EA CEO: Madden NFL 10 Sales "Discouraging"

Edge writes: "In an internal email sent to Electronic Arts staff, company CEO John Riccitiello has revealed his disappointment over early Madden NFL 10 sales, but he still believes that EA is on track to achieve success this fall and holiday season.

"This week, market research for August will show that year-over-year, the industry was down in North America – and that August sales of Madden NFL 10 are down with that trend. It is discouraging that one of our highest-rated and best-marketed Madden titles in years is facing strong headwinds," Riccitiello said in a memo obtained by The Wall Street Journal..."

[inFAMOUS_KRATOS]

people are tired of this b$ every fkn year, you launch game that only differs roster every year knowing that you can always update the roster via internet, just stop take time, build a new engine!!

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

for blocking universal custom soundtrack in game and univeral cross game chat.

Gamers will buy EA games again when EA stop blocking those two features.

[evrfighter]

"It is discouraging that one of our highest-rated and best-marketed Madden titles in years is facing strong headwinds"

In other words

"This blows. We can't get away with roster updates and a nifty feature anymore..."

How I can't wait till 2k Sports is able to make an NFL title.

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

for the graphics EA promised in that CGI trailer. Sony had delievered. Now, EA needs to deliver it too.

[tripewire]

I might buy EA's games when I get Xgame chat and custom sound tracks.

[Wriggy]

I believe NHL 09 had custom soundtracks and that's an EA Sports title. Otherwise there does seem to be a lack of custom soundtracks.

[Roper316]

between it being just more of the same which is bad enough but then throw in nickel & dime DLC ( what is it 10 bucks for the hard mode? ) and people will look the other way. I haven't bought a Madden or any other sports game since like 1989 or 1990 just because it is the same game with a few cosmetic touches ( updated rosters ).

[Trevorthenerd]

did this sell more than wolfenstein because I want my free copy? :D

[AnonUser5555]

I don't get how this guy can say he understands that the industry is down and the economy is doing poorly...and then get upset because Madden sales are down.

[Crystallis]

Madden10 is broken. What did EA expect? Throw in some gimmicks and your golden? This may have worked in the past but now people are starting to see that madden is not simulation football and having the exclusive NFL license shipped with a broken game is not helping either.

[AnonUser5555]

Have you even played Madden 10?

So many of the Madden haters are so caught up in "Old Madden Nostalgia" that they ignore a pretty damn fun game of football.

I've been playing Madden games for as long as I can remember, and I just don't understand the whole "Madden will never be the same" crap.

It's really ironic...because the other group of Madden Haters claim they've stopped buying BECAUSE it never changes.

So what is it? Has Madden "changed" so much that it's just not fun? Or does it not change at all?

Or...maybe...people just complain about everything because they have nothing better to do.

[lsujester]

^^^^ -- Right on. This game feels a good bit different than the last few years have. I'm rather happy that they actually HAVE worked on core gameplay instead of throwing in more gimmicks. Granted, there are still some issues... things like getting a holding call on three straight extra point tries should not happen. But overall, the game does feel different than it did a few years ago.

But do I have pity on EA? Not a bit. They, like everyone else, is trying to nickel and dime us on little features that could have easily been on the disc, considering they were available right when the game released.

So how about this, EA? Instead of trying to take more and more money from each copy you sell, actually do something to try to sell more copies.. like lower the price 5-10 bucks to make it stand out amongst the hundreds of other sixty dollar games lining store shelves.

[dkgshiz]

Madden games are usually the same. The only difference is the digits. Thats all.

[krauley]

and only dipsticks like you say that. for most, a large percentage, the game is different enough to buy and play and ENJOY every year without belly aching like a 2 year old!

[ForROME]

Ive taken a different approach to madden. I now know, I dont buy the first iteration on any system, they are missing to many features and run clunky. Once I do buy one, I dont buy the next yrs but the yr after having a 2 yr gap makes you feel like you get your money worth

So Since 2005, Ive only Bought 08 and 10, honestly this gen for madden has been horrible, last gen felt much more fluid.

[The-Director]

That's why sport games should be at least evrey 2 years, people will look forward to them and developers will have time to actually make something new, the whole annual thing just won't fly anymore.

[Pizzagaki]

American Football is for sissy's.
Now Football, thats a real man's sport.

[butterfinger]

that people aren't rushing out to buy Madden this year. Maybe EA Sports will finally learn from their mistakes.

[NaiNaiNai]

its the same damn game they release in 06.

now EPSN 2K series, thats a football game.

boy EA your not making people happy, first you loose nascar next your gona loose football.

oh well, just means we will get better games coming soon.

[daghost1125]

im a big fan of madden but i only buy madden every few years then its actually worth buying

[Hercules]

madden is the same, its just a roster update..have you even played madden 10? and how is the sales discouraging if it sold almost 2million in a month? some companies are just greedy, but i still like ea over activison... i dont think it is falling...also 100,000 players at the samw time online...gtfo...if you gonna pick on a game, play it first...and no, im not just a madden fanboy cause i play ALL types of games, but seriously play the game first...here are the people who talk down on madden:

1) people who played madden 06 and never played it again
2) people who dont like amercian football
3) people who listen to what others say

before you talk down on a game, play it (same goes for halo, uncharted, MGS4, GTA4, etc...)

[rob6021]

I sure hope EA loses money because they spent so much on monopolizing the NFL license. Maybe well get to a point where its no longer feasible for them to do so.

[Darkspade]

Madden 10 is still not what NFL 2k5 was, Man I can only imagine what NFL 2K10 would be if they were never uncut..

[Dark General]

*Claps* I haven't bought a Madden game since they acquired exclusive rights to the NFL and NFLPA.

[lagoonalight]

Disappointed???

At 2 million sales equalling 120 million in revenue?

For a game that was complete trash in 09'.

This guy is ridiculous. This series will be for 2011 when it will finally make the grade.

[Crystallis]

Yes I have played madden10. You think what I was saying about the game being
broken was made up? Players running out of bounds when there is clear room to run up field.
That was fixed through a patch in madden 09 and it's back in madden10? WHAT? Holding penalty glitch on
field goals and extra points. Linebackers running the same routs and turning before the
WR. Shall I go on?

Madden10 is broken. Yes is has some nice improvements but the gameplay
is as horrid as ever. Don't believe go ask any hardcore NFL video game player and you'll
hear the samething.

[takohma]

This is my first madden game i ever brought. and just when i started to fall in love wit it and figure out how to perform my defense my ps3 gave me the blinking red lights of death. can anyone tell me if its the hdd? or is it the power supply? ive also heard about it being 3.0fw

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

Red light of death doesn't exist on the PS3.

[takohma]

well it would blink yellow then start blinking red

[JonnyBigBoss]

I really enjoy Madden this year, but I do wish that they gave some form of discount to those who buy it every year.

[Paradise Lost]

i never see a freaken difference between madden 08.09.or 10. They all look the same.

[air1]

maybe its time to give it a year off and give madden a real identity. i know its football but its like every year they add and take add and take.

how many maddens does EA have to make till they land on something solid to keep running with?

what they should do is do a big update on last years madden then the next year drop a new madden. instead of re packaging almost the same sh!t every year and expect it to sell even more year after year..

i guess this is what happens when you eliminate competition, things get stale..

[Funky Town_TX]

I played it when a friend came over but no buy for me. They need to step it up.

[C_Dub]

2K would have made a killer NFL by this day and age. But that's what EA set out to prevent. And it's a cowardly act but alas, welcome to the gaming industry - where monopoly happens.

[Dragonopolis]

NFL is the most Monopolistic organization that exist legally in the united states. They want ultra control over every little detail and only allow a single company to deal with with a genre of products (one official nfl clothing store, one official nfl video game developer). Madden NFL doesn't really push the limits to what both systems are capable of. Madden's menu structure and play calling is not best that can be had: but how do we know? There is no competition to show us, or the NFL, what can be done graphically or what can be bettered in the User interface. What it tells me is that NFL doesn't really care about its fan base. Thankfully, there is college football or my football withdrawal would have me watching NFL every week.

I still watch NFL but I really only watch the Playoffs consistently. I just stick to College during the regular season and briefly read the stats to see if any of the teams I like will make it to the Playoffs

NFL can just...... well the rest you can figure out on your own