Is that really surprising? Personally i would guess EA has one engine for all sport games for each console. Updated once a year, maybe. So I would say, most of the sports games (FIFA?) this year will have that issue.

Sorry, but EA is the largest third party developer, (largest overall game developer, too right?) making games for all platforms...Microsoft would never be able to buy them...

EA needs to stop pissing about with these games i say live without sports games for a few years(scary thought for some)until EA gets their act together or a much better version comes along and stabs EA in the back and EA just bleed and die and the world will be free of EA's monopoly and money hoarding scum of a company.

true that ben. Microsft is massive dont get me wrong, but they can't purchase a company that makes over a billion in revenue each year, especially for a sector of the company thats in the red as it is

@mitsuhide

EA isn't a monopoly in any way shape or form

@starcraft:
Buying up small devs and closing them down when their products stop selling like they used to is pretty close to a monopoly.

EA has the biggest sports franchise in gaming. Many gamers buy NBA, NFL, FIFA, and MLB every year. If the Xbox looks much better for the whole franchise this year, then people who buy every sports game will immediately be drawn to the 360. Any time a popular game looks better on one console over another, it hurts the poorer looking console.

Now NHL 08 is the second game that EA is producing that will run poorly on the PS3. There is some consistancy here. Since many people "Jock Gamers"only play sports titles, that significant number of consumers will be driven to the 360.

As far as the PS3's learning curve... All consoles have learning curves, but since the Xbox came out a year before the PS3, developers have much more time in on it. So in effect, The PS3 will always be a bit behind on the learning curve. I do agree with you that some games PS3 games have good graphics, the problem is they're about a year behind the 360 in the learning curve.

You know, upon further thought, this is even better for Microsoft then a timed exclusive could be.  It doesn't cost them money, but it demonstrates something that the 360 does better.  I know, learning curve...  It shows something the 360 does demonstrably better, when the developers of the PS3 are still unfamiliar with the hardware.

@mitsuhide

take an economics course mate, a monopoly garners a prohibitively large portion of a market preventing new competitors from entering that market. EA has a smaller games division than the three console companies and whilst it is the largest 3rd party, it doesn't even come close to reaching a monopoly level market share (which arguably would need to be over 90%.

I think he's referring to the fact that EA bought the NFL and ESPN rights.

They are the only ones who can publish games with NFL players.

I believe they also bought Nascar and are looking into NBA.

Oh and they got exclusive right on Hasbro games including "Monopoly"

@gbex

this still doesnt even bring them close to a sporting monopoly.....you've got me on the board game though:}