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Increase player base!!!

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We're likely a few months out from another NHL game. At this point anyone who wanted the game has likely bought it. If EA wants to increase their player base going forward I think they should just make this game free on the PS store. They won't lose much money doing this and I think a LOT of people would probably download it if it was free. If even 1% of those people enjoyed the game enough to buy the next game they would likely be making out really well.. just a thought..

I don't think rocket league would have ever made it big if it wasn't free for a month, I'm sure there are plenty of other games in the same boat.

Replies

  • We're likely a few months out from another NHL game. At this point anyone who wanted the game has likely bought it. If EA wants to increase their player base going forward I think they should just make this game free on the PS store. They won't lose much money doing this and I think a LOT of people would probably download it if it was free. If even 1% of those people enjoyed the game enough to buy the next game they would likely be making out really well.. just a thought..

    I don't think rocket league would have ever made it big if it wasn't free for a month, I'm sure there are plenty of other games in the same boat.

    It honestly is a great idea. Why? Because it was good enough to get me to buy the NBA series and now I get it annually.

    These ideas work if your game is good.
  • Not a bad idea at all. Remember when 19 was free for a month? Populations boomed and I'm sure some have stuck around that may not have normally played it.

    As you pointed out we are so late into the year anyways. Would also be a nice gesture.

  • TR4N23
    31 posts Member
    Lol. Player base is decreasing each year because the same things that make this game horrible have only gotten worse each year. Make the game better and the player base will slowly increase. Simple. Of course EA won't do it because all they care about is increase in quarterly earnings to please their shareholders and not about long-term viability of the game to consumers.
  • jrago73
    748 posts Member
    People who don't already play this game are not "fans" of the series and maybe not hockey fans either. So once they get their free dl and play the game they won't have the same tolerance we do for the games frustrations, the lame tactics players use to win or the trolls who frolic freely around the rink. No point in making the game free until you make it better first, because that fresh blood isn't going to hang around.
  • Im gonna try out NBA2k20 tonight, free ps4 game this month. See what happen, they say, 'white men cant jump', huh.
  • You crack me up @Sega82mega . The funny days of Woody Harrelson lol
  • Hehe, he sure knew how to act..

    unfortunately I ran into loads of loading, I didnt managed to put up with.. So im saving my jumpin' for another day! ;)
  • nyi95
    180 posts Member
    Pigskin,he's turning into an offline player, what do you expect? Lol.
  • VeNOM2099
    3178 posts Member
    Sega82mega wrote: »
    Im gonna try out NBA2k20 tonight, free ps4 game this month. See what happen, they say, 'white men cant jump', huh.

    I had a TON of fun with NBA 2K20. I got through my 1st season, all 82 games, 12 minute quarters, full sim. I don't think I've ever completed a full season in any sports game, since NHL 2K8.

    The presentation, the gameplay, even the cheesy storyline. It all comes together wonderfuly to keep you pushing forward. My only gripe is that the progression of your MyPlayer is a tad too fast you go from a prospect with talent to Super Star Michael Jordan within half a season, which is NOT realistic at all. I would've like to see your player progression take at least 2, maybe 3 seasons to fully complete. But I guess because they tied your player with the online competitive portion of the game, people would've complained if they couldn't make their players into 99 Ovr within a week or so. :/

    Still it's a blast. And it'll give you a very good idea of what a sports game CAN be. Imagine if EA's NHL was 50% what NBA 2K is.
  • Sega82mega
    4308 posts Member
    nyi95 wrote: »
    Pigskin,he's turning into an offline player, what do you expect? Lol.

    Easy tiger.. Still doing my online thing.. But I feel abit lost for the moment, stuck in the middle.. A little bit of homeland, little bit of online/offline nhl, and som ballin'... Holding on untill next week, NHL21 update... *iih*

    :blush:
  • Sega82mega
    4308 posts Member
    VeNOM2099 wrote: »
    Sega82mega wrote: »
    Im gonna try out NBA2k20 tonight, free ps4 game this month. See what happen, they say, 'white men cant jump', huh.

    I had a TON of fun with NBA 2K20. I got through my 1st season, all 82 games, 12 minute quarters, full sim. I don't think I've ever completed a full season in any sports game, since NHL 2K8.

    The presentation, the gameplay, even the cheesy storyline. It all comes together wonderfuly to keep you pushing forward. My only gripe is that the progression of your MyPlayer is a tad too fast you go from a prospect with talent to Super Star Michael Jordan within half a season, which is NOT realistic at all. I would've like to see your player progression take at least 2, maybe 3 seasons to fully complete. But I guess because they tied your player with the online competitive portion of the game, people would've complained if they couldn't make their players into 99 Ovr within a week or so. :/

    Still it's a blast. And it'll give you a very good idea of what a sports game CAN be. Imagine if EA's NHL was 50% what NBA 2K is.

    Thanks for the good word about the game, I will mos-def check it out, although I will miss the blank ice. :)
  • 2k was ahead of it's time with both Presentation and it's franchise modes. When you play 2k games you feel the energy like you would at a real game. EA is always great with Graphics (Visualization) hands down, but 2K gave you the true to life Atmosphere and realism of a professional sport.
  • VeNOM2099
    3178 posts Member
    Sega82mega wrote: »
    VeNOM2099 wrote: »
    Sega82mega wrote: »
    Im gonna try out NBA2k20 tonight, free ps4 game this month. See what happen, they say, 'white men cant jump', huh.

    I had a TON of fun with NBA 2K20. I got through my 1st season, all 82 games, 12 minute quarters, full sim. I don't think I've ever completed a full season in any sports game, since NHL 2K8.

    The presentation, the gameplay, even the cheesy storyline. It all comes together wonderfuly to keep you pushing forward. My only gripe is that the progression of your MyPlayer is a tad too fast you go from a prospect with talent to Super Star Michael Jordan within half a season, which is NOT realistic at all. I would've like to see your player progression take at least 2, maybe 3 seasons to fully complete. But I guess because they tied your player with the online competitive portion of the game, people would've complained if they couldn't make their players into 99 Ovr within a week or so. :/

    Still it's a blast. And it'll give you a very good idea of what a sports game CAN be. Imagine if EA's NHL was 50% what NBA 2K is.

    Thanks for the good word about the game, I will mos-def check it out, although I will miss the blank ice. :)

    Trust me, you will forget all about the ice when you see the courts and the crowd at different venues! When you feel the goose bumps as the fans start shouting "MVP! MVP! MVP!" at you when your career starts to fly. When you conduct your first Press, Radio or TV Interview after a game.

    There's just so much to do and see in NBA 2K20. And it's all interconnected within the game's main career mode.
  • Sega82mega
    4308 posts Member
    Hehe got goose bumps just by reading that.. Im a sport nerd, but lately I have problems to enjoy any sport unless its hockey, but NBA is cool, got some attitude!
  • Another way to increase the player base would be to implement cross-play going forward.
  • Yeah, I pretty much agree with everything written here.

    Crossplay is most important on less popular games like this. It can take 4-5 min to find a game sometimes. Then you also have to worry about trolls or people who sit in lobbies until 10 seconds are left and back out.. no clue why they do this when there are 6 on both sides..

    2k is FAR ahead of any EA game, especially this game. I doubt NHL will be where 2k is now in 20-30 years.

    I think this game can still get a tiny following by making it free, I didn't know 19 was free. I still think CPU boosted abilities push people away from the game way too much. Trolls obviously hurt worse than them, or people who hide behind their net. The player base in this game is DYING though. Something needs to be done..
  • IceLion68
    1624 posts Member
    This is why crossplay is becoming critical. With the games declining popularity coupled with SO many game modes, the community is shrinking and fracturing.

    I get the feeling it may be coming, I just hope it comes in time to save the franchise from completely tanking.
    Dad. Gamer. Rocker. Geek.
  • VeNOM2099
    3178 posts Member
    edited July 2020
    IceLion68 wrote: »
    This is why crossplay is becoming critical. With the games declining popularity coupled with SO many game modes, the community is shrinking and fracturing.

    I get the feeling it may be coming, I just hope it comes in time to save the franchise from completely tanking.

    Much to everyone's chagrin, I don't think EA will ever make their games cross-play. They're too much like Nintendo who believe THEY know better what gamers want than the gamers themselves. Remember when Nintendo said that gamers don't want online connected games? It wasn't until the Switch that they truly embraced the concept that Microsoft and Sony had embraced 2 generations ago (3 generations ago in the case of Microsoft).

    They need to see a loss in revenue in order to change, and sadly FIFA and Madden make hella money for them. Even NHL which I don't think necessarily LOSES them money, just doesn't make them as much as the other games.

    I'd like to be proven wrong or surprised though.
  • EA_Blueberry
    4836 posts EA Community Manager
    We're likely a few months out from another NHL game. At this point anyone who wanted the game has likely bought it. If EA wants to increase their player base going forward I think they should just make this game free on the PS store. They won't lose much money doing this and I think a LOT of people would probably download it if it was free. If even 1% of those people enjoyed the game enough to buy the next game they would likely be making out really well.. just a thought..

    I don't think rocket league would have ever made it big if it wasn't free for a month, I'm sure there are plenty of other games in the same boat.

    @rsandersr47

    No word on a free offering of NHL 20, however the game is currently in The Vault for EA Access. Prices will vary depending on regions, but it's about $4.99 a month and $29.99 a year for a full library of games. I know it's not free, but for anyone interested in NHL 20 they could always sign up for a one month membership to see if they like it and play a ton of other games while they're at it. With games being over $60 each now, there's a ton of value there. There's other perks that come with EA Access too, but throwing this out there in case you have some buddies you want to get on the ice.

    Your thoughts are out of great intentions though and we love it! We all want the EA NHL community to continue getting bigger though. If we find out any news on promotions like a free copy we'll let you know though. The Community Manager was giving away free copies over Twitter a while back.
  • IceLion68
    1624 posts Member
    edited July 2020
    VeNOM2099 wrote: »
    IceLion68 wrote: »
    This is why crossplay is becoming critical. With the games declining popularity coupled with SO many game modes, the community is shrinking and fracturing.

    I get the feeling it may be coming, I just hope it comes in time to save the franchise from completely tanking.

    Much to everyone's chagrin, I don't think EA will ever make their games cross-play. They're too much like Nintendo who believe THEY know better what gamers want than the gamers themselves. Remember when Nintendo said that gamers don't want online connected games? It wasn't until the Switch that they truly embraced the concept that Microsoft and Sony had embraced 2 generations ago (3 generations ago in the case of Microsoft).

    They need to see a loss in revenue in order to change, and sadly FIFA and Madden make hella money for them. Even NHL which I don't think necessarily LOSES them money, just doesn't make them as much as the other games.

    I'd like to be proven wrong or surprised though.

    I watched the recent EA event in hopes I would hear some NHL news. I was disappointed on that front BUT crossplay seemed to be a HUGE undercurrent to the news that EA shared in the vent. I think it's coming. Maybe not this year for NHL, but I think it's coming.

    Need for Speed Heat gained crossplatform play on June 9th

    At EA Play they announced:
    - Rocket Arena crossplay for July 14th
    - EA Play Apex Legends is going crossplay (with Nintendo Switch as well) this fall
    - Star Wars Squadrons will be crossplay

    Rumors have also been swirling about cross-platform treatment for The Sims

    This is definitely a direction EA is heading
    Dad. Gamer. Rocker. Geek.
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