EA gets college football exclusive!

[jeepnut24]

Well if there wasn't enough reason for me to hate EA, here is some more. 6 year exclusive to NCAA college football...

 

At this point I wonder if EA is going to charge $60 or $70 for their games next generation???

 

More Exclusives!!!

[Lord Helmet]

Shoulda seen this comming. I'm done with sports games...we except for Winning 11.

 

I'm thinking about a complete boycot of EA. Not that it would matter, with all the EA fanboys out there paying $50 a year for the same game over and over again, they will be just fine.

[BydoEmpire]

At this point I wonder if EA is going to charge $60 or $70 for their games next generation???   

A lot of people are expecting NextGen games to be priced at $60-$70, whether from EA or not. Especially top-shelf titles.

[chrisbid]

At this point I wonder if EA is going to charge $60 or $70 for their games next generation???   

A lot of people are expecting NextGen games to be priced at $60-$70, whether from EA or not. Especially top-shelf titles.

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if that is indeed what happens, then business will slow down big time. a lot of current titles have trouble selling at 20 bucks

[BydoEmpire]

Yep, no argument here. But I bet if Halo 2 or GTA:San Andreas were $60 they still would have still had big sales (of course, it's total speculation whether they'd gross more with a higher price). We'll see what happens. The vast majority of the games I buy are under $50, and I doubt many games will be able to charge more than that next gen.

[chrisbid]

Yep, no argument here.  But I bet if Halo 2 or GTA:San Andreas were $60 they still would have still had big sales (of course, it's total speculation whether they'd gross more with a higher price).  We'll see what happens.  The vast majority of the games I buy are under $50, and I doubt many games will be able to charge more than that next gen.

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i think they can get away with it, if they release "special edition" versions of top shelf games during the initial release. getting a soundtrack, dvd movie, or other trinkets will justify the price increase, but not cost the publisher that much more in production costs

[jeepnut24]

I paid more for LE games with two discs worth of content. Otherwise I refuse to pay more than $50 for a title no matter the quality. Activision and EA will be the first to push +$60 titles, and they are the worst two offenders of constent shovel ware. Even AAA titles at $60+ will sell slower than normal especially if they hit $70. Im a big supporter of current gen games, and I know personally Ill simply buy less and wait for used even more than I already do. I think you will see EA and Activision try and sell games for more, but ultimately fail and come back down to realistic prices.

 

My bigger complaint is EA buying up more and more of the market. We aren't talking operating systems here, we are talking about end products. EA has failed to consistently show innovation and quality. Sure they have had a small few that were good titles, but plenty that weren't. Hardly what anyone would call consistent, and worthy of leading an industry.

[n8littlefield]

I don't really think this announcement is that big of a deal. All the people I know that buy the NCAA game do it so they can import their college team and players into the NFL draft.

 

If Madden is the only pro game, the majority of college game sales would be for the Madden-compatible game anyway. EA would have trounced any other companies offering on this anyways- so not a big deal to me.

[Lord Helmet]

I don't really think this announcement is that big of a deal.  All the people I know that buy the NCAA game do it so they can import their college team and players into the NFL draft. 

 

If Madden is the only pro game, the majority of college game sales would be for the Madden-compatible game anyway.  EA would have trounced any other companies offering on this anyways- so not a big deal to me.

835663[/snapback]

 

 

Most people I know that play the NCAA games do it because they prefer the college game to the NFL. I count myself in that group. I have not bought a Madden game since 2001, because I like the college game better. I Bought NFL 2k this year because I heard it was good, and I was sick of the EA football games. The 2K game kicked ass IMHO, and I was looking forward to a possible NCAA 2k game this year, especially since there would be no NFL 2k game for several years because of the EA deal with the NFL. Now it appears there will not be any 2k football games for quite some time.

 

EA sports has released basically the same football game (both NCAA and NFL) since 2001 when the first Madden game came out on the PS2 (at least I think that was the year). EA is charging you $50 a year for a game with minor updates in graphics and gameplay. and now they have no reason whatsoever to make their football games better. It will be more of the same, over and over again. Of course, fanboys will still buy the games every year, blindly handing over their cash for a crappy, re-hashed product. it's EA or nothing...I choose nothing.

[Dones]

Not fanboys, but rather a big group of people who are casual gamers. It's a game for the masses. That's why the game is so popular. Just my 2 cents, I am not a business know it all or anything like that.

[jeepnut24]

If we saw huge improvements each year, I could understand $50. But considering its usually just and update not a true sequel, I cant justify the $50 yearly. At least Sega dropped to the $20 price tag.

[Dones]

Maybe we are asking too much change for a yearly title.

[Lord Helmet]

If we saw huge improvements each year, I could understand $50. But considering its usually just and update not a true sequel, I cant justify the $50 yearly. At least Sega dropped to the $20 price tag.

835730[/snapback]

 

They should just make roster updates etc. available via download. Then they could release a completely new version every 5 years or so. Of course, then they wouldn't be filling their pockets with sports gamers money every year, so that will never happen. Now no one will have a chance to innovate in the genre.

[dalton4life]

Maybe we are asking too much change for a yearly title.

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I think you are somewhat right in that regard. Roosters change every year so they kind of have to put a game out every year regardless of how much innovation in it. How much ground breaking innovation could we expect year to year? I never thought sports games of the same title should be a yearly purchase except for the most die hard fan. Still it really really suck to have no alternatives now for NFL games.

[Dones]

Would you mind paying a fee for a roster upgrade? That sounds like a feasible idea. Maybe offer a rebate to those who register last year's sports game. I don't think companies would like offering an upgrade because that would discourage fans to spend money on a new title. I don't know, what do you think?

[jeepnut24]

Maybe we are asking too much change for a yearly title.

835748[/snapback]

 

 

Hardly asking too much. Why pay $50 for roster updates when most have them for free download. At the very least, charge us for the roster updates and then create a full game every few years with actual improvements in it. Thats the main reason I wait at least a year between NFL titles. I can get the roster updates free for the most part as DL content. Then when there are enough game enhancements I pick up a new copy. Now that EA has controll of all football, however, I won't be buying any titles because I enjoy the 2K series much more. That and I know that EA will swing the price in the opposite direction of the $20 titles from this year. Im definately not going to pay MORE for a yearly release.

 

BTW, I don't know where some of you have been, but at least Sega has DL rosters on XBOX LIVE. Exteremely nice feature. Not to mention if you are really desperate, get Action replay and get them for all games for free. I still see no reason for a yearly release unless they are going to make serious enhancements to gameplay, graphics and content.

[Dones]

I don't know, not everyone buy sports titles on a bi-annual basis. It's all competition man. Like you said it's too bad people didn't warm up to Sega's offering, which actually offered free roster upgrades for those with online capabilties.

 

By the way,

 

What's up with the CAPS?

 

You got my ears ringing.

[jeepnut24]

I don't know, not everyone buy sports titles on a bi-annual basis. It's all competition man. Like you said it's too bad people didn't warm up to Sega's offering, which actually offered free roster upgrades for those with online capabilties.

 

By the way,

 

What's up with the CAPS?

 

You got my ears ringing.

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Im fairly adament about this topic. Hardcore gamers don't buy titles each year, but many sports nuts do and casual gamers. Its a real shame they have to buy updated rosters each year for $50. I mean when was the last time we saw serious improvments or additions to a football game? Ive said it before, and Ill say it again. Screw EA!!!

[devils advocate]

This whole thread can really be summised into one sentence.

 

 

Less choice is NEVER better.

 

 

It wouldn't matter who held the franchise. Sega with complete control would be horrible as well.

 

Sports leagues are not thinking about their consumers here. Many of the leagues have great need for large sum cash injections, as most have expanded as far as they can , or have extracted the most they can from network deals or licensing for memorabilia. Ludicrous player salaries, often taking over 50% of league revenues has taken priority away from supplying a good product, and sided it with having large cash surpluses and growing revenue percentages, to keep up with a false inflation rate for salaries. (Most profitable businesses will set labour costs at or around 30-45% max, to show yearly growth) Granting exclusive rights to Jersey companies and sports cards are one thing, but for a creative medium is another.

 

With the near exclusive baseball deal, as well as ongoing negotiations with basketball. I fear we will soon see all pro sports with exclusive licensing deals. Hockey will soon follow, as their lockout, and lack of a true network tv deal, will certainly generate the need for large sum revenue when they return. Sadly, it is only EA with the coffers to win these arrangements. ESPN hockey is leaps and bounds better than EA's game in recent years. But...See my previous paragraph.

 

 

I don't blame any of the publishers for this. Nor do I blame the leagues, whom are desperately trying to find new revenue injections.

 

 

I blame greedy and arrogant professional sports players, as being the root of this problem.

 

Greedy publishers are just reaping the benifits of a diluted sports world.

 

I have NO love for EA as a company, nor have I even purchased a game of theirs since EA hockey 98. But in this one case, I don't lay the blame for this mess on them. Who wouldn't want exclusivity on a marketable product.

 

I do blame them for their crappy products of late though. I just think that their sports products were already degrading heavily even without their new excusivity deals.

 

Look Jeepnut! We agree on something!

[jeepnut24]

 

Look Jeepnut! We agree on something! 

836377[/snapback]

 

Not a hard topic to agree on though. EA hasn't done much good for the game industry of late.

[cimerians]

 

Look Jeepnut! We agree on something! 

836377[/snapback]

 

Not a hard topic to agree on though. EA hasn't done much good for the game industry of late.

836395[/snapback]

 

They have not done good for well over a decade. They destroyed my favorite RPG series (Ultima) along with one of the most creative companies, Origin Systems.

 

...Among other things.

 

Electronic Arts was one time (in the 80's) a very creative company don't get me wrong, but when it got sold....well we know how they are.

[Dones]

Im fairly adament about this topic. Hardcore gamers don't buy titles each year, but many sports nuts do and casual gamers. Its a real shame they have to buy updated rosters each year for $50. I mean when was the last time we saw serious improvments or additions to a football game? Ive said it before, and Ill say it again. Screw EA!!!

836330[/snapback]

Phew! For a moment there I thought my joke wouldn't come out right.

 

That's cool man. There is a vg related topic that I feel very polarized too (not sports related though). I agree with most of what you say about EA and their borg practices.