In a press release whose brevity made it hit all the harder, publisher 2K Sports today announced its re-entry into the football gaming world. The new game will be developed and published by the same crew who crafted the now-defunct ESPN NFL 2K franchise, which had actually started moving the ball against the monolithic Madden NFL series. At least, until Madden publisher Electronic Arts nabbed the exclusive NFL license in late 2004, forcing other football games into the minor leagues.

Above: Three seasons ago, the 2K football series actually gave Madden some competition. Can it do so again?

Obviously, the big question is, what league will the game be based upon? Electronic Arts has locked up the NFL, the World Football League, and even the Arena League. However, rumors have been swirling for a couple years that 2K was working out a deal not with the NFL itself, but with the player's union - which could give them the rights to the individual players' likenesses, if not the actual NFL teams.

January 31, 2007