To everyone saying Roster DLC updates should replace the yearly iteration of the game, why do you assume everyone is connected to Live or the PSN? It doesn't even address the needs of the Wii or PS2 userbase. its easier to release the next iteration with the new rosters, uniforms and players because everyone gets the same game.
I, too, am shocked that in an economic recession, people don't feel comfortable shelling out $60 for a glorified roster update. I mean, what could they want? A $60 platform that can be upgraded upon yearly with affordable roster-change / gameplay-change DLC? The nerve.
Seriously, you want $60 bucks for a game that is basically a point release and update from the year prior. $60 nets me AAA titles that spend years in development and don't have any code-base generally to develop from.
I'll pay $60 for Half-Life, BioShock, COD4, and Halo 3 but god damned if there is a single yearly sports game that I will spend that much money on.
The situation is a double edged sword really. EA prevents Visual Concepts from making any NFL games thereby killing their best competition. Personally I prefer VC NFL games as opposed to Madden but let's be honest, there are still things that were in NFL 2k5 that EA STILL hasn't put in Madden (better pre game, half time and post game reports, better instant replays, more realistic tackling on the O-Line and D-line, better use of the 3 step and 5 step drop...) Without the competition all eyes are on EA and the result...falling sales figures.
This is what happens when you don't have a better developer to steal great ideas from
Edited by Striderhayasa - Can we get some damn m/kb support?! at 09/10/09 5:03 PM
Striderhayasa - Can we get some damn m/kb support?! was starred
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The economy's in the crapper, and the Madden franchise has been nothing more than roster updates at $60 a pop. EA should have seen this one coming.
While I like the steps EA has taken in changing its approach as a developer and publisher over the past two years, I have no sympathy for them here, especially after their little dealings with the NFL and NFLPA essential decimated a superior football game in NFL 2K5, which (might I add) was only $20 brand new.
As much as I'd like to purchase Madden 10 (just because I haven't purchased a football game since NFL 2K5), I can't knowingly pay $60 for it when I have my eye on other games expected this fall.
@illiniphase4: I posted my comment before I read yours...man, I agree with you 100%. I'm in the same boat. I refuse to buy any football made by EA, especially after playing the Xbox version of NFL 2k5. Clearly a superior product for a cheaper price.
I was actually going to give Madden 10 a try after jonesing for football for so long but after watching two quarters of it, I walked away digusted. All the "bells and whistles" of Madden 10 and EA STILL can't get the transitions in the animations right? EA STILL can't give us better custom soundtrack support? My friend, you, as a NFL 2k5 fan know, 2k5 has hands down, the best custom soundtrack support of any game ever made. You could edit the sound track down to the situation...goalline stand, 4th and long, interceptions...
oh jeez, gamers got ripped off totally with Madden being the only football game on the market.
Good to hear that I'm not the only one who thinks like that.
It's really a pain too, because I've been wanting a current gen football game that would stand up to the features in 2K5. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like Madden was going to step up to the plate, but I've been wanting an updated football game for so long that I almost had myself convinced to go pick up Madden 10. In the end though, I can't get past the price tag when when I have a fully-functioning copy of 2K5 sitting on the shelf.
Treat the Madden series as a base platform that is supported with yearly roster updates. Release a new engine/platform every 3-4 years that includes the previous rosters and that would require users to physically purchase a new game.
If managed right, I think this would significantly reduce production costs and would offer a greater incentive for users to move from one platform to the next. As it stands now, you get a few minor graphical improvements and features, but nothing that really makes the last 2 madden games obsolete. It would give the dev teams ample time to develop more impresive next gen game engines.
With my suggestion, you also offer a much more attractive option to users. They only have to physically purchase the media every 3-4 years, and the rest they can get through DLC. They could spend more money on DLC which would in turn encourage even more DLC thus adding a great amount of variety /content for the franchise.
Allow for a save system that can transfer your personal progress from one Madden platform to the next, and viola.
You have one awesome football franchise that doesn't have to break the bank on both ends.
Edited by Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do... at 09/10/09 4:52 PM
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@Taggart6: This is a crazy idea but,: There are a few issues with this. One is keeping the platform available - it's a rare game that stays on store shelves for three or four years, even more so when demand is as seasonal as it is with Madden. EA would have to either produce more each year and either risk grossly overestimating demand, or underestimating and having the game become difficult to find.
There's also the question of how much is fair to charge for roster updates: $10? $20? More? Less?
I wouldn't encourage the DLC system, either - look at how EA's milked it for the game we have now.
And then the final, big issue - your "minor updates" are significant to a lot of the people who buy the game. It's easy to brush off if you don't play it, but the refinements do make a difference year to year, and a very noticeable change over the course of the three or four you propose.
If an upstart wanted to challenge EA like that, I'd love to see the outcome...but they'd need the license to have a shot.
@spiderweb1986: If people are buying fewer copies year after year then apparently the newer versions are not enticing enough upon release to warrant continued production on large scale level.
The DLC price is not an issue IMHO. There are entire fields of study (marketing!) devoted to these things. Sure it might be rocky at first but in time it will smooth out.
Long time production of the game could be an issue but considering how Gears of War1 was on teh shelf until Gears of War2 came out I don't think it will be a problem.
You could also re-lease a greatest hits version or game of the year version with the new years DLC content pre bundled. It's worked for many other games so why not Madden?
Edited by Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do... at 09/10/09 5:13 PM
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@Taggart6: This is a crazy idea but,: "If people are buying fewer copies year after year then apparently the newer versions are not enticing enough upon release to warrant continued production on large scale level."
Did you even read the article? It isn't "year after year" - it's this year. One year of down sales in a lousy economy doesn't make a trend, and doesn't require completely dumping their existing business model.
Lets see.
1. Franchise is complete garbage this year.
2. The ui took a turn for the worse.
3. They tried to rip off NFL2k5 but made a mess out of their tackling and blocking systems.
4. They gutted the Be a Pro mode and shipped what looks like an unfinished mess.
5. They have the most at launch DLC content ever. Why nickle and Dime your fans after they pluncked down $70? Charging for Online Franchise? Charging for the Historic AFL Jerseys?
09/10/09
09/10/09
09/10/09
Hopefully it won't be called Collinsworth NFL.
09/10/09
Naw, I don't do that.
09/10/09
If his schedule won't allow for that, I recommend they put in cool mini-games the the PSP NBA games.
Gotta kick start sales now! Yeah yeah yeah.
09/10/09
Seriously, you want $60 bucks for a game that is basically a point release and update from the year prior. $60 nets me AAA titles that spend years in development and don't have any code-base generally to develop from.
I'll pay $60 for Half-Life, BioShock, COD4, and Halo 3 but god damned if there is a single yearly sports game that I will spend that much money on.
09/10/09
:(
09/10/09
09/10/09
This is what happens when you don't have a better developer to steal great ideas from
09/10/09
-SALUTES-
09/10/09
09/10/09
09/10/09
While I like the steps EA has taken in changing its approach as a developer and publisher over the past two years, I have no sympathy for them here, especially after their little dealings with the NFL and NFLPA essential decimated a superior football game in NFL 2K5, which (might I add) was only $20 brand new.
As much as I'd like to purchase Madden 10 (just because I haven't purchased a football game since NFL 2K5), I can't knowingly pay $60 for it when I have my eye on other games expected this fall.
09/10/09
I was actually going to give Madden 10 a try after jonesing for football for so long but after watching two quarters of it, I walked away digusted. All the "bells and whistles" of Madden 10 and EA STILL can't get the transitions in the animations right? EA STILL can't give us better custom soundtrack support? My friend, you, as a NFL 2k5 fan know, 2k5 has hands down, the best custom soundtrack support of any game ever made. You could edit the sound track down to the situation...goalline stand, 4th and long, interceptions...
oh jeez, gamers got ripped off totally with Madden being the only football game on the market.
09/10/09
Good to hear that I'm not the only one who thinks like that.
It's really a pain too, because I've been wanting a current gen football game that would stand up to the features in 2K5. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like Madden was going to step up to the plate, but I've been wanting an updated football game for so long that I almost had myself convinced to go pick up Madden 10. In the end though, I can't get past the price tag when when I have a fully-functioning copy of 2K5 sitting on the shelf.
09/10/09
Treat the Madden series as a base platform that is supported with yearly roster updates. Release a new engine/platform every 3-4 years that includes the previous rosters and that would require users to physically purchase a new game.
If managed right, I think this would significantly reduce production costs and would offer a greater incentive for users to move from one platform to the next. As it stands now, you get a few minor graphical improvements and features, but nothing that really makes the last 2 madden games obsolete. It would give the dev teams ample time to develop more impresive next gen game engines.
With my suggestion, you also offer a much more attractive option to users. They only have to physically purchase the media every 3-4 years, and the rest they can get through DLC. They could spend more money on DLC which would in turn encourage even more DLC thus adding a great amount of variety /content for the franchise.
Allow for a save system that can transfer your personal progress from one Madden platform to the next, and viola.
You have one awesome football franchise that doesn't have to break the bank on both ends.
09/10/09
There's also the question of how much is fair to charge for roster updates: $10? $20? More? Less?
I wouldn't encourage the DLC system, either - look at how EA's milked it for the game we have now.
And then the final, big issue - your "minor updates" are significant to a lot of the people who buy the game. It's easy to brush off if you don't play it, but the refinements do make a difference year to year, and a very noticeable change over the course of the three or four you propose.
If an upstart wanted to challenge EA like that, I'd love to see the outcome...but they'd need the license to have a shot.
09/10/09
The DLC price is not an issue IMHO. There are entire fields of study (marketing!) devoted to these things. Sure it might be rocky at first but in time it will smooth out.
Long time production of the game could be an issue but considering how Gears of War1 was on teh shelf until Gears of War2 came out I don't think it will be a problem.
You could also re-lease a greatest hits version or game of the year version with the new years DLC content pre bundled. It's worked for many other games so why not Madden?
09/10/09
Did you even read the article? It isn't "year after year" - it's this year. One year of down sales in a lousy economy doesn't make a trend, and doesn't require completely dumping their existing business model.
09/11/09
And what I offer is a suggestion. Quit getting your panties in a such a bunch.
09/10/09
09/10/09
1. Franchise is complete garbage this year.
2. The ui took a turn for the worse.
3. They tried to rip off NFL2k5 but made a mess out of their tackling and blocking systems.
4. They gutted the Be a Pro mode and shipped what looks like an unfinished mess.
5. They have the most at launch DLC content ever. Why nickle and Dime your fans after they pluncked down $70? Charging for Online Franchise? Charging for the Historic AFL Jerseys?
I hope they like that exclusive tag.