HardHarry
07-14-04, 10:19 AM
Saw this linked at arstechnica.com:
Console sports games just got more competitive
In a move that is causing some to scratch their heads and others to jump for joy, this year's edition of Sega's popular ESPN NFL franchise had its release date unexpectedly pushed up to July 20, three weeks before Madden 2005 hits the shelves. The best part? The price tag is a shocking US$19.99. From someone who has had the good fortune to get his hands on the title early:
As much as I love NCAA Football 2005, each time I've played it over the past few days, it's been less satisfying than usual. That's because I also have a copy of ESPN NFL 2005 and that has truly been calling to me. From visuals to presentation to gameplay, it's shaping up to be one of the best sports games of all time. Yeah, it's really that good.
No one is quite sure what will happen to ESPN sales this year because of this move. While their titles generally sell well and have a lot of diehard fans, Madden is the name in football videogames. One danger inherent in Sega's move is that the ESPN title might be seen as a budget alternative to Madden, with people taking the attitude of "you get what you pay for."
Such a statement is a misnomer in this case, however. With its truly staggering graphics, an innovative online mode that allows gamers to set up full seasons with real players, make trades, and track stats, it is a real bargain for twenty bucks. If Sega chips away at Madden's market share lead, you can expect a fierce battle with more price cuts around this time next year.
Console sports games just got more competitive
In a move that is causing some to scratch their heads and others to jump for joy, this year's edition of Sega's popular ESPN NFL franchise had its release date unexpectedly pushed up to July 20, three weeks before Madden 2005 hits the shelves. The best part? The price tag is a shocking US$19.99. From someone who has had the good fortune to get his hands on the title early:
As much as I love NCAA Football 2005, each time I've played it over the past few days, it's been less satisfying than usual. That's because I also have a copy of ESPN NFL 2005 and that has truly been calling to me. From visuals to presentation to gameplay, it's shaping up to be one of the best sports games of all time. Yeah, it's really that good.
No one is quite sure what will happen to ESPN sales this year because of this move. While their titles generally sell well and have a lot of diehard fans, Madden is the name in football videogames. One danger inherent in Sega's move is that the ESPN title might be seen as a budget alternative to Madden, with people taking the attitude of "you get what you pay for."
Such a statement is a misnomer in this case, however. With its truly staggering graphics, an innovative online mode that allows gamers to set up full seasons with real players, make trades, and track stats, it is a real bargain for twenty bucks. If Sega chips away at Madden's market share lead, you can expect a fierce battle with more price cuts around this time next year.