ESPN vs. Madden (From a Sales/Pre-Order Perspective)

[AgtFox]

I decided to do an informal poll at my local EBs (one in a major mall, one in its own place) to see what sales and pre-sales were like with ESPN and Madden.

I do most of my purchasing at the EB in its own place.  I was #1 on the list for NCAA and ESPN for Xbox.  I had only pre-ordered them a little over a month ago.  With Madden I am at about #30 on Xbox, although the guy promised I'd have it the day (or night) they got it in).

When I went in last Tuesday to pick up my ESPN, the worker was talking to me (he knows me pretty well by now) and he was talking about the headaches (in regards to phone calls and pre-orders) that are coming up.  He said Madden was a yearly headache (while also talking about Halo 2 and some other BIG games coming).  I asked him how many pre-orders they had of ESPN vs. Madden.  He said they had about 30 ESPN pre-orders, most of which were on the PS2.  For Madden they said they had close to 200 pre-orders, also most of which were on PS2 (for reference, he said there were over 100 NCAA pre-orders).  Now this is a small store that gets less traffic than the mall EB does, so I decided to go check out the mall one.

I ask the guy there the same question (who doesn't know me as well, since I rarely shop there).  He said there were about 50 ESPN pre-orders and over 400 Madden pre-orders with NCAA being around the 200 number when it came out (this would explain why I was rarely called when I used to buy exclusively from the mall store).

I'd say unless a lot of people drop their pre-orders (and many of these could be duplicate orders at both places, given they are only 9 miles away from each other) that Madden is going to spank ESPN in sales again and that Sega/Take 2 may not have the imprint they want so badly at the $20 price point.

The Madden Challenge starts here too on August 14th, although it isn't at the mall this time around, it's at the Big Inflatable Toilet.

[Lockdown]

Which goes to prove Devil and I were right again.

Madden still rules the roost where sales are concerned.

I can tell you from asking at my local Gamestop the numbers you describe are pretty much the same here in southern PA.

LD

[gellar]

In order for ESPN to beat Madden in sales, it's simply going to have to be better (by a large margin) in EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY for multiple years.

Seeing as how VC can't quite beat Madden in every category for even one year, I don't think EA has anything to worry about.  It's like Microsoft... no one can go up against it because it has so much momentum.

EA would have to bork up pretty bad the same year ESPN just crushes it out of the park.  I really don't see that happening.

gellar

[denoginizer]

We'll see.  I agree that Madden has a lot of momentum.  But come December we'll see who is ahead.  I think most people will buy both eventually this year.  We'll which one more people keep.

[stiffler]

Whether you love or hate Madden (or ESPN for that matter) I really want to see them both succeed.  We, the gamers, are the ones that benifit with the competition.  If ESPN becomes a non-factor then Madden has no reason to innovate (hello, NHL) and it's just a roster update year after year.  I want to have a choice, regardless of what flag I wave, and I want my game to be the best game it can be.

While Sega would undoubtedly like to take a big bite out of the Madden pie, I just hope they continue to make solid titles that put some pressure on the competition to improve.  If ESPN is able to keep the heat on and Madden is stuck in neutral then the sales will eventually follow.  There is no way EA would allow that to happen so we are hopefully given a better game next year.  The consumer wins.

I like football.  I want the best game.  I don't care if it's made by EA, VC, or Oddworld Inhabitants.  Make the best game and I will buy it.

[Eco-Logic]

I don't want them both to succeed at all.  I think EA has the far inferior game and has no business being #1, Just as I feel AOL has a far inferior ISP and has no business being #1.

[stiffler]

I don't want them both to succeed at all.  I think EA has the far inferior game and has no business being #1, Just as I feel AOL has a far inferior ISP and has no business being #1.

Then why would ESPN have any reason to improve year after year?  It is possible that it would become the same monster Madden has become: Just another roster update on an aging engine.  Why spend more money improving the game when you get the same amount of sales either way?

I say bring on the competition!  Improve and innovate.  Give me your best and I will make my choice.