A couple months ago news broke that the NFL and 2k sports agreed to a deal with the NFL allowing it to make video games again.
Immediately, we all though NFL 2k FINALLY BYKE! Turned out that wasn’t the case — the deal was only for “non-simulation” football experiences, which meant NFL 2k wasn’t an option.
Still, though, some of us held out hope that after some time that could change. But after today? Yeah, chances are slim. We’re not getting an NFL 2k game — at least until 2025, anyway.
During the NFL’s owners meetings, the league agreed to extend their exclusive licensing deal with EA Sports through the 2025 season, according to a report from Albert Breer.
Per source, NFL owners just voted to approve an extension of their deal with Electronic Arts. This one will run through the 2025 season (and through 2026 if revenue markers are hit).
So when it comes to that kind of game, it'll be Madden for a while.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 28, 2020
We’re stuck with Madden. For five more years. At least. This is what we’re getting.
That’s a whole FIVE MINUTES of gaffes and glitches in the middle of Madden gameplay. A simulation game should never be this glitchy. The Madden community has been pestering EA about fixing it for years now, but no dice.
And why would they fix it? They have absolutely no reason to.
They have no competition to worry about. There’s no reasonable place that gamers looking to play a football game could go outside of Madden. There’s no alternative.
That’s where a 2k Sports game would come in. It’d be another option for gamers to go to when they aren’t getting what they want from Madden. But that can’t happen, though, because of the NFL’s exclusive licensing deal with EA Sports.
Now, sure, an NFL arcade-style game could be pretty cool. Maybe we’d get something like the old NFL BLITZ series again. And maybe that’ll hold us over for a bit.
But there’s nothing like being able to control your favorite football team or your favorite football players and build dynasties around them in franchise mode. There’s nothing like simulating a playoff experience or replaying old events that actually happened in the NFL. An arcade style game would be fun, but it’s not the same.
Monopolies generally suck anywhere — that includes gaming. Mediocrity arises because fewer options are available. That’s what’s going on with Madden right now. The game is extremely flawed and there’s nothing pushing it to be better.
And, from the look of it, we have five more years of more of the same. The only way to stop it is for people to stop playing the game until it gets better and, uh, that isn’t going to happen.
So buckle in, folks. Five more years.