Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

[Flamehead]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

This is the worst economy since the Great Depression

Exaggeration. The 1973-75 recession was the worst since the 1960's and the 1980-81 downturn was no picnic either. We are in a recession now, but people are still making purchases that are important enough to them.

Given how the Madden franchise has stagnated and iterations are released tantamount to beta product in August, it's not outside the realm of imagination that some are content to let a Madden release go by regardless.

[avok23]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

FIFA has always been EA's flag ship franchise and until it suffers they dont really have a problem.

[inkcil]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

its not the economy, thats just an easy excuse. If the game is worth it, people will find a way to save $60 if they need to. For someone that has a job, $60 is not a lot of money. For kids that can't afford it, $60 might be a lot to the parent that has to pay for the game or the kid saving the game, but i doubt its whats stopping those kids from buying it and if the game was worth buying then the kid can convince his parent to spend $60 on the game.

EA didnt bring it once again and people are finally tired of just spending the money on a game thats not worth it. When their biggest advertising point is quicker games, thats not good.

I agree...Bloomberg Business Week summed this up real nice throughout the month of July. They said what I been saying for at least six months:

Malls still packed? Check.

Restaurants still packed? Check.

Concerts still packed? Check.

New I-phone lines still packed? Check.

Sporting events still packed? Check.

Consoles still flying off the shelves? Check.

Madden 11 selling well? Ummmm....

[Flamehead]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

I agree...Bloomberg Business Week summed this up real nice throughout the month of July. They said what I been saying for at least six months:

Malls still packed? Check.

Restaurants still packed? Check.

Concerts still packed? Check.

New I-phone lines still packed? Check.

Sporting events still packed? Check.

Consoles still flying off the shelves? Check.

Madden 11 selling well? Ummmm....

Well said Inkcil.

[boritter]

My college roommate and I loved Madden on the PS2. But we have been bummed with the 360 versions and we didn't like the Madden 11 demo. So we decided to stick to NCAA this year.

I'm sure there are thousands of gamers who feel the same way. Madden simply isn't what it used to be.

[spit_bubble]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

All the flimsy correlations between lagging sales and supposed "poor quality" are amusing...

All factors go hand in hand. The poor quality of games isn't the only factor, but you are blind if you can't see that it's a factor. You cite this year's versions of EA football as being the best ever, but how long did it take to get there? Previous versions of EA's football games barely even felt like final builds.

The current situation is almost like the perfect storm for an industry collapse, and the only thing keeping it from doing so is consumer interest... But even that last pillar may not be able to hold the weight of it all...

1. The new systems of this generation have required more investment from gamers: a broadband connection to their system, along with an HD TV.

2. The higher cost of developing games for this generation (including: more coding, hardware that is difficult to work with, and the need for patching games) has led to a drop in both the quality and quantity of games.

3. The down economy has a lot of people reconsidering what they spend their money on.

The industry obviously isn't going to disappear any time soon, but the landscape has changed dramatically from even just five years ago, becoming more bleak and desolate. If the industry is smart it will learn from this generation and be grateful it managed to survive.

[MJenness]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

The problem is with the game, not the consumers.

I'd rather have fun with Madden and hope for a better game, than sacrifice my own enjoyment to make an unheard stand.

translation: "I'll continue to buy Madden regardless of quality or lack thereof."

THAT is the problem, and the very reason why the franchise is in its current state, IMO.

[green94]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

The direction was clear this year on where the Dev team wanted to take this game... the casual gamer. And frankly that makes the most sense considering 90% of its user base is "the casual gamer".

I'm an enjoying the hell out of NCAA this year, first time I've purchased it since the original Xbox (05?). I played the Madden demo and it was the exact same game as last year... and NCAA was so much better IMO.

I really believed in the leadership and direction of where this game was going to go, but obviously somewhere they took a right turn and started appealing to the bigger crowd once again. I can understand it and can't really fault them for it, it is just disappointing to the remaining 10% of us.

[wheelman990]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

I just don't get it. I mean I just don't understand how they can continue to push out the same game and think it wont eventually come back to bite them.

Yes, Madden 11 was the best Madden Ive ever played. But it really is a game that should have been released in 2006 IMO. Theres no way this game compares to the top games of 2010, and in todays economy, these developers are gonna have to realize its either make a great fantastic game, or don't bother.

Madden will continue to drop until it feels fresh, and new, and most of all is exciting and fun to play.

Just my opinions

[shadthedad]

Malcolm Gladwell wrote an excellent book called, "The Tipping Point." More times than not, you can't just look at one reason for a national trend, you have to analyze a series of changes that snowball into an actual movement.

[wheelman990]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

Economy has to have something to do with it.

The price cuts will spur sales and that should tell them something.

Not really, price cuts ALWAYS will promote people to give something a try they were on the fence about. That doesnt mean they didnt have quastions about the games quality.

Case in point: Myself

I bought the game today, because I found it for $39.99 and at that price point I was willing to risk it, despite what I figured I would think of it(which wasnt too great).

My review so far? a 7.7

[smoove7]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

Lets say that madden got to it and made next years a kick a** game sim wise. What could they do every year after that to keep people wanting more?

If the game had awesome game play which is what we all want, would a roster update be worth 60 bucks then? Because then you would be buying the same game every year (killer game play ) but paying 60 bucks for a roster update.

Do you think people would be fine with killer simulation gameplay and a 60 dollar roster update every year? And if so, for how many years?

[bram73]

Its like dis whether people want to believe it or not madden quit when it signed the deal way back in 05. Because if 2k was still makin football it would be ova. I use to like madden and yes this new madden 11 has a much improved passin game from its brothers but overall this game is not that good. NCAA 11 is pretty good bcuz something feels fresh about it but madden idk its the same o same o and im sick of it. Its like this take the gloves off and go old fashion wit it. Im talkin competition. 2k give up the baseball or wateva and duke it out. EA best hockey game boxing and (soccer game maybe) they also have a finaly decent bball game and a mediocre football game (ncaa is FINALY! GOOD)2k has best NBA bball wud hav best college b ball and would have best football if in action, decent hockey and jus ok but maybe on the rise basebal game and bad boxin game (don king) sony has the best baseball period and with all that said the best thing to do is bring back competition. Sure the sells will take a hit but when one game is proven itself out of all then sells will rise aint like madden didnt sale good when gameday fever etc was around.

[REDRZA]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

The direction was clear this year on where the Dev team wanted to take this game... the casual gamer. And frankly that makes the most sense considering 90% of its user base is "the casual gamer".

I'm an enjoying the hell out of NCAA this year, first time I've purchased it since the original Xbox (05?). I played the Madden demo and it was the exact same game as last year... and NCAA was so much better IMO.

I really believed in the leadership and direction of where this game was going to go, but obviously somewhere they took a right turn and started appealing to the bigger crowd once again. I can understand it and can't really fault them for it, it is just disappointing to the remaining 10% of us.

Where did you get you figures from? 90% of Madden players are NOT "casual" gamers. Casual gamers, for the most part, don't buy consoles like 360 and PS3. They play web based games, mobile phone games, Wii etc.

They don't buy the game each and every year, they don't stand in line for a midnight launch, they don't make up 90% of Madden sales.

[green94]

Re: Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

Where did you get you figures from? 90% of Madden players are NOT "casual" gamers. Casual gamers, for the most part, don't buy consoles like 360 and PS3. They play web based games, mobile phone games, Wii etc.

They don't buy the game each and every year, they don't stand in line for a midnight launch, they don't make up 90% of Madden sales.

Candidly I pulled the number out of thin air... and I should have specified casual as non sim.

Sim gamers are what make up this website and I would think we are a very small percentage of the overall sales year to year.