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EA Nets Another Exclusivity Deal
GamesIndustry.biz has the news that EA has signed an exclusive deal with the Arena Football League to produce games for that organization. From the article: "The move will see the creation of a new AFL title in the EA Sports line-up, joining other football franchises Madden, NFL Street and NCAA, with the first title due to hit the market before the 2006 AFL season starts in a year's time."
Wowie. I wonder if it would be possible to license classic players from the NFLPA. Anyone know the full extent of the exclusivity deal?
(fp?)
why? forty-two.
The only thing they can do is go with the European or Canadian football leagues, and not many people in the US will be interested. Hopefully we'll get another $20 year for ESPN Games for the 2K6 games.
I think Sega should take this opportunity to try something different. Right now, the two biggest selling pieces in video games are boobs and violence. Why not create a M-rated football game? Similar to NFL Blitz, but it goes that next step...You sack the quarterback? Pull his arm off on your way up! Not too mention the stripper level cheerleaders on the sidelines.
If anyone remembers Mutant League Football for the Sega Genesis, that is very close to what I am talking about. The game can still have standard football rules and play...it's the little bit extra that will make it stand out from Madden Turducken 06.
How Jaded Are You?
With the NHL surviving for at least another year ONLY in EA's virtual rink, look for the hockey league to negotiate with EA for the rights to play if the strike ever ends.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
M-rated football game? No thanks. I don't want to see a reenactment of the recent playoff game, but with Randy Moss goatse'ing the audience.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Of course, the field technically is wider, so it may average out in the end.
If you could be anything you want, I'll bet you'd be disappointed.
Looks like I need to turn to EA for my Arena Football League fix.
Wait a second... Who the Hell would ever possibly need an AFL fix? I mean, really... Arena football?
Go Sega. Make a more comedic football game where you can make your own stars. Throw in a few, good, fluffy characters and you're good to go.
BRING BACK THE XFL!!!!!!
As a video game only property.
This brilliant concept is absolutely free to Vince McMahon.
Well this settles it. EA has now officially run out of things to spend money on
Don't you hate pants?
See parent.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
I'm in shock that there is a demand for an AFL game. Because no one seems to want to see it in person or on TV.
"Electronic Arts grabs exclusive rights to Arena Football League videogames. Next up: exclusive rights for Milwaukee YMCA Basketball and Warren G. Harding Middle School Hopscotch"
Fark
e.
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Sega turns down an exclusive deal with the CFL
3 downs !> 4
this sig has been discontinued.
EA's exclusive deal with the AFL just confirms the suspicions of many that they want to kill competition in video football games. The AFL is not popular enough to warrant anyone's interest and EA wants to make sure that competitors like Sega don't even get a chance to make this any different. Now any competing game has to go with made up players, leagues, and stadiums. Yeah, I know about the CFL, but that's probably even less popular in the U.S. than the AFL.
My guess is that EA is interested in sewing up American football ahead of the day when they have to stop using the Madden name. Stiff arming the competition is one way to do this. On the flipside though, a really good game with fully customizable players, leagues, and even stadiums could have a chance. Coupled with strong marketing and online league play, it could overcome the lack of real league licenses. I'd love to see someone try this. Oh, how about a MMO football game too? I heard that this is being tried for baseball by someone.
To the making of books there is no end, so let's get started
Somehow EA will grab the Exclusive rights to the next WNBA game. With all those other offers, how could the WNBA choose EA? Crazy kids, when something is as hot as the WNBA currently is, they should have kept their options open...
Now we're going to get a videogame identical to Madden in gameplay rather than a wholly original game which the AFL deserves. The AFL has really been doing well lately, so well that they had to create their own minor league, AF2. In cities without NFL teams (such as Orlando) the AFL has been very successfull.
We all know why they did this. So Sega doesn't have any other licensing options in terms of football. Nobdy actually wants an AFL game, and I bet they won't even make one. It's just so Sega can't. EA sucks monkey balls.
Umm...why does everyone keep forgetting about NCAA football? While I was never a huge fan of the college football offerings from Sega or EA, I will definitely put my money next year on Sega's College Football 2K6 or whatever they will call it. While you can't get the actual names (due to the whole amateur thing), you at least get real teams and the stats of the players are based on real people...
Note to self: Stop putting jokes in my insightful comments so I can get something other than +1 Funny!
I know the college football season is over now...but why did everyone forget about it? Although I can imagine people being upset when they go undefeated and end up going to some crappy bowl game instead of whatever the BCS championship bowl is...
Why license the CFL... when you can just buy Canada? But seriously, why not just buy the AFL? They bought a motocross league, and the AFL could hardly be more expensive.
Way to go Electronic Farts! (hahah i slay me!) Next thing you know, they'll license that other fucked up game nobody cares about, where the players can't use the hands God gave them (you know, the one's that separate us from monkeys) and they kick the ball around like Daniel Day Lewis in that one movie about the foot. Whats that game called?
My first thought was that they were going for an Australian Football League exclusive licence.
Did you happen to catch Randy Moss's hair on ESPN? If his mop didn't satisfy your need for fluffy characters, I would suggest seeking professional help. Not that anyone on /. would know what I am talking about. . .
"No beer until you finish your tequila!" -Leela's Dad
Should they succeed, even if they let the exclusivity expire in 2010, any company that wants to make an NFL game - will be building a football engine from scratch for aging PS3, XBox2, and Revolution hardware, only to do it again within 2 years for the next generation of hardware. They will build a lead that will be hard for others to catch up to - the cost may discourage many from even trying.
I have to imagine that football games are a cash cow that help fund development of the other sports games - not that the others don't make money, rather football games, especially NFL, justify higher year-round staffing levels, and higher effort on shared development tools. I have to imagine this will impact the quality of ANY company that makes games for the major U.S. sports, particularly Sega.
Seen any BadMarketing lately?
I can't help but wonder if this is just EA walking away after beating the crap out of Sega and then turning around just to step on on Sega's glasses. I mean, what interest would anyone have in an AFL game - unless that was the only football game you could make?
My guess is that the EA probably gave the AFL more money than it's ever made from video games (which is to say, greater than $5) and is probably assigning the five newest interns as the entire team. This isn't to make an AFL game, it's to stop other companies from using it as a potential backdoor.
Maybe they're gonna use the AFL in a franchise mode in the Madden game. Work your way up to the big league, like in their Fifa game where you start from the smaller clubs and work your way up to the Manchester Uniteds, Barcelonas, etc.
(plus they're probably just screwing w/ Sega that much more.)
"Plans are for fools! Oglethorpe, the plutonian (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)