Madden 09 News Post

Madden NFL 09, No In-Game Saves

12:06 AM - May 13, 2008 by ChaseB

There has been an onslaught of previews popping up across the Net following the EA Sports press event in Vancouver last week. At the event most of EA Sports’ big hitters for this year were shown, none bigger than the behemoth that is Madden NFL 09. However, the Madden media fallout has led to a few inconsistencies in the various previews which now need to be cleared up. Operation Sports recently contacted EA Sports to hopefully clear up some of the confusion, and today Madden NFL Executive Producer Dale Jackson responded to the request.

Following the event some outlets wrote that in-game saves would be in the game this year, but Jackson said that the team was not able to include in-game saves this year.

Quote:


	"We won't have in game saves this year. We hear the feedback, but we are focusing our remaining time on bug fixing, tuning, and polishing the game in the short time remaining this year. We keep a list of requests we see and will make sure this is added."

Another point of contention dealt with what was said at the press event. Madden NFL Senior Producer Phil Frazier said at one point that presentation and online leagues were the two biggest focuses for Madden 09. While that may be true, Dale Jackson wanted to clarify Mr. Frazier’s statement:

Quote:


	"I also want to clarify that Game play is our number one priority this year and has a group of developers specifically devoted to it. Presentation and on-line leagues were the top 2 user requested features coming out of last year, and we wanted to make sure that we addressed them."

Operation Sports’ Executive News Editor Steve Noah attended the event in Vancouver but he doesn’t remember hearing Mr. Frazier specify if it was EA’s or the users’ number one request.

Game: Madden NFL 09Reader Score: 7/10 - Vote Now
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Member Comments

# 21 PAPERNUT @ 05/13/08 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeler99


	No doubt, as a matter of fact if it's just a matter of time to include in-game saves, don't send the game out in August! I'd rather wait until September or even October and have a game that includes the necessary upgrades.

They are done with the features already and the producer said they are tweaking and bug testing now. Lets see if they take the next 3 months to fix the fumbles and Int issues that have plagued this game lately. I place my bet nothing changes but the coat of paint we see every year with this game. Next year perhaps!

# 22 savoie2006 @ 05/13/08 12:09 PM

Goodness people.Talk about thankless!You want your cake and to eat it too.EA has a buggy Madden 08,not happy and rightfully.EA leaves out in game saves to try and eliminate bugs and such and you're still not happy.You know I would rather have play a full game before I can save and be mostly bug free,then play a bug infested game that I'll be lucky to play long enough to save.A bug infested game to ruins the fun of the game such as Madden 08.

# 23 savoie2006 @ 05/13/08 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveo


	Ridiculous. Just another reason for me not to waste money on EA being useless pricks. I have a hard time believing it'd take much time to throw this into the game especially since they have in last gen games so clearly it is just them not giving a crap about the consumer. In game saves should be a MUST in every sports game, especially on the 360. Why? Because the damn system is so unreliable. In my oh, 4 or 5 years of my 08 franchise I'd say i have had 5-7 games crash because of a DRE or freezing. The worst was one that crashed with a few minutes left in the 4th qtr. I hate EA. The day they got that NFL license was the worst day for video game football.

Then please stop buying their games.

# 24 therizing02 @ 05/13/08 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	Goodness people.Talk about thankless!You want your cake and to eat it too.EA has a buggy Madden 08,not happy and rightfully.EA leaves out in game saves to try and eliminate bugs and such and you're still not happy.You know I would rather have play a full game before I can save and be mostly bug free,then play a bug infested game that I'll be lucky to play long enough to save.A bug infested game to ruins the fun of the game such as Madden 08.

Seriously? Isn't that typical EA? Fix one thing but take out another. It's been going on for years. I have $100 and some swampland that says those jackasses will be touting in game saves as a feature next year.

Again, we are minority. The majority of their customers play 5 minute quarters and games last 30 minutes.

I'm not defending them, but it makes sense.

# 25 mdgoalie37 @ 05/13/08 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	Goodness people.Talk about thankless!You want your cake and to eat it too.EA has a buggy Madden 08,not happy and rightfully.EA leaves out in game saves to try and eliminate bugs and such and you're still not happy.You know I would rather have play a full game before I can save and be mostly bug free,then play a bug infested game that I'll be lucky to play long enough to save.A bug infested game to ruins the fun of the game such as Madden 08.

If the games plays great, I can sacrifice this feature, but honestly I have very low confidence that the game will fix the issues in 08 and up the gameplay enough to make me happy. Plus the accelerated clock helps the gameplay for me, and that seems to be out. That is a big strike one for me.

Honestly I don't think it's too much to ask for a feature that we had 4 years ago.

# 26 PAPERNUT @ 05/13/08 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	Goodness people.Talk about thankless!You want your cake and to eat it too.EA has a buggy Madden 08,not happy and rightfully.EA leaves out in game saves to try and eliminate bugs and such and you're still not happy.You know I would rather have play a full game before I can save and be mostly bug free,then play a bug infested game that I'll be lucky to play long enough to save.A bug infested game to ruins the fun of the game such as Madden 08.

I agree 100%, but we are on the 4th version for this generation and they cannot get it to play correct by now? I know it is a small feature and I could care less about it as a single feature, but when you take a look at the features as a whole, the small additions add-up.

# 27 savoie2006 @ 05/13/08 12:54 PM

Yes,time will tell.If 09 is a buggy mess as 08 then even with the feature,it's still crap.So we will see if they actually make up for not including the feature.

# 28 savoie2006 @ 05/13/08 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeler99


	Of course your points only make sense if EA does in fact REMOVE THE BUGS from the game, and that clearly remains to be seen. Remember they still promote the idea that 08' won all kinds of awards, etc, so obviously their idea of a "bug-free" game differes greatly from ours.

Yeah,Madden 08 should have been stripped of all its great ratings and awards once all the bugs were uncovered.There is no way that game was the 9 0f 10 ratings it recieved.

# 29 FlyingFinn @ 05/13/08 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	Yeah,Madden 08 should have been stripped of all its great ratings and awards once all the bugs were uncovered.There is no way that game was the 9 0f 10 ratings it recieved.

Yeah... this year all the game reviewers will say how bad 08 was but how great 09 is (just like they did last year with 07 and 08). My question is this: If it was so bad how in the heck did it get a 9 out 10!

# 30 SkinsBoYee @ 05/13/08 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	Then please stop buying their games.

This quote is always funny to me when taking of Madden. That's right, I can stop buying their football game to buy......

Oh, wait...there is no other current football game.

I guess I will just have to like what they put out in what is considered to be the next gen market which we all have spent a pretty dollar on, without ever demanding a better prodcut from this company who has monopolized the football gaming scene. How dare we demand better.

# 31 ewto16 @ 05/13/08 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	Goodness people.Talk about thankless!You want your cake and to eat it too.EA has a buggy Madden 08,not happy and rightfully.EA leaves out in game saves to try and eliminate bugs and such and you're still not happy.You know I would rather have play a full game before I can save and be mostly bug free,then play a bug infested game that I'll be lucky to play long enough to save.A bug infested game to ruins the fun of the game such as Madden 08.

I don't think it is a lot to ask them to include features that they had in a last-gen version of the game. If they could accomplish in-game saves on a version of the consoles with significantly less resources, it shouldn't be an issue to do it this generation at all. It is just another in a long line of examples of EA not caring what people really want.

I agree with you that I would trade in-game saves for a bug free Madden experience. Sadly, I have ZERO faith in that occuring. This year is all presentation and gimped online season play for Madden. Granted, I appreciate the presentation upgrades, but a shiny turd is still just a turd.

# 32 opd897 @ 05/13/08 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingFinn


	Yeah... this year all the game reviewers will say how bad 08 was but how great 09 is (just like they did last year with 07 and 08). My question is this: If it was so bad how in the heck did it get a 9 out 10!

Several potential reasons:

1. Name recognition. I am sure there are reviewers who have that, "Oh its Madden, it must be good" attitude.

2. Many reviewers probably don't really know or care about sports games or they may be "causual" Madden gamers.

3. EA is so powerful that some gaming sites may feel intimiadated to give that good score.

4. They don't play the game long enough before reviewing the game thus not finding the bugs or gameplay issues that people in this forum will.

5. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors with gaming sites and the big and powerful EA. Is there a "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" attitude? I don't know if that is the case but one really has to wonder from time to time.

# 33 savoie2006 @ 05/13/08 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkinsBoYee


	This quote is always funny to me when taking of Madden. That's right, I can stop buying their football game to buy...... Oh, wait...there is no other current football game. I guess I will just have to like what they put out in what is considered to be the next gen market which we all have spent a pretty dollar on, without ever demanding a better prodcut from this company who has monopolized the football gaming scene. How dare we demand better.

Wanting a better product is fine.The problem I have is people saying how much they hate EA,but continue to buy their product.If it's crap and has been crap,don't buy it,plain and simple.I don't care if it's the last of its kind,I'm still not going to buy something I hate.

# 34 FlyingFinn @ 05/13/08 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	Wanting a better product is fine.The problem I have is people saying how much they hate EA,but continue to buy their product.If it's crap and has been crap,don't buy it,plain and simple.I don't care if it's the last of its kind,I'm still not going to buy something I hate.

Exactly. If more people voiced their displeasure through buying habits rather then rants, EA would be sure to make changes.

# 35 yamabushi @ 05/13/08 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingFinn


	Exactly. If more people voiced their displeasure through buying habits rather then rants, EA would be sure to make changes.

Well put.
and if you are going to buy but have some reservations and want a better product, and your not 1 of those 'midnight line guys', at least pick it up used (Im sure there'll be plenty).

# 36 roadman @ 05/13/08 03:20 PM

I have three children and a wife as well.

I'm not happy about accelerated clock not being in the game, but if I played without in games saves last year, I can do the same this year. Granted, I also understand folks who were used to it last gen and won't have it this gen.

I can only hold out hope the game has minimal or no bugs.

# 37 ewto16 @ 05/13/08 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by opd897


	Several potential reasons: 1. Name recognition. I am sure there are reviewers who have that, "Oh its Madden, it must be good" attitude. 2. Many reviewers probably don't really know or care about sports games or they may be "causual" Madden gamers. 3. EA is so powerful that some gaming sites may feel intimiadated to give that good score. 4. They don't play the game long enough before reviewing the game thus not finding the bugs or gameplay issues that people in this forum will. 5. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors with gaming sites and the big and powerful EA. Is there a "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" attitude? I don't know if that is the case but one really has to wonder from time to time.

You could have played Madden for 8 hours last year and realized the terrible bugs and issues with the game. There were that many and they were that obvious.

# 38 ronnyballgame @ 05/13/08 03:27 PM

I am disappointed in EA big time, I know the bugs and gltiches are very important, and online leagues are very important to probably a majority, just upset that I was mislead, and for a franchise player with not all the time in the world to play, this would be a great feature. That is the future that keeps me coming back for MLB 2k8. As long as I can finish a game in an hour I will be happy.

# 39 ewto16 @ 05/13/08 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronnyballgame


	I am disappointed in EA big time, I know the bugs and gltiches are very important, and online leagues are very important to probably a majority, just upset that I was mislead, and for a franchise player with not all the time in the world to play, this would be a great feature. That is the future that keeps me coming back for MLB 2k8. As long as I can finish a game in an hour I will be happy.

Bugs and glitches are important and online leagues are nice, but I bet that less people will use them than you would think. Regardless, given EA's previous track record, neither of these things will be right anyway.

The online season will probably suck and online play will probably be terrible as in the past. The same bugs and glitches that were in the game last year will probably still be there.

I swear if the game doesn't ship with the same fumble issue and simmed CPU INTs issue, I'll be shocked.

# 40 mvb34 @ 05/13/08 04:10 PM

This is one of the dumbest complaint about Madden yet!!! Damn you EA for not taken account my life outside video games.

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