Front Page Polls>How much do you feel competition affects game quality?
CarryTheWeight 07:35 PM 08-19-2009
Competition is the best thing that can happen in sports gaming. Look at the basketball and hockey markets right now. We may be getting two great games in each genre from EA and 2K because the publishers have to compete with one-another. The football (minus Madden 10), baseball (minus The Show) and college sports genres have been stale for years. Sure, NCAA Football was the only game in town (and a great game itself) on last-gen consoles but in this generation it has hardly been something to be proud of.
There are a few blind followers that say that 2K should "give up" hockey and that EA should "give up" basketball because their games aren't doing as well as their competitors' titles. That kind of talk brings up an interesting point...if people are mad about the lack of true competition in baseball, football and college sports, why are they so quick to suggest the elimination of competition in other genres? Because if one series fades, the other will begin to get stale and wallow in stagnancy before the developers get their act together due to bad press (Madden 10).
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TreyIM2 09:30 PM 08-19-2009
While agree that competition definitely has an affect game quality, I think there are other factors that play into it. Many have brought up the Madden situation but truth be told, how many have heard about how much the NBA2K series hasn't changed muched since 2K6 or 7 yet they have Live as competition?? Sometimes it's about complacency when a company feels that they "can't be touched" like EA once felt and even felt WITH NFL2K as comp. Many believe that 2K is now going the old EA route with NBA2K.
Then there is a matter of capital and budgets and such. Sometimes, companies aren't doing as well as one would think and as much as they have a product with serious competition, they don't have the resources to really push things. Projections are not always what they actually turn out to be for a fiscal year and this can affect the next year's projections so they have to try to re-arrange and deal with what they already have instead of trying to spend money to try improve on things, no matter how much they may want to do it. Companies have stockholders to answer to, as well, so financial bottom lines can affect quality.
It's more than competition but most people only "see" the finished products from the outside and don't get an inside view of things. My answer to the pole is that competition somewhat affects game quality and the reasons I provided is apart of why I answered that way.
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bricap 03:13 AM 08-20-2009
Definitely helps!!!
No Competition:
Madden
NCAA Football
Competition:
NHL 09 / NHL 2K9
NBA Live 09 / NBA 2K9
NHL 09 and NBA 2K9 are some of the best sporting games around. Madden and NCAA...uh, yeah, nuff said.
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stateprop 12:53 PM 08-20-2009
For godsake look at madden( even though its headed into the right direction but they are milking people with DLC that should of been free.) and MLB2k9( the worst baseball game i ever played). I mean come on people especially people who can afford 1 system who is stuck to play 1 crappy baseball game. Competition is good for business, especially for the customers.
Look at madden what would happen if there was a 2k10 would they be milking us with these BS DLC that should of been free in franchise. They would of think twice before pulling that off. NBA2k10 vs Nba Live 10 look how competition is pushing both titles. Even im excited for Live this year and how much they improve. What happen if there was no nba2k or no nba live. Both Developers would be lazy as hell and bring out the a crappy game every year.
To me NBA games are right now the only games i can play and really enjoy, I cant play baseball because its crappy(MLB2k), madden not yet although its heading into the right direction but not yet.
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Darkeus 01:10 PM 08-20-2009
Competition breeds excellence. THat is a very simple and binding truth. Without other brands out there forcing you to always come with your best, you will simply not put out your best. Why do all of the hard work when it doesn't matter. As long as it is playable, it will sell..
Until the NFL, NCAA, and MLB exclusive contracts are nullified, their respective exclusive games will always be lacking.
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WdnUlik2no 08:45 AM 08-21-2009
Excellent question; I've always believed competition affects game quality tremendously. Its good for companies to see what other companies are doing or what are doing or does better than them, that gives them more incentive to improve their own game at the risk of losing customers.
The only ones that benefit from a monopoly is the company who has it; everyone else loses.
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statum71 09:33 AM 08-22-2009
Just look at basketball....
Does anyone really think NBA Live would be improving this much without NBA 2K?
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deaduck 11:33 AM 08-22-2009
Look, I get the maxim that competition forces businesses to create better product and/at lower prices but too much is being made of it's effect on sports gaming by a rampant belief that the NFL exclusive licence PREVENTS anybody from making an alternative football game.
The reason there isn't an alternative is that the consumer base has and continues not to support alternatives and buys the product presented to them. There is NO competition in the current market due to the consumers not the other way around.
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Mr. Franchise 07:42 PM 08-23-2009
Negative, It makes games worse because of the competition- 0 votes
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