EA sports
Electronic Arts (EA) are unstoppable. They are a hurricane, a tornado, an earthquake, and a nuclear bomb all rolled into one money hungry, blood sucking, nazi demon spawn!! It's out of control!
Lets bring you up to speed..
A month or two ago, this statement was released.
Electronic Arts has signed the biggest sports free agent on the market. In a devastating blow to competitors--and in a deal sure to reshape sports gaming--the software giant signed an exclusive agreement with the National Football League and the NFL Players Inc., a subsidiary of the NFL Players Association.
If you want to read the entire article, check the link (courtesy of the fine people at www.gamespot.com)
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/12/13/news_6114977.html
TODAY, this statement is released.
Electronic Arts broke the calm of a national holiday today by announcing a licensing deal of epic proportions. For the next fifteen years, EA will be the sole licensee of the ESPN brand in the area of sports games, which will include console, handheld, PC, and wireless games.
Again, thanks gamespot..
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/01/17/news_6116473.html
What does this mean for poor SEGA? It means that EA and their powerhouse franchise, Madden football, have dipped into the billion dollar cookie jar and have seized complete control of the videogame football playground. For the next 10 years, EA owns the soul rights to ALL NFL lisences including teams, logos, stadiums etc. and , ALL player names etc etc.
As if that wasn't a deadly blow, now they have ALL ESPN rights for 15 years!
I have to tip a hat to Sega Sports. Their ESPN 2k5 football title was solid. I loved the overall presentation, the controls, the VIP feature, and the Crib. Online play was a blast too. To compete with Madden, the game was sold for a great 20 dollar price tag brand new. THAT, my good friends, is what a healthy competitive market can do for the consumer. Sega pushed that little bonus down everyones throat. I know everyone reading this saw lots of commercials advertising the ESPN Football game for only 19.99..
I thought that was so cool. From what reading I did about this big Sega vs. EA football war, it was nice to hear that EA was really getting a run for their money this time. Usually Madden kicks every little piss poor attempt at a football game straight thru the uprights. ITS GOOOOOD!
It seemed to me that SEGA was rebuilding their entire sports lineup on the ESPN angle, but now EA has morphed into the green ranger with a face that resembles George Washington and has bought everything that gave SEGA a good run at taking back some of the videogame football faithful. What does this mean to ME?
1st of all, I'm not that big of a football fan anwyay. I will play a football game that is 20 dollars brand new, especially if my friends have it and want to play on Xbox live. I also support SEGA. I just like the company..can't help it. I think Sonic the Hedgehog, Shenmue, and the wonderful SEGA CD (bombed terribly) have a small place in my heart. There is no way I plan on supporting EA and the NFL in 2006. If that's the only sim football option I have, I think "I fold".
That's just the way I see it!
The man has done it again! Money triumphs for the benefit of corporate america, and the consumer (me and you) suffer
I won't even bother surfing the videogame forums and commenting on what everyone else has to say...it's all pretty much what I have already said.
Maybe I haven't read into the entire story enough? If anyone has anything to add that I missed, and thinks I'm being too harsh on EA...let me know
Lets bring you up to speed..
A month or two ago, this statement was released.
Electronic Arts has signed the biggest sports free agent on the market. In a devastating blow to competitors--and in a deal sure to reshape sports gaming--the software giant signed an exclusive agreement with the National Football League and the NFL Players Inc., a subsidiary of the NFL Players Association.
If you want to read the entire article, check the link (courtesy of the fine people at www.gamespot.com)
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/12/13/news_6114977.html
TODAY, this statement is released.
Electronic Arts broke the calm of a national holiday today by announcing a licensing deal of epic proportions. For the next fifteen years, EA will be the sole licensee of the ESPN brand in the area of sports games, which will include console, handheld, PC, and wireless games.
Again, thanks gamespot..
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/01/17/news_6116473.html
What does this mean for poor SEGA? It means that EA and their powerhouse franchise, Madden football, have dipped into the billion dollar cookie jar and have seized complete control of the videogame football playground. For the next 10 years, EA owns the soul rights to ALL NFL lisences including teams, logos, stadiums etc. and , ALL player names etc etc.
As if that wasn't a deadly blow, now they have ALL ESPN rights for 15 years!
I have to tip a hat to Sega Sports. Their ESPN 2k5 football title was solid. I loved the overall presentation, the controls, the VIP feature, and the Crib. Online play was a blast too. To compete with Madden, the game was sold for a great 20 dollar price tag brand new. THAT, my good friends, is what a healthy competitive market can do for the consumer. Sega pushed that little bonus down everyones throat. I know everyone reading this saw lots of commercials advertising the ESPN Football game for only 19.99..
I thought that was so cool. From what reading I did about this big Sega vs. EA football war, it was nice to hear that EA was really getting a run for their money this time. Usually Madden kicks every little piss poor attempt at a football game straight thru the uprights. ITS GOOOOOD!
It seemed to me that SEGA was rebuilding their entire sports lineup on the ESPN angle, but now EA has morphed into the green ranger with a face that resembles George Washington and has bought everything that gave SEGA a good run at taking back some of the videogame football faithful. What does this mean to ME?
1st of all, I'm not that big of a football fan anwyay. I will play a football game that is 20 dollars brand new, especially if my friends have it and want to play on Xbox live. I also support SEGA. I just like the company..can't help it. I think Sonic the Hedgehog, Shenmue, and the wonderful SEGA CD (bombed terribly) have a small place in my heart. There is no way I plan on supporting EA and the NFL in 2006. If that's the only sim football option I have, I think "I fold".
That's just the way I see it!
The man has done it again! Money triumphs for the benefit of corporate america, and the consumer (me and you) suffer
I won't even bother surfing the videogame forums and commenting on what everyone else has to say...it's all pretty much what I have already said.
Maybe I haven't read into the entire story enough? If anyone has anything to add that I missed, and thinks I'm being too harsh on EA...let me know