[quote]LOS ANGELES, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Video game publisher Electronic Arts Inc. on Monday said it has signed an exclusive deal with the National Football League and the league’s players, giving EA sole rights to put NFL players, stadiums and teams in its games.
Terms of the five-year deal were not disclosed.
The deal strikes a blow for EA in its ongoing sports battle with Sega Sammy Holdings and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.
Sega and Take-Two’s “ESPN” line of sports video games, with their strong reviews and discount $20 pricing, ate into EA’s market share this year, forcing EA to cut prices on its sports games.
EA’s “Madden NFL” football games is one of the company’s cornerstones, with more than 42 million copies sold over the last 15 years. [/quote]
This is the first time EA has faced any real competition from anyone, but rather than allow the supposed quality of its football games to speak for itself, EA has simply secured the exclusive rights to publish games under the NFL banner, totally eliminating the competition. I imagine Sega Sammy will start cutting its losses soon. Where are those ninja assassins when you need them?
I almost can’t believe that EA (“Challenge Everything”) could stoop so low. Well, actually I can. This isn’t the first time EA has thrown its weight around in the games industry, and I dare say, won’t be the last.
So, who finds this latest move by EA in any way acceptable?
i don’t care how huge of a slice sports games take up in the game market, they’re all crap and the great majority of sports game players have no actual interest in gaming.
so, this doesn’t effect me other than to lower my regard of EA EVEN FURTHER- and that’s pretty low considering the only decent thing they ever did was starflight on the genesis.
in conclusion, i believe that the entire sports game genre should be abolished… racers could go too… most fighting games… no love for platformers here… and eastern RPGs definitely need to go.
Hm… that does seem to put a stranglehold on things, though I can’t say that I’m surprised. EA lives for its sports games (and the Sims–which is an odd combination to say the least).
Thing is, people who started buying the ESPN games WILL turn to EA for american football games now.
Personally I couldn’t care less myself since I find most EA games sooo boring.But what I find surprising is how EA get’s to make so much money if their games are some of the most cracked (as in illegally copied) of all time.
Let’s not forget that Sega could just as well make an american football game without the official license. It happens all the time. >.> Sure your favourite tackling stars won’t be in it, but it could just as well play better than the official product. XD
I haven’t bought an Electronic Arts product since the bastardization that was Ultima IX: Ascension, released several years ago. It’s nice to see that the company continues its trend toward monopolistic practices.
But, both companies are free to do what they wish. Sega can continue to make football games, just without the NFL license, which translates pretty much to major lack of sales since people want to emulate the NFL when they play these games. This pretty much cripples the ESPN license deal they did last year, which has now been rendered totally meaningless. Ouch.
I don’t see how this is wrong, new or even EA specific, just about every company that has the money has at some point or another gotten an exclusive licence wether it was something like this or a movie licence or whatever. How is this suddenly the source of all evil at this point in time when they have been practicing this aaaaages now? Unless you have seen any non-EA soccer game named FIFA in the last decade or so?
What EA has done is, for the want of a more appropriate word, evil, for no other reason than because now there is nothing that can compete with its Madden franchise. No competition means that EA can increase prices/never lower them, and even renegogiate first party royaty deals with Microsoft and Sony. After all, what console hopes to survive in America without EA’s sports games?
If the Madden games remain exclusive to the Playstation 3, for example, it will deal a killer blow to the Xbox 2’s chances of success, because Microsoft couldn’t deliver a viable alternative.
EA must have been terrified of the prospect of Sega Sammy and Take-Two Interactive cutting into its marketshare if it felt the need to take such drastic action.
Parn: I’ve despised EA ever since it devoured Westwood Studios and bastardised the Command And Conquer series (and people wonder why Brett Sperry, the founder of Westwood, left in disgust). Expect to see C&C: Red Alert 3 from EA soon. Bullfrog and Origin also suffered at the hands of EA, and Criterion (makers of Burn Out 3) will probably share the same fate.
Not mate you dodn’t get it. In football case there 's are other Licences you can pick up (like FIF Pro), even games like Pro Evo can use Real Life stadiums ect .
EA have bought every thing to do with NFL. If they did the same with FIFA. Then no other developer could use any of the players, stadiums or leagues.
Not even PC managements games.
This news is sh8t, especially after the consumer was getting a superior product at a super cheap price (thanks to competition). Than was win, win for the consumer.
With this news EA can make a sh8t product with little news features ask what the hell the like ad get away with it.
EA is just admitting ESPN is the better product, and the only way it can compete was to take the whole licence.
Pathetic really especially after EA saying Madden was superior, and the cheap price point would never work .
This is sh8t News and sets a dangerous precedent for the industry
As much as I dislike this move by EA, I fear that Al3xd4nd3r is right. This is no different than Activision buying up exclusive Spider-man movie rights, etc. We’re just really used to having a bunch of different products to choose from for so many years, but there was no real reason why any one company couldn’t just buy exclusive rights (and from what I hear, the NFL asked for exclusivity bids).
Does it suck in the end for consumers? Less choice always sucks. But, if that’s the case and Madden truly ends up sucking, then people will stop buying it, and the NFL will eventually see the folly of its ways. The power of the consumer lies in its power to not purchase goods.
Unless it’s a true monopoly (which, in this case, it isn’t). Then the consumer doesn’t have a fair choice, and the government needs to step in.
[quote=“Abadd”]As much as I dislike this move by EA, I fear that Al3xd4nd3r is right. This is no different than Activision buying up exclusive Spider-man movie rights, etc. We’re just really used to having a bunch of different products to choose from for so many years, but there was no real reason why any one company couldn’t just buy exclusive rights (and from what I hear, the NFL asked for exclusivity bids).
Does it suck in the end for consumers? Less choice always sucks. But, if that’s the case and Madden truly ends up sucking, then people will stop buying it, and the NFL will eventually see the folly of its ways. The power of the consumer lies in its power to not purchase goods.
Unless it’s a true monopoly (which, in this case, it isn’t). Then the consumer doesn’t have a fair choice, and the government needs to step in.
Summary:
Sucky? Yep.
Illegal? Nope.
Will it last long? Up to the consumers.[/quote]
God you don?t get it. What the hell as Spiderman got to do with this.
Like I said if this were to happen to Football/Soccer. No other developers would be able to use real life stadiums, tournaments , players or teams. EA may have the FIFA licence , but other developers can use players, and real life stadiums ect. And manage games had no problems with anything.
What if Sony were do the same with the next GT, and buy the licence to all real life racing tracks and cars . There would be hell to play.
Think of it this way. If EA did the same with Superhereo games. Then the likes of Capcom could never make the X-Men series and so on.
Nothing you’ve said conflicts with what I have. My Spider-man example is the exact same as your X-men example. There aren’t any Spider-man games other than the ones by Activision, right? Same thing.
Like I said, I’m not saying I like it… if anything, it will stagnate the genre because of lack of competition, but it differs in no way from any other license.
You can still make a generic football game… just change all the team names and logos, and give the players the ability to change the names/download any .jpg to use as a logo. Voila! You have the NFL.
I don’t suppose you noticed that FIFA wildly outsold other Soccer brands because of it’s correct names and stadiums? A particularly good anecdote about it was Gamesmaster’s (RIP) ludicrous in which Ed Boone’s negative comments (I’ve probably got the names wrong) were edited out in favour of inaccurate pro FIFA rantings.
Gamesmaster gave PDS 82%. Oh, did I mention they reviewed the Japanese version and therefore couldn’t understand the plot? What a shame eh?
But this thread is about E.A. E.A. make lots of money by repackaging the same shit year after year. If people haven’t caught on by now, they never will.
[quote=“Abadd”]Nothing you’ve said conflicts with what I have. My Spider-man example is the exact same as your X-men example. There aren’t any Spider-man games other than the ones by Activision, right? Same thing.
Like I said, I’m not saying I like it… if anything, it will stagnate the genre because of lack of competition, but it differs in no way from any other license.
You can still make a generic football game… just change all the team names and logos, and give the players the ability to change the names/download any .jpg to use as a logo. Voila! You have the NFL.[/quote]
Ok so you couldn?t make Spiderman, but the likes of Capcom could counter by making a Batman game (for example). If the same thing happened as what EA have done with NFL. Then all Superhero games would be the property of EA. So now chance to conter with a better game
With this news SEGA can?t even use player likeness, or even the stadiums. Anything NFL is now EA’s.
And what is the point of SEGA even trying to make another game.
Players in the main will flog for Madden. SEGA would just loss millions. VC is now as good as dead
The consumer will lose out (Thats the point). Because EA can ask what the hell the like, add minium updates, Plus any Madden game can only be played online for the year that it is out. If you want to play Online next year you have to buy a new games.
People can still play the likes of ESPN 2k3 if they can find players .
[quote=“Arcie”]I don’t suppose you noticed that FIFA wildly outsold other Soccer brands because of it’s correct names and stadiums? A particularly good anecdote about it was Gamesmaster’s (RIP) ludicrous in which Ed Boone’s negative comments (I’ve probably got the names wrong) were edited out in favour of inaccurate pro FIFA rantings.
.[/quote]
You see that not true. This Is Football as all the real life players and stadiums. Even Pro Evo as real Life stadiums and some of the players. And Manager games have all the players and sats ect.
If EA did the same to Football as they have done with NFL. Then Only EA would be ab le to use those stats, even for manager games (That what I’m trying to tell Abadd ).
If people thing that’s fine (not talking about U) Then they are smoking something.
What made internet access, and the PC’s were use to access this site come down in price so much.
It?s a simple thing called competition
