Anybody else used to buy Madden AND a few of the other NFL games on the market as well (QB Club, Blitz, Fever, Gameday, 2K, etc.)?
Every year I would read the sports gaming sections of magazines, come to OS (when it launched), and visit many of the sports gaming sites built around football video games in particular.
Madden had a special place in my heart, and it was a first day, lose sleep until it comes out purchase for me.
As time went on, I'd usually rent a few of the other games, and if they did something well that Madden didn't do too well, I'd purchase one or even two other NFL titles w/ Madden.
It's funny, now, though. Not only are none of those titles available -- I simply no longer purchase Madden games on principal alone. And most of my family and friends know me as a "sports/gaming guru" -- so I get plenty of chances to tell them to stay away from EA when either of the subjects come up.
If EA wouldn't have put the other NFL games out of business, I would still be buying Madden games annually, and recommending their products.
Must suck to be EA. Not only has their company taken a HUGE/MASSIVE
PR hit with the exclusive license situation, but they're also losing a chunk of veteran football gamers who are simply boycotting the genre on principal.