NBA rejects EA's initial offer to buy exclusive league rights

[JayPatel]

http://sports.ign.com/articles/574/574539p1.html

damn, they are going after the NBA and the MLB. Is hockey next?

[Supra_KL]

Damn...EA is becoming Microsoft!!!(In the video game world)

Also, EA has 20% of shares in Ubisoft!!!!

http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/ap/2004/12/20/ap1720133.html

Its time to boycott, rip off, "warez" and copy EA's games!!!

[JayPatel]

That 20% is will quickly become 100% I also read somewhere that Ubi claimed the buyout was a hostile purchase. Yeesh

Whats next? An EA developed hardware console.

[IVNP]

Its time to boycott, rip off, "warez" and copy EA's games!!!

Come on.....stop try to justify it. :) It works better if you don't even play their games.

[Headhunter]

Whoo, NBA! Hopefully they never grant exclusive rights. Also, NBA Live 2005 is atrocious.

[spike-spiegel]

Let's hope EA doesn't touch NHL with this! NHL 2005 was horrible, basically 2004 just with new misfunctional features.

[bluetroll]

Whoo, NBA! Hopefully they never grant exclusive rights. Also, NBA Live 2005 is atrocious.

DUDE!!!! I know how u feel.... i played it last nite... i realized how freakin BAD the game is... the AI is just ********.

[Headhunter]

I really enjoy how the automated parts (AI choosing between dunk or layup) and the fixed animations totally wreck your self-control.

I basically win this game by using superior talent, mad isolations, or getting as many opponents as possible to foul out. It's pretty ugly.

[Antiloop]

I was a huge NBA live fan till I tried a game called ESPN 2005 NBA !!!

Totally owns LIVE.. graphics seem to be better.. and just overall better game! only thing its missing is the dunk contest and 3pt contest. Other than that LIVE sucks..

[sfu_lifer]

The dunk contest is ********. The graphics were so poor they had to add the "halo" effect just to differentiate it a bit from 2004's graphics.
I can't believe how many EA sheep just toss this up to "good business practice."
Yet, when MS decides to buy out companies and screw others over, they screem bloody hell and using your resources to crush others as evil.
This is the same thing. A HUGE company usings its resources to crush others.
EA sports games are hype first, flash second (graphics excluded) and new content third.

[wanted]

DUDE!!!! I know how u feel.... i played it last nite... i realized how freakin BAD the game is... the AI is just ********.


Or is it too hard, or realistic. The defense is very tight.

[poppa]

The only reason EA is going after exclusive rights is because they know that the ESPN games are superior to theirs.

[airblade90]

The only reason EA is going after exclusive rights is because they know that the ESPN games are superior to theirs.
Try... I mean I played NFL 2k5 about a week ago and it is a much better value than madden... i rather pay 30 than double that... better game too!

[JayPatel]

well considering that Madden 2005 only sold half a million more units than NFL2K5 this year and I'd agree that they are definitely scared. Sure EA had the bigger numbers at launch this year but the 2K series has been outselling Madden ever since.

I still love this jab that sega took to ea in such a subtle way. Love how sega added in the owned part in the corner

http://espnvideogames.com/_img/to_rl_owned.jpg

[JayPatel]

http://img147.exs.cx/img147/6636/iraqiinformationministers5fe.jpg

[Headhunter]

I was a huge NBA live fan till I tried a game called ESPN 2005 NBA !!!

Totally owns LIVE.. graphics seem to be better.. and just overall better game! only thing its missing is the dunk contest and 3pt contest. Other than that LIVE sucks..
Is this on PC?

EA sports games are hype first, flash second (graphics excluded) and new content third.
This is the only franchise I can think of that actively regresses; some years, it gets worse than the version before, and strips out previously working features. Unfathomable.

Or is it too hard, or realistic. The defense is very tight.
The defense is rediculous. Let's say you are using a quality PG, and hold Right while pressing Pass. The ball should not be whipped directly upwards as a no-look across the court, literally in a straight line to the opponent.

The game is not only unrealistic, it doesn't even look plausible; just flat out bad.

[firehawk12]

http://img147.exs.cx/img147/6636/iraqiinformationministers5fe.jpg

Sweet. :)

[wanted]

Yes, I agree NBA Live 2005 isn't as good as what I expected it to be, the last NBA game I owned was Live '97 :| What I hate: the ratings, Billups- Finals MVP, 71/100. Fluke shots- If the opponent is taller than you, most likely it will go in. Cinematics- I remember, like live 2k1/2, the players would talk to the ref after a call, here it's nothing.

[HomerJ]

that would be horrible if EA bought exclusive rights to the professional league's games. NBA Live 2005 is a pretty horrendous game too. Not sure about NHL 2005 though.

I've given up on EA Sports games a while back. NHL 2k3 was so much better than NHL 2003... tried playing nhl 2004 and it was still horrible and worse than 2k3. NBA 2k3 was pretty good as well.

Picked up Sega's NHL 2k5 this year, lets hope there will be a 2k6

[Canadianpsycho]

Aside from the graphics (and the price) I still like Madden 2k5 over ESPN 2k5.

Yes, yes. ESPN is cheap and amazing looking. But it just doesn't play as well as Madden.

*Puts on asbestos suit*