Hope you like Madden...

[krispy]

http://investor.ea.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=88189&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=654204&highlight=

EA Enters into Exclusive Agreements with NFL and PLAYERS INC

What this means? Possibly no ESPN NFL series, no Blitz, etc. Although they are already well into development so this will probably be the last ones, just with no license.

[ledorky]

Ah man!
What a dirty thing to do. Just when they saw VC start gaining enough momentum to kick their ass the next 2 years ($20 quality game with online, I'm there).

[othy]

Hmm..

TSN CFL 2K5!

:D

Now's the CFL's chance to break into the US market.. (again) heh

[SAS-1]

That. ****ing. Sucks.

I guess it's the only way EA could actually beat VC. Too bad they had to resort to this instead of actually just trying to make a better game.

[JayPatel]

what a joke...

hopefully they dont do the same with the NBA and the NHL. that will be a travesty. cant blame the NFL though. EA paid a hefty amount to get the liscence. Wonder how Sega and ESPN will react to this blow

cant say this wasnt a surprise

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showthread.php?t=81537&highlight=NFL

[JayPatel]

Image of a game that will never see the light of existence as an NFL product thanks to the deal. It was to be called Blitz: Playmakers. A NFL Blitz sequel that was in development at Midway. Midway is going to continue to develop the game without the NFL liscense.

When IGN contacted Midway about the rumored Blitz: Playmakers, a spokesperson confirmed the game's existence and told us: "Enough of the 'No Fun League'…it's now time to talk about and prepare for the game the NFL wouldn't let anyone make…Blitz the way it should be played."


http://sportsmedia.ign.com/sports/image/article/572/572886/game-over-20041213042423004-000.jpg

On a scarier note for these same publishers, rumors are already circulating that EA is attempting to negotiate similar deals with the NBA and Major League Baseball. When IGN contacted Trudy Muller, spokesperson for Electronic Arts about these rumors, she told us: "We cannot speculate at this time about any further plans these other leagues may have."

[krispy]

I doubt EA will make deals with MLB/NBA. I'm going out on a limb here but I think Sega will drop their sports division after this year's batch of games. No reason for EA to waste more money on exclusive deals. It must be good to be an NFL franchise these days, the money is just pouring in on these deals.

[sfu_lifer]

No I don't think Sega will do that. Maybe they will drop the NFL game but until EA makes exclusivity deals with the NBA and the NFL, both of which games don't sell nearly as much as the football titles, Sega can still pour out their excellent ESPN titles for those 2 leagues. Football isn't everything and it was a money loser for Sega.
It'll hurt them having invested so much into VC's NFL2k series. EA WAS forced to counteract the pricedrop with first the buy2G1Free then a real pricedrop. Sega was able to cut into their marketshare. Now they pull a Microsoft and slam the other publishers to the ground, being unable to fix their game well enough to compete on merits alone.
After this stunt, I am boycotting EA's games due to unfair practices.

[scottyb]

Unfair? LOL
Welcome to the real world my friend. This was just a good business move by EA, can't blame them. I personally love the Madden games and would never buy anything else. They are worth every penny to me. I believe that they do push things to get people to buy the new version every year (I've bought 3 of the last 5 seasons of Madden). You can boycott or sign whatever petition you want, but the truth is it ain't gonna matter.

[JayPatel]

Midway has hired the writer of the show "Playmakers" to develop a new title, Blitz: Playmakers. The game will feature everything the NFL hated about the TV show, including drug use, and off-the-field habits the NFL likes to pretend never happens.

According to an interview earlier this year with Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, an NFL spokesperson confirmed that they were through working with Midway: "Midway has been quietly dropped in a 'mutual decision' as an NFL video game licensee after years of controversy over the level of violence in its NFL Blitz game."

When IGN contacted Midway about the rumored Blitz: Playmakers, a spokesperson confirmed the game's existence and told us: "Enough of the 'No Fun League'…it's now time to talk about and prepare for the game the NFL wouldn't let anyone make…Blitz the way it should be played."

Sales +1

[krispy]

I doubt EA will make deals with MLB/NBA. I'm going out on a limb here but I think Sega will drop their sports division after this year's batch of games. No reason for EA to waste more money on exclusive deals. It must be good to be an NFL franchise these days, the money is just pouring in on these deals.

Ok well looks like I was kinda right, Sega is reportedly selling off their sports division to Take-Two...

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/sports/espnnhl2005/news_6115592.html