Comments on: The Justification Behind Sports Game Purchases http://www.couchcampus.com/lecture/justifying-sports-game-purchases/ Sat, 24 Jul 2010 22:09:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: deftangel http://www.couchcampus.com/lecture/justifying-sports-game-purchases/#comment-616 deftangel Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:07:53 +0000 http://couchcampus.com/?p=3458#comment-616 FIFA 10 is another good example. At GamesCom they had a short presentation where they ran through around 230 odd changes they had made to the game. None of them big headline grabbing stuff, small things. For example, it now supports 360 degree dribbling, defenders can turn, jump and block in one movement, goalkeepers can claw lobs from under the bar etc. Plus of course the roster updates etc. In the future though, sports games are one of the most obvious to move to a new digital distribution model. Why bust a team's ass to ship a game in 9 months every year? If the process is one of continual refinement then an MMO like approach would fit best. For those that say selling each iteration is what makes EA and the likes money, remember every year they are throwing money 'away' at retailers, distribution, packaging etc. We'll get there eventually, EA already do FIFA Online in Asia and are moving Tiger Woods to this model on PC. The biggest barrier to a more rapid wider adoption is that sports games are bought by a very wide demographic. Some people probably just by Madden and never take it online. FIFA 10 is another good example. At GamesCom they had a short presentation where they ran through around 230 odd changes they had made to the game. None of them big headline grabbing stuff, small things.

For example, it now supports 360 degree dribbling, defenders can turn, jump and block in one movement, goalkeepers can claw lobs from under the bar etc. Plus of course the roster updates etc.

In the future though, sports games are one of the most obvious to move to a new digital distribution model. Why bust a team’s ass to ship a game in 9 months every year? If the process is one of continual refinement then an MMO like approach would fit best.

For those that say selling each iteration is what makes EA and the likes money, remember every year they are throwing money ‘away’ at retailers, distribution, packaging etc.

We’ll get there eventually, EA already do FIFA Online in Asia and are moving Tiger Woods to this model on PC. The biggest barrier to a more rapid wider adoption is that sports games are bought by a very wide demographic. Some people probably just by Madden and never take it online.

]]> By: Dave http://www.couchcampus.com/lecture/justifying-sports-game-purchases/#comment-615 Dave Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:01:14 +0000 http://couchcampus.com/?p=3458#comment-615 "Really is Left 4 Dead 2 going to be anymore different from Left For Dead as this years NBA 2K was from last years? Nope" Yes. New levels, new characters, new storyline, new multiplayer, new weapons, new enemines, new boss characters, new gameplay, new locations. Now let's look at NBA 2K: New roster. New... menu music. Same characters, same arenas, same gameplay, same online, same multiplayer. A few new animation updates that they could have put in last year but didn't otherwise they'd have nothing to put in this year. “Really is Left 4 Dead 2 going to be anymore different from Left For Dead as this years NBA 2K was from last years? Nope”

Yes. New levels, new characters, new storyline, new multiplayer, new weapons, new enemines, new boss characters, new gameplay, new locations.

Now let’s look at NBA 2K:

New roster. New… menu music. Same characters, same arenas, same gameplay, same online, same multiplayer. A few new animation updates that they could have put in last year but didn’t otherwise they’d have nothing to put in this year.

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