OS Roundtable: Could Another Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

[RaychelSnr]

OS roundtable question: Given the current hostile environment, lower video game sales and the question of licensing in NCAA video games, could another company succeed where no one else has for a decade (other than EA Sports) in making a commercially successful NCAA Football game?

Dustin Toms: If this question was asked a year ago, my answer would have been an overwhelming yes. But after seeing the improvements in NCAA Football 11, any team that could put out a game this year would be foolish to do so. EA has finally made a football game with replay value, and it should get better from here on out. Sure, the series may not improve much when '12 comes out, but the mere fact that '11 was well received should scare off other companies. And for all you 2K fans, even if the studio jumped on board to make a college football game, EA would still outsell the 2K title by a mile in year one.

So to put in bluntly, no.

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[jbrew2411]

Re: OS Roundtable: Could Annother Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

I don't know who this Toms fella is but I say yes if done in a different way. You will always have those people that want another game company to make a game. I don't see NCAA 11 with the playability as Toms sees it. The gameplay changes about 6 years in when the lower rated recruits take over. A game is more then just graphics. While NCAA 11 is much improved in that area it still has major gameplay flaws. If you are playing human vs human games then this game is as good as it gets. I only play offline, human vs cpu, dynasty mode and the game is hard to enjoy.

Back to the question of could another game maker have success with a college football game. I think if they took the time to get things wright before they release it then yes. If a game maker took time to prefect a true simulation of the college game. Allowed for 100% customization for the user inside and outside each mode. Had some form of weekly wrap up show. A deep dynasty mode that pulls you in and want let you go. Allows both offline and online users to enjoy the game and not building the game around one or the other. That would be hard to top.

Sometime new ideas is a good thing. While I feel EA has finally got it and has started doing what the consumer wants. They are not 100% there yet and I don't think NCAA 12 will be the benchmark game. There is no way any game maker could put out a game to rival NCAA 13 but maybe NCAA 14. I have said this before, if you want to sale more product then make a better product. Word of month is the most positive or negative thing that can happen to you. When a game is release games flood this site and others to post about how much they love the game or all the bad things. As long as another game maker gives the game 3 things, gameplay, depth, and graphics, I think they will have success.

[Cryolemon]

Re: OS Roundtable: Could Annother Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

I think another company could do it pretty well. The obvious choice would be 2k, but I can't see them doing it.

[fistofrage]

Re: OS Roundtable: Could Annother Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

Unfortunately, it would take another company a few years to get a game as solid as this one.

Our best hope is that EA fixes the issues with this game before they add more gimmicks.

All we need is for EA to step up and fix what is broken and not break what currently works and we'll be all set.

[JohnZapp]

Unfortunately, it would take another company a few years to get a game as solid as this one.

Our best hope is that EA fixes the issues with this game before they add more gimmicks.

All we need is for EA to step up and fix what is broken and not break what currently works and we'll be all set.

i agree. IMO EA does a great job in this series and it took them a long time to get it right. so for another company to make a college football game would take them a long long time

[Cryolemon]

Re: OS Roundtable: Could Annother Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

Unfortunately, it would take another company a few years to get a game as solid as this one.

True, but the question you have to ask is whether another company could do a better long term job (so, would a new company's NCAA 2k15 be better than NCAA 15 if EA carry on at the current rate?). Obviously there's no real way to know.

[fistofrage]

Re: OS Roundtable: Could Annother Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

True, but the question you have to ask is whether another company could do a better long term job (so, would a new company's NCAA 2k15 be better than NCAA 15 if EA carry on at the current rate?). Obviously there's no real way to know.

Problem is, if the sales aren't there, the other company won't be around in the long term. See the other 2k sports.

[kjcheezhead]

Re: OS Roundtable: Could Annother Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

I really don't understand all the love for NCAA 11. The ball carrier looks and feels like the ball carrier is on skates, the animations suffer from just as much morping and choppiness as its professional counterpart.

Saying no game can compete with it is like only driving a Ford Taurus and claiming no car company could possibly beat that car. Any inteeligent man should have the obvious response, "How can you possibly know?"

Financially I don't think NCAA sells enough for any new company to get in the game for a small piece of that small pie, but if there were more sales to be made, I think a few developers could...and top NCAA 11 sales eventually.

[fistofrage]

Re: OS Roundtable: Could Annother Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

I really don't understand all the love for NCAA 11. The ball carrier looks and feels like the ball carrier is on skates, the animations suffer from just as much morping and choppiness as its professional counterpart.

Saying no game can compete with it is like only driving a Ford Taurus and claiming no car company could possibly beat that car. Any inteeligent man should have the obvious response, "How can you possibly know?"

Financially I don't think NCAA sells enough for any new company to get in the game for a small piece of that small pie, but if there were more sales to be made, I think a few developers could...and top NCAA 11 sales eventually.

Noone is saying NCAA is perfect. It has alot of flaws. Yes, someone could make a better NCAA game, there is no doubt, but it would take alot of resources. And then you would have to get people to buy the game instead of EA's game. Chances are, enough resources wouldn't be dedicated to it and it would take a few cycles to equal or surpass EA.

NFL 2K even tried to price their games at 19.99 and they still couldn't outpace Madden despite many gamers liking the game better.

In the end, its all branding and no matter what anyone says, EA sports has the football market cornered. It wouldn't be hard to flip the hardcore players, but flipping the mainstream would not be easy. In the end, the other franchise would most likely shrivel up and die.

I'm all for competition and getting more choices in the market, I just personally think it would fail.

[TheCreep]

At this point I would say probably not. It could be done, but what I'm saying is it'll probably be trash the first time out and that will seal its fate. Dev team will need at least 2 to 3 iterations before its a solid title I'm assuming. By that time NCAA will most def have a strangle hold on that market. They're almost where they need to be in most folks eyes right now. Imagine in two to three years.

[sinc79]

I don't even need to read the article and my answer to the headline is YES.

[videlsports]

Yes.. Given 2-3 years or 1 2year development cycle for 2k, and I think it would be better than the solid EA Title. I have been clamoring for this for awhile, and hope 2k will step up and take the time to invest. I think that brought out in a different time 2kNcaa would do great in sales, Just release a little earlier than ea on year 1, then next year go head to head.. 2k will win because as much as everyone says no one can beat ncaa from ea, i know otherwise.

[1WEiRDguy]

I don't even need to read the article and my answer to the headline is YES.

this...my thoughts exactly

[Cusefan]

Re: OS Roundtable: Could Annother Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

I don't even need to read the article and my answer to the headline is YES.

Could another company do it: Of Course. A better question would be:

"Would Another Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

That answer is no. There is one company that has the resources to take down EA and that Is Activision. If Activision decided they wanted to get into the sports world and take a bite out of EA's profits then they might consider making a NCAA football game. Here is the problem: The Economy sucks. With people getting laid off and companies having to downsize, this is not the time for expansion.

Basically I think we are going to be playing EA's NCAA football for quite a long time to come.

[BearClaw]

Re: OS Roundtable: Could Annother Company Succeed with Another NCAA Football Game?

I'm sure a 2K game would be a huge success with the hardcore simheads but the general sports fan would buy EA because it's the name they know.