Where We Talk About a Football Video Game Without the Word "Madden" in the Title

by Christopher Gates on May 2, 2010 9:56 PM CDT in Non-Football

Backbreaker might be the most beautiful football game you'll ever play on a console. . .but is it doomed by its inability to get an NFL license because of EA's monopoly? (Backbreaker screenshot comes via IGN)

I've been a little scarce this weekend for a couple of reasons. The first is that I had a ton of stuff to do for the college class I'm currently taking that I've neglected a great deal over this past week. Reading to do, papers to write, all that sort of fun and excitement.

The other reason. . .and, I'll admit, the primary one. . .is that yours truly picked up a PlayStation 3 this weekend, and I'll be darned if there's any chance of actually putting the darn thing down. If anyone out there is on the PlayStation Network, you can find me out there under the handle DailyNorseman. And speaking of football video games. . .

That screenshot at the top of the article there is from a game called Backbreaker. It is set to be released for the PlayStation 3 and the XBox 360 on 1 June. And that's not some fancy CGI trailer or something that's solely being used for advertising and stuff like that. . .that's an actual gameplay screenshot. Here's a video if you'd like to see more.

So, as you can see, the game itself is amazingly gorgeous. The other part of its appeal is that its being built around what's known as the Euphoria Engine, which is the physics engine behind games such as Grant Theft Auto IV. The folks at Natural Motion, the company behind Backbreaker, claim that that means that there is no "canned" animation for things such as tackles, pass receptions, or anything else you might imagine seeing on a football field. So, in theory, the players will react in much the same way that they will on an actual football field. . .and, as anyone that's played Madden for any number of years knows, that doesn't always happen in that particular universe.

This means that there will officially be a new kid in town when it comes to football video games in the next month or so here. But no matter how gorgeous this particular game looks, it has one thing working against it that it may or may not be able to overcome. The NFL license for football video games has been exclusively the domain of Electronic Arts since 2004 (a deal that was recently extended until 2012). Therefore, neither Backbreaker nor any other football video game that comes down the pike can make use of the names of the NFL teams, nor the names or likenesses or any of the NFL players.

Now, Backbreaker does come with the ability to edit any of the teams and/or players that a player would wish. . .and with the online community for games like this being what it is, I'm guessing that there would be a National Football League modification for Backbreaker within days of its release. But some people might not want to go through the trouble, menial and minimal as it might be, in order to make that happen.

I, personally, really hope that Backbreaker succeeds. Yeah, Madden is cool and it's nice that they update the rosters every year and all that, but for the most part, Madden has been really stagnant for a really long time, and hasn't really been terribly innovative since. . .not surprisingly. . .the folks at 2K Sports were no longer able to make NFL games anymore due to EA's exclusivity agreement with the league. If Backbreaker can be successful, it can either a) serve to be the kick in the tail that EA needs to make Madden something more than just an annual roster update, or b) get the NFL to drop their exclusivity agreement with EA and allow more than one company to make NFL video games again.

What say you folks out there? Would the NFL license be enough for you to either purchase or not purchase a football game for your home video game system of choice? Discuss it down below, and join the rest of your Sunday evening, ladies and gentlemen!

Poll

Would the lack of an NFL license prevent you from purchasing Backbreaker or any other non-Madden football video game?

No, if the game looks good enough and plays well enough, the NFL license isn't an issue. Football is football.

325 votes

Yes, I would not purchase a game for my favorite video game system without the NFL license attached.

231 votes

556 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I hope the game succeeds and actually rivals Madden. Either Madden will have to step it up to knock Backbreaker out of the market or we will have the option to pick between 2 great football games. Not having the NFL license is a major downer for me though, but I’m way superficial like that haha

by StuckInCA on May 2, 2010 9:59 PM CDT reply actions

Yeah, lack of NFL teams/players really takes away a lot for me at least

the exclusive license runs until 2013, and hopefully another brand will get a license and (hopefully) give EA a run for their money

"Baseball is the only major sport that appears backward in a mirror" ~George Carlin

by thewild_viking_twins on May 2, 2010 10:24 PM CDT up reply actions

FYI

Natural Motion were the creators of the Euphoria Engine, so this should be the best use of it to date. Sadly, I heard they might be canning the ability to spread custom team’s online

Big Cat Country, The #1 Jaguars blog on the net

by Jonathan Loesche on May 2, 2010 10:21 PM CDT reply actions

No custom teams?

Why in the world would they do that? That’s there key to successfully competing with Madden.

by Jayrome007 on May 3, 2010 12:22 AM CDT up reply actions

If it’s sales are based on a NFL mod then it can get a big fat cease and desist order from EA and/or the NFL

Big Cat Country, The #1 Jaguars blog on the net

by Jonathan Loesche on May 3, 2010 5:49 AM CDT up reply actions

Eh, I'm a Madden guy

But my game playing days are on the wane. Didn’t even buy it last year.

So I used to go by MilCardFan, but I was able to change my screen name. Because I'm kind of a big deal. People know me. Yeah.

by Ted Glover on May 2, 2010 10:24 PM CDT reply actions

Madden 10 was the biggest upgrade in last 3-4 years.

I didn’t buy 09 because of my, at the time, distain for Brett Favre. Lol.

McCourty will do. If the Packers don't take him first... they would.

by VikesPma on May 2, 2010 11:00 PM CDT up reply actions

This game looks decent.

I voted No. But Madden kicks ass, so I’ll definitely be looking forward to Madden 11.

by dsludo on May 2, 2010 10:57 PM CDT reply actions

Does anyone else remember Front Page Sports Football?

It had the same problem (no NFLPA participation) but offered 2 things: authentic virtual reality and the ability to throw all players into a common pool and redraft. Madden actually bought the rights to that idea from FPS. FPS eventually had NFLPA rights also, but it died due to some bad Windows 95/98 issues.

I will buy Backbreaker if it’s available for PS2. Madden has not offered much more than new rosters on recent PS2 versions lately, and I’m sick of that.

by KC Viking on May 2, 2010 11:34 PM CDT reply actions

Yes!

And Front Page Sports: Football was awesome. Their baseball game was pretty damn good, too. . .I was in a league based on FPS: Baseball up until a few years ago, even. . .amazing since the last edition of the game came out in 1998.

But I really wish that the FPS series. . .and Sierra On-Line in general. . .hadn’t gone completely into the toilet. The last incarnation of the football series was such a joke that they recalled all the copies that were out there, and that was a damn shameful way for that series to go out.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on May 3, 2010 12:01 AM CDT up reply actions

The ’98 baseball was much better than the football game that year. I remember playing FPS baseball with my brother and some mutual friends, too. We were all laughing out loud that guys like Raffy Palmeiro were hitting 65+ HRs/yr in different ballparks. And then the rest of 1998 actually happened.

It’s too bad that the maker of my favorite games years ago (FPS and Ultima) was truly SOL.

by KC Viking on May 3, 2010 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Head Coach

I’d really like to see either EA or one of its competitors get that Head Coach game right. The last version of it was much improved but still a bit lacking in areas. It had phenomenal offseason simulation (including the best draft and free agency to date) but the games themselves were nearly impossible to control effectively.

by Jayrome007 on May 3, 2010 12:25 AM CDT reply actions

That's pretty much what Madden is:

It’s a football sim that u can play a little hands on. Every year they add a few new tackling animations and a new career mode or franchise mode update.

by midnightwonder on May 3, 2010 6:50 PM CDT up reply actions

I actually like not having the NFL license sometimes

After experiencing a real NFL season in all its glory, I find myself disappointed in NFL-based games when it doesn’t simulate close to what it did in real life. For example, in my latest play through of Madden 09 the Bucs made the Superbowl and I was pissed because of how inaccurate that possibility actually was. Same goes for the nearly inconceivable scenario that happened in that season where Tom Brady threw 22 interceptions. I find myself upset when my simulated season doesn’t play out the “way it should”.

And that’s why having fictional leagues can be such a blessing. Rather than worry about making sure Brady throws his requisite TDs or making sure the Packers don’t sign Chris Johnson in free agency (ya, it happened), I can just focus on enjoying the game of football.

by Jayrome007 on May 3, 2010 12:31 AM CDT reply actions

+1

I think the Madden franchise experience almost becomes more interesting when no current NFL players are left for all of the reasons you mentioned plus the fact that it becomes more like how a real owner/GM views his players. Some of them live up to their ratings/scouting reports while others don’t. Is that because of the player(s) or the schemes or the coaches? It’s easier to allow a seemingly lesser player to win starting roles in the preseason when the higher rated veteran is not someone you know to be among the best in the game (or maybe that is really simulating off-field issues or something), too.

by KC Viking on May 3, 2010 12:14 PM CDT up reply actions

Competition is healthy...

The Madden hardcore would do well to buy this game, regardless of whether they even end-up playing it much. A genuinely competitive market would encourage EA to allocate more resources into Madden production and there would be cross-pollination of ideas between the titles. I’d put money on the fact that right now there are a few guys at EA looking VERY closely at the physics modelling concept…

by Curvespace on May 3, 2010 3:51 AM CDT reply actions

That's the unfortunate side-effect to not having the NFL license

While the game looks awesome, I’m not sure if I’d be willing to buy it because I’m an NFL-only kind of football guy. I don’t bother too much watching college or high school fotball unless I’m extremely bored.

If they DO come out with being able to make the teams NFL teams, then I’d be more inclined to buy it. But since I can already smell a lawsuit waiting to happen, I don’t think I will.

by Frost on May 3, 2010 8:44 AM CDT reply actions

All Pro Football

It was a travesty when EA bought out the NFL license. Not only was NFL 2k5 a far superior game to Madden 05, but it was only 20$ and outsold it. Not having the license did not stop me from getting both All Pro Football 2k8 and Blitz: The League. I thought All Pro had fantastic gameplay and was still better than Madden. I played it all the time and I still play it. The NFL license definitely helps, but at the end of the day gameplay makes the game.

by brooksbollinger9 on May 3, 2010 10:06 AM CDT reply actions

Frustrating

I stopped buying the new Madden games the year that All Pro Football came out and never looked back. The Madden series has been garbage since they moved over to this generation of consoles (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii). If you want to play a really good sports game go out and by EA’s NHL 10’. WARNING: After playing this game you will want to smash your head into a wall in frustration because EA can get a hockey game so right, and a football game so wrong. Also, the NHL series is like crack because the gameplay is phenominal and the GM mode is fantastic. Players develop. Free agency works. The draft works. Player ratings actually make a difference in the game. After developing a couple guys in your minor league team for two seasons and watching them turn into all stars at the NHL level you will never go back to Madden.

by MinnesotaRage on May 3, 2010 11:52 AM CDT up reply actions

To bad I know nothing of the sport the of hockey. Otherwise I'd probably try it.

by Jayrome007 on May 3, 2010 11:17 PM CDT up reply actions

+ 2K

the game play was waaaayyy better even when they did the “legends”. I hated when EA bought the NFL license and their doing the same thing for for NCAA football. I’m glad they still stink so bad at basketball and 2K is much better.

by midnightwonder on May 3, 2010 6:40 PM CDT up reply actions

welcome to cyberball

with 6 periods and exploding ball, i put enough quarters into those machines to be able to buy one . they made a home version and it was bad. but the arcade game was awesome, and guess what no nfl to it . so if its a good football game it will get played.

by skol viking on May 3, 2010 12:53 PM CDT reply actions

And u could play head-to-head

I loved that game.

by midnightwonder on May 3, 2010 6:34 PM CDT up reply actions

This looks SO

stupid! How can you say it looks “gorgeous” when the players bodies aren’t even realistic. this is a dumb idea and will fall flat on its face.

by skiumah06 on May 3, 2010 3:14 PM CDT reply actions

Well, gee, I don't know

Maybe after looking at the garbage that Madden has put out for so many years, just about anything looks good.

I really, truly do hope this game plays as great as it looks.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on May 3, 2010 7:16 PM CDT up reply actions

The players' bodies

in Madden are at least realistic. The players in this game just look ridiculous. And yes, without an NFL license it is laughable.

by skiumah06 on May 4, 2010 1:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Its laughable without the NFL license.. definitely won’t compete with the Madden franchise.

"If at first you don't succeed - Skydiving isn't for you"

by Zoxide on May 3, 2010 4:26 PM CDT reply actions

Yeah Madden has gotten a little stale with the lack of competition. I remember the days when there would be TONS of changes every year to keep the other guys from catching up. What really gets me mad is what they have done with Madden on the Wii! Its TERRIBLE. I bought it to update my first release version (2007 I think) last year and I hate it. I mean its still kind of fun but they brought in the family play aspect and ruined the game in my book.

I wish they would come out with a quality game for the Wii…I just don’t have the cash for a PS3 or 360 right now. sigh

Anyway, it looks pretty cool but honestly, I just don’t know if I would buy a game without the real NFL players. The only reason I buy madden is for the Franchise feature. I love taking over a crappy team and building them up or taking over my Packers and doing what I would do (which usually involves fleecing the Vikes in a few trades! haha) Anyway, I think this will fail, but I hope it doesn’t I hope the NFL and Madden will get out of bed and allow us to have some real progress and put a better product on the shelves!

by TrevorR on May 9, 2010 8:59 PM CDT reply actions