It is silly that past versions of the game are not available
 

Really do not understand why past versions of the game are not for sale. Trying to get people into the series is difficult when the only available version of the game is $50. Don't really see the drawback in offering the last years version at a discount to try and attract newer players.

I'm sure there was a reason (which I don't remember) for no longer selling past versions. Demos, though, remain available. Though limited, they can serve to introduce someone to OOTP Baseball.

https://www.ootpdevelopments.com/ootp-prior-version/

i can think of 3 reasons. one should be obvious. You can't sell perfect team packs to gambling addicts if they are content with an older version of the game. Two, OOTP has turned into a subscription model. You can't watch an old version of Netflix at a discount, can you? Finally, I'm sure there is some legal protection from licensing issues if older versions are not sold anymore

It's not complicated and perfectly understandable. Older versions included stats from the Japanese leagues, which apparently in Japan are considered intellectual property so making those older versions available would bring the Eye of Sauron down upon OOTP.

Nobody wants that.

You can't buy older versions of Madden NFL nor MLB the Show either... So they are not the only licensed game that also follows this practice.

Well OOTP 23 (After the patch), 24, and 25 don't...

Who ? Or what is Sauron ?
Was he the old man with the goat that cursed the Cubs once upon a time ?
What happened to his other eye ?

Don't those games still produce physical copies of the game you can get for dirt cheap at gaming stores when the new iteration comes out ?

I can't find any of the older versions after the new ones come out. But yes, they do sell CD's but they are not the physical copy of the game anymore, just a key mainly that allows you to play the game, as in... you download it and install it, but you still need the CD in to play it even though it is a DLC. But even that will end soon the way PS and Xbox are removing blue ray drives from their products.

I can buy Madden 24, and 22 on Steam atm. MLB The Show I can buy every version as far back as 22.

So this is 1000000% wrong.

https://store.playstation.com/en-ca/...b%20the%20show

Has MLB the show 22-25.

All one has to do is look

Older games of madden are sold at retail stores all the time. Steam would be the same thing to OOTP. Why remove it from the site. do not think it is a good business model either. Hard to try a $50 game. I have played the game for a decades so it does not effect me too much, I just think it's a bad business model for a niche game like this

twins_34 needs to take a time out and regroup. Resident Evil 4 is available on steam and it was released in 2005.

And yet they stay in business year after year. Not an easy thing for a niche game like OOTP. You're entitled to your opinion on OOTP's business model, but they are the ones counting the beans while dealing with costs, licensing, and other contracts we as users aren't privy to. Every decision they make affects their ability to stay in business and make a living. My "best guess"? None of these decisions are made lightly.

FWIW, I could care less either way on if they do, or do not sell previous versions. IE I have no dog in the fight.

I'd say the prime thing that has allowed OOTP to stay in business is DUE to being not just a niche but this particular niche. Unless you're suggesting that if OOTP put out this level of product against say the level of product of a Sid Meier's Civilization series they'd do even better. ( and by better I mean more market share)

Resident Evil, famously an annual licensed sports game.

OOTP26 will be put on sale many times throughout the year, so I'd recommend keeping an eye out for those if the price is an issue.

$50, though, is a pretty great value for OOTP IMO.

If you want an older version, see this thread to obtain a DRM free copy of OOTP16.

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=352264

Or get a free copy of OOTP 8 here - https://www.ootpdevelopments.com/ootp8/

Niche meaning a niche baseball/sports game with a "career/dynasty" universe to play in similar to FM.

I'd say what allowed OOTP to stay in business was the way it stayed ahead of the competition it once had. 15-20 years ago OOTP was not the only choice for this niche. I'd say by 2010 OOTP had distanced itself from that competition and never looked back. Many of the decisions they made then were criticized with a lot of "if you do that it will be the end of OOTP" comments. Those critics were wrong.

I'd also give them a bit more credit than they are successful because they are in "this particular niche". If it only took a game maker to fill a needed niche to be successful someone out there would be having a nice payday with an NFL equivalent to OOTP. Many have tried and, so far, none have reached the level of success that OOTP has.

You might want to look at that again. They are listed, but you didn't bother to look if you can actually buy them, did ya? There is no option to buy them. You can still play 24 IF you subscribe to EA Play, but you can only play Madden 25 and 24, no 23, no 22, no 21.

When it comes to Xbox, you can get MLB the show 24 for $69.99, 23 for $69.99, and 22 for $69.99, and 21 for $69.99. Not sure I wanna pay full retail price for outdated games.

However, it seems on Xbox Store on PC, you can still get OOTP 21 for $39.99 which of course was full retail price.

OP talked about the past versions being at highly discounted prices and none of these past games of Madden or MLB the show are discounted.