Ladies and gentlemen, the death of EA Sports

Speak your mind, or lack thereof. There may occasionally be on-topic discussions.
Post Reply
User avatar
FlashTHD
*sniff*
Posts: 1504
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:00 pm
Now Playing: Team Fortress 2
Location: Out of earshot

Ladies and gentlemen, the death of EA Sports

Post by FlashTHD »

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6319589.html
Over the past year and a half, Electronic Arts has launched a number of initiatives designed at pocketing more money from the games it sells. These programs include EA Sports' Online Pass, which erects a pay gate around online modes for those who play the label's games secondhand, and the digital-download service Origin.

Now, EA Sports has made a move to cut out the middleman altogether. Speaking to Forbes, EA Sports VP of brand marketing Chris Erb said that the publishing label plans to open up its own chain of retail stores. The first EA Sports brick-and-mortar store is expected to open this fall.

"As pervasive as digital is, there's still an offline component to acquiring new customers that remains important," Erb said. "Our approach is to be creative and innovative with whatever we're doing offline and ensure that it connects with our digital strategies. For example, we just started construction on our first North American EA SPORTS retail store, which will open this fall in the Charlotte, NC, airport."

"It is the first of what we hope to be at least three new retail stores to open in the next year, and it's a place people will be able to interact and buy their favorite EA SPORTS games," he continued. "As we look to expand the overall sports game audience, it's important for us to create environments for people to get their hands on our products and experience how much interactive sports experiences have evolved over the past few years."

The opening of the first EA Sports store coincides with the launch of some of EA Sports' biggest brands, including Madden NFL and FIFA Soccer.
Ok, so, when do we get to the part where they issue a press release blaming low sales on something or someone or other? Wait brb, I OD'd on irony reading through this thing and am going to go laugh hysterically for a bit.

User avatar
P.P.A.
Posts: 950
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 5:36 am
Now Playing: Flying Princess - Inter Breed -
Mount & Blade: Warband
Location: Rhineland
Contact:

Re: Ladies and gentlemen, the death of EA Sports

Post by P.P.A. »

Wouldn’t it make more sense to just sign contracts with retail chains selling sports wear and equipment?

User avatar
MiraiTails
Posts: 250
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2005 8:26 pm
Location: New York City

Re: Ladies and gentlemen, the death of EA Sports

Post by MiraiTails »

This is good. They should put all the sports titles in one place so I don't have to waste time skipping over them when I browse in stores. :wink:

User avatar
j-man
All-Time Everything GHZ Award Winner
Posts: 3227
Joined: Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:07 pm
Now Playing: Sea of Friends
Location: Entirely Unmoving
Contact:

Re: Ladies and gentlemen, the death of EA Sports

Post by j-man »

I really don't understand this. The idea of selling products in a physical store seems like the fucking Moon landing to these people (i.e. of questionable validity). A room filled with only EA Sports titles also sounds a bit like one of the upper circles of Hell.

User avatar
Farmer
Posts: 206
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 3:03 pm
Now Playing: work work work work work
Location: United Kingdom of Englandland
Contact:

Re: Ladies and gentlemen, the death of EA Sports

Post by Farmer »

I could understand if EA were opening a chain of stores across all their titles - considering they publish a sizable chunk of games on store shelves today - but a chain dedicated entirely to EA sports baffles me. They only release new games for each series once a year, right? So what are the shelves to be stocked with for the rest of the year once the "OMFG FIFA 2012 WITH BECKHAM'S LATEST HAIRCUT TAKE MY £40" craze has died down?

And while we're on the topic of these sport games, exactly what do they update with new releases? I understand the whole thing of player rosters, but it's not like they can add new levels or anything, with the exception of golf.

And also, why does FIFA Street, a game in which children elect to simulate playing football in the street over going to their local street and playing football have any right to exist?

No offence meant if you're a fan of the EA sports series, but I'm utterly sick of EA sports. It's virtually impossible to get anyone around me to talk about any other game than FIFA 11.

User avatar
Crisis
Posts: 531
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 5:15 pm

Re: Ladies and gentlemen, the death of EA Sports

Post by Crisis »

To be fair, I consider EA Sports to be marginally preferable to their real world equivalents.

User avatar
G.Silver
Drano Master
Posts: 2750
Joined: Sat May 22, 2004 12:58 am
Now Playing: Radiant Silvergun, Wario World
Location: warshington
Contact:

Re: Ladies and gentlemen, the death of EA Sports

Post by G.Silver »

I am curious to know how many middle men will be cut out when they open three stores. Also, isn't the creation of new stores also the creation of new middle men? They have to pay for the buildings, the property they're on, and the people who work there. Somehow I don't see Gamestop feeling threatened by this.

User avatar
Esrever
Drano Master
Posts: 2981
Joined: Mon May 24, 2004 2:26 am
Contact:

Re: Ladies and gentlemen, the death of EA Sports

Post by Esrever »

If it's just a select few locations, it'll probably be a reasonably OK branding exercise. Besides, I've seen lots of sport-themed shops in airports, and lots of booths and machines selling games. They'll probably just try to combine the two.

Post Reply