Los Vanturas craziness was coming, lol. It never came because all their focus was on GTA Online. Hell, it might have been cut up into the GTA Online stuff. They've made like a billion dollars on that game. I get it. I don't know how much they made off the GTA 4 DLC, but I'm sure it pales in comparison. That's where we're at in gaming.

Sports games are even tougher because they come out every year. I think as long as the other the parts of the game are solid and there's variety it's fine. Maddens issues for me personally stem more from the game just not hooking me in and feeling bland too quickly. I dont think (or care really) that MUT has anything to do with that. That's the games vision to me. Madden looks good and plays well. Especially couch co op, Madden is more sim than ever here. I noticed playing over the holidays that the gamey "cheese" my cousins still try doesnt work. The game from a technical standpoint is the best it has ever been, IMO.

[Toupal]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

Some of y'all need to get that MUT hate out your heart.

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I really don't think anyone would hold MUT accountable for the downfall of other modes. But with EA's business model and significant decrease in spending on development, we are limited to fewer and fewer additions each year.

If EA used that extra $800 million to develop other modes, then I think people would probably cheer on the success of MUT. Yet that is not the case.

However EA has actually dropped spending on development (by 300 million) despite how much easier MUT is to maintain than CFM.

So EA's greed has led to the hostility towards ultimate team.

[howboutdat]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

I really don't think anyone would hold MUT accountable for the downfall of other modes. But with EA's business model and significant decrease in spending on development, we are limited to fewer and fewer additions each year.

If EA used that extra $800 million to develop other modes, then I think people would probably cheer on the success of MUT. Yet that is not the case.

However EA has actually dropped spending on development (by 300 million) despite how much easier MUT is to maintain than CFM.

So EA's greed has led to the hostility towards ultimate team.

Hold on now, dont go using facts on why people legit dont like Ultimate Team modes . Its not ok for them to use any of that 800 million for CFM, but its ok to use it to make up for the short fall of Star Wars debacle. Just give them even more money by adding micros in CFM, im sure that will fix CFM......

[SmashMan]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

I really don't think anyone would hold MUT accountable for the downfall of other modes. But with EA's business model and significant decrease in spending on development, we are limited to fewer and fewer additions each year.



If EA used that extra $800 million to develop other modes, then I think people would probably cheer on the success of MUT. Yet that is not the case.



However EA has actually dropped spending on development (by 300 million) despite how much easier MUT is to maintain than CFM.



So EA's greed has led to the hostility towards ultimate team.

So the mode itself becomes the scapegoat for what reason, exactly? Because this seems to be the millionth thread you've created to demonize MUT when your actual concern is about things bigger than any single mode.

Judging by some of the replies in the last thread, you seem unaware of exactly how these modes operate. Not a knock, if you don't check them out that's cool; but we (as a community) can't have a real discussion about pros and cons of Ultimate Team modes if we choose to attack them purely from a perspective of how it effects other modes in a game. These modes all operate a little differently, and it'd make more sense to discuss the good and bad of each on their own merits.



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[Toupal]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

So the mode itself becomes the scapegoat for what reason, exactly? Because this seems to be the millionth thread you've created to demonize MUT when your actual concern is about things bigger than any single mode.

Judging by some of the replies in the last thread, you seem unaware of exactly how these modes operate. Not a knock, if you don't check them out that's cool; but we (as a community) can't have a real discussion about pros and cons of Ultimate Team modes if we choose to attack them purely from a perspective of how it effects other modes in a game. These modes all operate a little differently, and it'd make more sense to discuss the good and bad of each on their own merits.



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MUT has allowed this company to get lazy.

Compared to 2013, EA made roughly $3 billion off of game sales and roughly $1 billion with in-game purchases.

Today EA makes roughly $2 billion off of game sales, and roughly $2 billion off of in-game purchases.

What does that tell you?
That tells you that less people are buying games, and forking out more for in game purchases.

$1 billion worth of people are no longer playing these games because they are not interested in what these games are becoming

Why should everyone care?

Because EA has spent (I am going to use this number a lot) $300 million less on game development since 2009.

Why is that?

Because they can. With EA making half of their sales off of packs of cards and loot crates, it is too easy to release the same game with a few upgrades and just updating new packs of cards for the next season.

I absolutely agree that each mode is different. However we are not talking about features, the way the game is set up, or anything like that. We are discussing what MUT (specifically the in game sales) has allowed EA to get away with.

So my question to you, is why is EA spending $300 million less on development?

Why is has EA's game sales dropped almost a billion dollars, yet they're still making roughly the same revenue as they did almost 5 years ago?

What do you think the future of Madden will look like if restrictions are put on sales of card packs to minors?

[TheShizNo1]

Re: Is Ultimate Team Ruining Madden (And other Sports Titles)

You are what we call an "agenda poster". It's clear you don't like Madden yet you continue to post and create threads in this section that are nothing but negative opinions. At this point I feel you're either stubborn (fighting the "good fight") or ignorant ($$$ talks). This isn't ODogg calling out for dreads (props), it's someone calling out for a relatively dying game mode that's currently non-profitable to a company that wants to turn a turn a profit 🤷🏾*♂️

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