Please God, no. (EA/NHL agreement?)

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 3:42 pm

That is funny that they changed it so quickly. It does make you wonder if they are going to announce some sort of exclusivety deal when the NHL dispute is settled. Maybe someone jumped the gun a bit? Hopefully not because ESPN has put out some fantastic hockey titles and Gretzky shows a lot of promise.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 4:22 pm

Maybe it is just that some bleary eyed graphics designer was on his 60th hour of mandated work this week for EA and made a simple copy & paste error.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 4:49 pm

Danimal wrote:Maybe it is just that some bleary eyed graphics designer was on his 60th hour of mandated work this week for EA and made a simple copy & paste error.

Speaking as a copywriter who also does a lot of Web updates, that's what I'd think too. Probably got so used to putting up "exclusive" that s/he slipped up.

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 4:55 pm

Brando70 wrote:
Danimal wrote:Maybe it is just that some bleary eyed graphics designer was on his 60th hour of mandated work this week for EA and made a simple copy & paste error.
Speaking as a copywriter who also does a lot of Web updates, that's what I'd think too. Probably got so used to putting up "exclusive" that s/he slipped up.

I really hope this is the case. But if you remember, word leaked early about the NFL license and EA denied it. Then word leaked early about the NCAA license and, again, EA denied it. If history is a guide, then I'm afraid we're in for some really bad news in another couple of weeks or so.

skinsfan · Post by **skinsfan** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 8:57 pm

10spro wrote:I hear that the 06 version may come packaged with the 93-94 Genesis version of NHL (arguably, one of the best EA has produced), so if the O6 version stinks again, you can go back to the game made some 10 years ago..

That will be included on the PS2 version only...like the Madden CE from last year.

ddtrane · Post by **ddtrane** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:19 pm

Man, if EA is the only game in town for Hockey, then I am sunk. I play Hockey more than any other sport and I will be bent if I have to live with the NHL series as my only fix on the next generation systems.

bigmoe · Post by **bigmoe** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:56 pm

Here is some hope... quoted from someone over on the OS board

"It's not true, somebody emailed EA, and they said it was a typo, so they're correcting it on the site now. Thank god..."

TRI · Post by **TRI** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 2:21 am

The greedy EA blue suits should keep their hands OFF the NHL license. They do not have the talent or motivation to make a decent hockey game so they all they can do is try to buy out the license. I predict that both Madden 2006 and NCAA 2006 will suck this year.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 2:58 am

You can't argue with their football games, they are good, but they have to improve on the NHL gameplay.

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 8:36 am

Wish I shared your optimism, bigmoe. Take a look at this old post I dug up from May of 2004:

bdoughty wrote:Gamespot article was updated late tonight. Both EA and Players Inc say the story was false. The cynic in me still thinks there were serious discussions and some type of deal struck, which lead to this information coming out by SBJ. Something pushed either the NFL or EA to back of, be it a legal issue, pressure by someone like ESPN or public opinion on such a deal.

Well I can always dream that is what happened.

While The Sports Business Journal broke the story, it was, ironically, reprinted in the magazine ESPN. This prompted a moderator at ESPNvideogames.com to call the NFLPA. According to the moderator, NFLPA reps denied that anything other than "normal" licensing deals were in play.

When contacted by GameSpot, NFLPA executives said that not only was the story false, but The Sports Business Journal has since run a retraction. EA representatives also later contacted GameSpot to confirm the retraction, a fact that will undoubtedly make fans of the ESPN NFL franchise breathe much easier.