Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

[adfletch71]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

Madden sales use to be between 4-5 million when the next gen consoles first kicked off. They are hardly getting those sales now and its causing EA problems, because Madden use to be there flagship title, its not anymore and FIFA have took that from it. I dont see it getting any better, because more gamers are growing tired of madden and want something other than madden as a football game. The sales dont lie, we seeing a trend that is likely not going to fade anytime soon.

[Exonerated]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

fifa sold 2.3 million in the first 2 weeks.

[roadman]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

Madden sales use to be between 4-5 million when the next gen consoles first kicked off. They are hardly getting those sales now and its causing EA problems, because Madden use to be there flagship title, its not anymore and FIFA have took that from it. I dont see it getting any better, because more gamers are growing tired of madden and want something other than madden as a football game. The sales dont lie, we seeing a trend that is likely not going to fade anytime soon.

Soccer has world wide adoration, American football does not.

[kjcheezhead]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

Soccer has world wide adoration, American football does not.

Odd thing about that. Fifa 05 has sold 4.5 million copies on xbox/ ps2 while Madden 05 has sold 5.9 million and NFL 2k5 has sold 3.4 million. 2 American football titles have combined to outsell the soccer game of that year 2-1.

[timberthetree]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

Its not that odd at all, PES and winning eleven ran the show back than in the soccer world selling in total over 11 million

[Gordy748]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

Speaking as someone that works for Sony...

Madden's sales rates aren't necessarily indicative that 11's worse than 10. The different sales between the Sony platforms follow the pattern of console ownership; more people are buying the PS3 (especially the slim version) and trading in their PS2s. PSP is hampered as a mobile gaming device by iPhone, iPad and other smartphones. Further, Madden is popular only in 1 market, USA, with very muted sales globally. USA has significant economic issues, and this has led many people to either forego 11 (whether this is a good idea or not is determined by whether you think 11's features are worth another $60) or wait for pre-owned editions to come out.

As a UK resident, I can confirm that NFL game sales are, globally, a poor second to soccer games. Personally, I greatly prefer NFL (irl and gaming), but soccer is the global ball sport du jour, while gridiron is more an American curiosity. Despite this, NFL games are the second most popular sporting game in the world (and if you look at games sales to population preference, NFL games are far ahead of soccer games).

In terms of game quality, soccer games are a good step ahead of NFL. Simple reason is that FIFA has 2 game licenses, so EA has FIFA and Konami make PES (Pro Evolution Soccer). This is good for FIFA as it means that both firms work extra hard to make their game extra immersive to steal sales away from the other. The NFL made a mistake in monopolizing its game provider, imo. There isn't an incentive for EA to make the game any better (I think Mad11 is 2 steps forward and 3 back from Mad10) so the NFL experience doesn't evolve.

On the other hand, there is no reason why EA should want to improve Madden. The company exists to sell more boxes, not better ones. Producing the best, most immersive football game just makes you less likely to buy their other boxes, like NHL, FIFA, NBA, because you're much less likely to get bored.

[kjcheezhead]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

Forgot about the other soccer title, I don't play soccer games. Yeah, looks like Winning Eleven probably sold enough to even it out, (I'm not sure which version was released that year). Not sure I see anything close to 11 million tho.

http://www.vgchartz.com/worldtotals.php?name=winning+eleven+&publisher=&console=&genre=&minSales=0&results=50&sort=Total

[timberthetree]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

soccer "titles" They don't even show pc sales which made up more internationally.

[mrprice33]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

Week one sales for Madden in the US (PS3 and 360 combined) are +1,045,008 compared to FIFA in the US during their first week.

[Only1LT]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

Week one sales for Madden in the US (PS3 and 360 combined) are +1,045,008 compared to FIFA in the US during their first week.

Not sure what point you are trying to make by this. The US is obviously the country that Soccer is least popular. Afterall, we call it Soccer lol. This is no more enlightening than when people say that FIFA has outsold Madden, as every other nation besides ours, is infatuated with Football, aka Soccer.

Sales are down in Madden, but then again sales were down at this time last year and they turned around some to end up respectable. It is possible that the same thing happens again, so this is premature.

What can probably be inferred by the lackluster performance Madden titles have had recently in the first few months of release is that Madden is no longer as valued a brand to consumers as it once was, and that people are content to wait till the title is discounted to purchase it, as opposed to needing it ASAP, like they once did.

[debauchlord]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

What can probably be inferred by the lackluster performance Madden titles have had recently in the first few months of release is that Madden is no longer as valued a brand to consumers as it once was, and that people are content to wait till the title is discounted to purchase it, as opposed to needing it ASAP, like they once did.

The true meat of the matter is that consumers are slowly coming around to the fact that there are very few "must buy" games. In times of economic spoils, one can be forgiven for wasting money on a horsecrap game. Now, even if they can afford it, people are becoming more wiser as to the worth of their dollar. People need to see value in entertainment these days. There is value in upgrading from a standard def to a high def television. There is value in upgrading from a PS2 to a PS3. What is the value in Madden 11? It is not apparent out of the box, nor is it apparent "on" the box. Graphics are roughly the same. Options are roughly the same. Gameplay is roughly the same. madden 10 held more value than Madden 9, but Madden 11 does not increase, nor even replicate, the value over Madden 10. Sales will eventually even out, I suspect, but the heydays are most likely over. Would this justify letting the NFL exclusive license fade? Possibly, but the threat of losing the exclusive license and having their current sales roughly halved by a competitor is probably too great to just let go like that. Also, i am curious, because if the NFLPA decertifies for the next season, as they are currently doing, that nullifies all contracts, presumably also the exclusive deal. Wondering how that would affect things.

[grunt]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

This is the first year in 15 years that I haven't purchased Madden. The game wasn't enough of an upgrade for me. I used my Madden money on NBA 2k11 but I wish the Madden team would step up and make that game.

[mestevo]

The PSP losing to cell phones, the PS2 sales dwindling as that platform dies, and the crap economy, sales look flat, not slipping...

Again, the original reports of sales being poor were premature, not that anyone is willing to revisit that...

Sent from my Moto Droid using Tapatalk

[marshallfever]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

It's something of a double-edged sword, though. I think the disconnect is that many around here feel that the game as it is now is aimed at the casual crowd wheras Ian and Crew will swear on a stack of bibles that sim is and has been the aim of the past few development cycles. If the sales do dip then obviously changes are going to be made. The rub is how are the decision-makers going to read the situation? Are they going to see this as a sign that the game needs to cater to the hardcore gamers and move toward more realism, or are they going to scrap the current approach and make the game more arcade-like to appeal to the casual gamer?

Just my guess, but with a cash cow like this, catering to the masses is always going to win out... i.e. just look at the sacrifices that where made this go-round with franchise mode and such.

I completely agree. I actually held off of buying the game this year because it felt too much like the previous version but minor changes. I brought 09 and 10 and didn't feel like 11 was good enough to buy.

I'm really hoping they truly go back to the drawing board and try to figure out whats wrong and what direction they truly want to go in. Either go full simulation or don't go at all.

This has nothing to do with the Madden developers but NBA Elite has gotten delayed indefinitely.....i think because of that EA Sports as a whole will probably take a deeper look into their sports games as a whole. Fifa and NHL sell incredibly well but Live and Madden have fallen off. I truly think its about time these developers went on a 2 year development time frame. I rather get a roaster update one year and know the following year i'm in for an amazing game, i wouldn't even mind "paying" a very minimal price for a roaster update with some tweaks and enhancements.

For some strange reason, i feel like 12 will be a special game. It'll either break or make the franchise in my opinion. With sales going down, if 12 isn't mighty impressive i don't know how they can get their fans back.

[stlstudios189]

Re: Chris' Blog: Are Madden Sales Slipping?

I think Madden 12 will make or break the series. I for one am having fun with 11 but, if the game is not improved in dynasty or doesn't have in game saves I will not be spending my $$