Slashdot Mirror
ESPN And Electronic Arts Sign 15-Year Deal
acxr is wasted writes "Electronic Arts has dealt another blow to rival Sega by signing a 15-year agreement with ESPN, giving the publisher exclusive video game rights to ESPN branded material. EA has recently faced pressure from popular ESPN-branded Sega titles released at discount prices, prompting their recent deal with the NFL, and failed bid for the NBA."
Sounds like they are using Microsoft-esque tatics now. How long will it be before the DOJ gets on their case? Oh well, this doesn't change my stance on EA. They haven't produced a decent game in over 5 years.
FTA: "'We don't anticipating changing anything significantly from what we are currently doing'... they will potentially include ESPN data, graphics and sportscasters" [Emphasis mine]
Now cmon, if you plan to contract one of the largest names in sports news, then at least integrate it into the game. The only reason EA is buying the ESPN license apparently to use "ESPN properties as potential video games, including the "X Games" extreme athletics competitions, poker and even bass fishing."
Wow, cause I want to spend 50 dollars on ESPN World Poker Tour $year.
Despite what many have said, this may not be such a bad thing.
I mean now with Blitz free to do what they want, and a niche market opening up- I'm excited about sports games for once!
It's really too bad there will likely be no 30$ ESPN Football or hockey again, but for each on of those, there will be an outlaw golf, or baseball stars.
These unlicensed games have been missing from 'popular' libraries for years. I see this as only opening up a market for the smaller, savvy developer/publisher.
---Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A START
Not only that, but The Walt Disney Company owns ESPN. If you'll remember, Disney was behind the copyright term extension acts. This makes an Unholy Trinity of Disney, EA, and Microsoft (whose MSN network hosts ESPN's web site).
If I were sega, I would design a football game that lets users plug in team data. Make everything like the NFL except for uniforms, logos, and names. Then have some anonymous person on the internet post a mod pack that exactly replicates the protected NFL data. Make it very easy for consumers to plug in this data pack.
"brxref
Sorry, but I'm not buying this.
They are doing sports games right now, but how long till they start moving in on your company of choice? They already made an initial attempt at Ubisoft, and they are buying licenses from Nintendo. Who is going to be next on the list?
OK, they went after Ubisoft and that was stopped. And how dare they buy licenses from Nintendo!! That obviously means EA will soon be buying Nintendo. Watch out Sony, you're next. Or so the implication goes. I mean somehow a company with a market capitalization of under $19 billion will be dominating an industry full of giants (another giant, FOX, will possibly soon be getting into). That would be some amazing business feats to accomplish.
Now assuming they get all this market share, we should be wary because they will oppress the market to such a degree that you will feel their presence in every video game played. And if the largest publisher were to raise prices to $60 per game, obviously the smaller companies who are trying to compete with the juggernaut would follow suit. Much like Apple and Linux companies are selling their operating systems for the same price that MS does. And how Sega had to cut their videogames to $20 in order to match EA's own $20 pricing scheme.
I believe most companies stated goal is to be the best firm in their given field (and now fields). This should be made headline news so people realize this immmediately! They must be stopped before they are allowed to commit egregious crimes that we cannot even think of yet!
Meanwhile everyone on Slashdot mentions how most of their games are crap and don't buy them. If all their new NFL games are crap, well good luck to them; maybe they'll find a way to get water from a rock. I think videogame consumers generally don't respond with lots of money for junk games. Look at the community's latest rage over WOW despite heralding it as one of the best games of last year.
I see why you are concerned, but I don't think it's anything to really worry about long term. There will be at least three much larger players involved for at least the next generation of consoles (Sony, Nintendo, MS) that have a larger impact on the industry.
TSage
I've been boycotting CDs (no, I don't use Kazaa either) because of the ridiculous prices for many years now, and the prices haven't gone down. Actually, CDs are MORE expensive now than before I started boycotting.
I avoided paying to see movies in the theatres for years too, but that doesn't seem to have changed anything either.
Likewise, I can boycott Madden football games, ESPN, and the NFL. I completely agree with you that we have the choice to do this.
However, any support I could conceivably get for my boycott would just be a drop in the bucket, so let's be honest about the result: Me, or any other Slashdotter (most Slashdotters hate sports games anyway, so this is kinda moot) boycotting EA, the NFL, and ESPN doesn't mean that those companies are going to change their policies. It just means that I'll never be watching football or playing football video games again.