EA Has Apparently Settled on the 10 Name

It looks like despite the backlash against naming each title 10 this year the EA Sports lineup will carry that name. Now that the promotion of the titles have begun (the Tiger Woods video and a media event being held today) they won’t be changing it. So Tiger Woods 10, NBA Live 10, NCAA Football 10, NCAA Basketball 10, NHL 10, Madden 10, FIFA 10, and Nascar 10 are on the way.

It is still baffling to me why the decision was made. No one likes the sound of it, this isn’t the 10th iteration of any of these titles, and consumers identify this year’s crop with 2010. Google hits are 5X higher for the game titles using 2010 compared to 10. Various retailers still have the games listed as being named 2010. In the poll I had up on the site that had over 6000 unique votes there was 92% of respondents who basically said they wanted anything BUT 10. In many places where discussion on these games is taking place it ends up off-track as people react to the name.

That initial surprised reaction will eventually subside, and people will grow accustomed to it, but it doesn’t change that the preference would’ve been to go with 2010. Given that consumers still identify the games more as 2010 you’ll see me continue to use that as well as 10 in various articles. But now I have to accept that the official names are going to carry the 10.