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Madden NFL 11 News Post


CNBC has the story on Madden's weak sales numbers and it's impact on the industry as a whole. Sounds like a blog coming from yours truly soon.

Quote:
Just one week after its flagship franchise hit the streets, EA is already seeing retailers dramatically discount this year’s installment of “Madden NFL”. Amazon, Wal Mart, and GameStop have all dropped the price from $60 to $50.

One possible way to interpret that is the 2010 version of the game hasn’t been selling at the same pace as the 2009 version (which, incidentally, failed to match the 2008 numbers). That’s troubling, since EA relies heavily on Madden for up to 10 percent of its annual revenues.

Admittedly, there were concerns about this year’s game prior to its launch. Pre-orders were flat and Colin Sebastian, an analyst with Lazard Capital Markets, noted that the 2010 installment was “a ‘show-me’ story … People who are tired of what ‘Madden’ has become are saying ‘I know some of my fiends are going to pick it up and I’ll see what they have to say first.'”

Game: Madden NFL 11Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
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Member Comments
# 41 bigsmallwood @ 08/20/10 03:55 PM
Maybe the 5.4 Metacritic USER score for the game will help people understand why....or how about the fact that Madden has not progressed? Let's be honest here 2K basketball sells....Modern Warfare 2 sold big....Even though $60 is a lot to pay for a game, if Madden was high quality, it would sell....trust me. Watch what happens next...
 
# 42 FBeaule04 @ 08/20/10 03:56 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdr4693
After playing the NHL 11 demo, it really is a shame that Madden 11 could not implement the "real time" physics engine that NHL 11 is using. Madden would look 10X better with those physics on its hits and tackles.
Wait wait wait! It took a real low in the NHL series a few years ago and a strong push from NHL2K on the market for EA to come with innovations and the EASHL to make NHL2k irrelevant to the hockey gamers.

Since the market limits aren't yet reach, EA is still working really hard to get the best hockey game and get customers to buy the game. They are pushing harder this year and I guess that NHL 12 will also be a gem.

I don't think that EA NHL and NFL games are in the same boat at all. Madden cannot have a push in the back other than a drop in sales, and until further evidence, there's nothing so far saying it's the case.
 
# 43 T3AMGEIST @ 08/20/10 03:56 PM
Thats why exclusive licence is bad for sport games, in every other sport there is at least one opponent. If you dont make your game better, people will buy the other one!
 
# 44 roadman @ 08/20/10 04:02 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by T3AMGEIST
Thats why exclusive licence is bad for sport games, in every other sport there is at least one opponent. If you dont make your game better, people will buy the other one!
Well, let's look at the NHL games. NHL EA was down in the dumps for awhile and NHL 2k was selling well. NHL EA started bringing it to the table and now is entering a physics driven engine era.

NHL 2k has been slumping in sales and EA Canada let go around 40 people and some if not most were working on the hockey game. It appears that game is history.

So, is competition really that good that it forces one company to sell like gangbusters and drive another company out of business and you are back to no more competition.

Food for thought?
 
# 45 Rashad19 @ 08/20/10 04:06 PM
Every time I read threads and articles dealing with declining Madden sales I can't help to think of an old quote from the movie Field of Dreams "If you build it he will come!"

Who is he? The hardcore madden gamer. Madden is a niche market game so for the life of me I don't understand why they don't go all out and make a totally sim style game catered to the football fanatic. A quality in-depth football experience would have cash registers ringing like mobile phones!

I would love to know what is going on behind closed doors at EA. To leave all that money on the table year after year is mind boggling.
 
# 46 Tiko7523 @ 08/20/10 04:20 PM
I was just on vgchartz and I saw the #'s they were improved from last year it seemed ....
 
# 47 Methlab @ 08/20/10 04:22 PM
Until they dramatically change the game, or the NFL allows other companies to make games, this is going to happen.

There is a simple magic to certain games that is hard to put on paper and that is why they are hits. As much as many people loved 2k5, some of the releases like 2k2 were not so hot.
 
# 48 blakty @ 08/20/10 04:30 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flamehead
Much easier to believe you've overcomplicated it rather than produced a game more people are becoming disenchanted with because you're not responding to repeated community requests and instead implementing changes no one asked for.
Exactly what I've been saying and why I can't keep coming to Madden year after year.
 
# 49 TIm @ 08/20/10 04:33 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Methlab
Until they dramatically change the game, or the NFL allows other companies to make games, this is going to happen.

There is a simple magic to certain games that is hard to put on paper and that is why they are hits. As much as many people loved 2k5, some of the releases like 2k2 were not so hot.

It's simple.. If Madden improved and not simplified things, I think it would still sell like hotcakes... What we are seeing is people being fed up with the way Madden isn't moving with the times.. Nba Elite and NHL 11 have a type of physics engine.. Why is Madden not advancing on their darn annimation or whatever you call it.. Improve on what people want.. I think Madden is a decent game having purchased it for the first time in many years.. But I tell you.. I played the NHL Demo and I don't even want to put Madden back in.. They have made tons of improvements... Can't watch videos and see it but as someone said, You can feel it through the controller.. I will keep Madden for a football fix every once in a while and won't trade it in.. But they need to do something... Again I think people are just tired.. The same annimations for ever..
 
# 50 jasce23 @ 08/20/10 04:50 PM
i won´t buy Madden this year...i am a offline franchise player

The franchise part of the game is the same as last year...so no madden 11 for me this year
 
# 51 nccomicfan @ 08/20/10 04:50 PM
I said this last week based on a GS drop and everyone was like no, no...
 
# 52 Complex @ 08/20/10 04:53 PM
Tough economy. These are the stories that don't make the news. Job loss high, folks are borrowing against their retirement savings to make ends meet. I can go on and on, but this recession is deep.
 
# 53 frankstallone83 @ 08/20/10 04:57 PM
I traded mine back in yesterday. The guy at gamestop told me I was the 4th person that day to do so. (i got 32 bucks btw)

I'm not hanging around to troll b/c I'm a genuine madden fan but the game was just too boring. The tackling and franchise modes ruined it for me. So i grabbed skate 3 - an EA game with amazing gameplay!
 
# 54 Saijahn @ 08/20/10 05:00 PM
I agree with seemingly everyone else, it's not a weakening industry, it's just a stale game. It's the exact same game as last year, but franchise mode is worse, and locomotion is cool but not worth $65.
 
# 55 Eddie1967 @ 08/20/10 05:23 PM
I think this is good for the consumers because EA hasn't kept up their end of the bargain when it comes to making great improvements from year to year seeing as they have the exclusive license. My hope is that they won't be able to afford those exclusive rights when the current agreement ends and this will allow other developers (2k, etc.) to get back in and give us more choices while forcing EA to step their game up.
 
# 56 richierich @ 08/20/10 05:23 PM
Man F EA trying to charge an extra $10 for online access.

I guess I'll sell my game on Glyde or trade it back in or something.
 
# 57 ryan36 @ 08/20/10 05:25 PM
I don't think locomotion improved the gameplay as much as people hoped it would...especially since the defense doesn't seem to be programmed with it at all. Last year, I wasn't on the "build from the scratch" bandwagon this year I am.
 
# 58 LIGHTNING @ 08/20/10 05:26 PM
I remember in 2006 people were saying Madden sales were poor because of the next generation transition. Now Madden sales are poor due to a poor economy? The Apple Iphone sales were phenomenal despite high unemployment and economic weakness. The morale of the story? If you build a product people want they will buy it even in a recession!
 
# 59 FieldMarshallP1 @ 08/20/10 05:32 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaxSnake
Yes Madden's sale does signal trouble, because it shows the industry as a whole is selling out trying to spend as little money possible to make crap games to get more into their pockets and its failing.

Im actually happy this is happening, In the short run these developers are making more money, but its going to hurt them in the long run and that makes me immensely happy.

I hope the Madden sales get to a point where EA wont even consider trying to pay for exclusive rights to games and someone who is actually concerned with the advancement of gameplay takes over.
I completely agree ^^^^^
 
# 60 edaddy @ 08/20/10 05:40 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Saijahn
I agree with seemingly everyone else, it's not a weakening industry, it's just a stale game. It's the exact same game as last year, but franchise mode is worse, and locomotion is cool but not worth $65.
I agree with this sentiment..While I thought Madden 10 was definent step in the right direction it seems to have stalled..I mean the broadcast presentaion was minimal and the actual gameplay is exactly the same..player models and all...I will say it again we dont know what type of restrictions Ian is placed or if there is evene any at all but the feeling that I am getting from others as that it's just a stale newly painted copy of Madden 10. I really am not seeing locomotion make a difference and Pro-Tak the one feature I loved last year seems to have taken a step back..I am seeing more and more one on one tackles...All of these factors plus to an extent the economy will lead to dwindling sales..People are wary about what they purchase now and putting out less than quality games or rehashed editions will one day bite you in the but..ask UFC..lol..I went out on a limb this year for the first time in years and bought Madden even though I didnt like the demo..I had faith that this thing ws turned around,...needless to say it's now traded in towards credit for NBA 2K11...NCAA wil hold me over this year..as it's made a improvement but I cant just take that leap of faith anymore with Madden Ian and the crew...so like others it will prob go back to rental status for me next year...I hope that NCAA continues to take leaps foward but maybe this was all a master plan to get NCAA sales up with the real concentration going to Maden next year..hmmmmmmm
 


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