Have EA given up on Rugby?.

[Radman]

By the way they have treated us fans for this years edition of the series you'd think so or do you think 08 was just a fill in and they are pooling their resourses and money to produce a next gen version that will blow us all away?.

 

[Sorp111]

By the way they have treated us fans for this years edition of the series you'd think so or do you think 08 was just a fill in and they are pooling their resourses and money to produce a next gen version that will blow us all away?
[/b]

Nope. Its got nothing to do with pooling money. EA are a business. They invest in producing a game on the expectation of producing a return. Rugby in world terms is a small sport - no market to speak of in the USA, Japan, Europe (outside UK/France). Therefore they don't invest very much - just enough to cash in on rugby's popularity in UK, Aus,Nz, SA , France - especailly round World Cup time. XBox360/Ps3 = very big development costs and there are still not that many (compared to Ps2/Pc owners) next gen consoles out there. They not acheive there investment hurdle rate or might even lose money on a next gen reugby game..

EA absolutely do not care about "fans" - we are just cash flow to them, and nearly every time i buy one of there Rugby (or cricket games) i feel like i should not be giving them my money. However, much I moan I still buy the damned things in the hope one day the rugby /cricket games will have 10% as much attention to detail and polish as Madden or Tiger Woods.

The trouble is the Rugby series must sell just well enough to justify the poor efforts that EA turn out. EA must conciously make an investment decision not to do the things we would like to see (career mode, Updatable roster for Ps2 etc.......) because they will not get a return on it. We know they have the tech to do it and they must read the game reviews and forums such as this which tell them what the fans want. However, if spending an additional, say, $250K on development does not come back in profits why will they bother? Not to please us because we buy the games anyway. Sorry morning rant out of the way.

 

[CeeJay]

Thats correct sadly. If only bill gates was a die hard rugby fan.