EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

[dghustla]

Not sure why this is even news? Rex said last year in a interview posted on this very site that Madden would be the only licensed NFL video game for the foreseeable future and that ppl needed to get on board, be constructive and help make the game better or go complain to 2k. (paraphrasing)

[FaceMask]

Re: EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

Why doesn't someone like 2K or SCEA, or SOMEBODY, make a generic game? Give us the gameplay, with some fictional teams, and give us really in-depth create-a-team/create-a-player modes? Then we could create the NFL, the NCAA, whatever, and they save money by not having to pay for a license. I mean, is it just me, or would that not be the simplest thing to do?

The last two AAA attempts went so badly sales-wise that it's only made that possibility a lot more of a dog chasing its tail.

To make the game, companies have to see the demand. But to see demand you need something more substantial than what the communities have turned out in the way of petitions and such. They can't base it on the sales numbers of non-NFL licensed games that have come out in the past generation, because outside of the Blitz The League 1, they've all bombed. Heck, BTL 1 was actually an original XBOX/PS2 game with an eventual 360 port, and the 360 port actually sold poorly.

There was an outpouring for 2K to make the type of game that became APF once the NFL license went exclusive almost a decade ago, and that sort of outpouring hasn't happened since. Companies notice that, and it doesn't help our situation.

I remember the petitions and site rallies back in 2005 and 2006. People really stood up, and this was pre-YouTube and general video culture. Then we got the game, it was thin, and it bombed. The outcry was never as organized or as passionate again after that. So companies look at this climate now and say "why take such a big risk for such a potentially small payoff?"

I think if there is going to be a game at the AAA level, it's going to have to be more than just football, in fact I don't see it working well if football is the primary thing to the game. I also can't see it working unless it targets the Mature market. The double-edged sword there is, in the mature market you'll push some sales but potentially burn some bridges, too. I look back at what happened with Midway and BTL 1, and I remember the type of trouble they had with public organizations over the game. The NFL was VERY unhappy because they looked at it as an indirect depiction of NFL life the way they did with ESPN's Playmakers. And BTL was even banned in some places, most namely Australia which banned the game altogether.

[Weedboy]

im still playing nfl 2k5 with updated rosters by bill boldberg on my ps2 emulator at 1440p with aa and 16x anisotropic filtering at the full 60 frames. Im also still playing ncaa 2003 on a gamecube emulator at 1440p as well so madden will never get me to even try its new games. They should have locked up an exclusive baseball license because that and hockey are all they are good at. Pez 2014 on a high end pc smoked the fifa next gen and bogus pc port easily. im gonna make a few videos about this tomorrow so people can know there are other options out there. You only really need to go to them for hockey. did you guys hear the latest debacle with ufc. it only has 10 create a fighter spots. wtf

[JKSportsGamer1984]

Re: EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

Why doesn't someone like 2K or SCEA, or SOMEBODY, make a generic game? Give us the gameplay, with some fictional teams, and give us really in-depth create-a-team/create-a-player modes? Then we could create the NFL, the NCAA, whatever, and they save money by not having to pay for a license. I mean, is it just me, or would that not be the simplest thing to do?

Because they wouldn't see a return on their investment. The cost of making videogames has increased for Next Gen. It sounds good in theory to ask a company to just make a non licensed generic customizable game, but in order to make a fully featured game that could even compete with Madden (in sales not gameplay) they would have to take a major risk & invest millions upon millions $. The reality is even if a company came out & made the greatest football game ever, it still wouldn't come close to Madden in sales without the NFL license. Even if it did, it would take multiple years for the masses to convert being that Madden is such a household name. Now of course us Sim heads would jump all over it & I understand that in todays day & age with social media it could be marketed a lot easier, but the fact remains that the majority want an NFL game. The license is powerful. EA knows this, 2K knows this, & every other company out there knows this. 2K tried the generic route with APF 2K8 & even though their gameplay was superior to Madden, that game has only sold about 500,000 to date! Madden sells that much in a week! You could argue that APF 2K8 wasn't marketed well enough or that it didn't have a franchise mode, etc.. but it not being able to have current NFL players caused the biggest disconnect. 2K rolled the dice & it backfired. So as much as we all want an alternative, it ain't happening without the NFL license.

[iLLWiLL]

Re: EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

I think going forward we need to address the problem where the problem lives and call it by its real name. The problem is not EA, they are the facilitator of the problem. TIBURON IS the problem. They don't have the talent there to do what the VC guys did 7 years ago. I saw in another thread guys making excuses for how madden 15's animations dont look good because we are looking at them on compressed youtube videos. LOL.

Here is a compressed youtube video of AP2k8, why do their 7 year old animations look better than yet to be released Madden 15 ?

<object height="315" width="560">


<embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/H2J8x4noEhc?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="315" width="560"></object>

Since REX likes making challenges how about he show us some Madden 15 tackling footage / animations / OL/DL interactions that match or surpass some of the stuff we see here:

<object height="315" width="560">


<embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/-Bmz0iV2uFI?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="315" width="560"></object>

Also why can I send more that one man in motion in AP2K8 but still can't do it in Madden 15 ? Why can't we decide a blitz angle in Madden 15 but could in Ap2k8 ? Why can I hold more plays in my custom playbook in Ap2k8 than Madden 15 ? Why can I setup player packages for formations in Ap2k8 but can't in Madden 15 ? Why is there a around the league Halftime show in 2K5 but STILL NONE in Madden 15 ?

We can go on and on. Here is another challenge to REX play any 2k8 highlight video on youtube and play any Madden 15 video from where ever you want to get it at E3 then ask the crowd which game looks more next gen football.

GOTdamn. Had no idea APF2K8 was that awesome.

F'n eh, EA

[LBzrule]

Re: EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

Why doesn't someone like 2K or SCEA, or SOMEBODY, make a generic game? Give us the gameplay, with some fictional teams, and give us really in-depth create-a-team/create-a-player modes? Then we could create the NFL, the NCAA, whatever, and they save money by not having to pay for a license. I mean, is it just me, or would that not be the simplest thing to do?

Because as has been shown the last 9 years, you do not have to have a great game. You just need the NFL and it will sell. On the flip side, you can have a great game, but without the NFL, your game will be in the gutter.

[LBzrule]

Re: EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

My thoughts exactly in bold. But the average internet forum goer who gets deeply involved in football gaming communities--who also tends to be a simhead/franchise aficionado to a larger degree than the general consumer base--dismisses that reality entirely. The very notion that the majority who buys this game is largely unconcerned with these things, is usually considered blasphemous and is met with strong ire by said goer.

While that constituency might not be concerned, obviously EA is or else they wouldn't be doing interviews with online communities; they wouldn't get their feelings hurt by comments from online folks; they wouldn't invite people from online communities to come play their game early, so on and so forth. So yeah while that group doesn't care, it seems to me that people at tiburon care alot what internet communities think.

[SamuraiX]

Re: EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

I think going forward we need to address the problem where the problem lives and call it by its real name. The problem is not EA, they are the facilitator of the problem. TIBURON IS the problem. They don't have the talent there to do what the VC guys did 7 years ago. I saw in another thread guys making excuses for how madden 15's animations dont look good because we are looking at them on compressed youtube videos. LOL.

Here is a compressed youtube video of AP2k8, why do their 7 year old animations look better than yet to be released Madden 15 ?

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/H2J8x4noEhc?hl=en_US&amp;version=3&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/H2J8x4noEhc?hl=en_US&amp;version=3&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

Since REX likes making challenges how about he show us some Madden 15 tackling footage / animations / OL/DL interactions that match or surpass some of the stuff we see here:

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/-Bmz0iV2uFI?hl=en_US&amp;version=3&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/-Bmz0iV2uFI?hl=en_US&amp;version=3&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

Also why can I send more that one man in motion in AP2K8 but still can't do it in Madden 15 ? Why can't we decide a blitz angle in Madden 15 but could in Ap2k8 ? Why can I hold more plays in my custom playbook in Ap2k8 than Madden 15 ? Why can I setup player packages for formations in Ap2k8 but can't in Madden 15 ? Why is there a around the league Halftime show in 2K5 but STILL NONE in Madden 15 ?

We can go on and on. Here is another challenge to REX play any 2k8 highlight video on youtube and play any Madden 15 video from where ever you want to get it at E3 then ask the crowd which game looks more next gen football.

Idk how anyone can look at these vids from over 7 years ago and wonder why poeple give Madden a hard time the way they do. Goodness freakin gracious.

[FaceMask]

Re: EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

While that constituency might not be concerned, obviously EA is or else they wouldn't be doing interviews with online communities; they wouldn't get their feelings hurt by comments from online folks; they wouldn't invite people from online communities to come play their game early, so on and so forth. So yeah while that group doesn't care, it seems to me that people at tiburon care alot what internet communities think.

I can't disagree.

One would think all of that concern would've translated into a lot of our wants having been met after all this time. That's not to say they haven't tried, but the success rate has been low at best.

[TombSong]

Re: EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

Idk how anyone can look at these vids from over 7 years ago and wonder why poeple give Madden a hard time the way they do. Goodness freakin gracious.

I would LOVE for mr REX to come in this thread poppin off at the mouth about a challenge he has already Lost, LOL.

[BigDaddyHolmes]

Re: EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

I was actually thinking about buying Madden this year again, but after this news, kinda woke me up again. Not supporting Madden 15 because I don't want it as the only option.




Funny thing is they actually sold better when they weren't exclusive. No idea why they don't understand their fans aren't happy with this exclusive. Put the money into the game and not into protection another company wont better you

[Nwo4Life75]

I've been telling everybody on the forums,that the 2k football rumor was just that a rumor! I wish 2k was making a NFL football game,but we are stuck with EA sports for who knows how long : - ( I wish the NFL would not have a exclusive license with EA! When you think about it competition is good and it's long overdue to break the monopoly EA sports has with with Madden! I don't understand why the NFL has an exclusive license with EA! There used be a couple NFL video games to choose from at least if not more at one time! I don't remember anything bad when it was like that! I would think it would be a good for the NFL to have multiple company's making there video games! More games more money/revenue! How is that a bad thing? It benefits the consumer and the NFL! Everybody wins! Why is it the NFL is the only one with the exclusive license deal? I've never heard exactly what the reasoning is behind it a valid reason!

[cowboy_kmoney]

Re: EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

Right.....because NBA Live did SO well against NBA 2K. Which is why NBA Live is the best, most critically acclaimed basketball game now, and has been for the past decade. Imagine if EA had exclusive rights to the NBA.........Just ponder on that for a minute. It would sell like hot cakes, just like Madden, solely due to the brand name. Yet, there would be people talking about how great NBA Live is, and how people want a perfect game. But you know what, if EA holds the rights forever, the people to blame for them still selling units, is US. Because as a whole keep buying it, and supporting it. We get what we pay for. Until people stop buying it (which lets be honest, won't ever happen) we will always get mediocre NFL football.

So we r stuck with EA for how many more years.C'Mon Man...

[tril]

ok, now that its official, I will be purchasing a 360 just to play the APF2k8 modded NFL game.
though Im dissappointed, the Madden title stills looks good this year, very promising in my opinion.
Madden will get my money this year

[Dolphins88]

Ya pretty sad when a game made almost 10 years ago still plays better realistic football than madden now. Could you imagine a 2k nfl game now on ng systems. Madden would be like live.