Opening Week Sales

[Primetime]

Well yeah, that is obvious. I'm just saying, for a first week, you can't really complain about $72M in the bank. But that isn't saying that they shouldn't be worried. Madden is the biggest purchased sports game I would probably say (don't know Fifa numbers) and it's numbers are slipping. It's an unchallenged market, they should have no reason not to sell 2m+ in the first week.

I think EA really needs to take a deep look into their team running madden. Numbers are dropping, and if I am correct, isn't the NFL contract almost up, meaning the door could open to others to make football games. It is these years that you want people to get so caught up in your product that they don't even consider the others when/if it comes out. It is like that for me with NHL series. I don't even look at 2k's game, as EA's game is vastly better all around.

In a way, I'm the person EA needs to sell on. I haven't bought Madden since 04 or whenever my brother got the last one. And every year I do get in the hype of the game, as I like playing with people here, but as soon as you start hearing all the shit that is going on in the game, I just remind myself that NHL is a month away and pass on Madden every year. I'm the gamer they want into their market. They have all the people here who buy madden every day, and sorry to say to them, getting a game done quicker is not something myself as a casual gamer cares about. I'll spend an hour playing a game if the game is worth playing.

You sure as hell can when you were making over $131 Million in the first week of 2007's release. They lost nearly half their profit in the first week alone. How do you think that translates to the following several weeks? It is panic time, especially with the license expiring next year.

[Ravin]

You sure as hell can when you were making over $131 Million in the first week of 2007's release. They lost nearly half their profit in the first week alone. How do you think that translates to the following several weeks? It is panic time, especially with the license expiring next year.

And go look through a lot of stuff in 2007 vs now, and I bet you will see the same trend. I'm not going to blame the economy on everything, but it is a factor. Someone like myself who was a student, I only bought a game if I knew a) it was going to give me hours of entertainment and b) the game was good. I've bought maybe 4 games in the last 2 years.

I did also say in a post that this is going to hurt EA because their licence is up, and their sales are going down. If a smart group came out and designed a football game for the hardcore player with NFL players, you would see an even bigger decrease in sales. But still is is $72M, and sure you can say in 2007 they made double that, but so did a lot of people. You work with what you got in a certain area.


IMO, the experiement with the current team you have for Madden has come to an end. They need to get new blood in the office, and get people really looking at what is wrong with the game. It always got me how football games could never be perfect when it is a single play, followed by a stoppage, and then another play, while other, better games, are constant moving, and they are fine. Sure you got a lot of AI in the game, but one would think that once you find the proper AI for a position, you leave the damn thing alone.

[Nature Boy]

From Pastapadre.com

I’ve seen quite a bit of chatter today regarding some thoughts that initial indications are the sales for Madden 11 have been disappointing. At this point there is absolutely no concrete data to suggest sales are down. However this CNBC article seems to have stirred up discussion by making some purely unsubstantiated assumptions. While we won’t know the official sales numbers for Madden’s first month until mid-September there are some things to examine now.


As cited in the article, and something I noticed immediately, multiple retailers (Gamestop, Amazon, Walmart) dropped the price of Madden 11 in the days that followed release. Those prices have since bounced back up, though deals can still be found through Amazon and Walmart.

UFC Undisputed 2010 was dropped at some outlets to $39.99 within a week after it released. That foretold what would be a huge sales slide for the series so in that case it was a sign that the game was in trouble. However I passed over writing an article on the subject because things just don’t match up the same as it relates to Madden.

Madden 11 was never truly $60 to begin with. Preorders included Amazon offering $20 off a future game purchase, Walmart providing a $20 gift card, and Gamestop giving 20,000 coins ($6.67 value). So seeing Madden at $50 or thereabouts now really shouldn’t be setting off any alarms. If gamers couldn’t be tempted to preorder with those deals, why would they be expected to pick up the game for the full $60 now?

NCAA Football 11 had sales rise by 8% in its first month, so there is no reason to think that Madden couldn’t sustain numbers from last year or even see a small bump as NCAA did. My gut though is that sales will be slightly down. I don’t think the casual focus resonated successfully to bring in new gamers and at the same time may have alienated frustrated long-time fans of the series, reviews were flat with last year, word of mouth doesn’t seem as positive, and early issues particularly with online play may have been enough to keep some away.

Keep in mind though that even if sales turn out to be slightly down EA Sports could very well still make more money on Madden this year due to the prevalence of downloadable content, Madden Ultimate Team mode, the “Online Pass” being sold to those who pick up used copies, and the advertising that has been heavily integrated into the game.

[dave]

There's a surprise - Pasta's lips attached to EA's weiner.
He's supposed to be representing the community, not EA.

[Tengo Juego]

Considering their new approach to online play, who the fuck is renting Madden anymore?

Me.

[Twigg4075]

Madden Sales = Weak Game Industry?

http://www.cnbc.com/id/38786847

Here's what I love reading and just facepalm every time Peter Moore spouts off Metacritic ratings



The game reviewers say: "Madden is great!" (P.S. Thanks for advertising on our site!)
The consumers say: "Fuck this garbage"

THERE IS YOUR DISCONNECT EA.

I fucking hate Peter Moore. He is such a douche.

[Twigg4075]

There's a surprise - Pasta's lips attached to EA's weiner.
He's supposed to be representing the community, not EA.

That's how all of those sites always start out, MM and OS included. Then they start getting free copies of the games and invited to community events and all that "For the community, by the community" stuff goes right down the crapper.

[Sigona]

I don't even think the game is that bad. I have a blast online, but the offline play is really pissing me off. You go into superstar mode and you just name your player and get drafted...no more combine or anything. Also, the mini games where you go for bronze silver, etc. have been out of the game for the past two years I think and those were really fun. The madden moments take too much time and get boring after a while. Those mini games were fun and something different to do on the game. They're trying too hard to cater to the online gamer (Online Franchise/Ultimate Team/OTP) and not worrying about anything else IMO.

EDIT: I wonder how many people have the game DLed illegally too. That would account to sales lost.

[dave]

That's how all of those sites always start out, MM and OS included. Then they start getting free copies of the games and invited to community events and all that "For the community, by the community" stuff goes right down the crapper.

Yup.
I went to two community events, got free games, kept ripping them when they released crap (aka Madden 10) and got shown the door.
I always went to these things thinking I was doing it for the community, not EA Sports.
I didn't care if they gave me free stuff - of course I'm gonna take it - but the second I couldn't write what I wanted to write, I would have dropped those suckers in a heartbeat.
As it happened, they dropped me. LOL.

I refuse to be an apologist for EA Sports.

It's a shame about Pasta ... because he does have a good blog. But writing stuff like that, defending EA after five years of declining Madden sales is just sad.

Yes the economy is a factor, no doubt. But the people have spoken - they want more out of Madden.

I'd be curious to see what MLB The Show's 5-year numbers are, same for Fifa, NHL and NBA2k.

If their 5-year numbers are dropping, then it's definitely the economy. If not...

[killgod]

Yup.
I went to two community events, got free games, kept ripping them when they released crap (aka Madden 10) and got shown the door.
I always went to these things thinking I was doing it for the community, not EA Sports.
I didn't care if they gave me free stuff - of course I'm gonna take it - but the second I couldn't write what I wanted to write, I would have dropped those suckers in a heartbeat.
As it happened, they dropped me. LOL.

I refuse to be an apologist for EA Sports.

It's a shame about Pasta ... because he does have a good blog. But writing stuff like that, defending EA after five years of declining Madden sales is just sad.

Yes the economy is a factor, no doubt. But the people have spoken - they want more out of Madden.

I'd be curious to see what MLB The Show's 5-year numbers are, same for Fifa, NHL and NBA2k.

If their 5-year numbers are dropping, then it's definitely the economy. If not...

Well...according to the same source

NHL 07 - 870K
NHL 08 - 420K
NHL 09 - 900K
NHL 10 - 1.05M

FIFA 07 - 6.25M
FIFA 08 - 9.12M
FIFA 09 - 8.85M
FIFA 10 - 9.35M

NBA 2k7 - 1.54M
NBA 2k8 - 1.92M
NBA 2k9 - 2.06M
NBA 2k10 - 2.47M

[dave]

Thanks killgod.
Guess it illustrates what we all think - if you make a quality game, it will sell.
If you rest on your laurels - sales will fall.

All that said, as I've repeated often here the past few days, I love Madden 11. It's not without its faults, but with the right sliders it plays a damn good game.

[Twigg4075]

Well...according to the same source

NHL 07 - 870K
NHL 08 - 420K
NHL 09 - 900K
NHL 10 - 1.05M

FIFA 07 - 6.25M
FIFA 08 - 9.12M
FIFA 09 - 8.85M
FIFA 10 - 9.35M

NBA 2k7 - 1.54M
NBA 2k8 - 1.92M
NBA 2k9 - 2.06M
NBA 2k10 - 2.47M

What are the chances any of these numbers get brought up in a legitimate discussion with EA about Madden?

[killgod]

What are the chances any of these numbers get brought up in a legitimate discussion with EA about Madden?

Lottery jackpot odds I'd say.

[Colonel Angus]

Well...according to the same source

NHL 07 - 870K
NHL 08 - 420K
NHL 09 - 900K
NHL 10 - 1.05M

FIFA 07 - 6.25M
FIFA 08 - 9.12M
FIFA 09 - 8.85M
FIFA 10 - 9.35M

NBA 2k7 - 1.54M
NBA 2k8 - 1.92M
NBA 2k9 - 2.06M
NBA 2k10 - 2.47M

That's pretty damning evidence right there. The difference in popularity between the NFL and NHL is HUGE, and the numbers for the NHL game are approaching Madden even with a competing franchise in NHL 2K (granted there will be no 2K this year). And I never even thought NBA 2K outsold Madden.

Anyways needless to say if you've got an NFL game that sells as much as an NHL game you've definitely got to notice there is something wrong. No offense to hockey, it's just not NEARLY as popular.

[Bear Pand]

That's how all of those sites always start out, MM and OS included. Then they start getting free copies of the games and invited to community events and all that "For the community, by the community" stuff goes right down the crapper.

Yeah that's the problem, they give these dudes inside access, free stuff and make them feel special. Then their relationship with EA completely changes, they start thinking their friends with the dudes. After that all they do is defend EA either out of blind loyalty or fear of losing their access.

How they go down there every year, see things stay the same then come back and do free marketing for EA hyping the game up is beyond me. EA was real smart for pulling that trick they got these guys in their pocket.