Electronic Arts Sports, once the golden standard for sports simulation games, has faced a significant decline in its player base in recent years. Though there might be myriad factors contributing to this, there are three main reasons for the mass exodus: poor updates, the absence of team online play, and an apparent neglect for comprehensive game upgrades. This essay aims to delve deeper into these issues, shedding light on why EA Sports has been drifting away from its esteemed reputation.1. Poor Updates: Every game, especially in the realm of sports simulations, thrives on updates. These updates ensure that the game remains fresh, challenging, and in line with real-world changes. However, EA Sports has increasingly been under fire for its lackluster patches and updates. Instead of enhancing the user experience, many of these updates have introduced more bugs and issues than they've fixed. This is not only frustrating for players but also breaks the trust they have in the developers. When players spend their hard-earned money on a title, they expect a certain level of dedication and service in return. However, with crashes, glitches, and unbalanced gameplay emerging post-update, it becomes challenging to justify further investment in the game or its in-game purchases.2. Absence of Team Online Play: Multiplayer features, especially team online play, have become the backbone of modern gaming. Gamers not only relish the competitive aspect of facing off against others but also enjoy the camaraderie that comes with teaming up with friends. Sadly, EA Sports has not kept pace with this trend. The lack of team online play in many of their titles feels like a glaring omission. It restricts players to solo experiences or one-on-one matchups, diminishing the social aspect of gaming, which is so crucial in today's connected world. The exhilaration of strategizing, communicating, and working in unison with teammates is something EA Sports enthusiasts are sorely missing out on. And in its absence, players naturally migrate to other platforms and titles where this feature is standard.3. Disregard for Comprehensive Game Upgrades: It's one thing to lack certain features, but another entirely to show a seeming indifference to improving the game. Many players have felt that recent EA Sports titles have been mere rehashes of previous editions with minor tweaks, rather than genuine upgrades. The graphics, physics, AI, and core gameplay mechanics have often been criticized for showing little to no improvement. In some cases, players have pointed out that older versions of the game were superior in certain aspects. This stagnation is especially glaring when compared to competitors who are continually pushing boundaries and innovating. Players don't just want the latest roster updates; they want a gaming experience that feels new, challenging, and superior to the previous version.In conclusion, EA Sports is at a crucial juncture. To reclaim its former glory and player base, it is imperative that they address these issues with sincerity and dedication. In an age where players have a plethora of choices and high expectations, companies can no longer afford to rest on their laurels. They must innovate, listen to their audience, and deliver not just what is expected, but go beyond. EA Sports, with its history and resources, is more than capable of achieving this. However, the key will be in acknowledging the current problems and taking decisive action.I guess its time to go back to 2k23.

The problem is that there is no competition in the console marketplace. There are only two games of any consequence vying for this marketshare and one of these games was developed by a small fringe software company out of Canada.If you compare this game to EA's last most complete game they are miles apart in features. But then I would also suggest that their counterpart (2K23) is also trending in the same direction, though they at least offer a more comprehensive package.2K23's character builder which was always lacking has only gotten worse each year. I personally feel "The Golf Club" was in much better hands when it belonged to a company with a stable of one product. Under the 2K umbrella it is just another title that brings money in to a giant conglomerate. And a small title at that compared to it's peers which why it sees very little love. I fear this is also the case at EA.The consumer really doesn't have much of a choice anymore... you can drink light beer with an EA label on it with an alchol content of 4.0% or one with a 2K label at 4.1%.We need another small group of dedicated golf fanatics that are developers to step up and create a new franchise like HB Studio's did. But for them to hold on to the franchise and continue to grow the product instead of selling out to a large entity that is stunting the games growth.

Read a few times the only reason EA started their golf franchise again, it was because PGA2K21 sold almost 3 millions copies. Without the hope of a good return to investment, it wouldn't surprise me they stopped doing the game like they did after EA Rory.

I own all the golf games in The Golf Club series. The first 3 games have a different feel before 2K bought the franchise.I much prefer how the previous games played more... the main improvement as far as game play since 2K2019 (the last true game without 2K's influence), was that they sped up the green speeds. They were always too slow.There are many people who feel 2K2019 is the best game in the series. If the green speeds were faster I might be in that camp.

@7AnimalMother wrote:For me the biggest issue with Sports games (and not just EA, but also 2K, MLB the show, etc) has always been the lazy development cycle. The cycle being:1. Create a game.2. Use that same game base for 5+ years3. Sell that same game for $60 with minor cosmetic and functionality changes, roster updates, and maybe some bug fixes and minor new features. Tack the last 2 digits of year on title.I stopped buying yearly because there was no point in buying the same game every year.I would much rather see a cycle where a game is created, and they charge $10-15 yearly for roster updates and some minor new content changes. And they only make a new version when either they have MAJOR feature or Technology change.I was happy to learn that this particular game IS going to be supported for a longer term, so that's a positive change.Actually I think The Golf Club before being taken over by 2K was always sub $60. It was never promoted as a AAA title. I believe they were smart about how they went about things... they built a user base that was sustainable. They didn't just cater to a mass market that wasn't sustainable.They seem to understand that golf is a niche title, and that the core demographic are golfers looking for a sim type experience.I don't want to say there are not other groups out there looking for a more casual game. But the core group playing in Societies etc... are golfers. They will be playing and supporting the game well after others have moved on to more popular titles.There are groups still playing 2K2019 and 2K21 as their daily driver.I generally agree with your statement however... and would add that they are not only barely moving forward. In many case they are going backwards.If you want to compare the features in EA's 2014 game versus their current release there is a lot to feel short changed about.Or even going back to some of the computer sims further back like Access's Links or even some of the old Jack Nicklaus games.The current crop is lacking when you think that they have had 25 years of technology and historical data to their advantage.

EA was really good in 2018 and before. That year also marked the last year for game face. At that time, they responded and troubleshoot issues on Pre order bonus for SW Battlefront 2 and NHL 18. They were also were responsive of fixing issues with UFC 3 and SW Battlefront 2. The decline started late 2018 with NBA Live 19 where issues were not being addressed. Madden was also starting to become more rehashed and buggy. Post 2019, UFC 4, FIFA and NHL remains the games that I still enjoy from EA. I think EA PGA Tour might share the same fate as NBA Live 19 unless the next iteration becomes more like TW14.

Why EA Sports is Losing its Player Base.... the base they never had

11 Replies

ELF014
2 years ago
The problem is that there is no competition in the console marketplace. There are only two games of any consequence vying for this marketshare and one of these games was developed by a small fringe software company out of Canada.
If you compare this game to EA's last most complete game they are miles apart in features. But then I would also suggest that their counterpart (2K23) is also trending in the same direction, though they at least offer a more comprehensive package.
2K23's character builder which was always lacking has only gotten worse each year.
I personally feel "The Golf Club" was in much better hands when it belonged to a company with a stable of one product. Under the 2K umbrella it is just another title that brings money in to a giant conglomerate. And a small title at that compared to it's peers which why it sees very little love. I fear this is also the case at EA.
The consumer really doesn't have much of a choice anymore... you can drink light beer with an EA label on it with an alchol content of 4.0% or one with a 2K label at 4.1%.
We need another small group of dedicated golf fanatics that are developers to step up and create a new franchise like HB Studio's did. But for them to hold on to the franchise and continue to grow the product instead of selling out to a large entity that is stunting the games growth.
Katybee_1313
Seasoned Ace
2 years ago
Read a few times the only reason EA started their golf franchise again, it was because PGA2K21 sold almost 3 millions copies. Without the hope of a good return to investment, it wouldn't surprise me they stopped doing the game like they did after EA Rory.
PalomaMarvel24
Seasoned Ace
2 years ago
EA was really good in 2018 and before. That year also marked the last year for game face. At that time, they responded and troubleshoot issues on Pre order bonus for SW Battlefront 2 and NHL 18. They were also were responsive of fixing issues with UFC 3 and SW Battlefront 2. The decline started late 2018 with NBA Live 19 where issues were not being addressed. Madden was also starting to become more rehashed and buggy. Post 2019, UFC 4, FIFA and NHL remains the games that I still enjoy from EA. I think EA PGA Tour might share the same fate as NBA Live 19 unless the next iteration becomes more like TW14.
Noya_Wesa
Seasoned Veteran
2 years ago
@Katybee_1313 wrote:
Read a few times the only reason EA started their golf franchise again, it was because PGA2K21 sold almost 3 millions copies. Without the hope of a good return to investment, it wouldn't surprise me they stopped doing the game like they did after EA Rory.
It wouldn't surprise me to find out that is true. They see an opportunity for profit and make a move... The trouble is, they seem to have hired a sub-standard team to make a sub-standard game, that only has pretty graphics as its saving grace. Beauty alone is just not enough though.
If they want a good return on investment, they need to rethink things, and give people a game that can truly compete with 2K.
I've gotten to the point of only playing the dailies on here. There's a part of me hopes that if they see enough people still playing, they will try to make it right. I'm not really holding that much hope overall though, either for improvements or longevity.
PalomaMarvel24
Seasoned Ace
2 years ago
@ELF014 wrote:
The problem is that there is no competition in the console marketplace. There are only two games of any consequence vying for this marketshare and one of these games was developed by a small fringe software company out of Canada.
If you compare this game to EA's last most complete game they are miles apart in features. But then I would also suggest that their counterpart (2K23) is also trending in the same direction, though they at least offer a more comprehensive package.
2K23's character builder which was always lacking has only gotten worse each year.
I personally feel "The Golf Club" was in much better hands when it belonged to a company with a stable of one product. Under the 2K umbrella it is just another title that brings money in to a giant conglomerate. And a small title at that compared to it's peers which why it sees very little love. I fear this is also the case at EA.
The consumer really doesn't have much of a choice anymore... you can drink light beer with an EA label on it with an alchol content of 4.0% or one with a 2K label at 4.1%.
We need another small group of dedicated golf fanatics that are developers to step up and create a new franchise like HB Studio's did. But for them to hold on to the franchise and continue to grow the product instead of selling out to a large entity that is stunting the games growth.
I looked up HB Studios. and the games they made were amazing. HB Studios was responsible for most of EA's games during their heyday. The best versions of NBA Live, Madden, NHL, FIFA, and Tiger Woods PGA Tour were all made by HB Studios. They also coincided with the implementation of gameface since TW, Madden and FIFA all had gameface. With the exception of EA FC (aka FIFA) and NHL, the other games are just a shell of what they used to be. I never had the chance to play the Golf Club, but I liked PGA Tour 2K21. I could not believe the dropoff of games since HB Studios and EA parted ways. Now I understand why the Tiger Woods Series was absolutely amazing; it had an imprint of HB Studios. I remembered watching a 1998 WCW Promo of Scott Steiner taking shots at Mark McGwire: Steiner said,"Mark McGwire just hit 70 home runs with Andro; how many home runs can he hit without Andro?...TWO!" The huge drop off from TW14 to the current PGA Tour reminds me of Scott Steiner's promo.
PalomaMarvel24
Seasoned Ace
2 years ago
@Noya_Wesa wrote:
@Katybee_1313 wrote:
Read a few times the only reason EA started their golf franchise again, it was because PGA2K21 sold almost 3 millions copies. Without the hope of a good return to investment, it wouldn't surprise me they stopped doing the game like they did after EA Rory.
It wouldn't surprise me to find out that is true. They see an opportunity for profit and make a move... The trouble is, they seem to have hired a sub-standard team to make a sub-standard game, that only has pretty graphics as its saving grace. Beauty alone is just not enough though.
If they want a good return on investment, they need to rethink things, and give people a game that can truly compete with 2K.
I've gotten to the point of only playing the dailies on here. There's a part of me hopes that if they see enough people still playing, they will try to make it right. I'm not really holding that much hope overall though, either for improvements or longevity.
To compete with 2K, EA needs another TW14. I like 2K23 and 2K21, but they are still not TW14. If San Diego Studios, the ones who creates MLB the Show, joins in the golf genre, there might be a chance EA and 2K step it up to make an even better product. Back in the early 2000s, football games were made by EA with Madden, 2K with NFL 2K, and 989 Sports with NFL Gameday; the same was also true for NHL. Having a three way competition made the gameplay much better for all companies involved.
ELF014
2 years ago
I own all the golf games in The Golf Club series. The first 3 games have a different feel before 2K bought the franchise.
I much prefer how the previous games played more... the main improvement as far as game play since 2K2019 (the last true game without 2K's influence), was that they sped up the green speeds. They were always too slow.
There are many people who feel 2K2019 is the best game in the series. If the green speeds were faster I might be in that camp.
7AnimalMother
2 years ago
For me the biggest issue with Sports games (and not just EA, but also 2K, MLB the show, etc) has always been the lazy development cycle.
The cycle being:
1. Create a game.
2. Use that same game base for 5+ years
3. Sell that same game for $60 with minor cosmetic and functionality changes, roster updates, and maybe some bug fixes and minor new features. Tack the last 2 digits of year on title.
I stopped buying yearly because there was no point in buying the same game every year.
I would much rather see a cycle where a game is created, and they charge $10-15 yearly for roster updates and some minor new content changes. And they only make a new version when either they have MAJOR feature or Technology change.
I was happy to learn that this particular game IS going to be supported for a longer term, so that's a positive change.
ELF014
2 years ago
@7AnimalMother wrote:
For me the biggest issue with Sports games (and not just EA, but also 2K, MLB the show, etc) has always been the lazy development cycle.
The cycle being:
1. Create a game.
2. Use that same game base for 5+ years
3. Sell that same game for $60 with minor cosmetic and functionality changes, roster updates, and maybe some bug fixes and minor new features. Tack the last 2 digits of year on title.
I stopped buying yearly because there was no point in buying the same game every year.
I would much rather see a cycle where a game is created, and they charge $10-15 yearly for roster updates and some minor new content changes. And they only make a new version when either they have MAJOR feature or Technology change.
I was happy to learn that this particular game IS going to be supported for a longer term, so that's a positive change.
Actually I think The Golf Club before being taken over by 2K was always sub $60. It was never promoted as a AAA title.
I believe they were smart about how they went about things... they built a user base that was sustainable. They didn't just cater to a mass market that wasn't sustainable.
They seem to understand that golf is a niche title, and that the core demographic are golfers looking for a sim type experience.
I don't want to say there are not other groups out there looking for a more casual game. But the core group playing in Societies etc... are golfers. They will be playing and supporting the game well after others have moved on to more popular titles.
There are groups still playing 2K2019 and 2K21 as their daily driver.
I generally agree with your statement however... and would add that they are not only barely moving forward. In many case they are going backwards.
If you want to compare the features in EA's 2014 game versus their current release there is a lot to feel short changed about.
Or even going back to some of the computer sims further back like Access's Links or even some of the old Jack Nicklaus games.
The current crop is lacking when you think that they have had 25 years of technology and historical data to their advantage.
PalomaMarvel24
Seasoned Ace
2 years ago
@ELF014 wrote:
@7AnimalMother wrote:
For me the biggest issue with Sports games (and not just EA, but also 2K, MLB the show, etc) has always been the lazy development cycle.
The cycle being:
1. Create a game.
2. Use that same game base for 5+ years
3. Sell that same game for $60 with minor cosmetic and functionality changes, roster updates, and maybe some bug fixes and minor new features. Tack the last 2 digits of year on title.
I stopped buying yearly because there was no point in buying the same game every year.
I would much rather see a cycle where a game is created, and they charge $10-15 yearly for roster updates and some minor new content changes. And they only make a new version when either they have MAJOR feature or Technology change.
I was happy to learn that this particular game IS going to be supported for a longer term, so that's a positive change.
Actually I think The Golf Club before being taken over by 2K was always sub $60. It was never promoted as a AAA title.
I believe they were smart about how they went about things... they built a user base that was sustainable. They didn't just cater to a mass market that wasn't sustainable.
They seem to understand that golf is a niche title, and that the core demographic are golfers looking for a sim type experience.
I don't want to say there are not other groups out there looking for a more casual game. But the core group playing in Societies etc... are golfers. They will be playing and supporting the game well after others have moved on to more popular titles.
There are groups still playing 2K2019 and 2K21 as their daily driver.
I generally agree with your statement however... and would add that they are not only barely moving forward. In many case they are going backwards.
If you want to compare the features in EA's 2014 game versus their current release there is a lot to feel short changed about.
Or even going back to some of the computer sims further back like Access's Links or even some of the old Jack Nicklaus games.
The current crop is lacking when you think the have 25 years of tech and historic data to their advantage.
WWE 2K, EA UFC and the EA Star Wars games are examples of games that has progressed with time. It is a sad state that current PGA Tour had regressed with time. TW14, released 10 years ago, is more advanced compared to current game. The 2001 Space Odyssey theme played backwards would fit the evolution from TW14 to current game.