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Even if EA lost the licenses to MADDEN or FIFA, would the Assets (Animation, Audio, Player stats and Face renders) go with it?

im no sports game fan but I know how big madden and FIFA are to EA.

seem like they could never get the license revoked given the amount of asset they develop for these series.

Who in the gaming industry is even capable to start from scratch if say the assets aren't owned by EA themselves and not by madden or in the case the NFL / FIFA
 
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NewYork214

Member
I highly doubt NFL owns their technology and assets. Assuming EA just pays them a licensing fee and they cover the costs of all development.
 

reksveks

Member
The Fifpro contract I think covers likeness so names would probably need to change if they lost that contract. Stats probably not and not sure about audio really.
 
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Kokoloko85

Member
Who would want Fifa’s crappy animations anyway. I recently played fifa 21 after not playing any since 2012 and its practically the same shitty lazy repetitive animations and commentating.

I really hope someone else gets the license or fifa does what some companies do and give A chance to others.
 
It's high time that someone else got the Madden and FIFA licences as EA have been churning out uninspired iterative sequels to both for years in favour of a focus on the exploitative gambling mechanics that both games have (which thankfully I've avoided completely as online gaming does not appeal to me at all). I would argue the same for 2K and their increasingly awful NBA 2K franchise which has gone the same way too.

Madden, especially, has been awful for years now and while I was happy to see it return to PC, Madden NFL 19 was not a particularly great version and I didn't bother with 20 or 21. FIFA has been better but EA have an annoying habit of adding things one year, removing it the next then remarketing it as a new feature several years later! Overall, both franchises are in a rut but I guess if they are both making money, which they clearly still are, then nothing will change. It's not about making the best version of a game any more for the people who care about these sports, it's about how much money they can make for the shareholders, unfortunately.
 
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It'd still be under EA's possession. The only thing I can see is if the new producer decides to outsource their tech to keep building on what was already there just so it doesn't get all scrapped. Building a football game from zero must be a hell of work, especially the physics model and rigging the animations on the models to match the difference between each player.
 
It'd still be under EA's possession. The only thing I can see is if the new producer decides to outsource their tech to keep building on what was already there just so it doesn't get all scrapped. Building a football game from zero must be a hell of work, especially the physics model and rigging the animations on the models to match the difference between each player.
Yeah true
 

Andodalf

Banned
It would be some years to get a new game made from the ground up.
Honestly I’d rather see a NFL version of like football manager.
 
EA would keep everything, they just couldn’t use NFL players or teams. So you’d have something like All-Pro Football, which had only retired players and no real teams, or like the NCAA games, except without the real teams. So instead of the GB Packers with Aaron Rodgers you’d have the “Wisconsin Cheeseheads” lead by QB#12

Anyone else could put out a football game that runs circles around Madden but without the teams and players, no one would buy it.
 
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AJUMP23

Member
EA would still make a madden game and the NFL would sell them the license. I wish they would lose exclusivity of it though. The NFL license allows them to use the teams and logos and the NFL stadiums. The NFLPA (players Association) is what allows them to use the likeness of the players. That is a deal with the union that gives money to players for the use of their image. That is why Basket ball games in the 90s did not have Jordan, he did not join the Players Union so he could have his own licensing deals. I think the only player in the NFL that could do something similar would be Brady.

But in order to get a complete NFL game you need the NFL license and the NFLPA license. You may also need la license for an individual stadium or two, but I don't know.
 

Pagusas

Elden Member
Keep in mind the player data EA uses aren't owned by the NFL, its owned by the NFLPA. Its a separate contract EA has with the players association (the players Union) to use their names and likeness. Technically one could have an agreement with the NFL and not with the NFLPA, and be able to use team logos/stadiums, but not players real names and likenesses. I know that's a bit off topic, but its always an interesting piece of information from EA's agreement.
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
I highly doubt NFL owns their technology and assets. Assuming EA just pays them a licensing fee and they cover the costs of all development.
no but EA could never use any likeness or animations of those players so basically all those assets would be useless.
 

NewYork214

Member
no but EA could never use any likeness or animations of those players so basically all those assets would be useless.

Likeness, of course not. But not so sure about animations. I mean multiple people can run the same way and have same mannerisms. Doubt they trademark movements. Similiar situation to fortnite and dance moves. Not sure how that ended
 

iamvin22

Industry Verified
Nope that's all ea tech. NFL, only owns the players, stadiums, logos anything else under the their umbrella.
 

pqueue

Member
That product in its entirety would still belong to EA. They would just no longer have the rights to create any new games using the previously licensed assets (player names, real team names, etc).
wrong., the assets, the source code, everything belongs to EA. They do not turn that over to the NFL or another party if the license is revoked.

that does not mean EA can use the likenesses or team logos or other stuff.

But all that belongs to EA.
 
It's probably different with the NFL (I've no idea how the license grants in American sports work) but with FIFA, player likenesses are granted through FIFPRO and individual licensing agreements with clubs and various footballing associations. So I think EA would still be able to use likenesses, stadiums and everything else just not international tournaments such as the World Cup.
 

Tschumi

Member
0.0

This question has broken me.

I can't compute.

What's the point...

What can I add to this...

Err I think the GT7 team outsourced some of their car models to, like, Korea or China or something. Yeah, that's similar...
 
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