EA Gets Exclusive College Football Rights

[BulletproofLandshark]

This is starting to get out of hand.

http://news.gamewinners.com/index.php/news/2686/

First the NFL, and now college football. I can't see any way that Madden and NCAA will markedly improve over the next few years, now that they don't have to other than improved graphics for next-gen consoles. Greedy monopolistic bastards.

[DrGonzoLives]

1. Does anyone make anything better?

EA Sports has pretty much PWNED the market for those two sports for a couple of years now - does it really matter if they're the only ones making games for them? Is there really a whole hell of a lot of difference between football games, or is this just another I-hate-the-big-guy knee jerk comment?

[jayfish]

2. Not True...

I prefer Visual Concepts' line of, formerly, ESPN branded games. They consistently outrank the EA schlock and are $20.00 as opposed to $50.00. So in this case the big-guy does indeed suck.

Jay

EDITED TO CORRECT PRICING INFO

[BulletproofLandshark]

3. "Does anyone make anything better?"

"Is there really a whole hell of a lot of difference between football games?"

Well, I guess we won't have an answer for that question for the next few years, and THAT'S my whole point. Imagine if Ford or General Motors were the only manufacturer of automobiles in this country. What motivation would the company have to innovate? Exactly none. The only motivation EA has had for getting better was competition from rival software makers, and the product is likely to suffer from a lack of it. That's just common sense. Besides, if you had to ask that question, and then throw in the belligerent "knee-jerk" comment, I'm guessing you haven't played too many football video games. If that's the case, why the hell even respond to the question?

[democracyindanger]

4. The real question is: Can anybody?

Obviously, the answer is "probably."

Competition is key. Now, EA can't even ripoff successful elements from another studio's game, which hurts the end consumer. And I'm saying that as a guy who always buys EA for sports.

[Huckebein the Raven]

5. I hope they don't do this with College Basketball too

I love College Hoops 2K5 and I was not about to waste an entire memory card on March Madness

I was hoping Visual Concepts would refocus their efforts and challenge EA on the college football level. Dammit.

:argh: