I don't think that's really the case. Marketing and the suits have been mentioned numerous times over numerous threads as being a big part of the problem, as well. The big point is that you sometimes have to have some people go to make room for new leaders. I think that most people on here aren't happy to see both of them go, but look at this as an opportunity for new blood. As much as I don't like this thread turning into another "this is why Madden isn't getting it done" thing, it is really relevant. According to PastaPadre, this might not be the end.
For myself, at the end of the day it's about the game. As it is for the developers who are still there, and those who departed while they were there. Madden isn't just another IP, it's a gaming icon. They knew it, their bosses know it. The stakes in this game are far higher than a normal title. They have great, gaudy amounts of money invested in the license alone. It has to sell
Millions of copies just to turn a profit. I think it's funny that there are peole who get mad when people critque the game or the developers. What was the whole point of the feedback, if not to provide honest, realistic feedback? I was never into the bashing, but there were things that had to be said. This game isn't a game worthy of icon status anymore. Hasn't been for this whole generation. And we had an opportunity to get that across. To the people who had the ability to help change that. Now the "suits" thing, we couldn't talk to them. That was Phil/Ian's job. But we could tell them to tell the "suits" that we felt this was why we decided to look elsewhere for our sports gaming fix. I felt that was us being honest and saying "hey, out here in gaming land the natives are not happy." "You need to realize all isn't well and this is why....." Funny thing is, we were right. Half a Million lost sales later.... If the game game would've been all that, people would've saved their pocket change to come up with the $60, recession or not...
So I agree with you that Ian and Phil aren't the only ones to blame. But they are gone now. Hopefully the strides they made in the confines of their jobs won't be lost to sales pressure. I hope that Madden team gets down into the core issues of the game and makes the underlying engine worthy of all the outer beauty of the art and presentation. I reread the OS interview with Cam and he said the things I wanted to hear. It just has to get done. Now if that means some others have to, or choose to leave, so be it. Just get the game to the level it needs to be. Madden is the only NFL game in town. And that doesn't look like that's gonna change. Guys can call the vocal ones "fanatics," but this is Madden. For sports gamers it
is that serious. And EA knows it. Only mighty Fifa gets anywhere near the marketing budget.