So what do you the effect will be of EA buying the exclusive NFL licensing for videogames for the next 5 years??? I think I would tend to agree with the critics who suggest that it's bad for gaming in general. On one hand, there won't be a price war, something we all anticipated after Sega's amazing price reduction to 19.95 this year. On the same hand, the lack of Sega's NFL 2K series as a competitor might cause Madden to slack off and give them even more cause to make their annual updates mere "roster updates." I can't think that anything good can come of this.

What nonsense! Are the makers of Madden scared of a little competition? They can't be scared of little old Sega, can they? I must say that I love most of EA's games but this crosses a line. It was a brilliant move by EA, but still cheap. I'm going to miss the price wars which caused gamers a choice rather than the only good football game being Madden. I am also afraid, as you are, of Madden to start slacking off on the actual gameplay and just create the rookies for each team and trade players, it is a sad day for sports gamers.

Monopolies are never good.

I am not a sports gamer but even I think this is cheap!! Really really cheap! I wish that NFL 2K6 kicks Madden's little roster flaunting ass in terms of gameplay. If it stays at $20 and Sega's game is great and Madden's only draw is roster then I guess we'll have to see how the public will react.

I heard rumors that they're in talks with MLB and the NBA as well - where's Teddy "Trust-Buster" Roosevelt when you need him? I also heard they've taken a hostile and unwanted 20% share in Ubisoft, one of their main competitors, who make the character-driven action games EA lacks. THIS SUCKS, EA games are mediocre at best and have little true creativity. Just sequels and revisions with the soul sucked out. I can't wait to see more Burger King and Axe Body Spray ads in my games.

For a long time, gaming has been the only art form I know of in which products are actually getting progressively better rather than worse. But I'm seriously worried about EA screwing all of that up. In this year alone they've gotten into controversy for not paying their workers overtime, the taking stock in Ubisoft as Hattoori mentioned, and now this. If I were a sports gamer, I would without a doubt go for NFL 2K6. I would rather give up a few freaking names and logos than know I've been playing a game created by a bunch of miserly old bastards.

And there is no doubt in my mind that their output will get worse. My references? Oh, how 'bout the recent releases of Need for Speed Underground 2 (they actually took away features from the first game rather than adding new ones, and no damage models: WTF?!) and Goldeneye: Rogue Agent (an embarassing disgrace and misuse of the classic license). I'm confident, or hoping anyway, that gamers will catch onto this trend, and I'm sure a lot of them will. But there are so many Madden junkies out there who don't even know of this news, and probably wouldn't care even if they did, that such avarice from EA could mean a real blow to the industry

I have stated that I do not like what they did, but that doesn't mean that I dislike their games. They are the makers of so many good games that ignoring them would mean losing numerous hours of playing time. I don't know what I would do if I didn't own "Burnout 3." "Freedom Fighters" is a good title. It seems irrational to have it out for a particular brand, just because they are a business and act accordingly. And regards NFS Underground 2 you said:

quote:

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Need for Speed Underground 2 (they actually took away features from the first game rather than adding new ones, and no damage models: WTF?!)

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where I must disagree with you. It was a solid racer, the reason that there was no damage was due to the fact that it would be almost impossible to get the car makers to allow such things to happen in a game. (I doubt that any car maker would like to see their cars demolished in a game)

Besides, I didn't like NBA 2K5 too much anyways. It had too many flaws compared tO NBA Live 2005.

Today they picked up the ESPN license as well. And not just for football, for all sports.

I smell a monopoly. It smells bad.

granted, I also can't put burnout 3 down, but I always have a dirty feeling playing it, considering they bought / stole the rights to publish the series from foundering Acclaim (now out of business). and while Criterion still developed it, it's clear EA forced a number of terrible changes on them (esp. the music and god-awful "DJ" announcer)

AND fellow gamers - if you weren't outraged already, EA just bought (a few days ago) the 15-YEAR rights to use the ESPN logo/name/ presentation exclusively from under Sega, further undercutting ALL competition. This is ridiculous, I might start boycotting EA.

And regards NFS Underground 2 you said:

quote:Need for Speed Underground 2 (they actually took away features from the first game rather than adding new ones, and no damage models: WTF?!)

where I must disagree with you. It was a solid racer, the reason that there was no damage was due to the fact that it would be almost impossible to get the car makers to allow such things to happen in a game. (I doubt that any car maker would like to see their cars demolished in a game



Indeed you're right. I had just picked that game up and I was let down because I was expecting a better-than-solid racer like the first one. I suppose I just got carried away.

But, one recent EA game I hadn't had the misfortune of playing when I first made that post was Lord of the Rings: The Third Age. This was a pathetic attempt to mil every penny the franchise had. I'm not saying it's necessarily bad because it wasn't based on one of the movies, I actually really enjoyed Battle for Middle Earth, but this game was just awful.

And just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, they pick up the ESPN license. What a bunch of miserly bastards.