Hot Topic: 3/31/07

by pastapadre
Posted March 31st, 2007 at 4:57 am

In what will become a regular column here, we’ll take a look the hot topic around the sports gaming message boards for the previous or current day.

Yesterday, the hot topic was in reference to the release of May’s cover of Game Informer magazine. As tough as it may be, lets go ahead and ignore the giant feature on Grand Theft Auto IV. At the top of the cover is Madden Beware: An Exclusive Look at 2K Sports’ Gridiron Return.

Originally, this exclusive reveal was supposed to take place in the April edition of the magazine. That created a great deal of anticipation, yet only ended in severe disappointment as there was not even a mention of the game. It appears that 2K Sports asked to move the feature to the May edition, reason unknown. It could be that they wanted it in alongside GTA IV, since both of them are Take Two properties and it could potentially take advantage of heavier readership coming from the GTA fans.

That was a curious move to me. Had they gotten the first info out a few weeks ago, it would’ve had all the focus on itself. Neither Madden nor NCAA Football’s marketing has geared up yet, but once it does its going to be tough for All-Pro Football to avoid getting swallowed up by those two. It shouldn’t be long until those EA titles start flooding the media with information.

The title is meant to grab attention of course, but still the “Madden Beware” part is where a problem lies for 2K. If APF is pushed as a title you should give up Madden for, not only is it not going to work, but its going to alienate Madden fans. There will be some who give the game a chance as their second or third football title in their library. The last thing they should be going for is annoying the Madden fans, many of whom are simply football fans, by telling them that the game they enjoy is inferior. 2K has to concentrate on what their game offers that will make people want to buy it, not what the other game does or doesn’t do.

There is still a lot of time, and this first look into APF should prove to be interesting. Unless there are surprises, in all likelihood it will be a disappointment for those who are looking for many details on the game and insight into how it will please the hardcore fans. You have to start somewhere though, and it looks like the piece in Game Informer will be kicking it all off.

Tags:

gist

Why does your post hint at fanboyism, while trying to play neutral is laughable at best. Anyone who knows 2k football would already know that this game isnt geared to “annoy” Madden fans as you proclain it to be. The game is made for the fans of the series in general. If casual gamers are interested in it, then that works as well.

Severe dissappointment as far as GI info.. wow.. for who? You make it seems like it was the revealing that Santa Claus isnt real to children 6 and below. Noone died from teh pushback of info, that you wrote to make it seemed like people went and killed themselves for no info at all. Seriously man, most of your post hint on fanyboyism.

“Neither Madden nor NCAA Footballs marketing has geared up yet, but once it does its going to be tough for All-Pro Football to avoid getting swallowed up by those two.”
While this may be true as far as marketing is concerned, 2k isnt concerned by Madden’s marketing, so why do you continue to push this, as if they are worried?

“The last thing they should be going for is annoying the Madden fans, many of whom are simply football fans”

This is laughable. if Madden fans were “simple football fans” then picking up APF along with other football videogames shouldnt be a problem. So in reality, Madden fans are “brand” fans.

“2K has to concentrate on what their game offers that will make people want to buy it, not what the other game does or doesnt do.”

When has 2k as a company not done this. They make their games for the sole purpose of creating the most simlike experience.

Although you try to be fair in almost everything you post, hints of fanyboyism sets in to a certain brand instead of playing the supposed neutral aspectwithin youre writing.
Case in point: Natural Motion. 2K isnt EA where they buy ESPN for $$$$ only to provide a ticker in the game. When 2K purchases a brand, they implementent in the next version of their games, to the best of their ability, unlike EA.
Do you remember Madden 06 X360 showoff? The one where they went on and on about how real the grass looked? Seems great for marketing right?
This isnt to say EA isnt doing good, but they focus so much on trivial BS, instead of gameplay issues that their nextgen offerings are some of the worst next gen games ever made, and they had 2 chances for both Madden and Live thus far. Live 07 on 360= worst NBA game of all time.
Any they knew LIve was crap, and still put it out. Canceled for PS3, I wonder why… I mean Live has been around for 12 yrs, has it ever won Sports Game of the Year? Nope. As a company with that much money, why hasnt that happened. I mean NBA 2k7, less resources than Ea took home SGOTY, beating Madden 07, and Live 07 wasnt even considered. Teh difference between T2 and EA, both care, but EA is about $$$, 2K is about quality.
gist

Why does your post hint at fanboyism, while trying to play neutral is laughable at best. Anyone who knows 2k football would already know that this game isnt geared to “annoy” Madden fans as you proclain it to be. The game is made for the fans of the series in general. If casual gamers are interested in it, then that works as well.

Severe dissappointment as far as GI info.. wow.. for who? You make it seems like it was the revealing that Santa Claus isnt real to children 6 and below. Noone died from teh pushback of info, that you wrote to make it seemed like people went and killed themselves for no info at all. Seriously man, most of your post hint on fanyboyism.

“Neither Madden nor NCAA Football�s marketing has geared up yet, but once it does its going to be tough for All-Pro Football to avoid getting swallowed up by those two.”
While this may be true as far as marketing is concerned, 2k isnt concerned by Madden’s marketing, so why do you continue to push this, as if they are worried?

“The last thing they should be going for is annoying the Madden fans, many of whom are simply football fans”

This is laughable. if Madden fans were “simple football fans” then picking up APF along with other football videogames shouldnt be a problem. So in reality, Madden fans are “brand” fans.

“2K has to concentrate on what their game offers that will make people want to buy it, not what the other game does or doesn�t do.”

When has 2k as a company not done this. They make their games for the sole purpose of creating the most simlike experience.

Although you try to be fair in almost everything you post, hints of fanyboyism sets in to a certain brand instead of playing the supposed neutral aspectwithin youre writing.
Case in point: Natural Motion. 2K isnt EA where they buy ESPN for $$$$ only to provide a ticker in the game. When 2K purchases a brand, they implementent in the next version of their games, to the best of their ability, unlike EA.
Do you remember Madden 06 X360 showoff? The one where they went on and on about how real the grass looked? Seems great for marketing right?
This isnt to say EA isnt doing good, but they focus so much on trivial BS, instead of gameplay issues that their nextgen offerings are some of the worst next gen games ever made, and they had 2 chances for both Madden and Live thus far. Live 07 on 360= worst NBA game of all time.
Any they knew LIve was crap, and still put it out. Canceled for PS3, I wonder why… I mean Live has been around for 12 yrs, has it ever won Sports Game of the Year? Nope. As a company with that much money, why hasnt that happened. I mean NBA 2k7, less resources than Ea took home SGOTY, beating Madden 07, and Live 07 wasnt even considered. Teh difference between T2 and EA, both care, but EA is about $$$, 2K is about quality.
pastapadre

Well its interesting that you would frame your thought of the piece that way, because as I am a fan of Madden, so will be most of the market who will be considering APF. Some of the same thoughts I have will be out there with the masses, while others may just dismiss the idea of APF outright.

If you follow the discussions on multiple message boards, the hardcore fans of the game who are waiting for the first info were very disappointed that the magazine came out and no mention was made of the game. Its not so much that they needed it right then and there, but that they were promised it would be in there and then it wasn’t.

Natural Motion is untested in a football environment, let alone less complicated games. If its used in APF, it won’t be a huge part of it. The whole ESPN deal is a legal issue with the conflict of also owning the NFL Network license. They may have this worked out for the coming year, we won’t know though for a little while. Its not that they just chose to spend all that money and not use it. Its to their benefit to do so and I think they’ll be taking full advantage of those things in the coming years.

Clearly Live 07 wasn’t a great release, far from the worst ever though. Its not even the worst NBA game this year, that title would go to Sony’s NBA 07.

2K is also about $ too, if you think otherwise thats just ignorant. 2K has had more severe QA problems than EA has, yet for some reason they are allowed to get away with it just cause they aren’t EA. Bottom line is its a business, and both companies look to maximize profits.

Thanks for you thoughts.
pastapadre

Well its interesting that you would frame your thought of the piece that way, because as I am a fan of Madden, so will be most of the market who will be considering APF. Some of the same thoughts I have will be out there with the masses, while others may just dismiss the idea of APF outright.

If you follow the discussions on multiple message boards, the hardcore fans of the game who are waiting for the first info were very disappointed that the magazine came out and no mention was made of the game. Its not so much that they needed it right then and there, but that they were promised it would be in there and then it wasn’t.

Natural Motion is untested in a football environment, let alone less complicated games. If its used in APF, it won’t be a huge part of it. The whole ESPN deal is a legal issue with the conflict of also owning the NFL Network license. They may have this worked out for the coming year, we won’t know though for a little while. Its not that they just chose to spend all that money and not use it. Its to their benefit to do so and I think they’ll be taking full advantage of those things in the coming years.

Clearly Live 07 wasn’t a great release, far from the worst ever though. Its not even the worst NBA game this year, that title would go to Sony’s NBA 07.

2K is also about $ too, if you think otherwise thats just ignorant. 2K has had more severe QA problems than EA has, yet for some reason they are allowed to get away with it just cause they aren’t EA. Bottom line is its a business, and both companies look to maximize profits.

Thanks for you thoughts.