Why doesn’t EA promote the PS2/Xbox versions?

It isn’t confined to Madden, but it seems as if the older gen versions of sports games aren’t getting any attention pre-release. This is especially curious since they actually are sell more copies than the new gen versions do.

EA finally released some details on the current gen news via blog. Why is it that it seems the PS2/Xbox versions go practically ignored?

Money has to be a factor, in how they use their marketing budget. You could split it, or you could concentrate on one version. If you concentrate on one, it is going to be the one that makes you look the best. Clearly that is the 360/PS3. Yet it doesn’t take money to release videos and news that could even be done simply on their own website. That seems to be what EA is headed towards with their producer blogs.

In a way I wonder if it is looked at like the 360/PS3 marketing does the job for the PS2 and Xbox. People see the videos, hear the promotions, and they don’t notice (or care) that it isn’t directly coming from the one they are going to purchase. They don’t want to take attention away from the new gen games that they want to push by putting out videos that don’t look as hot. The new gen is where they can build for the future.

In many cases, especially with Madden, the past gen crowd is taken for granted. They’re going to buy the game regardless. There may not be the sense of urgency and knowing that within a couple years those consoles will be completely dead they move on to what they can plan on growing.

Are the people who seek out game news online considered to only be the hardcore? The early adaptors? I can’t see how that would be. There has to be a mix of casual fans out there or those who don’t wish to or can’t afford to move to the new gen systems. There has to be Madden fans out there who are looking forward to the PS2 version. Right?

It isn’t just EA though that is going this route. Looking back on MLB 2K7 prior to release, absolutely nothing could be found regarding the past gen versions of the game. Only videos and news on the 360 version was put out.

With 2K’s The Bigs, you can find news and videos for the 360/PS3 versions. Good luck finding anything out or seeing anything from the Wii (don’t understand why that is), PS2, or PSP.

It is interesting to see how the media is spread out for these games. It doesn’t make complete sense to me why the past gen versions or even the Wii are being ignored by these companies.