Surprised ? If they cared about their users, they'd never have made the decision that they did.

Time for me to delete my account.... hope everyone else who feels the same way does likewise. What utter fools they are for destroying a perfectly good community.

Even if I wanted to, apparently group text is only available to users in the US anyway. So you might have 2 million registered users but my bet is that a huge proportion won't even be able to use that freaking lame-ass service.. ?

Wow, are you serious ?????? I bow to your superior knowledge, I'm just a long time member here... but given that I've been around for a few years, I have only ever used the check-in and other geolocation features. I have absolutely NEVER used group text since you added it to the site. You'll lose me as a user when you take those features away. Like I said, you'll know better than I but how can you afford to lose long-time users like me ? RIP Brightkite....

Incidentally.... the word on almost every social networking medium is that you're pulling the plug on this place. Once that happens you're fighting a losing battle.

Might be a good idea to hold off starting a dynasty, at least for now... wait and see if a fix is forthcoming.

The concern that I have with Madden is that they are now scared to innovate in the same way that NCAA isn't (and does, successfully) - and as a result has become a game that gets steady year - on - year improvements but nothing dramatic and in an almost painfully slow way. I still don't think the game is back at the level, in terms of features, that it was on old-gen consoles. In my opinion, they are looking after their two (in their opinion) important demographics - the tournament gamers and the online "Play Now" cheesers for whom ranking is everything (yet meaningless). These guys are referred to as the "hardcore", but I still maintain that the sim gamer who wants to play a realstic game of football is the hardcore among us.

I'm bitterly disappointed to hear that there are almost no improvements to franchise mode - which after so many years on next-gen is nowhere near the level of franchise mode seen in other sports titles.

Why am I critical ? Because NCAA on the other hand has me exceptionally excited - ESPN authentic presentation, dynasty mode websites, one of my favorite features which is being able to take pictures (something I will bet that Madden 11 still won't have)... I can't wait for NCAA 11 and if they can get their act together, why can't Madden ?

I'd like to be surprised by some major announcements that Madden has in the cupboard but I'm not holding my breath.

The problem with rookie ratings is that nobody has any real idea of how these guys will adapt to the NFL. At this point it's a lottery as to who will or won't contribute significantly in their rookie season.

That looks like a nice change in the lighting system. Subtle but nice.

I'm on the side of bringing back trusted friends. I don't think an extra tier of "friends" would conflict with any of the existing privacy settings but actually enhance them.

One thing for sure, it raises possibly more questions than it does answer any. Or maybe that was the point to get us all talking :)