EA's NFL Exclusive Does Not Include Mobile Games

August 6, 2009

Although EA's exclusive licensing deal with the NFL and NFL Players Association has outraged some gamers and even sparked a class-action lawsuit, it appears that, while negotiating with league, the game publishing giant neglected to wrap up the mobile device rights for NFL games.

By way of example, BitMob points out that Gameloft has released NFL 2010 this month for iPhone/iPod Touch. Screenshots for the $7.99 App Store download clearly show actual NFL team and player names. The game appears to be available for non-Apple phones as well.

It seems quite puzzling that EA would let development rights for any platform slip away, particularly for the popular Apple platforms.

-Doug Buffone, ECA intern

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Comments

Re: EA's NFL Exclusive Does Not Include Mobile Games

Submitted by Azhrarn on Thu, 08/06/2009 - 12:01.

To be honest, I doubt EA's negotiation team could have known that gaming on Mobile phone would take off as much as it has when this deal was negotiated (a number of years ago now, I presume).

They may have tried to secure exclusivity once it became apparent that it would become a popular platform, but by then the NFL may have been in negotiations with other parties for the mobile licenses.

Re: EA's NFL Exclusive Does Not Include Mobile Games

Submitted by jedidethfreak on Thu, 08/06/2009 - 22:19.

Nobody takes iPhone gaming seriously, not even Apple. That's why the iStore is such a clusterfuck.

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Re: EA's NFL Exclusive Does Not Include Mobile Games

Submitted by Azhrarn on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 01:39.

Apple doesn't take anything seriously, which is why they still rely on security-through-obscurity for most of the MacOS side of things.
They mostly want you to pay the Apple-tax and then move along.
Or why they demand people sign an NDA to receive compensation for exploded iPods and so on.

However, while Apple may not take iPhone gaming seriously, a major publisher like EA is bound to do so, there's quite a bit of money to be made.
But I assume they don't re-negotiate their gaming licenses every year, so mobile phone platforms may simply have been left out of the original negotiations. Count on it that EA will have the exclusive license for mobile platforms as soon as their current agreement runs out though.

Re: EA's NFL Exclusive Does Not Include Mobile Games

Submitted by killatia on Thu, 08/06/2009 - 11:16.

To be fair no one gives a damn about cell phone games.

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

Re: EA's NFL Exclusive Does Not Include Mobile Games

Submitted by Skillz817 on Thu, 08/06/2009 - 10:29.

Too bad no one gives 2 shits about a mobile nfl game, just bring the NFL 2K series.

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Shout box

Cecil475: @hellfire7885 - Makes me want to support Nintendo even more.05/24/2013 - 4:49pm

hellfire7885: Man, EA seems to be determined to destroy the Wii U ,and the evidently are so arrogant as to believe not making games for it will do that.05/24/2013 - 4:45pm

DorthLous: Pwahahahha http://www.destructoid.com/wii-u-sales-drastically-spike-after-xbox-one-presentation-254449.phtml#LlG8HEYbQj2krql5.0105/24/2013 - 2:23pm

james_fudge: she gets no credit until she employs some common sense. - 2 credits for her.05/24/2013 - 11:22am

Andrew Eisen: To Stender's credit, she did unmoderate my most recent comment within a day's time. There's even a couple other replies. None from her though.05/24/2013 - 11:18am

james_fudge: apparently gamers are all 14 - 21 years-olds living in basements according to her way of thinking...05/24/2013 - 11:11am

ZippyDSMlee: EZK: 0_o thier video card chipset is at the very least 3 versions behind the top PC video card.......05/24/2013 - 7:38am

MechaTama31: "You just wouldn't understand how my parenting preferences are more important than everybody else's freedoms."05/24/2013 - 7:37am

DorthLous: I love how she plays the "I'm a parent, you're a gamer, you couldn't understand" card... I'm a parent and I find her position despicable...05/23/2013 - 4:16pm

E. Zachary Knight: She didn't address your questions because she doesn't have any answers.05/23/2013 - 3:38pm

Andrew Eisen: I replied to her comment. Maybe in a few weeks I'll get a reply.05/23/2013 - 3:24pm

Thomas Riordan: @Andrew Eisen To what bowling alley does she go that puts sexual images in the faces of 6 year olds?05/23/2013 - 3:17pm

Andrew Eisen: Well, it took a month but Linda Stender finally replied to me... and didn't address a single one of my questions. http://aswlindastender.com/2013/04/23/follow-up-video-games-and-their-effect-on-children/05/23/2013 - 3:13pm

Imautobot: Also, from a tech perspective the PS4 is apparently already winning. http://bgr.com/2013/05/22/xbox-one-vs-playstation-4-specs/05/23/2013 - 3:12pm

Imautobot: Sony's PS4 motto should be "We play games." Microsoft's should be "We play games, when we're not rewinding your tapes."05/23/2013 - 3:11pm

Andrew Eisen: Oh look, Dying Light was just announced For Everything But Wii U. That's 73.05/23/2013 - 2:06pm

james_fudge: Zippy: they said the same thing about Cell. How did that turn out.05/23/2013 - 1:28pm

Andrew Eisen: Need for Speed Rivals is coming out For Everything But Wii U - PS3, 360, PC, PS4 and Xbox One. That brings the grand total up to 72.05/23/2013 - 12:55pm

PHX Corp: http://wiiudaily.com/2013/05/microsoft-is-selling-the-wii-u-better-than-nintendo/ Wii U daily Opinion: Microsoft is selling the Wii U better than Nintendo05/23/2013 - 12:23pm

E. Zachary Knight: Zippy, they very well may be. But that will only last until they are released. At that time, they will be two generations behind.05/23/2013 - 11:14am

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