If Madden NFL 22 fails, will the NFL cut ties with EA?

[Kane99]

I know most people here are not fans of Madden, and rightfully so, it's an acquired taste. I grew up with the series and enjoyed most of them, that is up until EA bought the license to the NFL. Ever since, it's like the franchise is on life support, with barely any changes. If anything, they've taken so many things out, that it doesn't feel like a football game anymore. They don't even have refs on the field. Games on the PS1 included refs in the game no problem, but not in Madden. I don't recall when the last time they had an actual ref on the field aside from the sidelines. Because I remember trying to trip up the refs sometime, but you can't do that anymore. Plus the countless glitches and broken mechanics. Just look at the constant videos on youtube about how bad NFL 21 is. 

Anyway, enough about the rant. I want to ask about Madden NFL 22, which will be coming out next summer (usually August before the new season begins.). But, I think the NFL is keeping their eyes on EA, because fans were not happy with NFL 21, and I can see the NFL retracting their license if they fail again. And I really hope that happens. I would love for 2K to get the license. But even better, is to not give the license to just one person. Let these studios make the best games they can, and let the market decide which games are the best. I think if that happens, Madden would have to produce something competent again. 

 

[Crazycrab]

I'm just going to give the short answer.  EA re-signed with the NFL until 2026, so untill Madden 2027 they don't give a fuck.

The even shorter answer is (unfortunately) no.

[The Blackangel]

Another answer:

We can only hope.

[Syntax]

I doubt that there would be another platform developer who would want to make Madden, especially since it would mean a full recode which is a lot of work vs. updating specific elements as EA does every year 

[Kane99]

On 3/7/2021 at 6:31 PM, Crazycrab said:

I'm just going to give the short answer.  EA re-signed with the NFL until 2026, so untill Madden 2027 they don't give a fuck.

The even shorter answer is (unfortunately) no.

The NFL can always cancel their license if future games underperform. So if this is a continuing trend into Madden 22, 23 and so on, the NFL is probably within their right to say bye bye to EA and go to someone else. Also, EA only has the license to produce sim related NFL games. This is why other NFL games are popping up elsewhere, as those are arcade based. And there was rumors about 2K making an arcade style NFL game in the future. 

2 hours ago, Syntax said:

I doubt that there would be another platform developer who would want to make Madden, especially since it would mean a full recode which is a lot of work vs. updating specific elements as EA does every year 

It doesn't necessarily need to be Madden by name. It could just be NFL Football or something like that. I think EA owns the license to using the name Madden anyway. If the NFL gave their license to some other studio/publisher, that studio can title it however they want. It's like how it was back in the day, when Sega had their NFL 2K series. 

And of course, it will take time for a new game to be made, but that's a given whenever a new studio has a choice to produce a game. If anything, if this happens, it would probably be a year break for football. 

And EA doesn't bother to update much of anything with their Madden releases. Their recent Madden game is considered the worst yet due to it being a broken mess and nothing new. Their games haven't changed in probably 5-10 years, with repeated animations and even content removed from newer games. I just think it's time for a change, because EA doesn't care. 

[Crazycrab]

8 hours ago, Kane99 said:

The NFL can always cancel their license if future games underperform. So if this is a continuing trend into Madden 22, 23 and so on, the NFL is probably within their right to say bye bye to EA and go to someone else.

 

Assuming that the NFL (and FIFA, UFC and others) could break their agreement with EA if the games financialy underperform without paying EA restitution, which I SERIOUSLY doubt they could, that's not going to happen.  EA Sports make billions off the UT card packs every year and that's all they care about.

 

11 hours ago, Syntax said:

I doubt that there would be another platform developer who would want to make Madden, especially since it would mean a full recode which is a lot of work vs. updating specific elements as EA does every year 

 

Are you kidding?  It would be any other publishers wet dream to get slice of pie from Madden and FIFA, why do you think EA keep these money-printing licenses so close to their chest?  Even if their developers had to spend tens of millions of dollars creating new code and engine from scratch they would sign in half a heartbeat!

Edited March 9, 2021 by Crazycrab

[killamch89]

Nope - not going to happen. We're going to get the same crappy Madden every year with the same or worse glitches. It's more or less the same thing with Fifa.

[Empire]

I’d rather they drop exclusivity and let other studios take a crack at making simulation or arcade NFL games alongside EA and 2K. I know I’m kinda looking back at it with rose tinted glasses and it very well might not be the same, kinda like how the NBA video game battle is pretty much over because EA ruined NBA Live, but the best era of football video games, not just simulation football but football video games period, happened in an era when the NFL let multiple developers have their license. I’d much rather see that return to hopefully push EA to let their devs at least try to innovate than just outright let a game die or be force fed mediocrity every year.