Margaret

http://businesseshome.net

It’s the only NFL game available. Period. That’s why monopolies are bad: consumers are forced to purchase the product because they have no alternative.

Now, when 2k/ESPN had the NFL license you could at least make a case that consumers preferred Madden to their competitor–now we are stuck with perfunctory efforts.

This years game came so close to being good. Then 3 weeks later we realize how many holes were in the product. 3 months later people realize that there was nothing innovative about the product.

The Fantasy Football is an attempt at innovation, they simply are going about it the wrong way. EA is trying to market an idea rather than upgrade their product.

Now, it is possible that this FF pitch is part of a larger plan to upgrade their online offerings…but EA needs to know that consumers aren’t just bitter, they are growing apathetic.

I’m not there as I think Madden 08 is “good enough” to play. But as I venture out into other video games I realize that the madden franchise is years behind other Next Gen sports, RPG and shooter titles.

It’s really the consumers’ fault. People always want new features and pretty much want to be told only the things they want to hear. EA is good at this, and at the end of the day, the bottom line is how well their products sell. Perhaps if consumers displayed more intelligence, although that is unlikely. The overwhelming majority of gamers consists of kids and teenagers, maybe some college and people in their 30’s like myself. Kids are stupid, they truly are. I was a huge fan of EA’s boxing franchise from KO Kings all the way to Fight Night 2004 (except for the abyssmal KOK2002). And then they introduced the g a y makers and the 5-second parries in FNR2 and made it worse for FNR3. Features, features, features. The gameplay was practically broken.[/quote]

Yes, it is our fault. We keep buying Madden year after year, despite the gameplay is lame and sometimes even broken. EA should really focus on how they improve the way the game is played, add animations, add referees in the sidelines, add more crowd reactions, add more ESPN integration, i.e. do a good game and not just a mediocre one which is right now.

You know what? I’ll allow myself to believe this. It ain’t over ’til it’s over.

As for fantasy football, until EA gets the only NFL simulation game on the market right, I have no interest in these side ventures. Plenty of other companies and sites handle fantasy football just fine. Focus on the game, EA. As Coach Belichick would say, “Do your job!”[/quote]

couldn’t agree more. honestly, i know this will never happen, but i would LOVE nothing more than to see Madden 09 have ZERO new features. i would be ecstatic if they went in and devoted all of their time to completely redoing the “gameplay”, record hundreds (in not thousands) of new animations, work on the game AI, add some freakin ESPN presentation!, just make this game look, run AND play beautiful… THEN worry about all the gimmicky features[/quote]

It’s really the consumers’ fault. People always want new features and pretty much want to be told only the things they want to hear. EA is good at this, and at the end of the day, the bottom line is how well their products sell. Perhaps if consumers displayed more intelligence, although that is unlikely. The overwhelming majority of gamers consists of kids and teenagers, maybe some college and people in their 30’s like myself. Kids are stupid, they truly are. I was a huge fan of EA’s boxing franchise from KO Kings all the way to Fight Night 2004 (except for the abyssmal KOK2002). And then they introduced the g a y makers and the 5-second parries in FNR2 and made it worse for FNR3. Features, features, features. The gameplay was practically broken.

-Kaz[/quote]
I agree 100% Fix the game before you add useless features that you call new just to put on the back of the box.