EA's brand losing steam

[disciple]

Electronic Arts has been riding high over the last couple of years, absorbing development studios left and right and signing exclusive deals with major league sports franchises such as the NFL. However, one analyst is predicting that there may be trouble ahead for the video game giant.

Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson told investors this morning that "poor reviews and quality are beginning to tarnish the EA brand." Wilson pointed to a survey his company had made that utilized the aggregate game ratings available at GameRankings.com. The study indicated that EA's overall game quality is continuing to fall.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061201-8339.html


while all software houses will put out a few duds ( it's inevitable)
i tend to agree with them.. i've fondu EA to be very cookie-cutter  ( but then again,in EA's defense,  especially with their sports franchises, i mean.. how much variation can you expect? the sport's rules are set.. after a while is just to refine the gameplay engine , up d graphics..)

when i think EA, i think quantity over quality.. they remind me of Conglomo from Rocko's Modern Life ( their slogan was 'WE OWN YOU' lol

but then again, i'm just a casual gamer.. 

[Kenji]

however there is alot of sport gamers out there who like to be able to get all there up dated rosters, stadium details and championships changes upgraded to match the real ones each year. That i think is the number one reason for iterations each year.

[vivman1107]

True, laertes, but if people are actually buying the games year after year, who are EA to argue with the formula? 2K came close to forcing them to change with their lineup and pricing but they just bought exclusive rights and continued on their way.

[Xerotolerant]

i agree with EA in there actions, it's not like they should get mad at the fellas who buy there games year after year.. but in the same light they don't only make games with set rules, like for instance the nfs series.............
it was awesome good fun, but now EA trying too hard to live in the moment. as soon as one of the NFS's  cool down they bring out another one and in my opinion that hurting the quality cause i spend real time reading and getting hyped up about carbon and then it came out.... and all it good for is taking screenshots and  not much else