Breaking Down Backbreaker

[DEFTFUNDAMENTALZ]

Quote: Originally Posted by allBthere

good write up, except for this imo "With all of this hype surrounding Backbreaker, it better be a good game. Otherwise, another football game released during the Exclusivity Era will be added to the Wall of Shame" I've been following the game since it's inception. There is zero hype for this game. There are a handful of poster on their forum, and people here paying attention, but that's it. I don't think people should have their hopes too high, just get/rent the game with an open mind. I'm looking-forward to it and guess that I'll like it, but even with a 9/10 rating, it will not sell a million copies or even 500,000. This is niche and there is zero hype surrounding it.

Totally agree.

I also don't think that All-Pro Football belongs on the wall of shame. It is just disregarded, because it had no franchise mode and license.

Perhaps the Madden Franchise belongs on the wall, with the exception of Madden 10 of course.

[polamalu82]

Nfl Draft. Commercials during that shouldn't break the bank like the SuperBowl. The exact release date is unknown, but many speculate April 27th. That's why I say the Draft is the time for BB to advertise. Puts BB in peoples minds during a time when Madden 10 is stale and Madden 11 is months away. Perfect.

[TheWatcher]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

Problem is, they're planning to release this game within months. They should have started doing this in September if they wanted to do that to people. YouTube would be a good place to go, but they really have to find a way to hit everybody with it.

Yeah, if the game is coming out in April then they need to be starting with their campaign this month. If they don't do that, then we can pretty much conclude that they're following in the footsteps of bad marketing/promotion with 2K Football.

I kept hearing a rumor that some 2K marketing guys were working with the BackBreaker team. That might be why there were so many other rumors about 2K possibly being the publisher. If 2K marketing guys are involved, then you can look forward to a pathetic marketing effort that will do nothing but hurt the game's chances of success.

[TheWatcher]

Quote: Originally Posted by koshi

How would that have weakened their position? Doesn't make any sense. So basically you're saying the NFL strong armed 2K Sports? Or that 2K Sports was afraid it might influence any future chance of the NFL selling them the license??? They (2K Sports) must have a very weak legal team, because either of those cases shouldn't have stopped them. If Backbreaker does allow you to edit all teams, etc. to recreate the NFL... And has reasonable success in terms of sales, don't be surprised to see someone come after them. Most likely EA, because they'd be the ones potentially losing sales.

Everything you're thinking there is the exact same stuff that popped up in my mind when I heard it. 2K wasn't worried about legality though. They were worried about leverage. What was explained to me later on by Anthony Chau was this:

The license was due to expire soon and they wanted to get back into the NFL game BADLY. 2K's fear was that if people can create a league that looks exactly like the NFL, it would make the NFL license less valuable. This devaluation would of course make the NFL angry and be less likely to cut a deal with 2K for the license when it became available.

Now, some of that is a valid concern. The problem is, the idea that they had a real shot at the license is the critical issue. I mean, there is nothing wrong with holding out a little for a possibility, but did anyone REALLY think EA/NFL wouldn't renew? I sure didn't. I was confidently certain that they would if EA was willing to put up the money. The NFL had no motivation to sign with anyone else, because they were getting their money (and a lot of it) direct from one source. EA of course did not want anymore NFL competition on the market (I love you guys over there, but we gotta put the cards on the table). It was a perfect set up for both parties.

Now, as far as having a deep editor that would allow someone to recreate the NFL. Legally, a company would not have any strong grounds to sue BackBreaker for that. The assets used to re-create are all in the hands of the end user. The company can't be sued based solely on what the end user does to re-create the NFL.

The only place BB would have legal trouble is if they openly encouraged users--in specifically certain terms--to re-create the NFL, which they wouldn't be dumb enough to do. Or, if they began hosting those assets created by the end user, and even then it would be a thin case because of the implied responsibility taken on by the end user. It would be one of those cases where they file the suit and it likely never goes to trial.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by polamalu82

Nfl Draft. Commercials during that shouldn't break the bank like the SuperBowl. The exact release date is unknown, but many speculate April 27th. That's why I say the Draft is the time for BB to advertise. Puts BB in peoples minds during a time when Madden 10 is stale and Madden 11 is months away. Perfect.

That's about the time Madden is ramping up the marketing. They announce the Cover Athlete, they go to the draft, etc......

No reason BB can't advertise then, either. Just saying that is when Madden comes out pretty heavy.

[turftickler]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

I think a 30 second commercial during the Super Bowl is a must if they're serious about hyping this game.

There is no way that EA Sports would allow that without. That would be a fight to the finish if BB suddenly got the lime light in a Super Bowl commercial.

[turftickler]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWatcher

I think the hype he's referring to is from the gamers who are hyping the product. The number can be considered small by comparison to other products, but the fact that you see BB being proclaimed as the second-coming everywhere you go online in football gaming forums by people who've never played the game, is something of note.

And the fact that people from the games official forum site tell the friends that will tell their friends, and so on, I think word of mouth will pay dividends.

[polamalu82]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

That's about the time Madden is ramping up the marketing. They announce the Cover Athlete, they go to the draft, etc...... No reason BB can't advertise then, either. Just saying that is when Madden comes out pretty heavy.

Exactly my point. EA will be hyping Madden hard. This IMO will only help BB more. BB is supposedly coming out on the 27th of April, Madden is in August. People will see BB coming out and buy it because it's the only NEW football game to play. See my logic?

[Cryolemon]

Quote: Originally Posted by turftickler

There is no way that EA Sports would allow that without. That would be a fight to the finish if BB suddenly got the lime light in a Super Bowl commercial.

If Natural Motion had the money there is nothing EA could do to stop them. ANYONE who can afford it can buy an ad anytime they like. EA or the NFL would have no say in it, and if they tried NM could sue them for anti-competitive behaviour.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by polamalu82

Exactly my point. EA will be hyping Madden hard. This IMO will only help BB more. BB is supposedly coming out on the 27th of April, Madden is in August. People will see BB coming out and buy it because it's the only NEW football game to play. See my logic?

Yeah, I see it, it just depends how they would market a NEW football game during NFL draft weekend.

I'm sure they already have their advertising dollars budgeted.