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View Full Version : NFL 2K5 for 19.99??? Read more and its no joke!


brykasch
06-10-2004, 04:10 AM
gamespot.com-

ESPN NFL 2005 title change definite, price drop unconfirmed


Visual Concepts confirms its footballer's new handle is ESPN NFL 2K5, but questions remain about online vendors' $19.95 price point for the game.

Sports gamers browsing EBGames.com today for ESPN's latest football title were probably a little confused. The formerly $49.99 ESPN NFL 2005 was nowhere to be found. In its place was a new game, ESPN NFL 2K5, with a new price--just $19.95. The game was being sold at the same budget price on GameStop.com, albeit under its old title.






Visual Concepts' other 2005 games--ESPN NBA 2005, ESPN NHL 2005, and ESPN College Hoops 2005--retained its previously announced "2005" titles and $49.99 prices on both sites. However, GameSpot confirmed with representatives of Sega-owned Visual Concepts, developer of the games, that all the franchises were reverting back to the old-school "2K" title scheme. From 2000 until 2003, Visual Concepts' NFL and NBA games had used the "2K" title designation (NBA 2K, NBA 2K1, NBA 2K2, NBA 2K3). When the games were brought under the ESPN brand in mid-2003, years were dropped from the 2004 titles altogether.

Visual Concepts spokespeople were less forthcoming about the apparent price cut of ESPN NFL 2K5. "We have not announced anything regarding the price, but we will have big announcements regarding the game soon," said one rep. VC reps did not confirm whether the price drop was related to the recent deal between Sega and Take-Two Interactive to distribute ESPN Videogames titles.


1up.com-

ESPN NFL 2K5 Budget Priced?
By David Smith
6/9/2004

When multiple online retail chains updated their pre-order solicitations for Sega's ESPN NFL 2K5 today, a few surprises were on offer. The one was an earlier-than-expected release date -- instead of sometime in the fall as originally expected, the latest pro football simulation from Visual Concepts will be arriving in late August. The other was a lower-than-expected price point of $19.99.
The release date is accurate. Visual Concepts representatives confirmed a late August release when they demoed the game on PS2 and Xbox to the enthusiast press earlier this week. However, the price point is a bit more questionable.

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As reported earlier this week, the ESPN Videogames lineup will be co-published and distributed by Take-Two Interactive under its Global Star publishing imprint. Global Star is Take-Two's mass-market label, and usually sells its games for less than the common $39.99-$49.99 price point.

However, in NFL 2K5's case, the price may simply be an error on Take-Two's part. When contacted for comment, Visual Concepts representatives stated that they had not heard of any plans to sell the game at a budget price point, and that to the best of their knowledge, the solicitations are in error.

An official statement clarifying the issue won't be forthcoming until Visual Concepts settles the issue with Take-Two, though, so we'll update with more details as the story develops.


Both eb and gs have this for pre-order at this price. I will get this for sure (was always a sega sports guy) and will tell everyone about this.
Duncan
06-10-2004, 05:28 AM
Good to know, since the 2K games were always preferable in my opinion. I'll certainly be getting this one for the Xbox.

Only thing I worry about, though, is that it doesn't exactly inspire confidence in many buyers' minds when a game debuts at $19.99. Most people will ask, "So what's the regular price on that?" :roll:

Then they'll get their $60 copy of Madden 2005 Collector's Edition ( LOL ) and be on their way.
geelw
06-10-2004, 07:47 AM
well, colin mcrae rally 04 absolutely smokes rallisport challenge 2 in every aspect except the LIVE content, and that title debuted at $20 as well. it could well be that take 2 knows madden's anniversary game will sell like air on the moon and just wants to not get stuck with millions of unsold 2k5s, so they just decided to release it a super-competitive price point this year.

the people who KNOW the 2k game will buy it no matter what the price because they know what to expect from it. anyone else who suddenly becomes a skeptic and picks up madden just because it costs more ("so, it's better because that means they spent more money on it, right?") will get what they pay for as well when they're spending more time with the old 16-bit games that with the new version... LOL
Cmosfm
06-10-2004, 11:08 AM
I'm no sports fan by any means, but why pay 19.99 or 49.99 when you can get it next year for about 3 bucks?
Syxx573
06-10-2004, 11:25 AM
Does someone really need to explain that? :(
goatdan
06-10-2004, 11:47 AM
Is ESPN NFL 2K5 worth getting? I loved the NFL series on my Dreamcast, but I never really felt the need to upgrade. I have been interested by some of the features that were added to both Madden and the NFL 2K series before, but I never figured it would be worth $50.00 to get.

Is it worth $20 to upgrade from Dreamcast NFL 2K2 to Xbox NFL 2K5? I do not have Xbox Live and do not plan on getting it so that does not factor into my decision at all.

I guess the other question would be is it worth it to not upgrade to one of those but instead upgrade to an older title like Madden 2003 or NFL 2K3 for about $5.0o instead?

Thanks!
digitalpress
06-10-2004, 12:03 PM
Is ESPN NFL 2K5 worth getting? I loved the NFL series on my Dreamcast, but I never really felt the need to upgrade. I have been interested by some of the features that were added to both Madden and the NFL 2K series before, but I never figured it would be worth $50.00 to get.

It's hard to say yet since the game isn't getting released until later this summer, but NFL 2k4 was fantastic, and a nice change of pace from the Madden series. If you didn't have 2k4 then 2k5 would be a great $20 game.
goatdan
06-10-2004, 01:15 PM
It's hard to say yet since the game isn't getting released until later this summer, but NFL 2k4 was fantastic, and a nice change of pace from the Madden series. If you didn't have 2k4 then 2k5 would be a great $20 game.

Well, yeah I know that :)

I guess what I meant was is there enough differences between 2K2 and even 2K4 to warrant a purchase? If so, I think that I will be getting 2K5. If not, I probably don't need a football game anyway ;)
digitalpress
06-10-2004, 01:29 PM
In that case, my answer is a resounding YES, because 2k4 was the first under the ESPN license and had lots of innovations (first-person perspective options, slow-motion "realtime" play, the entertaining "cribs" mode, etc) that made it feel like a new football experience. I would presume that 2k5 will have all of those things and more.
SoulBlazer
06-10-2004, 02:27 PM
Plus having Chris Berman use all his trademark nicknames and sounds was classic! LOL

ESPN NFL 2004 was VERY good, almost as good as Madden 2004. I bought both games and played the hell out of both of them. I can only imagine what 2005 will look and play like -- I have both games (as well as NCAA Football 2005) on pre-order for my XBox.
goatdan
06-10-2004, 02:42 PM
From what has been said, and from a few previews that I read, I think I will plan on picking this up if it is in fact $19.99.

How does the GameStop / EB policy work? If I reserve it today for that price, will I be guaranteed to get it at that price? If the price changes, will I be able to easily cancel?

Thanks!
Nature Boy
06-10-2004, 04:04 PM
You know, I read this and I thought "brilliant!" What a great way to sell more copies and take market share away from EA. And then I thought maybe it's not so brilliant after all. You don't want people thinking it's a "budget" title, as we all know what sort of quality comes with a budget title.

If they market it well, though, things could be interesting!
ManekiNeko
06-10-2004, 06:18 PM
I'm confused. Are the ESPN Sports games being released by Take-Two/Rockstar or Sega? And what ever happened to Sega Sports?

JR
brykasch
06-11-2004, 02:08 PM
Well there is no Sega, well not like they used to be (damn sammy) anyways, Take 2 is distributing the game, and they want market share pure and simple. Anyone who spends more money on a game because the rationale is a expensive game must be better should be shot
classicb
06-11-2004, 02:31 PM
before the price came out on this game the impressions on it from review
sites were that it could be the greatest sports game to date. now it's only
going to cost $20!! There are dozens of new features in this game that are
making it look much much better than Madden.
norkusa
06-11-2004, 03:14 PM
You know, I read this and I thought "brilliant!" What a great way to sell more copies and take market share away from EA. And then I thought maybe it's not so brilliant after all. You don't want people thinking it's a "budget" title, as we all know what sort of quality comes with a budget title.

If they market it well, though, things could be interesting!

You gotta give the Madden/ESPN players more credit than that. Just about everyone knows how good the ESPN games are. I think when most people see the $20 price tag, they'll realize what Sega is trying to do and not think twice about picking it up.

Personally, I think that there are more cheap ass gamers out there than Madden fanboys. My prediction...ESPN outsells Madden 2:1 this year.
zmweasel
06-11-2004, 04:04 PM
Personally, I think that there are more cheap ass gamers out there than Madden fanboys. My prediction...ESPN outsells Madden 2:1 this year.

How about a wager? I'll bet you (or anyone else) $1,000 that ESPN will NOT outsell Madden by a 2:1 margin, using NPD/TRST data of both PS2 and Xbox sales as the "judge," and counting all sales from the release of Madden '05 or ESPN NFL 2K5 (on either platform) to the release of Madden '06 or ESPN NFL 2K6 (on either platform).

-- Z.
SoulBlazer
06-11-2004, 04:21 PM
The simple fact that EA is the only one who still makes their football game for the PC and the GBA as well as the three major consoles should PROMISE that Madden still outsells Sega/ESPN. :)
Nature Boy
06-11-2004, 05:07 PM
Anyone who spends more money on a game because the rationale is a expensive game must be better should be shot

That's not how marketing works. It's perceived value. Maybe it doesn't hold as much weight in the video game world, but it's there.

And I agree with zmw - there's no way ESPN outsells Madden 2:1. There's no way Madden still isn't #1 if you ask me.
zmweasel
06-11-2004, 06:25 PM
The simple fact that EA is the only one who still makes their football game for the PC and the GBA as well as the three major consoles should PROMISE that Madden still outsells Sega/ESPN. :)

My $1K wager only takes into account the sales data for the PS2 and Xbox, the two platforms on which both Madden 2005 and ESPN NFL 2K5 will be released.

Anyone who's willing to accept this wager should IM or email me right away, so we can finalize a contract and arrange for a third party (agreeable to both bettors) to hold the $2K in escrow.

I'm also willing to make the far simpler bet that Madden '05 will outsell NFL 2K5 on PS2/Xbox, using the terms described above. Anyone?

-- Z.
SoulBlazer
06-11-2004, 09:56 PM
Whoa, there's no GC version of Madden 2005? O_O

Or do you just mean by comparing the systems for which both games are going to be released?

Yeah, I think you're right -- it won't be as big as two to one, but I'd wager Madden still leads in football sales.

I'm still buying both. :D
zmweasel
06-11-2004, 10:25 PM
Or do you just mean by comparing the systems for which both games are going to be released?

Comparing the sales on the two systems (PS2 and Xbox) for which both Madden '05 and NFL 2K5 are to be released.

Are you clarifying the terms before placing the wager? :) I'm also willing to discuss an amount above $1K.

Madden is the only sports franchise that racks up ANY sales on the 'Cube, so it's worth EA's time and money to port it.

-- Z.