During yesterday's EA conference call, EA Sports boss Peter Moore briefly mentioned concepts the studio is considering for the future of their various titles. Moore stated they were looking at instituting "subscription programs" to the EA Sports library in order to "take advantage" of customer loyalty. Of course this could translate to a number of ideas so before we get bent out of shape we should consider it doesn't have to be a bad thing.Consider a subscription based model that would drop by-the-minute roster updates for your favorite sports games over multiple seasons rather than having to plunk down another full retail chunk of change. While we can't guess what might, if anything at all does, come of this idea we can at least credit EA for being one of the publishers that keeps trying to innovate. Whether some like it or not.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-30-2008 @ 11:18AM
Nick said...
I like it
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7-30-2008 @ 11:19AM
Obese Stickman said...
Oh this will go over well.
Just like the BF:BC gun unlocking. Expect to have the internets tubes overflowing with hate and Petitions :(
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7-30-2008 @ 11:20AM
m0rb1d said...
EA still sucks!
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7-30-2008 @ 11:20AM
Cal said...
Don't we already, in effect, pay a £30/year subscription to get the almost latest transfers and a new feature or two for our game of choice anyway?
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7-30-2008 @ 11:32AM
Michael Paul said...
Actually, no, WE don't. I picked up Madden 2006 for $10 a few months back but that was the first version I've bought in years.
I guess EA noticed that some of us weren't playing along as expected, and is looking for help from the more gullible...
7-30-2008 @ 11:24AM
MC Double Def DP said...
roster updates for new seasons instead of making customers pay another $60? won't happen!!! EA can try a subscription plan but it will fail like the paying for guns.
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7-30-2008 @ 12:28PM
mirage said...
Actually, what they should do is change the cycle to every 2-3 years and actually fix the games via patches and do roster updates in the interim. I think gamers would much prefer this model to getting a perpetually broken version released each year that never gets patched.
7-30-2008 @ 12:44PM
Perno said...
@mirage I completely agree. I only buy Madden every 3-4 years now anyways since I maily play Franchise mode and don't know any players names after a few seasons anyways. Just not enough innovation to get me to pay $60 for a couple new features and "The Best Madden Ever!!!". I'd be way more inclined to spend about $20 on yearly downloaded updates, especially for next year when the Chicago Bears are Super Bowl Champions here in Tampa. End dream sequence.
7-30-2008 @ 11:29AM
Timur Tabi said...
I've never played any sports games, so I don't know what they're like, but wouldn't it be easier just to make the player/team updates available via normal DLC? If you have Madden 2009, and next year you want to play with the 2010 roster, how hard could it be to charge 800-1600 points to download the new roster into the game? If you want better graphics or new gameplay, then buy Madden 2010.
If Harmonix can make their DLC from Rock Band 1 compatible with RB2, then I think EA can do the same with their sports games. No need to invent a new pricing model, which is just going to make things more complicated and expensive.
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7-30-2008 @ 11:32AM
monkeywithnoeyes said...
you know what this will more likely be... another additional charge to use EA dedicated servers. And a tenner says it would only be enforced on console owners because..well..pc gamers know better.
This is what happens when a company charges for what others offer for free and makes a profit..all those offering it for free get green eyed with envy. EA's a clever business.. it buys up all the developers leading to most big name games coming in the next few years to be published by then. They can pretty much do what they want with regards to charges in that. I'd be surprised if in 10yrs time EA didnt have their own console out.
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7-30-2008 @ 11:34AM
Tess said...
Hmmmm... Xav de Matos.... that name looks familiar.....
(nice to see it up there again)
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7-30-2008 @ 1:05PM
Sean said...
So they are allowing those foreigners to post again!?!
But are they getting paid?
7-30-2008 @ 11:38AM
Merehorseplay said...
Vote with your wallet.
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7-30-2008 @ 12:10PM
horngreen said...
I don't play many sports games but if I did and could still play online without a roster update then it's not such a big deal. However if it says "NEED UPDATE TO PLAY ONLINE" and I have to drop money just to see different names on the jerseys then they can suck it.
As an older fuck I'm not so sure the younger people know just how much they are nickle and dimed to death in this tech world. ISP, cable, phone,cell phone, text, ringtones, LIVE, DLC, sattelite radio, mag subscriptions, domain name and so on. Toss in a mortgage and a car payment/gasoline along with gas and electric and setting any money back becomes hopeless. Oh and let's not forget the "little" things like FOOD!
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7-30-2008 @ 12:26PM
blueGrassTubb said...
"While we can't guess what might, if anything at all does, come of this idea we can at least credit EA for being one of the publishers that keeps trying to innovate."
You're kidding, right? EA Sports is about the one gaming division that I can think of that has stifled innovation, especially in football. They don't try an innovate, they try and take the space over by buying out exclusive licensing deals and squashing any competition which just might force them to innovate.
EA Sports is the exact opposite of innovation.
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7-30-2008 @ 12:32PM
juju187 said...
As long as the Dumb ass madden nation keep spending $60 on the same game there is no reason to Release one madden and just update it every year which is totally possible and at half the price.
Why must you fill the intrawebz with lies EA.
Cash over innovation
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7-30-2008 @ 12:35PM
thisguyrighthere said...
Subscription fees mean I will stop playing the game or continue to play the game without whatever it is the subscription is giving me access to. If that access included playing online on top of paying my Live subscription then I wouldn't bother buying the game.
If more companies followed suit and I had to pay multiple subscription fees plus the Live bill I just wont play anything at all.
I moved from PC gaming to console because the constant need to buy new hardware every 4 months was ridiculous. Hit me with more fees on the console and I'll just sell all my gear and pick up a new bike or a couple of new firearms and spend more time outside.
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7-30-2008 @ 3:51PM
mirage said...
I hadn't looked at it like that. Knowing EA they aren't doing this with the consumers in mind so it probably would be like trying to chare a fee to be in online leagues and things like that. I would absolutely not pay to play in a bug filled online experience. If this is their plan than it will absolutely fail!
7-30-2008 @ 1:36PM
FalconRS said...
Having purchased a new, full-retail copy of NBA Live incarnation going all the way back to the "Lakers vs. Celtics" PC title from the late-80's (followed by Genesis, PSX, Xbox, and now Xbox360 versions), I can honestly say this concept really intrigues me.
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7-30-2008 @ 2:56PM
pkilla said...
Your first mistake was buying Live the last 2 yrs. 2K8 - 2K7 >>>>>>>>>>> Live 08, 07