EA Sports perfecting mediocrity
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Oct 4th 2006 at 8:00PM }
A group of NBA Live '07 fanboys have had enough of the series' annual increase in broken gameplay and have written a letter to EA expressing their displeasure. Although the focus of the letter is on NBA Live '07, with YouTube links showing the latest issues with the series, it touches on the general unhappiness with other declining EA franchises like Madden and FIFA. "At one time, EA was producing the best titles money could buy and one had little reason to look elsewhere. Now gamers have a sense that if you want the best, it's not EA."And as an aside, more than a few eyebrows were raised when press copies and reviews of NBA Live '07 came trickling in a week after the game went on shelves, almost as if EA knew they produced a sub-par product. Hollywood employs this same tactic on bad movies so they can get as much money back before the word gets out how bad things really are.
Although the issues expressed by the fans of NBA Live '07 are positively valid, there is the alternative NBA 2K7 from 2K Games which was released the same day as NBA Live '07. This doesn't help Madden fans who experienced similar issues with Madden '07, but have no recourse because of EA's NFL exclusivity deal. In the case of Madden, EA also shows apparent ignorance toward reasonable proprosals by fans to fix the series.
It's certainly cause for concern that EA Sports is taking the "we'll patch it later" stance toward console games this early. This is the first generation capable of console patching and ideally should be used to fix subtle errors. Instead EA is following the PC model that console gamers have fled from: ship first, patch later. It's probably time for sports gamers to show consumer activism and take their money to other franchises. That'll get EA's attention faster than any letter.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ShockWave @ Oct 4th 2006 8:11PM
I said it before and ill say it again , EA is crap , they reuse engines , they limit frame rate to only 30 instead of raising it to 60. Carbon = Most Wanted engine
Phil @ Oct 9th 2006 4:47PM
The Law of Diminishing Returns.
You can't change Football or Basketball.
Which is why the genre of sports games never appeal to me.
No innovation allowed.
With each iteration just being a ROSTER UPDATE and some graphical updates.
teehee @ Oct 4th 2006 8:13PM
Joystiq is so biased. everybody knows EA sports games are at least 2 times better than 2k sports games. joystiq will find any excuse whatsoever to bash EA sports.
:)
but seriously, they should have covered the feature striping from the last gen to the current gen. there would be no reason to buy any 07 games if the 06 games had all the features of the 05 games.
jayntampa @ Oct 4th 2006 8:15PM
There has been innovation in the past, EA just chooses to go the safe route.
Check the NBA scores on Gamerankings, to -- NBA Live averages in the mid to low 60's while NBA 2k7 averages in the mid to high 80's.
Everyone knew the NFL deal was bad for gamers the moment it was signed. Nothing good came out of it.
RoroCo @ Oct 4th 2006 8:15PM
Every year I trade in Madden quicker and quicker. Have they only improved the cut-scenes lately - even so - the cut-scenes look like crap. Manning looks like he on steriods and face modeling is poor at best.
Sure they have added a bunch of tweaks to the gameplay...but the whole engine seems dated and no longer intuitive.
Madden Sucks!!!
I will not spend another cent on that franchise.
bm @ Oct 4th 2006 8:17PM
Who gives a fuck about sports?
vaylen @ Oct 4th 2006 8:26PM
This is why you should buy "NBA - The Life" instead of "NBA Live". The only way EA gets the message is when your money talks.
MTigerV @ Oct 4th 2006 8:36PM
Look folks, its obvious that since they now have an exclusive licence, EA will not be listening to complaints about the declining quality of the Madden series. However, the NFL and it's player's association (the NFLPA, aka Players Inc.) will definatley take notice when their fans (and customers) tell them how EA is ruining video game football. So, don't waste your time sending hate mail to EA, send it to the NFL and NFLPA
NFL
(snail-mail, coudn't find an email add.)
National Football League
280 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
NFLPA
Email
Josh Goodstadt
Assistant Vice President, Multimedia
202-463-1276
Joshua.Goodstadt@nflplayers.com
Postal
PLAYERS INC
2021 L St., NW
Washington, DC 20036
Main number: 202-496-2860
BklynKid @ Oct 4th 2006 8:41PM
I stopped buying EA products a long time ago. I am doing my part!
460 @ Oct 4th 2006 8:37PM
Anyone here think that the Wii version of Madden will be just as mediocre? Something tells me, "no".
God bless that Nintendo Seal of Quality.
ninx @ Oct 4th 2006 10:26PM
Bout time....
EA was like THE 3rd party developer of the N64/PS1 days......with the N64 they fullfilled sporting fans fantasies. With the analog stick and their franchises.......Simulating Wonders.
Fifa '98: Road to the World Cup, Madden 2000, NHL '99...those games killed it. Sports fans were basically in gaming from that. But the apparent revenue from after that went to their heads and the crap they get away with is appauling. They have the hugest monopoly over the mainstream crowds with their latest titles.
And with their exclusive deals....I really don't see it going down anytime soon.
460 @ Oct 4th 2006 8:39PM
oh, and it doesn't hurt that EA genuinely seemed reinvigorated by the user interface. Reading interviews in various sites and publications seem to indicate as much. Products are better when its a product of love and enthusiasm rather than when just making money is the driving factor.
Rask @ Oct 4th 2006 8:40PM
I picked up NHL07 last week and I havta say that I hated it compared to the 2k7 demo in the first few games I played. Now that I'm getting used to the stick control and the game flow, it's really starting to grow on me.
This year, the sports games have been all about the Hockey.
Redbugz007 @ Oct 4th 2006 8:46PM
@#6
whats your Weight?
otakucode @ Oct 4th 2006 8:55PM
The only language EA understands is cash. STOP BUYING EA GAMES ENTIRELY. Each and every single game you buy that they make supports abusing employment practices, and encourages them to do NOTHING MORE than what they already have.
Of course, if people stop buying Madden and such, their response will just be to be even more brutal to their employees, attempt to get more exclusives, and probably buy and cannibalize good development houses, running them into the ground and destroying the people that make games fun. But, it's the only way to even communicate with them.
Writing them a letter is like writing a letter to a Congressperson in the US. They don't care about you. They think you're an insignificant ant, and they know that Incumbents Win. Period.
BPM? @ Oct 4th 2006 8:57PM
#9 460:
Eh, I wouldn't count on Madden Wii blowing anyone away... While it may turn out to be more fun (due to a new dev team working on it, and Wii's intuitive controls), it's still EA. And they have no reason to make massive improvements to Madden NFL, since only they can make NFL games (at least, third-party exclusivity... first-party games may be a different deal...).
And why should they improve, especially with '07 being the best-selling Madden yet (if memory serves me right)? Just goes to show people will buy the same thing over and over again, regardless if it's hardly better (current-gen Madden) or worse (360 Madden... and maybe PS3 & Wii Madden... but we've yet to see those).
Bill @ Oct 4th 2006 9:08PM
Why is this filed under Microsoft Xbox 360 if the issues affect all platforms?
Bill @ Oct 4th 2006 9:11PM
And also the picture, conveinently, is of a 360 box?
If it's all the same to you guys and unintentional as I'm sure you'll claim, mind switching that out for a PS3 NBA Live 07 box? Or better yet, Nintendo Wii? I understand, if somehow you cant track down those boxarts (I bet EB games has them though..I can look for you), a DS or PS2 boxart will work fine.
Thanks a bunch guys.
clo1_2000 @ Oct 4th 2006 9:11PM
I used to be an EA fan, but 2K has had EA's number in BB since the DC. Football was a little closer back then, but now, I'm picking up Blitz, EA isn't getting a dime of money.
AzaMcWazza @ Oct 4th 2006 9:49PM
Good on em for writing a letter, but nowhere in there did I see them list the issues.
Brian @ Oct 4th 2006 9:25PM
I got NBA 07 just because my boy T-Mac was on the cover. I know, I'm pathetic but the man scored 13 points in 35 seconds.
Anyway, hopefully 2k6 has fixed the plethora of issues with 2k6.
Stephen @ Oct 4th 2006 9:28PM
Sports games can definitely be innovative. 2K7 has definitely done that. I hate it when people say sports game updates are just roster and graphical updates. Animation is more fluid, more features, better online play... 2K7 is probably the best made basketball game with the 200+ signature shots, Live 07 is a joke, so was Madden, but Madden is the only NFL game we have to play...
I really, really am fed up with EA Sports.
Dave @ Oct 4th 2006 9:30PM
I knew it I knew it I knew it. Once consoles got their hands on hard drives, it wouldn't be long until publishers released unfinished, glitchy games and tell the fans to stick a patch on it later, just like PC. The trend will only become widespread. There's no stopping it.
bm @ Oct 4th 2006 9:40PM
"Redbugz007":
lol
I'm over 6 foot tall, weigh about 130 pounds, and chances are very high that I could kick your ass.
This is because I take the bicycle every now and then to do my grocery shopping, which I greatly prefer to wasting my time on some goddamn retarded ballgame that's always the exact same boring as fuck shit.
I mean really, sports *must* be boring because why the hell else is the only argument anybody ever makes in favour of them "oh it's good for your health"?
Sports are for rednecks.
S.A. @ Oct 4th 2006 9:46PM
I have always liked the 2K series much better than EA's games. But I have been forced to play the Madden games the past couple of years and it pisses me off because they are just not as good. I dont understand why the NFL took the EA deal and ruined their fans video game experiences. Sega's basketball games are also much, much better than EA's.
Baba Jallow @ Oct 4th 2006 9:50PM
Sports > Grocery Shopping
jaybleezy @ Oct 4th 2006 10:07PM
Enough said EA stands for "Eat Ass" which that's what everyone has to do just to play an official football and shitty basketball game. Fuck EA's sport games.
JD @ Oct 5th 2006 10:27AM
BM, do you take, or do you give??
ejflex @ Oct 4th 2006 10:13PM
@BM
WHo cares about sports? A lot of men do. Some boys as well... and actually alot of females do as well. I'm curious what category you fall under.
ejflex @ Oct 4th 2006 10:17PM
The only prob I have with EA is the fact that they absolutely BUTCHERED the Bond license. I mean how many times did they try.. and FAIL miserably? Oh I'd love Rare to come back and work with Nintendo and put out another Bond game. That would make my millenium.. I'll prob have to wait that long in order for it to happen as well.
Embassy @ Oct 4th 2006 10:38PM
406...
is that the same nintendo seal of approval that graces the cover of charlies angles for the GC?...:P
back on topic...NBA live and Madden suck.that is all.
George @ Oct 4th 2006 10:59PM
BM - must be homo if he hates sports. really, its the human nature to like sports or competitions and if you dont so what we dont care.
@ #3 - you really think ea sports games are much better than 2k sports games? if you do fine, but look at the reviews and most people do not agree. ea sports sucks now big time, and nba live sucks big time this year. if you think joystiq is being biased then your a complete moron. like i said look at the reviews and what people are saying. i played both and nba live does nothing new over last year except better camera.
Benji @ Oct 4th 2006 11:18PM
@AzaMcWazza
The community has sent EA a patch petition today listing all the major bugs. We also do not intend the letter as the end of our efforts but instead the beginning. In the past, we've also had some discussion with NBA Live development team members on some of the major design problems in the series. I fully expect efforts to extend in this regard.
We're aware that sales will mean more than our words, we've taken a concentrated effort in our community, and have attempted to draw attention in the rest of the media (we sent this to every major gaming media outlet) to the major failure by EA. If the words get out there, people won't buy it, be it this year or next. And eventually EA will get the message, or
2K Sports will get a new wing to their offices.
A big thank you to Joystiq for posting a news item on this, even if the commentators are as cynical as I am. :)
Wild Homes @ Oct 4th 2006 11:21PM
BM, no offense, but if you're over six feet tall and you weigh 130, you're a beanpole and I doubt you could kick anyone's ass. now this isn't to say you're not in shape, you certainly might be, but I'm six one and 135 pounds myself and I know I'm at least ten pounds underweight. I also have little tyrannosaurus rex arms. so to finish, sorry Evander, but I'm not buying your physique.
JPRacer @ Oct 5th 2006 3:25PM
"This is the first generation capable of console patching and ideally should be used to fix subtle errors."
Sorry, but you could patch games on the 1st Xbox.
dsub @ Oct 4th 2006 11:46PM
yea. 6 foot+ and 130= scrawny as fuck.
BM, you MUST be a beanpole. There is no way that you have any muscle mass on you at all. Sorry to say. I consider myself to be pretty big (I played Hockey in high school as a defender) and I come in at 6'3" and 230Lbs. I am by no means "out of shape" and I outweigh you by 100 Lbs. If you were basing a fight off of pure size and muscle mass, I would own you. This of course is putting all fighting skills aside.
Sports are for rednecks? Where did you come up with this term? I live in suburban Columbus, OH. I have no "twang" to my voice at all and am the furthest thing from "Larry the Cable guy" I live a civilized life, and I love to watch sports. Mostly Football and Hockey. I also spend a huge amount of time playing video games.
blast flame @ Oct 4th 2006 11:49PM
Sports games are the pit of the video game industry, their very nature
stops inovation. You can't have new equipment because that new
plexiglass bat is banned. You can't change the gameplay because them
it wouldn't be football or baseball or whatever. As a result the best
any sport game can do in the innovation department is adding small sim
games around the core sport game. Some may ask if sport games were so
bad why are they the most populer genre? The answer is that there are
a lot more shallow jocks than their are meaningful geeks so they're
all jumping into this pit. What is the next bi series in gaming, nerd
beater? If the lawmakers don't ban gaming it will probley become
meaningless to us true gamers as the jocks flood in anyway.
Sports suck!
Novacharged @ Oct 4th 2006 11:50PM
about time the media realise that EA game= SUX.
all their franchise got killed
MOH< COD
NFS
Wolvie75 @ Oct 5th 2006 12:23AM
For the people that say "Sports Sucks"... that's your opinion... a "in the minority" opinion.
People like playing sports games because they love competition with something they like doing in real life.
Now do you see me making statements like, "RPGs suck and are for overweight or underweight losers that were ignored in high school", now do you?
So go back to World of Warcraft. I'm going to sit back and watch "SportsCenter".
duscrom @ Oct 5th 2006 12:26AM
wow, bm, if you are a homo, email me, i'm totally into twinks.
But, I remember seeing and playing NBA Live 04 and loving it.. but the last two have sucked ass. EA chicago did an incredible job with Fight Night, and hopefully they will be on for NBA Street. But EA is lazy, espically with their 360 or next gen support.
blast flame @ Oct 5th 2006 1:00AM
I take "overweight or underweight losers" as a complement and I wish I was ignored in high school by the idiots at least.
Dirtyboy @ Oct 5th 2006 1:29AM
It's amazing to me that a company that spends millions on getting "exclusive" license deals can't even put enough resources into a 360 game to at least give it the features that the current-gen versions have. The development teams at EA seem to spend more time giving interviews to gamesites and hyping useless features (inflatable helmets in Madden...) than actually MAKING the game.
My suggestion to them is to release titles every two years, with roster/gameplay updates in-between releases distributed through online or with demo CDs. The current crap, er CROP of this year's EA Sports 360 titles is really disappointing especially since they have had a full-year to work with the system.
magilacudy @ Oct 5th 2006 6:54AM
To a certain extent, the trolls are right about lack of "innovation" in sports games but that can also be said about any genre. If every game was fresh and a completely transcendent experience, there wouldn't be a need for the Wii-mote.
I think the problem with EA is that they rely on innovation a little too much (which is not a good thing). The Superstar system in NBA Live and the Lead Blocking in Madden is innovative, but feel like a departure from the game itself. The core gameplay ends up being sacrificed, which should be the first thing to be cleaned up and perfecte.
2K has been guilty of this too lately, as certain bugs keeping coming back year to year. I hope that petition doesn't go to their heads.
Wilky @ Oct 5th 2006 7:43AM
BM, your a funny guy. You claim to be over 6 foot and yet weigh less than 10 stone. If your going to pretend your not really 4 foot 10" and weigh close to 300lb at least get real about it. Oh, and by the way, you hate sport because of what happend to you in the locker room in high school, dont you BM, dont you!
KaneRobot @ Oct 5th 2006 9:03AM
It's too bad most gamers have no balls and will buy games because they "have to have them" even if they hate the company and the product.
If Madden suddenly hit a noticable sales slump, EA would probably start working harder.
striderhayasa @ Oct 5th 2006 9:36AM
Visual Concepts have been guilty of glitches but the core gameplay has always been enhanced year after year since the DC days. The graphics and presentation for VC games have also been enhanced year after year. ESPN 2k5 still offers options that Madden has yet to...
custom soundtracks on 360
better presentation
real half time show and hilights
realistic blocking on the O-line and D-line
better animation overall especially transitional animations
Madden 07 on 360 still isn't better than ESPN 2k5. Live 07 is a joke this year and it's embarrassing that EA thinks nothing of their fanbase to release that trash to the masses. I guess they feel the same as Sony does..."our fans will buy it anyway."
striderhayasa @ Oct 5th 2006 9:37AM
oops...I meant custom soundtracks on Xbox...sorry about that guys
striderhayasa @ Oct 5th 2006 10:01AM
I sent an Email to Josh Goodstadt about 40 minutes ago and he responded. I didn't expect a respond and he basically said that he will share it internally and with EA. It's a start.
outletpro @ Oct 5th 2006 7:41PM
People seem to bash EA a lot. Other games and game companies have the same problems with the next gen games but everyone has seemed to jump on the bandwagon to single out EA. If you don't like the EA games then stop playing them. Stop playing Battlefield, The Sims, Madden (for every console including the old ones on Genesis and SNES), Burnout,....the list obviously goes on and on. If you have such a big problem with the company then stop buying the games. Most of the people complaining will obviously keep playing the games but keep bitching about them. I'm just tired of hearing all the shit towards EA but then the numbers show that their games are still selling well which obviously means that people enjoy it and are buying the games.
LaughingTarget @ Oct 5th 2006 10:10AM
There is a small thing that I haven't seen in a football game in ages. A little something that enhances the feel of it being an actual game, and not just a video game. The chains. You know what I mean, the chains they bring out to see if you got the first down or have 4th and inches to go.
That little thing right there pulls a HUGE chunk of the immersion right out of football games. I've not seen it in the 2K series or in Madden. Everything feels so computerized. The ball either crosses the line or not, and if not, it seems the refs know that without having to measure. I'd like to see the close calls get the chains pulled out again. The tension as they run out on the field, the 3rd down still listed up on the scoreboard still there, and the suspense as they pull it, finally, the joy or disappointment as the ball just made it or is an inch short of the 1st down.
Why did that go away?
That and I'd like to see better end zone celebrations:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPt0n9--wNE