looks like EA no longer holds the Porsche license

  • Thread starter Thread starter omgitsbees
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:O

If this is true, then I can't wait to see some classic Porsches in GT5.

I bet PD have already made some models for them.
 
Tesla
I'm more interested in that mention of Forza Horizon, first I've heard of it.
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It's suppose to be an open world driving simulation, created by a brand new studio that consists of people from Codemasters back in the day when they worked on TOCA and Colin McRae Rally.


DaxCobra
:O

If this is true, then I can't wait to see some classic Porsches in GT5.

I bet PD have already made some models for them.
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The Porsche AG 962c would be awesome to have, it's one of the few remaining Group-C Le Mans race cars not in the game.
 
Isn't there a possibility that Turn10 simply acquired a Porsche sublicense from EA for Forza, just like they did for previous titles?
 
the Interceptor
Isn't there a possibility that Turn10 simply acquired a Porsche sublicense from EA for Forza, just like they did for previous titles?
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Possible, but not likely in this case as EA originally decided to deny Microsoft/Turn10 during the development of Forza 4. This also goes hand in hand with the rumors over the last few months that Porsche was not going to renew the license with EA Games anymore.
 
the Interceptor
Isn't there a possibility that Turn10 simply acquired a Porsche sublicense from EA for Forza, just like they did for previous titles?
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Exactly what I was thinking. There's nothing in that story about the licence coming to an end, just about a Porsche car pack.
 
Tired Tyres
Exactly what I was thinking. There's nothing in that story about the licence coming to an end, just about a Porsche car pack.
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The thing is though is that why would EA say no the first time around and then change their mind this late? I understand there's nothing actually saying EA lost the license finally, but that's the only explanation that makes sense to me.

I suppose it is possible that EA Games asked Microsoft to hold off for a while, because NFS: The Run came out around the same time and they didn't want competing titles. Porsche is always the flagship manufacturer for NFS.
 
There could be so many reasons MS got a Porsche License again for Forza it isn't funny. EA losing the exclusive control of the license is just one possibility but is still only speculation.

I find it more plausible that MS came to deal with EA (again), it isn't the first time deals are brokered even after previous attempts have fallen though.
 
omgitsbees
The thing is though is that why would EA say no the first time around and then change their mind this late?
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Money. I wouldn't be surprised if EA priced a sub license unfeasibly high while NFS: The Run was selling highly, then when sales started to drop off they dropped the price of a sub license to a point where Microsoft was willing to pay for it.
 
omgitsbees
The thing is though is that why would EA say no the first time around and then change their mind this late? I understand there's nothing actually saying EA lost the license finally, but that's the only explanation that makes sense to me.

I suppose it is possible that EA Games asked Microsoft to hold off for a while, because NFS: The Run came out around the same time and they didn't want competing titles. Porsche is always the flagship manufacturer for NFS.
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To me it looks like they paid a lot of money for the Porsche licence. They then try to make money by using the licence to put Porsches exclusively in their own games.

If they aren't making a game featuring Porsches now then they can make more money from the licence by sub licensing it out to other publishers.

I suppose the good news is that if they are prepared to do a deal with Microsoft/Turn 10 then there is no reason why they couldn't do a deal with Sony/PD as well.
 
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neema_t
Money. I wouldn't be surprised if EA priced a sub license unfeasibly high while NFS: The Run was selling highly, then when sales started to drop off they dropped the price of a sub license to a point where Microsoft was willing to pay for it.
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How well did NFS: The Run do? I was always under the impression the game bombed in sales. Although the only thing I could find on Google is a Forbes.com article mentioning the drop in EA's stock price due to poor sales of the Run. No actual numbers though.
 
It doesn't matter how well it sold, though, as someone else pointed out EA most likely didn't want to let other developers include Porsche to make The Run more appealing (or at least make the competition less appealing) and so help it sell. Poor sales doesn't mean EA were wasting their time, it may have sold worse if FM4 had included Porsche... It's tenuous for sure but it could be the case, we'll likely never know.
 
The question is really how many people actually bought "The Run" just because it had Porsche?

I doubt that it was a major factor in sales as the run is an all out arcade and Porsche is a car that appeals more to the car enthusiast.

I highly doubt that the Porsche license increases the sales of Nfs games enough.

The real money for EA would be from subcontracting the brand.
 
Piotrov
The question is really how many people actually bought "The Run" just because it had Porsche?

I doubt that it was a major factor in sales as the run is an all out arcade and Porsche is a car that appeals more to the car enthusiast.

I highly doubt that the Porsche license increases the sales of Nfs games enough.

The real money for EA would be from subcontracting the brand.
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True, but you could argue that it doesn't really matter if they sub license it before or after The Run's release if they charge the same for it. I doubt Porsche exclusivity helped The Run at all, which is why I said it was tenuous, but who knows what EA are thinking when they make such decisions? If they could charge the same amount now as they could've done before The Run was released then they'd have no reason to not withhold it from Microsoft and whoever else might be interested, surely? I'm not an expert though and this is just uneducated speculation...

Seems weird to me that PD hasn't forked out for a Porsche license even once over all these years given how popular the brand is in Japan, if you watch some Best Motoring you see Porsches of all sorts (well, all 911s, but still) in their tests and I'm sure there are some being raced in either SuperGT or Super Taikyu. I can't remember.
 
Am I the only one thinking Microsoft and T10 just did it this way so they can sell a Porsche DLC pack, knowing tons of people will buy it?
 
Piotrov
The question is really how many people actually bought "The Run" just because it had Porsche?

I doubt that it was a major factor in sales as the run is an all out arcade and Porsche is a car that appeals more to the car enthusiast.

I highly doubt that the Porsche license increases the sales of Nfs games enough.

The real money for EA would be from subcontracting the brand.
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I almost considered not buying forza because they lost the porsche liscence. in the end i'm glad i finally broke down and got it. but since then its had the huge blemish to it that i feel every time i play it. the absence of Porsche in this game has been huge. my whole family is a Porsche family, so when they come over and want to play, i always have to explain again why it has so many non-relevant manufacturers, but doesnt have the worlds greatest and most succesful sportscar brand. hopefully i wont have to explain this nonsence any longer.
 
G.T.Ace
Am I the only one thinking Microsoft and T10 just did it this way so they can sell a Porsche DLC pack, knowing tons of people will buy it?
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I think you are, yes.

@lemans. Do you work for Porsche. You should.
 
lemansfanatic
So when they come over and want to play, i always have to explain again why it has so many non-relevant manufacturers, but doesnt have the worlds greatest and most succesful sportscar brand. hopefully i wont have to explain this nonsence any longer.
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What????? Ferrari isnt in the game????
 
G.T.Ace
Am I the only one thinking Microsoft and T10 just did it this way so they can sell a Porsche DLC pack, knowing tons of people will buy it?
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Is that's kind of the point? I mean why else would Turn10 work to acquire the license if they didn't think a ton of people would buy it?

And I would wager that Turn10 just struck a deal in order to acquire a sub license for Porsche for Forza 4 and the upcoming Forza Horizon. Anything can be settled with the right amount of money.
 
Joey D
Is that's kind of the point? I mean why else would Turn10 work to acquire the license if they didn't think a ton of people would buy it?

And I would wager that Turn10 just struck a deal in order to acquire a sub license for Porsche for Forza 4 and the upcoming Forza Horizon. Anything can be settled with the right amount of money.
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No no, I mean that they could've got the license before, or even had it, but didn't include any Porsche in the game, so they could hype up the DLC.

Of course making money is the point, it's completely legit.
 
G.T.Ace
No no, I mean that they could've got the license before, or even had it, but didn't include any Porsche in the game, so they could hype up the DLC.

Of course making money is the point, it's completely legit.
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Your saying Dan lied when he said EA wouldn't deal?

Interesting theory. I wonder why EA never responded to his lies.
 
Well, he lied before (polycount on cars for example) so I don't really care about that, not to mention that most PR guys do it. Just wanted to throw that theory in, since they have already 30 different Porsche done, plus they will definitely make more money this way than if they would've included Porsche from the beginning.

Anyway, good news for Forza gamers I guess.
 
Good news for GT5 gamers too.
If Kaz wants to provide the cars for his fans, he can.
 

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