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[FightyF]

Of course you can see how this is relevant.

Unlike the football games, which were pretty much tied as far as quality goes, the NHL games have all been lopsided victories for SEGA during the last 4 years. For the last 3 years, the reviews have been nearly unanimous in favour of SEGA's games.

Lopsided as far as reviews go...but as far as sales go SEGA had a hard time the first 2 years, and last year's version was almost tied in sales with EA's game...but how about this year's?

EA has been shaking in their boots because of SEGA's games...they've tried some major changes (bought out Black Box...and then half the team of Black Box quit to make another company). They also tried revamping their animation and control engine this year...only to fire the producer a few days after the game was released (and met with bad reviews).

So with EA's back to the wall, in what used to be their most premeire franchise...could a buyout of the NHL license be far behind?

It is after all, the only way EA can compete with SEGA.

 

[Gregory]

I don`t have the numbers but I believe Sega`s sold better than EA`s this year actually. By quite a margin also.

 

[DMczaf]

I don`t have the numbers but I believe Sega`s sold better than EA`s this year actually. By quite a margin also.

:lol

Good one.

 

[Gregory]

:lol

Good one.

Well, the last time I saw salesnumbers NHL2005 was around 60K and ESPN 2K5 over 100K. Hopefully somebody can find recent numbers.

 

[DMczaf]

Well, the last time I saw salesnumbers NHL2005 was around 60K and ESPN 2K5 over 100K. Hopefully somebody can find recent numbers.

Oops! I thought I saw NFL. Nevermind, I don't get involved in hockey talk! NINJA VANISH!

 

[FightyF]

Wow...I had a feeling that SEGA was ahead, but not that far ahead.

Well I found some numbers on the net as far as EA's game goes, and the date for that stat was Nov 18 of this year. I'll post it later today.

 

[BlackClouds]

NHL Hockey:

PS2 NHL 2005 63,125
XBX NHL 2005 26,293
GCN NHL 2005 12,471
vs
PS2 ESPN NHL 2K5 160,410
XBX ESPN NHL 2K5 *120,454 (138,454 max)

I had a feeling this would happen. Actually the numbers for ESPN are competive all around with ESPN outselling EA on xbox in every game.

 

[Donkeypuncher]

But the funny thing is I have many friends that still think EA's hockey games are the best thing since me. Somehow they still think they're living in 1994.

 

[DopeyFish]

NHL 98 was the best Hockey game EA ever put out. NHL 99 and on... well it went too hard on comedy and lack of simulation.

I consider in most ways the NHL 2K series to be an enhancement of the NHL 98 engine

 

[tuco11]

NHL 94 SNES best hockey game ever. Screw the genesis version.

 

[bishoptl]

NHL 98 was the best Hockey game EA ever put out.

Thank you!

 

[Alex Anderson]

Damn straight!

Are you afraid? OF THE MASKED. MAN?

 

[Ramirez]

Hockey games are all about luck anyways,I don't know shit about Hockey,yet I was 9-1 in the G-A season,c'mon

 

[FightyF]

98 was by far EA's best game. The older Genny ones were great fun no doubt, but 98's gameplay was far ahead and made the Genny games look real basic.

But I really think that during that time Powerplay 96 was the hockey king. I even talked to Radical about it a couple of years ago...funny how it didn't do that well in sales...and could have became some great competition for EA (sales wise).

Thank you very much for the numbers Blackclouds!

Hockey games are all about luck anyways,I don't know shit about Hockey,yet I was 9-1 in the G-A season,c'mon

Keyword: G-A season

 

[Mike Works]

Pfft, fuck that, NHL 94 for life.

Super Mario Sunshine's mechanics are ahead of Super Mario Brothers 3.

What's your point.

Wait... wait...........

It doesn't matter what your point is. Because it's NULL

 

[ManaByte]

Apparently, on the Xbox, ESPN NFL outsold Madden as well.

 

[FightyF]

Pfft, fuck that, NHL 94 for life.

Super Mario Sunshine's mechanics are ahead of Super Mario Brothers 3.

What's your point.

Wait... wait...........

It doesn't matter what your point is. Because it's NULL

You can claim that 94 was more fun...and I can't really disagree there. I don't agree either

We're not saying which is more fun, but which was EA's best effort. Compared to '97 on the PS, '98 was a 3D hockey game done right, and went beyond any of their previous titles (I think the commentating was the kicker for me).

Anyways, I didn't know that about NFL 2K5...It'll be the excuse I need to pop on NFL 2K5 on the Xbox on big screen at our BB

Now considering this situation...if EA does buy out the NHL and NHLPA rights...it will benefit them a lot (as long as they don't pay a lot for it) since they are getting destroyed in both ratings and sales. I have a bad feeling about this...

 

[DopeyFish]

MONSTER SAVE in NHL 97 was 30x as bad as the checking... hit with the elbow PBP that's plaguing the 2K series

 

[Mainline]

I own both of the games, and I still prefer the EA game, what now? One thing that drives me insane about the ESPN game is the ammount of names they get wrong on the play by play, I can't think of one off the top of my head, its pretty late, but they have atleast 1 or 2 wrong names per team, small problem, but really annoying. The EA play-by-play is slightly better IMO.

 

[FightyF]

There are a lot of names that are pronounced wrong. But if you compare the two, EA's commentating is near non-existent.

How can you swallow the atrocious EA controls and gameplay? *shrugs shoulders*

 

[AstroLad]

God damn I put so much time into the original- "The Feisty Fish Have Won the Cup!"

Heavenly.

 

[Shinobi]

NHL 94 SNES best hockey game ever. Screw the genesis version.

:lol :lol :lol

BTW, EA International Hockey >>>>>>>>> NHL '94. FACT.

BTW, I'm floored by those sales numbers...isn't like ESPN NHL is even being advertised up here, while NHL for XBox Live TV ads were in heavy rotation for a month and a half. Not that Canada's population is huge or anything, but still...

 

[Miguel]

DMczaf:
-------------------------
"Oops! I thought I saw NFL. Nevermind, I don't get involved in hockey talk! NINJA VANISH!"

-------------------------

:lol:lol:lol:lol:lol:lol

I'm sorry I have nothing to contribute....but :lol.

 

[Andokuky]

Of course you can see how this is relevant.

Unlike the football games, which were pretty much tied as far as quality goes, the NHL games have all been lopsided victories for SEGA during the last 4 years. For the last 3 years, the reviews have been nearly unanimous in favour of SEGA's games.

Lopsided as far as reviews go...but as far as sales go SEGA had a hard time the first 2 years, and last year's version was almost tied in sales with EA's game...but how about this year's?

EA has been shaking in their boots because of SEGA's games...they've tried some major changes (bought out Black Box...and then half the team of Black Box quit to make another company). They also tried revamping their animation and control engine this year...only to fire the producer a few days after the game was released (and met with bad reviews).

So with EA's back to the wall, in what used to be their most premeire franchise...could a buyout of the NHL license be far behind?

It is after all, the only way EA can compete with SEGA.

The two football franchises have not been tied in terms of quality. If you factor in reviews then sales should be factored in as well and Madden always dominates that area. Hockey is another story, I always preferred Sega's hockey but this year both games were complete trash.

Also, what does buying out BlackBox have to do with Sega? BB made NHL2k, which was universally panned as a below average piece of crap with great graphics. Black Box went on the develop some of Midway's NHL Hitz games and then EA bought them out. I fail to see the Sega connection.

I hope Sony's Gretzky franchise gets off to a good start this year because it is probably the best hockey game available this season.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

man i hope EA does nto get the NHL license that would just kill videogame hockey for me.

 

[Project Midway]

best hockey game (atleast when feeling nostalgic) = Wayne Gretzky Ice Hockey on Amiga.

 

[shpankey]

NHL 97 on the PC (or was it 98 - not sure) kicked all kinda ass. It had the best fighting ever, man that shit was fucking hilarious and fun. There was a lot of skill involved in the fighting... in fact we thought it was one of the best and most fun fighting experiences ever. It was very simple and basic, but there was an insane amount of timing involved which took a great deal of skill.

My friends and I still lament about it today.

P.S. :lol at DM's ninja vanish! :lol

P.P.S. I think NHL 94 was amazing as well. Same concept of being simple but having a ton of timing and therefore skill involved.

Another one of my favorite Hockey games though was one of the Sony hockey games on the Playstation 1. I think it might have been NHL FaceOff '97, or it was one of those. Not sure if it was 97 or some other year. Great game.

My favorite ever would probably be extremely hard to pick between EA's NHL 94, and some of the later Genesis years 95 (<-- was awesome, surprised nobody listed 95) 97, 98, 99 and then the one on the PC (97 or 98 not sure).

Of course the new Sega NHL 2k's are starting to approach some of those classics and are getting up there for me too.

Lastly, Electronic Arts greatest year ever was 95. All the 95 sports games kicked ass. Followed by 94 then 2000 then 2004.

 

[Project Midway]

How about EA's NHL 96 on PC? God damn, I had a brand new PC and couldnt play it with full details. What a stinker. "NOW IN 3D!!!!!"

And gameplay was even worse.