EA Sports To Go Digital Delivery Only for PC
by 
In an interview with Edge which can be read here Peter Moore discusses a variety of topics including the PC market. Of note is that they will no longer be producing disc based offerings for the PC.
We really want to keep sports an important part of the portfolio that’s available to PC gamers, but the business model right now, shipping a physical disc for the PC, simply isn’t working for us. And along the context of making the right choices with our resources and making sure that we’re delivering a return on investment for valuable employee time, I’ve got to find innovative ways to bring our content to life on the PC and online is the way that that’s going to happen.
I’ve been prediciting for a long time that the PC offerings from EA in the future would be download only. Likely free and supported by microtransactions and/or advertising. That method has been extremely successful overseas.
Interestingly Moore also talked about the possibility of an MMO and the restrictions that come with league licenses. While there are many benefits to having the license it also provides the leagues with more control over how their respective sports are represented in the games.
Some of the challenges quite frankly are licensing approvals. Do you want it to be all sugary and nobody does anything wrong or gets into player disputes, and no player gets in trouble at a nightclub at night? If you want it to be that way I might get licence approval, but if you want it to be a bit more realistic then I might have a challenge getting licence approval. So I have to fight that fine line of making sure our partners feel comfortable with that content versus types of game experiences they don’t feel comfortable with.
Update: Another interview, this one with VG247, confirms my earlier suspicions.
The exec added that announcements regarding EA Sports future policies on PC gaming would be made in the “next few months,” but outlined that his PC games going forward would likely follow a micro-payment model. “You’re going to see us take a lot of our learnings from what we’re doing with our games in Asia, where I’ll give you the game for free, or a certain level for free,” he said.
April 30, 2009 at 6:34 pm
I am looking into the face of this man, and like icecubes are rolling down under on my back… Nba 2k9 for pc thru Steam was successful, Steam is getting stronger, EA Sports want a piece from every cake.
Likely free? I do not think so, unless they shall trick us pc gamers with a ps2 version…
Plus he sad: " simply not working us…" It doesnt seems like a custumer-first mentality…
April 30, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Why don't they just make every game downloadable? In fact they can make every game free for the consumers and just fill the whole screen with advertisements. The cost for these sports games needs to drop to about 20 bucks becuase they are having it both ways. 1st they charge the consumer 60 bucks then they get BOKU from advertisers to display their $5 FootLong ads on the game winning drive.
I know i said I wouldn't complain again but they just keep giving me and the rest of us more ammunition to dislike their practices. If they wanna place ads in the games cut down the price and tell all of those 6 & 7 figured disigners to take a pay cut. Let the ads cover the cost and give some of us loyal constomers a break EA. Think about it maybe even a promotional day where you can get Madden for a discount.
I fear the day they charge $70 bucks! When they do I will go back to knocking off liquor stores
April 30, 2009 at 8:04 pm
I have no problem paying $60 for a game considering how many hours of entertainment I get out of it. Not to mention the fact that you can trade it in when you're done and get $$$ toward a new game. I will say, however, that Gamefly is the way to go. Pay a monthly fee and play all the games you want. I do still buy the sports games (Madden, The Show) and the bigger titles that take a while to finish (GTA IV, Fallout 3 etc…)
As far as advertisements in games? I don't have a problem with it. Whatever they need to do to be successful as a business and continue making great games I'm all for. As long as it doesn't interfere with the gameplay. I think it's actually kinda cool when you see a real-world advertisement in a game as long as it's placed in a place that makes sense within that gaming world. Kinda brings a sense of realism to it all (i.e Obama Billboards in Burnout; real advertisements in stadiums where advertisements are in real stadiums)
April 30, 2009 at 7:23 pm
How are you a loyal customer when you basically degrade EA?
Madden discount? sounds to me like you are only loyal when you its to your advantage.
April 30, 2009 at 8:38 pm
I agree that paying $60 for a game isn't that big of deal. Partly, games were $49 since 1996 (and earlier during the Genesis days). The cost of production, development and marketing is outrageous. Companies, believe it or not, are not designed to cater to the consumer, they are designed to make money.
The $60 price point, depending on the game, is spot on. The only thing I don't like is the micro-transactions for things that used to be in the game when shipped (i.e. classic stadiums, teams, etc).
April 30, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Does this mean Madden 10 for Pc??
May 1, 2009 at 6:48 am
so NBA live 09 next gen? for pc?
May 1, 2009 at 6:48 am
I mean NBA 10 next gen?
May 1, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Peter looks the way I envision Satan
May 4, 2009 at 4:24 am
MADDEN 2010 FOR PC???????????????????????????????????
PLEASE EA DONT BE SHADY TOWARDS UR LOYAL FANS.
August 4, 2009 at 8:04 am
Hi EASPORTS team!. I'm from East Africa, Tanzania, i like a lot games from Easports but the problem is how to purchase, i've visited several websites like amazon.co.uk. ebay.in and gameconnection.co.uk. i'm very dissapointed i couldnt manage to purchase any because they cannot be shiped to my country. Can you please assist me?? i need the physical delivery method, Digital delivery method is very very expensive for me because downloading itself cost more than 200USD.
My email :- faimsa2004@yahoo.com