The evil empire has struck again!
http://news.gaminghorizon.com/media/1103050448.html
No one else can make NFL football games for the next 5 years. Madden will be the only franchise. Sega will be squashed, and may go out of business. Thanks EA! Way to help out the game industry, NFL!
Replies
I'm a huge Madden fan, but I'm not going to be buying Madden for five years because of this. Its just wrong.
I guess we can expect even more of the same for the next 5 years.
And at such a critical point in time too. Just as companies are getting their next gen engines ready. After 5 years, if the license is no longer exclusive, other companies will be left way behind.
I would really like to see EA officially reigned in by someone here. I'm surprised exclusitivity deals like this are legal, I thought there was a bunch of anti-competitive laws?
This is a great example of un-competitive practice.
Personally I think that players inc. and the NFL are to blame more than EA for allowing this to happen. Any other publisher would have fricking jumped at the chance to seal this deal and 'get one over' EA, and anyone who thinks otherwise is hopelessly naiive about why games publishers are in the business.
Please note that I have not made a statement that either supports nor condemns the deal.
This is in Madden now - you make a player called Timmy Manning and it will say madden in game. EA can't do anything because you aren't protraying Peyton ingame, and you can't sue for an american name. If they did, they could license Tim Manning off the street
The only thing they can't really get around is Team logos. Team commentary they can. They can pre-record team extentions such as 'The Lions' and 'The Wildcats' (with all the nfl last bits). Keep each team as 'Tennessee' and 'Baltimore' and the NFL can't touch them (It's a city name). Now if they leave the teams editable, they can let players change it so Baltimore Ravens, and have the commentary say 'Baltimore' or The Ravens.
-thnom
It can be done - look at Pro Evolution 3.
PS: I'm glad EA got it rather than SEGA because EA actually support the PC. Sega do not.
PPS: ESPN will probably release a title to see how it sells and people will probably buy it to spite EA.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=5928