EA's NFL monoploy

[tz101]

In your opinion, is it good for gaming fans that there is only one company allowed to publish and sell NFL football games for the latest consoles?

I personally miss the uniquely different play calling menus and touches of 989 and 2K Sports. I wonder if enough people petitioned the NFL about this, maybe they would rescind their decision?

[oldmanwinters]

No, consumers are the losers when one company gets a stranglehold on the market. SEGA scared EA with their unprecedented combination of quality and affordability, and they struck back with vicious financial might.

[FoxHound]

I simply dont buy them, Why give money to my only choice..EA forget that..

[NCrouther]

Madden seems very stale and uninteresting. A shot of competition would probably do quite a bit of good.

[j_factor]

I never cared about football games to begin with, but I'm definitely not a fan of this state of affairs.

In any case, 2K's affordability may have been what led the NFL to go ahead with the EA deal, feeling that their brand was being devalued.

I also thought it was really stupid of Sega to sell off Visual Concepts and their sports line to Take-Two. NFL 2K and NBA 2K were among the most successful Sega-published games between '99 and whatever year was their last.

[gamevet]

I personally miss the uniquely different play calling menus and touches of 989 and 2K Sports. I wonder if enough people petitioned the NFL about this, maybe they would rescind their decision?

989 had a couple of solid years, but they became irrelevent after that, with sloppy upgrades and a very poor showing on the PS2. 2K Sports, on the other hand, innovated with every title they had released.

In any case, 2K's affordability may have been what led the NFL to go ahead with the EA deal, feeling that their brand was being devalued.

I don't buy that crap for one second. EA definitely pulled some kind of behind the curtains deal, no matter what the NFL says.

I also thought it was really stupid of Sega to sell off Visual Concepts and their sports line to Take-Two. NFL 2K and NBA 2K were among the most successful Sega-published games between '99 and whatever year was their last.

Sega really didn't have any other options. The best selling title they had was NFL2K1 on the Dreamcast, and it only sold about a million units. They had to find a way to bring cash back into the company, and VC was the best option they had at the time.

[FoxHound]

Wasnt 989 studios actually just Sony...Syphon filter anyone..

[EddieJ1984]

NFL Blitz > any of EA's arcadey type nfl games theyve recently been putting out.

[Dirt Ball Gamer]

I have NFL 09 on the 360 but I hate it. Its impossible to do open field tackles for some reason, your dude usually just falls on his face even if he is right next to the guy you are trying to tackle. Ive heard the new one is better, but I really miss the 2k series. Recently (after reading online reviewers rave about the gameplay) I picked up NFL2k5 on the x-box (new for like 4 bucks), which I think is the lask 2k football game. I really like everything about it. The graphics can't compete with the new games, but they are not bad at all. Kind of arcadey looking which I like. The gameplay is just exciting and solid. I even like the half time report better than EA 09, and the coolest thing is after the game a reporter actually interviews the star player of the game. I think I read that in a few years EA's contract will be up and 2k might again have a chance at making football games. Screw EA.

[snume]

I picked up NFL2k5 on the x-box (new for like 4 bucks), which I think is the lask 2k football game.<snip> I think I read that in a few years EA's contract will be up and 2k might again have a chance at making football games. Screw EA.

It was the last NFL game that 2K/VC/Sega made, and if I recall correctly, the original exclusivity contract EA signed with the NFL was for 5 years, but it was extended in FEb of 2008 to last through the 2012 season and the 2013 Super Bowl. So at least 3 more years of EA only NFL football.

I personally have only owned 2K football games since 9/9/99 (there was no Madden for DC and I didn't have a PS1 or PS2) and I've only played Madden a few times at friends and relatives. I bought All Star 2K8 day 1 and it was OK, certainly didn't live up to the 2K5 game.

[KnightWarrior]

Fuck EA

[VinnyT]

What really pissed me off the most about the NFL license thing was that EA soon lost the MLB license, which means no more MVP Baseball! I miss my MVP baseball, since now all we get is The Bigs which is a button masher, and the new MLB 2K stuff, which is like typing in a missile command to pitch the fucking ball.

MVP kept it simple and fun. I want it back! On 360!

[shinobimusashi]

the competition defenitly kept ea on its toes for sure, ever since they signed the deal the games have gotten worse and worse. madden 10 is alot better than 06,07,08,09 but it still just isnt as good as they got it in 05. thats the best(3d) madden as far as gameplay which was the last one they released that had to compete with other titles.

[gamevet]

Madden 05 is just as crappy as the rest. Until you can actually play a solid defensive game on Madden, it's still going to be crap.

[shinobimusashi]

my madden 05 defense shuts kids down fool!