Analysts on Madden PS3 vs 360: Fault of Sony or EA?

Sony's PlayStation 3 may be more powerful than the Xbox 360, but you wouldn't know it from playing Madden 08. UBS analyst Ben Schachter thinks this negative perception is a pretty big deal for Sony's console, while Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter believes the issue's been overblown.

Michael Pachter: "The PS3 is a fantastic console, and anyone who has one knows it's awesome. The Xbox 360 is also fantastic, but has no Blu-ray playback, and has been plagued with warranty issues. One would think that stupid analysts would be writing about the 360 warranty issue, and how people will avoid that box until they can be assured that they won't see the 'three red rings of death.' I love my PS3 (and love my 360), and can't wait to watch 300 in 1080p."

[ItsDubC]

Schachter? Pachter?

I don't think EA is lazy but I do think it is their fault. EA has no excuse to make Madden '08 subpar.

[s8anicslayer]

whatever the reason the madness needs to stop, if ea doesn't shape up just stay away from ea products, 2k sports anyone?

[MikeGdaGod]

"One would think that stupid analysts would be writing about the 360 warranty issue, and how people will avoid that box until they can be assured that they won't see the 'three red rings of death."

thats for all those that had something to say about my 'ring of death' story

[MK_Red]

lol: Patcher VS Schachter

Also, Patcher finally shows some love to PS3: "I love my PS3 (and love my 360), and can't wait to watch 300 in 1080p."

[XxZxX]

Peter moore just join EA. Coincidence or not?

[MK_Red]

Good one. But while I believe that Moore may have MS effect on EA, these games have been in works for a long time and thus the blame should be on EA's laziness not Peter Moore's MS support.

[sajj316]

This coupled with a Madden advertisement blitz with nice big old Xbox 360 symbol at the end of it. If its not 2K sports than I hope they bring back NFL GameDay. Build it for the PS3. Blow the subpar Madden out of the water.

I will do everything in my power to stop people from buying this crap.

[SlippyMadFrog]

Why would Peter Moore cripple his own company by purposely making the PS3 games bad??? He does not work for MS anymore, he don't care. All that he cares about now is that EA makes as much money as they can. Please stop thinking like kids and grow up.
What probably happened was that they weighed up the cost of optimizing the PS3 version VS the install base of the PS3 and how much money they can potentialy make. Remember that the games attatch rate is much higher for the 360 than the PS3.
10 million Xbox360 X 4 games per console AGAINST
4 million PS3's X 1 game per console

If you where the boss of EA, what would you have done?

[SWORDF1SH]

he makes a good point. ea is a buisness. and they have to do what they have to do to get maximum profit. ps3 jus aint worth spendin millions more to get it up to standard with the 360. ea have to watch what they are doing thou coz they are startin to p*ss off the customers quickly and that might affect them in the long run. but for the mean time they are doing what they need to do to get as much money as they can.

[Bathyj]

Maybe Peter Moore's spent too much time playing Splinter Cell and he thinks he's a Double Agent for M$.

Seriously, I dont think Peter Moore handicapped the PS3 version. EA just are too reliant on their, make one game to fit all platforms (or squeeze one peg through every shaped hole) philosophy.

I guess they just need more time to realize XB and PS3 are two different platforms and need to be worked on as such. Probably expect the whole EA sports range to be the same this year, but given the flak they're getting I think they might pull their fingers out next year and put the appropriate effort in. Especially if PS3's market share has improved by then, since it would behoove EA to do so.

[cloud360]

I recomend everyone reding this:

go to wikipedia.com and search ea. This company disgust me. a "hostile act" buying 11% of their rival UbIsOFt + more

[SpenserTracy]

Thank you for the tip. EA must be the devil itself.

[caffman]

Wikipedia is the fountain of all knowledge and 100% true all the time

[Xbox 360 Will]

E A = L A Z Y

Now on to a different Topic.

[MK_Red]

True.

They should change their name from EA to EAZY or LA (Lazy Arts).

[[email protected]]

Good one Red. Bubble 4 ya'

[risk]

how about lEAzy :P

[MK_Red]

Thanks [email protected]
Also, good one risk lEAzy.

EA could becomes slEAzy!

[MK_Red]

For once Patcher says a right thing: There are obviously PS3 games that look fantastic (have you played Resistance, Motorstorm, or seen Call of Duty 4?). It's not an issue with the PS3, notwithstanding what EA said."

If PS3 can play Resistance with all multiplayer characters in screen with 60 fps then its not PS3's fault. Also, we have a third party dev like Team Ninja that made NGS for PS3 that run on 1080p @ 60 fps meaning that its not just Sony that can work easily on PS3. So, the problem is all EA's fault IMO.

[Fisher339]

everyone knows EA is just in it for the money.

sadly EA could not change anything, expect the player rosters and Madden would still sell well.

Too bad EA is just in it for the money, Look at BF2, love the game but the Exspansion packs are lame. Just another way to nickel and dime the consumers.

[MK_Red]

Completely agreed. BF2 was simply a masterpiece but the expansions weren't good and BF2142 wasn't as good as previous ones and not enou7gh time and money had gone into making it.
Hope for BF3 they put enough effort and love to make it as great as BF2 and the original.

[Fisher339]

BF2142 felt like it was just a "mod" of BF2.

[sticky doja]

"The Xbox 360 is also fantastic, but has no Blu-ray playback, and has been plagued with warranty issues. One would think that stupid analysts would be writing about the 360 warranty issue, and how people will avoid that box until they can be assured that they won't see the 'three red rings of death.'"

Those "stupid analysts" he speak of have very well documented that issue to my knowledge.

[MK_Red]

If someone's a fanboy, I think its Schachter that says this is the year of Microsoft and 2007 is not worth buying PS3 after GTA4 delay. He is totally ignoring HS, Uncharted, Ratchet, Haze, UT3 and more.

[bee2427]

but he has a point... everyone sweats the 360 and wont give the ps3 a chance, every1 wanted to jump on the ps3 after madden suked wen its the developers that suk... the 360 hardware problem barely hit mass media not many know bout besides gamers who do research, but madden is made a bigger deal and again the ps3 is hated on

[Vip3r]

That EA are to blame. If CoD4, DiRT R&C can all run at high frame rates then why shouldn't EA's PS3 games do?

[Takumi86]

I would say Cell Processor is a new Architecture it will take some time to develop and since Most Developer had more time on 360 Dev kit than PS3 .
its Basic developers had more time on 360 4 years and PS3 1.5 year with a new cell processor it will take some times

[Takumi86]

sorry pardon my grammar and english

[Komrad]

As of now. EA can't deliver on your ps3. But they'll take your money.

[kn]

Pachter or Sphincter? You decide.

[MK_Red]

EA's own Burnout Paradise is being developed by Criterion for both PS3 and 360 but the lead system is PS3 and just look how awesome that game is on PS3. EA so full of BS. It's much easier to make a simple sports game like Madden for both PS3 and 360 than it is to make a complex driving game (Burnout P) or FPS (Call Of Duty 4), both running perfectly on both systems.

[crippler666]

EA are being kinda dumb, if any other companies come along with a better product EA will lose their anual income.

Yes I would accept new technology and accept about release dates as excueses, that is all well and good accept that other software houses are getting the 60fps out of the PS3.

IMO EA are to blame totally and I hope that it comes back to bite them on the a$$. EA used to be about innovation and originality. Something I have not seen from the company in quite a while.

[darkvenom]

how about slEAzy.

[KeMoBLUE]

it's so strange that every other developer can make a game at 60fps but EA ccan't. lazy fools

[Bazookajoe_83]

Ea: This is Madness (When we the angry people pushed them to a cliff)

The angry people: This is Playstation 3 (And we kick there fat ass of the cliff for being greedy bastards)

[boodybandit]

They have been pulling this nonsense on us gamers for years and most of us keep asking if we can have another by purchasing their same rehashed garbage with a roster update year after year. They don't create or innovate, they simply purchase the competition and buy up license agreements so they don't have anyone to compete with them. I was a huge supporter of EA for years but recently I have been avoiding their titles as if they are infected with a contagious disease.

As much as I wanted Madden this year (I own both the 360 & PS3) I passed on it because of them screwing PS3 owners. I seriously hope this mess of a port causes problems for them and they get a ton of negative press over it. The media and consumers can't let them get away with this crap.

I hope we see dozens of articles like this regarding Madden 08 on the PS3.

[skitzoid]

I'm passing on 08 myself.

[Anything but Cute]

When they have studies that show stats like only 30% of XBOX 360 owners know about it's high definition capabilities, and less than half of PS3 owners know it plays Blu ray, it shows that the public isn't as educated about all this as you might think.

It's hard for me to believe that everyone will be aware of this or even care. Maybe a lot of gamers and kids read USA today. But it's not like the PS3 version is broken or is unplayable. Total average reviews at Gamerankings.com are XBOX 360 version 88% and PS3 version 85%. I think it's all overblown and a few people are holding their breast about it, but Madden 08 is already becoming yesterdays news. I'm sure people will still pick up copies throught the year but the big hype is done. It's a franchise that releases a new game every year after all.

I think PS3 not having Bioshock is bigger than Madden 08 averaging 3 points higher on XBOX 360.

[fjtorres]

What are you doing here? ;-)

[fjtorres]

1- Madden is an annual franchise tied to the NFL season; it *has* to ship in august no matter what

2- For Madden to ship in august it had to go gold in july (around E3 in fact) which is before Moore joined EA. So much for that theory, okay?

3- A good game takes about two years to build, often three. Two years ago, MS was manufacturing the first 360's, delivering final development kits to EA for Madden 06, and Sony had just announced that because "the HDMI spec was not finalized" the PS3 would not ship in 05.

4- EA says they simply have more experience with 360 (3.5 years) than PS3 (1 year). They're being polite guys; it is not good inter-company politics to air dirty laundry in the press, especially in response to fanboy criticism. Anybody see Sony attacking EA? They know what else EA can say; "Microsoft gave us the tools we needed to deliver 60fps on time and Sony delivered tools to good enough for 30fps." Its not the hardware, its the *company* behind the hardware.

This isn't GTA IV that could be slipped to April so they could get whatever is wrong right; Madden had to ship or the same folks whining about 30fps would be whining about the delays.

Damned if you and damned if you don't.

EA may be a sleazy outfit (or not) but its not their fault Sony didn't give them better tools to work with. Madden had to ship at 30 or not ship at all.

Sounds to me, the issue here isn't that EA did anything wrong to PS3 buyers; Microsoft just did something right for *their* customers.

EA didn't ship less content or less features on PS3; they aren't shipping exclusive DLC for 360 that PS3 isn't getting. Its the exact same product. They just were able to squeeze a bit more performance out of the more polished, more mature tools the 360 has. Maybe if the thing didn't have to ship til nov they could have gotten it to 60fps on PS3. Maybe a spring update might fix it.

But, here's *my* question:

"If Madden was worth buying when it ran at 30fps on PS3 in 06 and 07, why is 30fps suddenly substandard for the 08 edition?"

Because the kid down the block has a version that looks prettier?

Grow. Up. Whiners...

[pilotpistolpete]

I think s its kind of both their faults. EA has 20 platforms to build this game and they *hafta* do it every year. With new technology, it takes a time to master it. The first 360 games were bad, but now they are able to do decently. The Cell is completely different so it's normal that it takes time to get it right.

However, I do feel cheated by having a lesser version. Especially since its not exactly a great feat. Its not like the 360 version was running at 120fps. 60fps for a game with not that much going on should be pretty easy. If they really couldn't get it done right in time, they could of always delayed. But that would cost them money and we all kow how big corporations like their money.

[mcgrawgamer]

It's in the game....20 years ago LOL. NO blame can be put on Sony what would have them do tell EA they can't release the game on their console and upset football fans??? That's the problem a lot of guys playing madden are football fans. And not football fans/ gamers like myself or Maddens_Raiders. Guys like us buy to play football and have a good game experience. Diehard football fans buy the game just for the love of football. Sony was really stuck between a rock and a hard place. and to fjtorres last year the versions were almost identical. but for one to be 30fps and 60fps on this version is a huge slap in the face to any console maker. If the tables were turned 360 fans would be crapping bricks. I for one can't blame the sony fans. It's only right; u pay for a product and u want quality. Bottom line..

[ASSASSYN 36o]

Quit crying move on to a new game. Where was all these whining articles when it was announced before launch madden was running at 30fps on the ps3.

[nobizlikesnowbiz]

300 in 1080p FTW!!!!!!!111

[power of Green]

It makes you wonder what? that these games coming out from a number of different companies developed these game in just a couple of months becuase of Peter Moore?.

Its like game stats for cars and charector's, ther might be a car or charactor that max's out on one ability(PS3) but another with high amounts of abilties across the board that makes this car of charactor more powerful with better all around performance(360).

[supnub5]

i wish it would return, so ps3 owners, wouldn't need no madden.

[Xbox is the BEST]

Sony!

[rakkasan]

Pachter-'three red rings of death'-Does this guy have any idea what he's talking about?

[Yosking]

looks a little fishy check it out below lol

[pshizle]

i think it is mostly EA fault for being lazy but i think that Microsoft made a deal with EA to have them have the better Madden...

but you can say its sonys fault because it to hard to develop for but... i dont think thats the case

Microsoft just made a deal with EA and MS paid the the extra $

[gnothe1]

just like the deal sony made with EA on the 07 madden to have gang tackling exclusive to the PS3 version. thats something that should be in all football games but.... sony made the deal to make it exclusive to the PS3. so I think its only fair that MS may have decided to make 60fps exclusive to the 360. now were even!!

[razer]

"One would think that stupid analysts would be writing about the 360 warranty issue, and how people will avoid that box until they can be assured that they won't see the 'three red rings of death."

Uhhhh, earth to stupid - they have been beating the hell out of this in the press from the NYT to the Today show.. Give me a freakin break! MS is fixing the problem and time is passing naturally it is fading.. something I wish analysts would do.

[Wii60_FTW]

PS3 is NOT more powerful than the 360. Just look at the games. Exactly.

[P1MPDADDY]

That the PS3 and 360 will be on par with one another when it comes to graphical capabilities. In fact so far the 360 seems to deliver better graphics and smoother framerates, especially in multiplatform games. PS3 fanboys just admit that you got sucked in with Ken Kutaragi's 4D hype. Didnt he call the 360 the Xbox 1.5 Didnt he promise games 120fps 1080P 4D games????? Didnt he promise us 2 supercomputers in a row with the PS2 and PS3. I mean I am still waiting for the PS2 to deliver the CGI-quality Toy Story graphics he said the PS2 could deliver...

Ok so the 360 has a hardware design issue. I havent experienced the Red Rings of Death, and if I do I have a 3 year warranty that covers this issue. Last time I checked the PS3 only had a 1 year warranty.

Get over it if you want the better version of Madden 2008 go buy it for the 360. If you dont have a 360, your bad for swearing allegiance to a corporation that could care less about you. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo just want our money. Stop being blind Sony Sausage Smuggling Sheep. I plan to get a PS3 some time next year once it is available in the US for $399.00 or less. Till then whoever has purchased a PS3 just paid for Sony's Blue-Ray initiative.

For $600.00 did any PS3 owner get a superior "VIDEOGAME" experience than the $400.00 360????? Dont even say Blue-Ray, wifi, card readers, Linux, web browser, curing cancer, etc... I am just talking about videogames. Because the obvious answer is no. You waited on the fence for a year, paid more money for the same graphics, and get inferior versions of games, and an inferior online gaming service, not to mention you lost force feedback in your controllers too. Yet you swear allegiance to Sony anyways?????

How did Sony reward your loyalty????? By delaying the launch of the PS3, overpricing thier console, having a shortage of consoles at launch, making you wait for thier 1st party games, creating an online gaming service that is way behind the competiton, shipping an unfinished product (firmware updates anyone???), removing force feedback, and firing the creator of Playstation. All for what????? So your could watch Blue-Ray movies on a new 1080P HDTV which you probably purchased from Sony too.

Its all about the money folks. Toss around words like RROD, 4D, Blue-Ray, Cell, XBOX Live, etc..... At the end of the day these companies just want your money!!!!!

[caffman]

Bubbles to you sir. And it's worse in the UK as Live is $70 and the PS3 costs $850!!

[Wii60_FTW]

PIMP DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! u just blew my mind, as usual. did u get banned from 1up too? goddamn i hate that place.

[Maddens Raiders]

-- "Its all about the money folks. Toss around words like RROD, 4D, Blue-Ray, Cell, XBOX Live, etc..... At the end of the day these companies just want your money!!!!!" --

Exactly you pompous ass. Think w/ your head instead of your pecker you lugubrious dolt. It's about the fvcking money. Yes, THE MONEY. If EA admits to the fact that they haven't had the SDK's long enough [which they have as you have seen in my posts] and SNE concurs, then how in the hell can EA charge the same amount of money for a console that was clearly optimized for the XBox 360? Answer: They can't.

You can't make a product and admit that you didn't make the best version of that product through no fault of anyone else's but your own [EA], tell the world a lie that "30fps is the best way to run it on the PS3" (BULLSHIT!!), and then turn around and sell the damn thing for the same amount as it's superior 360 counterpart. Am I getting through here? Does this make sense so far?

All of you saying that Peter Moore wouldn't cripple his own company like #3.4 think about what you're saying. He doesn't have to do anything except claim plausible deniability and turn the other cheek while SNE suffers from this embarrassment, improving his short ordered gains, while hedging for the future by assuring us that "EA will get it right next year". "Now go buy the games and continue to make me rich clones HAHAHAHAHA". ~~No way. Not me~~
Moore has it great because he can make these decisions and never pay amorality penalty. You know why? Because even w/ the SEC watching him or EA, all he has to say is that I didn't move any money or complete trades or cancel transactions. You know why? Because his money is in th right plavces already and all he has to do to tip influence for his fortune is say nothing! The stocks that are expected to go up will, next year he will hype the PS3 version and do the same thing with both. This is an old clever game called playing the house against the middle, and guess what? EA is the freakin' HOUSE. It's like a drug company profiting off of the PROMISE of improvement or condition -- ====>>>> SAME Business model here at work.<<<<=====

Do you not think that Peter Moore is sitting on huge stores of EA and MS stock as we speak? And do you not think that he knows this MADDEN crap will sell to the American masses no matter what because we're addicted to FOOTBALL????

CONNECT THE DOTS PEOPLE AND QUIT BEING SO GALDAMMED STUPID.

Look, I'm really not trying to be an a$$hole here - I'm really not, but there are just too many self-serving, immature, little circle-jerking kids on this site saying way too many invalidated and non-sensical things. There is something larger at play here and anyone can see that something just isn't *right witht this picture. Period.

^^^^ Listen to what you're saying little one, before approaching the keyboard. You're attempt at sounding logical by trying to tear down the PS3 with all of your propaganda bullshyt is telling of your narcissistic avatar. And tell you're boyfriend to stop smiling at you. It's freaking me out.

[Sovannah Phum]

ding ding ding!!!! we have a winning post! congrats!