The good news is that, in 2013, we’ll still be playing Duke Nukem Forever. From Kotaku: Roger Goodell’s NFL: “we don’t care about quality, we just care about money.”
[video=youtube;pa9--U4E5n0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa9--U4E5n0[/video] As I mourn EA holding the NFL hostage, I reflect on one of the best NFL games I have played. The original 2k. Still the best announcing team, the best presentation, the best music of any NFL game I played. RIP 2k NFL, RIP Sega Dreamcast.
So 2 more years of not buying an NFL game. Oh well, I'll keep playing Backbreaker to get my footbal fix. Madden hasn't been good in a decade... EA knows they cant compete on level playing field so they do the only thing they can, exclusivity.
Its actually the other way around isnt it? It's the NFL that wanted the exclusive license deal, EA just happened to pony up the most cash... but I guess maybe thats where you're going with it... Initially though, I believe it was the NFL's idea.
You are correct, it was the NFL which approached the companies about an exclusivity agreement, and EA ponied up the most.
Oh well, I'm getting old so the memory is going (at least that's what I tell my wife). Anyway, give me good gameplay and good AI over pretty graphics anyday.