ESPN Videogames to be published by Take-Two

[Vyse]

Today, Take-Two Interactive, the house that Grand Theft Auto built, announced that they will publish and distribute the ESPN Videogames lineup from Sega and Visual Concepts. Under the terms, Take-Two will distribute the titles, starting with ESPN NFL 2005, across North America and Europe via its Jack of All Games subsidiary and Take-Two Europe respectively. The company will co-publish the titles through its budget-minded Global Star Software, while Visual Concepts will handle the marketing aspects. The agreement also includes an option for Take-Two to "further extend its participation in SEGA's sports game business" throughout all future consoles; interpret at your own risk.
Source: 1up.com (http://www.1up.com/article2/0,2053,1608705,00.asp)

[Proto DUDE]

"Budget-minded"? Does that mean that the game will be cheaper than Madden? If so, that's great, because I like the 2K games better than Madden.

[Nin-Nin69]

Thank you buying out my favorite sports league, Take Two.

Now you'll drag the reputation of the EPSN/SEGA Sports engine down even further. It wasn't bad enough that EA Sports was overated. Now they'll make consumers believe it's a bargin game that had less time and thought put into it. That and it fuel's the employee's at EBX/Game Stop to push EA Sports games even further since their personal take is that "cheap releases 90% = crap".

[AF$]

Thank you buying out my favorite sports league, Take Two.

Now you'll drag the reputation of the EPSN/SEGA Sports engine down even further. It wasn't bad enough that EA Sports was overated. Now they'll make consumers believe it's a bargin game that had less time and thought put into it. That and it fuel's the employee's at EBX/Game Stop to push EA Sports games even further since their personal take is that "cheap releases 90% = crap".
You have to be kidding me. This is in no way a bad thing. The reason EA games are pushed so hard at those stores is because EA has a ton of money to throw behind advertising. You want to see EA go down so bad, then you should be supporting this move. Realistically, this is the only chance anyone has of cutting into EA's market, especially in football. And how anyone could complain about a drastic price drop, especially this far, is beyond me. This could be the new trend. Oh, and since the price drop/buyout was announced, EBGames.com has had the ESPN football games featured on the front page of their site, how is that "pushing EA Sports games even further"?

[Nin-Nin69]

Well lets not forget the fact that about 85% of the people that work at popular gaming retailers like EB are huge sports fanatics and love EA Sports games. They may be told to push ESPN, but they'd try to recomend EA games instead.

Think I'm telling you this from a non experienced 11 year old level? I do this for a living at a privatly owned gaming retail store and know all the ups and downs about the local yahoos that work in all of the surrounding gaming retailers. Not to insult you or anything, just trying to help prove my theroy.

I don't hate the fact that they're being sold at a lower price completly. It's a real bargin for the greatest sports titles of all time. The facts are that:

1) Take Two has had more misses than hits with titles under their belt. This is indeed a true hit, but adding the sports label under their name might not be as attrative as EA or Activision. Not to mention the "OMG GTA" reputation they have gained.

2) The country is full of hardcore EA Sports fanatics. Trying to win them over on the price change alone won't be easy. Marketing besides the front page advertizement will have to out match EA.

3) Most importantly, Madden is the #1 selling sports title in the US. Trying to outmatch that with ESPN football will be hard with EA's funding.

I have a strong feeling that they will sell a bunch of copies for each game. Problem is that they have to reach the word of mouth for consumers and win them over.

[Vyse]

While Nin will hate Take-Two for "destroying" the reputation of ESPN Videogames, I have to applaud and give props to the company for going with this. Here's why:

1.) This will help Take-Two's bottom line. Investors and stock anaylsts have critizied the company for being solely dependant on the GTA franchise for their success and demanded the company to diversify. It's the reason why they bought out TDK Mediactive and probably the true reason why they have entered this deal with Sega.
2.) Take-Two knows talent when they see it. DMA/Rockstar North. Remedy. Angel Studios/Rockstar San Diego. The developers behind the GBA Max Payne. All are talented developers and all, except for Remedy, are owned by Take-Two. If Sega does indeed sell off Visual Concepts, Take-Two will be an ideal place for them to settle down.
3.) This is for Nin: Visual Concepts will handle the marketing aspects of the ESPN franchise, like they did last year.
4.) With the game being co-published by GlobalStar, they could hype BOTH the strong critical praises ESPN recieves game-by-game and the price ($19.95, or even $29.95 IMO). It could be "the best bang for the buck" idea consumers might go for.

Am I saying that ESPN will beat out EA in sales? Not in a long, long, loooooonnnnnggg time. All I am saying is that this is not as bad as Nin is declaring.

[Skiptastic]

This is just the opposite step of what I wanted to see happen to the Visual Concepts crew. They NEED to get bought out by a console manufacturer so that they can focus on only ONE version of a game. By having to spread out their people onto two versions, they waste valuable resources, and could be using those resources to create a better version on one platform.

Now, I'm sure we all know which console manufacturer I want to buy them out, but it is only because Microsoft is going to need a sports franchise when the next Xbox comes out. That is why I am worried when it says that Take Two has the option to further its role in Sega Sports games in future consoles. Microsoft should have bought VC out once EA said it wouldn't make games on Xbox Live (even though they have now rescinded and joined the rest of the world). They could have had the VC people making special features for Xbox Live that could persuade some people to leave the Madden crowd and move to ESPN on Live games. But now, they probably have to play games with Take Two, when they could have just done away with their current sports developers (which they have done anyway) and had the best sports developer on their side.

But as we see with many things in my video game life, my brilliant ideas are completely ignored. I gotta get a job within the industry and shake things up. But those smug bastards would probably just ignore me and go on screwing everything up. Sigh.

[Vyse]

Straight from the horse's mouth at Visual Concepts: ESPN NFL 2K5 will be $19.95. Even bigger news: it will come out on August 10, the same day Madden 2005 comes out.
Source: IGN (http://sports.ign.com/articles/525/525529p1.html)

[Frank Castle]

Looks like I'm skipping Madden this year. I'd like to see ESPN NHL for $20 as well.