Out of Bounds: The Billion Dollar Elephant in the Room

[budsticky]

This is the first year in many that I haven't bought Madden. I'm just not interested in spending two months on the slider train trying to find a workable game. I have a feeling I'm not the only one jumping off the Madden wagon..just reading the responses here confirms it. It will be interesting to see the sales numbers when they are available. I'm sure it will do well, but I have a feeling you might see lower numbers this year compared to years past.

[RaiderKtulu]

Re: Out of Bounds: The Billion Dollar Elephant in the Room

The sad thing here is that the moment EA tries to do something innovative, they get blasted for it. Vision cone anyone?

There's this imaginary line between Fun and Realistic that EA is trying to walk... and essentially failing on both sides. It has issues that annoy the SIM crowd, and issues that annoy the casual crowd. But... as has been stated, it's the only NFL game available, so we all buy it and deal with the problems anyway. I prefer Backbreaker on the field, but it's too lacking in other areas that Madden has... so I'm going to be playing both this year.

[Saijahn]

would Madden even be as popular now if NFL 2K was still around. I strongly believe 2K would be outselling Madden right now, but we can't go off of if's now. Madden is the only choice of game so the developers can sit on their butts and just collect our money. Madden 11 as someone else said is just really a repackaged Madden 10. So is it really worth $65? Doubt it, but if you want the small upgrades then undoubtedly you will buy it, but to me it is really just the same game another year. Has been since the new generation of consoles began.

At least in the sports where EA has competition, they actually make an effort to innovate. (MMA, Basketball). Again this is the reason why we need another Boxing game as well.

[grunt]

This is the first time in close to 14 years that I haven't picked up Madden on the first day. The game seem so blah, The reality is that Madden is now just a hold over game for many gamers because once NBA/NHL games a large amount gamers will forget about Madden 11.

[Jistic]

Re: Out of Bounds: The Billion Dollar Elephant in the Room

This is the first time in close to 14 years that I haven't picked up Madden on the first day. The game seem so blah, The reality is that Madden is now just a hold over game for many gamers because once NBA/NHL games a large amount gamers will forget about Madden 11.

Ditto.

And when you see how great NCAA 11 is you can put to rest all of the crap where we're supposed to feel guilty for wanting our football games to be great. NCAA 11 this year shows you what happens using the SAME ENGINE when people are dedicated to getting it right. There's always a segment albeit shrinking one that will say, "It's just a video game, it's FUN. Let's all have fun. You can't have a sim game. Sliders are stupid blah blah blah.

There's always excuses for Madden. And there were for NCAA for the longest time. But isn't if funny how when a game is ACTUALLY GOOD, you don't see the bug thread light up? You see people gush over EA. Cuz guess what kids, it's not the kids bitching in the forum's fault. It's the company making the crappy games fault.

Madden has now become EA's 4th or 5th best sports title. NCAA is absolutely fantastic this year. NHL and FIFA are great games that I just want to keep playing. Madden is the same old tired "effort" that it's always been. Yet it's the biggest selling.

Kinda makes you wonder, why should they even put effort it making it better?

Again after seeing what they did in one year of NCAA, Ian and whoever else they bring in for Madden has no excuse at all for the state of the product.

[Other Guy]

Re: Out of Bounds: The Billion Dollar Elephant in the Room

This is the first time in close to 14 years that I haven't picked up Madden on the first day. The game seem so blah, The reality is that Madden is now just a hold over game for many gamers because once NBA/NHL games a large amount gamers will forget about Madden 11.

Ditto.

This seems to be a growing sentiment. I'm very curious to see what Madden's sales numbers are going to look like. Also it seems like people's tolerance towards Madden's flaws are directly realted to how long they have been playing. People who have only played the last 2 or 3 versions, seem happy with Madden year to year. Those of us who have been dealing with the same issues for 7 or 8 years, are to the point of not even playing at all anymore.

[stlstudios189]

I have purchased the game and enjoy it. Do I wish that there was other choices out there yes. I have purchased every madden since Madden 92 except 98 when Gameday came out and blew Madden away. NFL 2k5 still gets played in my xbox but, I enjoy the new madden as well.

[wheelman990]

Re: Out of Bounds: The Billion Dollar Elephant in the Room

For anyone saying that backbreaker is better, you have to be smoking something. The physics engine is great, but the game brings nothing to the table gameplay wise. The camera is awful and the patch completely broke the running game.

How is it ok to trash talk Backbreaker, but you cant even mention 2k games on EA threads? There is no standard here, which is why people get SO upset with infractions.

VERY SAD!

[roadman]

Re: Out of Bounds: The Billion Dollar Elephant in the Room

I'm enjoying both games so far. I need sliders for both games, but don't have an issue so far with that.

I don't play online, offline only, so, sliders has saved Madden for me. I've had to defensive battles with the Ravens vs Packers.

14 pts was the most any one team scored.

[kjcheezhead]

Re: Out of Bounds: The Billion Dollar Elephant in the Room

Great article. I am one of those guys who used to be a die hard Madden fan but quickly tired of Madden 10 and now can't bring myself to purchase 11. I spent the Tuesday "holiday" looking for deals on NCAA.

[Speedy]

Re: Out of Bounds: The Billion Dollar Elephant in the Room

Let's be honest here, you're probably going to buy Madden 11 if you're a football fan -- assuming you haven't already purchased it. I know I'm going to buy Madden 11.... All other sports games pale in comparison to the type of influence the little football-game-that-could has exerted over the years.

I disagree as well. Last year I bought Madden as it was vastly superior to NCAA...this year I bought NCAA as it is superior to Madden. Madden isn't the only football game unless the user specifically MUST have NFL otherwise in some years NCAA is simply better.

[10yard-Fight]

i still haven't bought madden, i see a lot of folk feel the same way i do.

[Valdarez]

Re: Out of Bounds: The Billion Dollar Elephant in the Room

Let's be honest here, you're probably going to buy Madden 11 if you're a football fan...

Actually, if you're a football fan, then odds are you would pass on the game. Odds are if you're a NFL fan however, that you are going to buy it. Big difference between football fan and NFL fan.

[sacbillsfan]

Re: Out of Bounds: The Billion Dollar Elephant in the Room

This is the first time I won't be purchasing (or have Santa give it to me) since 1993. I've owned every single Madden except for that one on the Apple II computer. Sad times, I used to be a blind follower, but this year I'll only be playing NCAA, because they evolved from a terrible game last year to a solid sim this year.

[PGaither84]

Re: Out of Bounds: The Billion Dollar Elephant in the Room

What the heck was this? Let's really be honest with ourselves. If this were a post by a random OS user, I would be looking at a pink screen name with the word banned under it.

Tuesday marked the beginning of what many would consider a secular holiday. While there were no trees, candles, or even aluminum poles and feats of strengths, Tuesday marks the beginning of many long, wasted nights filled with cans of downed cokes, missed meals and social engagements. It's an event that has grown so large that economists now chart its impact, which has grown into the billions.

"Lots of people buy Madden when it comes out. [Insert Seinfeld joke here]"

Let's be honest here, you're probably going to buy Madden 11 if you're a football fan -- assuming you haven't already purchased it. I know I'm going to buy Madden 11. It's a cultural moment. A time in which you know anyone and everyone who cares the smallest iota about sports video games will be playing the same game. All other sports games pale in comparison to the type of influence the little football-game-that-could has exerted over the years.

"And let's face it, you will too."

But let put a little disclaimer here before continuing. This article is not meant to piss on your parade. There are no doubt people out there who have been chomping at the bit to get their hands on the newest edition of Madden. A friend of mine told me last week over beers that he can't sleep in the days leading up to the release. Good for him. Good for you, dedicated Madden enthusiast. Enjoy it. Slave over it.

"[Terms of service for cursing] And that's likely because you enjoy the game."

However, this article is for the skeptics out there. Those of us who greeted Tuesday with a certain type of existential dread. We know that we're a short drive away from getting our fix of video game football. We're slugging through the dog days of baseball summer and could not be more ready for the NFL to commence operations. But we also know what to expect when we turn on our system of choice with Madden in the tray.

"However, I'm not writing this for you. This is for people 'know' Madden is terribad."

I am completely and fully aware that I'm probably going to be disappointed. Sure, there will be a certain newness to it -- a quality that will distinguish it, if ever so slightly from Madden 10 -- but I know better than to expect some sort of evolutionary leap forward that will forever change the way I play games. I will play a slightly tweaked game marked with the same types of problems I've grown accustomed to over the years.

"I'm going into playing Madden 11 expecting to be disappointed."

I will blaze through AI-controlled defenses using a mildly talented tight end. The running game will either be too hard or too easy, with no discernible middle ground out of the box. I will play the same game over and over and over again until I put it away and get back to work on my NCAA 11 dynasty.

"The game is too easy, and ratings don't matter. NCAA11 FTW!!!"

What's so disappointing to me, and so many others, is that we get the distinct feeling that the largeness of the franchise is holding it back. After all, we've experienced alternatives. At one point, we were graced with NFL 2K5, an ambitious and incredible game that hit all the right notes. That particular franchise, faced with the daunting task of downing the oversized dragon that is Madden, tinkered with itself and took chances. The results were nothing short of staggering.

"[Tries to spark a 2k5/Madden war] I'm not trying to spark a 2k5/Madden war."

Still, though, this is not about Madden versus NFL 2K. This is about the fact that we now live in a world with only one NFL-licensed effort -- for all of the perks of Backbreaker this is technically still a one-pony show for NFL fans -- and the water in this pond has gone stagnant. It is not worthwhile, after all, for EA or its developers to swing for the fences on a consistent basis. You're going to buy Madden 11, I'm going to buy Madden 11, and it doesn't pay to have a revolution if you're the only one who's going to lose your job.

"Seriously, not starting a 2k5/Madden war. I'm just saying 2k5 is better than Madden. Oh, and the people who make Madden are overly conservative [lazy without outright saying that word] because they have no incentive to 'make a good game.' Seriously though guy's, I'm not bashing EA or trying to start a 2k5 war."

Yeah... great read. Now watch, I'll get an infraction for calling a shovel a shovel.

He doesn't review the game in any way, he doesn't talk about "the elephant n the room." The Elephant in the room is that Madden's lead designers and developers have one goal in mind and EA's directors/etc. have another. I have met Ian and Phil and others in person, shaken their hands, talked Madden and Football with them. They are either underpaid actors [actors make millions,] or they really want to make a great sim football game. On the other hand, like a few other threads talk about, Madden has to walk a fine line between casual gamers and hard core gamers. Each year they need one or more "back of the Box" features.

Look, I try not to be a jerk, and I try really hard to be fair... but in my opinion, I think that it isn't for a lack of trying on EA's part, but it may be for a lack of skill of certain [unnamed] individuals or groups of individuals. I couldn't even name names if I wanted to. For years presentation in Madden has been bad. Forget how great 2k games presentation is, Madden on this generation of consoles has been vastly inferior to Madden on the last generation. this isn't the fault of Gus Johnson or tom hamond. Sure I was bored by Tom, but now that we have Gus, we can all still see plain as day that there are commenter AI issues, long gaps of silence even when using game flow, and not a lot of variety in those lines when it is working 'correctly." The QB's are always the key players to the game? Also, how many actual match ups do they have in Madden 11? Outside of Peyton and Eli Manning and a few select others, you always hear the same one generic match up with Gus saying "What an interesting storyline Chris, and we'll follow that storyline as the game moves on." Which they don't, partly because they is no story line.

I could go on and on listing the flaws in madden, but that's not what I am here [at OS] for. Not every game is going to be perfect, but as gamers we all have different standards we want our games to live up to. Also, the industry itself, like every other part of life, has standards and accomplishments that everyone else is measured up against. people say that players like Ronnie Lott and LT [Lawrence Taylor for our younger fans out there] redefined the positions they played. The same is true in video games. To me, Madden on last gen set the standard for both franchise mode and on the field pre-snap adjustments [audibles, hot routes, playmaker tool, etc.] Madden still hasn't lived up the franchise mark this generation, and it wasn't until madden 09 that we got close to last gen's pre-snap options. Most of us are still waiting for Man-Align to work like it used to, and not all of us are happy with Strategy Pad. Other games have set standards for game play and tackling. Madden can rival those games in some areas and fall flat on it's face in others.

Again I can go on, but I have typed enough to get my point across 6 times over I am sure. [What an empty article, and one that I feel that if written by a new OS member would have gotten them the ban-hammer and a locked thread. However, that's just my opinion. I'm no mod.]