EA Proposes to Acquire Take-Two Interactive Software

[taylor34]

So does this mean that the web site is going to change from www.operationsports.com to www.operationeasports.com? The whole consolidation in the gaming industry is becoming rather sad, the number of quality games seems to go down every year.

Taylor34

[chadskee]

Well, if it happens it will be the end of sports gaming. I don't need to explain why.

And too the people being optimistic saying it will combine the best of both worlds... it won't.

[Behindshadows]

Quote: Originally Posted by Rocky

If I were in charge of the EA sports division, I would give VC/Kush the ESPN license and tell them to do what they do. Still keep some ESPN integration in Madden just to keep the ESPN brass happy but I would love to see EA restore the ESPN video games series brand with VC and Kush as developers.

Amen! At least someone is thinking sensible and not all negative about the situation.

EA has always fell short in the Presentation Department and a lot in the gameplay department. But their graphics have boosted to a new level. Now you combine that with 2k/VC/Kush elements. And we could finally see the sports titles we've always wanted.

I can't see how and why! People are so comfortable will this gaming divide! We will finally be able to get the best of both worlds in 1 game. And you right, 2k is killer with the ESPN integration. Imagine the presentation, they could give Live, Madden, and NCAA Football. Not to mention. All the cry babies, who missed MVP Baseball, and NFL 2k5 (guilty ) I cried like a bitch when they ended the series.

But back to the subject. All the cry babies will get their MVP elements back, 2k5 will now be resurrected in Madden 09 or 10. I mean come on, wouldn't this end the sports gaming war. VC did Madden 96 and Coach K basketball for EA, not to mention a few more EA titles before they did 2ksports. Wouldn't it be nice for them to resurrect both franchises and finally make us all happy.

Too much negativity and stupidity on the subject. EA is Evil, and the sports gaming world will come to an end! Oh! PLEASE!!! All will happen is Visual Concepts and Kush will finally get the budget they need to develop and uplift their talents in the next-generation market.

And we will finally see the Madden that EA promised, a Better NBA Live/2k basketball game, The College Hoops franchise continuing with a new title, but with that same amazing gameplay with better graphics and presentation, that a lot of us bitched about.

Think sensible, instead of bias and there is a bunch we can gain from it in the long run. If the deal goes through. And I'm sure the marketing will be through the roof.

-Just my 2 pennies. Peace!

[taylor34]

Quote: Originally Posted by Behindshadows2

Amen! At least someone is thinking sensible and not all negative about the situation. EA has always fell short in the Presentation Department and a lot in the gameplay department. But their graphics have boosted to a new level. Now you combine that with 2k/VC/Kush elements. And we could finally see the sports titles we've always wanted. I can't see how and why! People are so comfortable will this gaming divide! We will finally be able to get the best of both worlds in 1 game. And you right, 2k is killer with the ESPN integration. Imagine the presentation, they could give Live, Madden, and NCAA Football. Not to mention. All the cry babies, who missed MVP Baseball, and NFL 2k5 (guilty ) I cried like a bitch when they ended the series. But back to the subject. All the cry babies will get their MVP elements back, 2k5 will now be resurrected in Madden 09 or 10. I mean come on, wouldn't this end the sports gaming war. VC did Madden 96 and Coach K basketball for EA, not to mention a few more EA titles before they did 2ksports. Wouldn't it be nice for them to resurrect both franchises and finally make us all happy. Too much negativity and stupidity on the subject. EA is Evil, and the sports gaming world will come to an end! Oh! PLEASE!!! All will happen is Visual Concepts and Kush will finally get the budget they need to develop and uplift their talents in the next-generation market. And we will finally see the Madden that EA promised, a Better NBA Live/2k basketball game, The College Hoops franchise continuing with a new title, but with that same amazing gameplay with better graphics and presentation, that a lot of us bitched about. Think sensible, instead of bias and there is a bunch we can gain from it in the long run. If the deal goes through. And I'm sure the marketing will be through the roof. -Just my 2 pennies. Peace!

EA only thinks of one thing--the bottom line. And that means killing all 2k sports immediately that compete with EA ones. Plus now, there will be ZERO competition. Zero reason to improve. This isn't 'EA is Evil', it's reality. There is not one single positive that can come out of this. All of this talk about combining features is ridiculous, the code base is not the same, there is absolutely no way you could combine the games. I'm guessing they'll hang on to VC, but only to do some other sports things like NASCAR street or some crap like that.

Taylor34

[rspencer86]

Quote: Originally Posted by taylor34

EA only thinks of one thing--the bottom line. And that means killing all 2k sports immediately that compete with EA ones. Plus now, there will be ZERO competition. Zero reason to improve. This isn't 'EA is Evil', it's reality. There is not one single positive that can come out of this. All of this talk about combining features is ridiculous, the code base is not the same, there is absolutely no way you could combine the games. I'm guessing they'll hang on to VC, but only to do some other sports things like NASCAR street or some crap like that. Taylor34

I agree, Taylor. I don't see this as a good thing at all. Competition breeds better games, period. EA is not going to merge development teams to form "The Best of Both Worlds." They might retain a few guys here or there, but without competition, I don't see any of EA's sports games improving much, no matter who is on the dev team.

[SageInfinite]

Quote: Originally Posted by rspencer86

I agree, Taylor. I don't see this as a good thing at all. Competition breeds better games, period. EA is not going to merge development teams to form "The Best of Both Worlds." They might retain a few guys here or there, but without competition, I don't see any of EA's sports games improving much, no matter who is on the dev team.

Real Talk.

[Rashidi]

2k sports has strived to improve their games year after year to compete with EA.

EA produces poor sports games literally half of the time.

Take a look at the leaps NBA Live made since it's now competing (and losing) to 2k. Compare that to the "advances" made with Madden over the last THREE years. No competition means sitting pretty with a subpar product.

Think WWE after they boughtout WCW.

[Brophog]

Quote: Originally Posted by Behindshadows2

All will happen is Visual Concepts and Kush will finally get the budget they need to develop and uplift their talents in the next-generation market. -Just my 2 pennies. Peace!

We would all love that to happen. However, we've had EA's own developers in the past tell us how little control they have at times. Are you telling me the only thing that has kept EA from doing these things in the past is they didn't have the people 2K has? That they were unaware of the product 2K put out? That they just didn't know how to do these things?

Your post is terribly idealistic, and I think a tad bit ignorant. They've made design decisions to go a certain way, and no one from 2K is going to come in with the authority to make that change.

I'm afraid it is you that will be disappointed, and those like you that think it is merely a matter of taking the best of both world's and creating something new. I would love for that to be the case, but given how EA does things, with their mass market, marketing before gameplay decisions, it's very hard to come to the conclusion you do with the strength that you do.

They are clearly smarter than you are giving them credit for being.

[thegoons21]

Maybe activision/blizzard or whatever they're called now will step up and try to get them. They're almost as big as EA and might want a sports gaming department to compete. Wishful thinking I know....

[BrianFifaFan]

Okay, I'm about to share an epiphany that I've had, probably opening myself up for cruxifiction. First let me say that I'm hardly the "grassy knoll" type. But something about this strikes me as really odd. It's funny to me that this new offer is coming after the "cross-pollenation" of Ea and Microsoft. Is it possible that This is just a move in a series of moves to join Microsoft and Ea? It's no secret that Microsoft has been trying to get as many exclusives from developers as possible this gen. Which is just what Sony's strength was in the last gen. And with it's very ambitious "Live Anywhere" program just announced, I think that Microsoft is trying to corner the market on as many high-profile IP's as possible using EA as either a friendly surrogate or as an eventual holding /partner. With the new "friendly" relationship between EA and MS, that could be quite possible. They might even go so far as to to try to merge with EA as it's game publishing division. Then MS/EA would be in a true power postion as to Sony's pipeline of new content.

With the exception of a few first-rate Sony-developed IP's, Sony is very dependant on third-party devloper support. And, unlike last gen, the 360 is the preferred development platform, with the porting done to PS3. We've gotta also factor in that MS will have to do something to counter the "BLU-RAY" move. Now that Sony has the advantage with Blu-Ray being built in to every PS3, Microsoft will have to try to mitigate that advantage. They have to own all of the system-selling games. It just is funny that Bungie went to EA as well as the whole Peter Moore move. And now EA wants Grand Theft Auto. Which sold a ton on PS2. I've read many articles on sites like Team Xbox, IGN, Gamespot , Kotaku and mags like GI that have made me feel that a huge move and shakeup is in the works behind the scenes. And the Yahoo move, along with this is really making me believe that a long-game is being run by a group of guys from EA and MS. Can I prove it? No. But the tea leaves are there to be read. Check back in a year..........