EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

[Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by GiantBlue76

No one WANTS to play an outdated football game. How many people do you hear about playing MLB the Show '08 or NBA 2k7? Probably none. People want to play the BEST game. That is something, as strange as it may seem, that appears to escape the minds of many on this board. They want to believe that it is fanboyism or "agenda" pushing instead. All of that is complete nonsense and is not worth entertaining in the least. Gamers want high quality and realism in their sports games, that has ALWAYS been the case. No one gives a damn about brands and who's name is on the box. They will gravitate towards the best games that meet those two requirements. It is extremely telling that you have a significant number of people still reaching back and playing outdated games when it comes to football. Madden is finally on a track of improvement after a completely wasted decade in which football gaming went backwards. Yes - backwards. We have less now than we did 10 years ago and football is the only sport in that situation. The bar has significantly been raised in all other major sports. Madden is still struggling to deliver a full featured, complete game while other franchises are adding things like real TV presentation, multiple broadcast teams, incredibly deep career and owner modes, storylines, etc. Meanwhile, football is still clamoring for proper player movement, penalties, ball physics, player interaction and authenticity.

What constitutes the "best" game is completely and entirely subjective. It's not cut-and-dry or as plainly clear as day as you make it out to be across the many posts you've made to this end recently. Some people, such as myself, think that Madden is the best total-package football game at this point, and that is a perfectly valid subjective opinion to hold. I am an educated consumer, I have played all available options up to this point, I prefer Madden.

I don't believe that football gaming has gone "backwards" in totality at this point because the most recent Madden games I have enjoyed as total packages more than any other football game I have ever played. You pose "football gaming has gone backwards" seemingly as fact. That's your opinion to hold, but that's all it is, opinion.

Madden may lack some things previous games had, yes. Madden may have some legacy issues, yes. Every other football game ever released, however, also endures technical issues and things it lacks. To me, Madden represents the best total package option available - compared to all other options - when considering gameplay accessibility, gameplay depth, variety / depth / functionality of game modes, online player base and functionality, and so on. I have held this opinion about the past several versions of the game. I have no desire to go back and play older football games, and I haven't for about the past five years or so now. That doesn't make me a fanboy. That doesn't make me a better or worse (speaking to tastes) gamer than you. That makes me a person with an opinion who differs from yours because my criteria for a quality total game is not the same as yours.

As to agenda posting - agenda posting is a person posting the same thought over and over again across multiple threads regardless of thread topic to the point where it inhibits constructive discussion in the forums.

[NicVirtue]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

What constitutes the "best" game is completely and entirely subjective. It's not cut-and-dry or as plainly clear as day as you make it out to be across the many posts you've made to this end recently. Some people, such as myself, think that Madden is the best total-package football game at this point, and that is a perfectly valid subjective opinion to hold. I am an educated consumer, I have played all available options up to this point, I prefer Madden. I don't believe that football gaming has gone "backwards" in totality at this point because the most recent Madden games I have enjoyed as total packages more than any other football game I have ever played. You pose "football gaming has gone backwards" seemingly as fact. That's your opinion to hold, but that's all it is, opinion. Madden may lack some things previous games had, yes. Madden may have some legacy issues, yes. Every other football game ever released, however, also endures technical issues and things it lacks. To me, Madden represents the best total package option available - compared to all other options - when considering gameplay accessibility, gameplay depth, variety / depth / functionality of game modes, online player base and functionality, and so on. I have held this opinion about the past several versions of the game. I have no desire to go back and play older football games, and I haven't for about the past five years or so now. That doesn't make me a fanboy. That doesn't make me a better or worse (speaking to tastes) gamer than you. That makes me a person with an opinion who differs from yours because my criteria for a quality total game is not the same as yours. As to agenda posting - agenda posting is a person posting the same thought over and over again across multiple threads regardless of thread topic to the point where it inhibits constructive discussion in the forums.

When a 10/7 year old game is more fundamentally sound, authentic, and true to the sport than a game that is supposed to come out in 2014, then I think saying "it's subject to opinion" is a bit of a cop out. When it comes to football, there is a plethora of things that 1 game has, that the more recent game does not. That's not an opinion, that's a fact of the lack of football aspect from a recent NFL game, compared to a decade old game. When people can literally go back and point out all the things that 1 game has, that the other game does not, it being an "opinion" is out the door. It's as black and white as it gets. 1 game is as authentic as we ever had, and the other seems to be struggling to get there. I't been quite evident over the years.

I mean you can say you like not having pass interference called 95% of the time. That doesn't mean your preference is true to the game of football. You can say you like no double team tackling. That doesn't mean your preference is true to the game of football. There is a laundry list of things not done in Madden, that have been done 10 years ago in another game. There is a laundry list of things Madden has, but hasn't done right, that the other game has done right 10 years ago. With those things, I don't see how it can be subject to opinion, when the bottom line is NFL Football, and what happens on Sunday. The problem is that people have been trained to play Madden, not football. You can enjoy it for what it is, but it dam sure isn't an authentic representation of football. If it were, people like me wouldn't need to go back and play the "other" game.

[Cre8]

I think the bottom line is that competition in the market drove far greater advances in gameplay and game modes in general. I actually always preferred Madden to 2K when it came down to it. This conversation has been going on for 10 years now.

After seeing the internet rumor sources rise and fall within a week I am ready to put it all to rest. If I buy a Madden title it will be pre-owned and that is simply because the game is rarely worth an annual $60+ IMO.

[Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by NicVirtue

When a 10/7 year old game is more fundamentally sound, authentic, and true to the sport than a game that is supposed to come out in 2014, then I think saying "it's subject to opinion" is a bit of a cop out. When it comes to football, there is a plethora of things that 1 game has, that the more recent game does not. That's not an opinion, that's a fact of the lack of football aspect from a recent NFL game, compared to a decade old game. When people can literally go back and point out all the things that 1 game has, that the other game does not, it being an "opinion" is out the door. It's as black and white as it gets. 1 game is as authentic as we ever had, and the other seems to be struggling to get there. I't been quite evident over the years. I mean you can say you like not having pass interference called 95% of the time. That doesn't mean your preference is true to the game of football. You can say you like no double team tackling. That doesn't mean your preference is true to the game of football. There is a laundry list of things not done in Madden, that have been done 10 years ago in another game. There is a laundry list of things Madden has, but hasn't done right, that the other game has done right 10 years ago. With those things, I don't see how it can be subject to opinion, when the bottom line is NFL Football, and what happens on Sunday. The problem is that people have been trained to play Madden, not football. You can enjoy it for what it is, but it dam sure isn't an authentic representation of football. If it were, people like me wouldn't need to go back and play the "other" game.

The basis for my opinion: I care about franchise mode more than anything else. A lack of double-team tackling doesn't bother me as much as AI teams drafting only quarterbacks, running backs, left tackles, and defensive ends in the first round, thus allowing me the user to "game" the draft because of predictable and poor programming. A lack of textbook proper run fills doesn't bother me as much as completely opaque player progression logic with zero feedback, thus inhibiting and/or completely stopping my ability to meaningfully develop talent on my roster. A lack of foot planting for all 22 players on the field doesn't bother me as much as a complete absence of franchise mode from a game altogether.

I'm less bothered by what the other games are doing that Madden isn't because there are things those old games do poorly / don't do at all which Madden does do. Madden plays well enough on the field for my personal tastes, warts and all, because its career mode options are in my opinion superior to anything else that is currently offered.

Finally, maybe I don't care about playing a 100% authentic simulation on the field. What's wrong with my opinion? It's a video game. I play video games to escape from reality and enjoy myself. If I want a simulation, I'll go outside and play pitch-and-catch with my brother.

[coogrfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by hanzsomehanz

Did you share the NFL 2K(year '99/'00) sales? There is no year date offered - just looking for confirmation that those are the sales for NFL2K4. Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

No, the numbers I listed were for 2003 and 2004. Sega's 2003 fb title was released as "ESPN NFL Football" with a small "2K4 in the bottom right corner of the cover.

[TombSong]

Quote: Originally Posted by NicVirtue

When a 10/7 year old game is more fundamentally sound, authentic, and true to the sport than a game that is supposed to come out in 2014, then I think saying "it's subject to opinion" is a bit of a cop out. When it comes to football, there is a plethora of things that 1 game has, that the more recent game does not. That's not an opinion, that's a fact of the lack of football aspect from a recent NFL game, compared to a decade old game. When people can literally go back and point out all the things that 1 game has, that the other game does not, it being an "opinion" is out the door. It's as black and white as it gets. 1 game is as authentic as we ever had, and the other seems to be struggling to get there. I't been quite evident over the years. I mean you can say you like not having pass interference called 95% of the time. That doesn't mean your preference is true to the game of football. You can say you like no double team tackling. That doesn't mean your preference is true to the game of football. There is a laundry list of things not done in Madden, that have been done 10 years ago in another game. There is a laundry list of things Madden has, but hasn't done right, that the other game has done right 10 years ago. With those things, I don't see how it can be subject to opinion, when the bottom line is NFL Football, and what happens on Sunday. The problem is that people have been trained to play Madden, not football. You can enjoy it for what it is, but it dam sure isn't an authentic representation of football. If it were, people like me wouldn't need to go back and play the "other" game.

This is Gospel. 1st OS chapter 1 verse 1.

[bucky60]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

The basis for my opinion: I care about franchise mode more than anything else. A lack of double-team tackling doesn't bother me as much as AI teams drafting only quarterbacks, running backs, left tackles, and defensive ends in the first round, thus allowing me the user to "game" the draft because of predictable and poor programming. A lack of textbook proper run fills doesn't bother me as much as completely opaque player progression logic with zero feedback, thus inhibiting and/or completely stopping my ability to meaningfully develop talent on my roster. A lack of foot planting for all 22 players on the field doesn't bother me as much as a complete absence of franchise mode from a game altogether.

You have every right to want what you want. So does everybody else. And since the game is clearly being advertised as a Sim, those that want sim shouldn't have to go outside and "play catch" or play a 10 year old game to get sim.

Your preference for progression logic is also personal taste. As I've said before, I find that completely controlling progression (as you like it) is far to STATIC and BORING and not nearly dynamic enough for me. Plus it's unrealistic in a game being advertised as SIM/REALISTIC. So those of us wanting a realistic progression system and realistic off-field franchise seem to have a very valid opinion.

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

Finally, maybe I don't care about playing a 100% authentic simulation on the field. What's wrong with my opinion? It's a video game. I play video games to escape from reality and enjoy myself. If I want a simulation, I'll go outside and play pitch-and-catch with my brother.

The game is being advertised for realism and simulation. That opens it up for constructive dialogue and criticism where it falls short.

[Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by bucky60

The game is being advertised for realism and simulation. That opens it up for constructive dialogue and criticism where it falls short.

Sure, there's an opportunity for a constructive critical dialogue, and that's fine. That's actually what I want from this forum, a constructive and positively-aimed critical dialogue about Madden. It's why I signed up for OS twelve years ago.

That said, there's a difference between having a constructive dialogue about the merits of a game and preaching about everything wrong with a game from the virtual bully pulpit of internet anonymity, to the detriment of any other constructive thought anyone else may ever have about said game. There's a difference between an open-minded discussion and a bullheaded argument holding an unwillingness to entertain another person's point of view to make one point about a game repeatedly across the entire forum.