Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

[nccomicfan]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

I said this last week based on a GS drop and everyone was like no, no...

[Complex]

Tough economy. These are the stories that don't make the news. Job loss high, folks are borrowing against their retirement savings to make ends meet. I can go on and on, but this recession is deep.

[frankstallone83]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

I traded mine back in yesterday. The guy at gamestop told me I was the 4th person that day to do so. (i got 32 bucks btw)

I'm not hanging around to troll b/c I'm a genuine madden fan but the game was just too boring. The tackling and franchise modes ruined it for me. So i grabbed skate 3 - an EA game with amazing gameplay!

[Flamehead]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

I’m glad to see that, thus far, the mods are allowing comparisons with EA’s hockey franchise because I believe those comparisons are valid in the context of sales and overall game reputation. So to throw out some (rhetorical?) questions:

What has EA Canada discovered that Tiburon hasn’t? What are they doing differently that’s led them to produce a title whose demo gets the fanbase excited?

How are they winning game-of-the-year awards and garnering both critical and consumer praise? What are they doing such that the NHL boards on this site are almost a complete inverse of the Madden board in terms of praise/criticism?

What are they doing differently such that their community is filled with excitement while this one is generally filled with disappointment?

What are they doing differently? What can Tiburon take from that?

[Saijahn]

I agree with seemingly everyone else, it's not a weakening industry, it's just a stale game. It's the exact same game as last year, but franchise mode is worse, and locomotion is cool but not worth $65.

[beastwork]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

too many marketing MBAs with their hands in the pot over at EA. I don't remember hearing terms like "attract the casual gamer" until the ps3/360 generation. in the past these guys just went to work on making the most realistic game possible. somewhere the madden team/management have lost sight of that.

I am the casual gamer. just bought my ps3 last year. my last system before that was the PSOne. after I beat RDR I haven't touched the PS3 (that was about 3 months ago) So as a casual gamer let me be clear, I DON'T WANT A DUMBED DOWN GAME! hear that EA lol. what if Halo went on a crusade to be more inviting to the "casual gamer"? the franchise would fold. I would go so far as to say that the true "casual" gamer didn't not buy a PS3 until those things were going for $300. Only the hardcore community was willing to pay $600 for a toy.


"Keep it simple, Stupid" EA please just make the best game you possibly can. Leave all your fancy business analytics at the door and do the best you possibly can to replicate football. Stop working on features and focus on your core product, FOOTBALL.

Weak madden sales are a function of a poor economy as well as a lackluster product.

[wsu_gb23]

I wouldn't blame this on the economy. I would blame this on a product that hasn't improved much or at all in the past 5 years. This is a good wake-up call for EA and the NFL. Bring on the competition!

[DaxSnake]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

Yes Madden's sale does signal trouble, because it shows the industry as a whole is selling out trying to spend as little money possible to make crap games to get more into their pockets and its failing.

Im actually happy this is happening, In the short run these developers are making more money, but its going to hurt them in the long run and that makes me immensely happy.

I hope the Madden sales get to a point where EA wont even consider trying to pay for exclusive rights to games and someone who is actually concerned with the advancement of gameplay takes over.

[Eddie1967]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

I think this is good for the consumers because EA hasn't kept up their end of the bargain when it comes to making great improvements from year to year seeing as they have the exclusive license. My hope is that they won't be able to afford those exclusive rights when the current agreement ends and this will allow other developers (2k, etc.) to get back in and give us more choices while forcing EA to step their game up.

[richierich]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

Man F EA trying to charge an extra $10 for online access.

I guess I'll sell my game on Glyde or trade it back in or something.

[ryan36]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

I don't think locomotion improved the gameplay as much as people hoped it would...especially since the defense doesn't seem to be programmed with it at all. Last year, I wasn't on the "build from the scratch" bandwagon this year I am.

[LIGHTNING]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

I remember in 2006 people were saying Madden sales were poor because of the next generation transition. Now Madden sales are poor due to a poor economy? The Apple Iphone sales were phenomenal despite high unemployment and economic weakness. The morale of the story? If you build a product people want they will buy it even in a recession!

[marktg30]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

Best news I have read in weeks.

[wsu_gb23]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

I just never seem to get a good, positive vibe out of the EA producers (Ian, Phil, etc.) they always seem to be down and never that high on the game before it comes out. I wish they would just swallow their pride and start over. This was done with Triple Play baseball, and it turned into MVP baseball with tons of success.

[FieldMarshallP1]

Yes Madden's sale does signal trouble, because it shows the industry as a whole is selling out trying to spend as little money possible to make crap games to get more into their pockets and its failing.

Im actually happy this is happening, In the short run these developers are making more money, but its going to hurt them in the long run and that makes me immensely happy.

I hope the Madden sales get to a point where EA wont even consider trying to pay for exclusive rights to games and someone who is actually concerned with the advancement of gameplay takes over.

I completely agree ^^^^^