EA Sports PGA TOUR Impressions (Console)

[MrArlingtonBeach]

The current Pro Pass ends the week before The Masters, so I'd imagine they have another Pro Pass, probably tied to the first major of the year.

Beyond that, I have no idea what to expect. I know content creator people connected to EA, like ApexHound, have made it seem like they believe the 2024 major host courses are going to be added to the game...but I'd honestly be surprised if they add Valhalla, Pinehurst No. 2, and Royal Troon. I just don't get the feeling that there's a lot of concern about this game anymore from the side of the devs. I hope that's not the case, but with the lowering prices of the game and the silence from really anyone about anything is kind of telling, I think. And with the next batches of EA Sports games coming out soon, like College Football, Madden, etc., I wonder how many resources they want to allocate to a 1-year-old golf game.

And it's a small thing, but they did a total re-arrangement of the EA Answers forums for EA PGA, and engagement has been really low there. The only really active threads are about issues with missing scores in seasonal and weekly tournaments...so do with that what you will.

[bigkev]

It's only 10% off at the PS store. I've got a feeling they're almost giving the game away on Steam because there's too few players there, always complaining they can't find a game online. It sure looks like cross-play won't be happening.

[MrArlingtonBeach]

Quote: Originally Posted by bigkev

It's only 10% off at the PS store. I've got a feeling they're almost giving the game away on Steam because there's too few players there, always complaining they can't find a game online. It sure looks like cross-play won't be happening.

Looks like you can get a physical copy for either Xbox or PS from Best Buy for $30 right now.

But yeah, lack of crossplay really is unfortunate.

[pietasterp]

It seems to me if the game is ever gonna get a second wind, the time for EA to push in some moderate advertising resources would be right about now. Springtime, the Players Championship, and especially the Masters, just show some Augusta gameplay in a quick commercial while people are getting amped up for the coming golf season and see if you can sucker/impulse some people into picking up a copy. I'll be they could get a small uptick in sales just reminding people the game is out there and showing a commercial or two of Augusta around the Masters.

To my recollection, EA did no real advertising of the game, so it's not really surprising that word never got out about it. I don't even remember a single commercial or ad for the game at all. Seems odd to me, but what do I know I guess?

[golfnut67]

I scrolled through all of your replies too fast to "like" them all, but every comment you guys did is spot on.

It really is hard to imagine that they won't at least do *something* when the pro pass season ends right before the masters. Thanks MAB, I wasn't even aware of that because I simply don't pay attention to the pro pass.

But as others just stated, if they are just trying to get one last squeeze of blood out of a turnip (or orange or whatever), it does seem logical that they will do something for the Masters, maybe even stop all of the cut pricing stuff pre and post Masters, and just try to get one last bump of revenue and interest from this as golf season is beginning, and the fact that the game is called "Road To The Masters". It wouldn't take much or any development hours, it's more about marketing time and effort. And EA has that for sure.

We shall see, but my last dollar in the world would be on a bet that after the Masters, this game is done.

Here's to hoping that 2K comes out with a completely new game on a modern engine and spends the time to get it right. If not, as I've said before, as long as there are still people online to play Match play with, and if they don't completely abandon the game where you can't even play Career mode within a year, this is still a very fun game that I play almost daily.

EA pushed golf graphically forward in a major way, now someone needs to take modern graphics and really give us a golf game that can last us for the next few years, including a true live service game that is consistent with meaningful updates and content (courses).

I will very happily pay real money for something like that. If I spend $70 on the initial release of the game, and maybe even an additional $100 a year in meaningful and fun updates, that is cheap entertainment for someone who spends so much free time playing golf games. I hope EA and especially 2K are aware that there are people like me out there willing to do that.

In the meantime, I've been switching between EA golf and The Show 23, when I'm home briefly from the hospital and even in the ICU at night. My beloved Reds are 2 games up in the division in mid May in my Franchise season. All current and accurate rosters. That game, even going back to The Show 2020, with some faults for sure, is still amazingly fun and realistic to me. They really do the little things that make it surprising and fun. The 23 version was cheap and it just keeps getting better with all of the subtle things about baseball that surprise and make me laugh almost every game.

[bigkev]

If there's a marketing campaign, it should start this week with The Players on social media. EA was really active on Twitter during that time, and been using this to advertise all their updates/new season.

[golfnut67]

Quote: Originally Posted by bigkev

If there's a marketing campaign, it should start this week with The Players on social media. EA was really active on Twitter during that time, and been using this to advertise all their updates/new season.

Exactly right. If we don't see at least a hint of that, even after the Players is over, it's not a good sign.

We will all be aware of their intentions or lack of them within the month, for sure.

[bigkev]

Yeah, this will be a big surprise one way or the other. Like the last one, I didn't expect much but what they did with the cup physics was very good and unexpected for many. We will get something from EA, but what it is... I have no idea. At 2K, it's no secret this is it with 2K23 and a new game is coming.