GamesRadar - Madden NFL 09

Browns superfan John 'Big Dawg' Thompson's case against game maker likely to be resolved (News)

Oct 16, 2009

A lawsuit between John "Big Dawg" Thompson, the dog mask-wearing, bone-wielding Browns fan, and Electronic Arts, Inc., maker of the "Madden NFL" video game series, is likely to be resolved, a lawyer for the fan said on Friday.

A case management conference scheduled last Friday was cancelled because the case is being dismissed, said Alan Parker, a lawyer representing Thompson. Parker said the dismissal terms are confidential.

Thompson, of Cleveland, was happy the case is over, said Parker, who wouldn't comment further on the super-fan's reaction to the outcome.

Economist: EA's Madden Monopoly Cost Gamers Up To $926 Million (News)

Jul 15, 2009

The high-profile court case against EA Sport's "monopoly" in the NFL market took an interesting turn this week, with an economist brought in to show how much the demise of 2K's competing NFL franchise has cost sports gamers.

Despite admitting his report is based on incomplete data, University of Michigan economics professor Dr. Jeffrey Mackie-Mason has told the the U.S. District Court in San Francisco that EA's domination of the NFL video games market has cost gamers between $701 million and $926 million since 2K's NFL2K series was blocked from competing with EA.

Federal Judge: Madden Monopoly Suit May Proceed Against EA (News)

Jun 10, 2009

EA had previously requested that Judge Vaughn Walker dismiss claims by Geoffrey Pecover and Jeffrey Lawrence. The two Madden buyers, serving as named plaintiffs in the class-action suit, alleged that by eliminating competition for NFL-licensed games EA had acted in a monopolistic fashion and unjustly enriched itself at the expense of consumers. On Friday Judge Walker issued a ruling denying EA's motion. The Judge did, however, rule that only claims in California and Washington, D.C. would go forward since that is where the two named plaintiffs in the case reside.

Report: Retired NFL Players Plan to Sue EA, Madden (News)

Apr 20, 2009

His days of calling NFL games on T.V. may be over, but John Madden's retirement might not be as idyllic as he had hoped.

According to a report on former Oakland Raiders lineman Dave Pear's Blog, NFL retirees are planning to go after Madden and Electronic Arts, publisher of the best-selling pro football game which bears the former coach's name.

The Game offers a rematch to Bow Wow (News)

Apr 3, 2009

Last Year Rap artst The Game and fellow rapper Bow Wow went toe to toe in a madden challenge (Madden '09) for $100,000. The Game embarrassed him 55-32. Well it seems like he is giving Bow Wow a chance to redeem himself. Instead of Madden,The Game has challenged him in BCFX (the Black College Football Experience) for Xbox 360.

House-Kidder Entertainment Announces U.S. Video Game Tournament Offering $1,000,000 Prize (News)

Feb 27, 2009

The NCAA Football 09 $1,000,000 Challenge, sponsored by House-Kidder Entertainment, is a new nationwide Tournament that will allow U.S. video gamers to compete using the NCAA Football 09 video game on the Xbox 360 for a Grand Prize that could be as much as $1,000,000.

Box art sport stars that went wrong... (Feature)

Feb 16, 2009

The infamous Madden Curse has been crippling EA's cover stars consistently since John Madden himself stopped appearing on them. Call it coincidence, call it an ancient ju-ju; whatever it is, the evidence of stifling a career is in full swing. Don't believe us? Then check out the poor saps below and then tell us it's all BS. Oh, and for all you non-American Football fans, we've even dug a little deeper into other game franchises and picked out some beauties. What have we missed? Let us know in the comments. Enjoy... ...

Madden Super Bowl Simulation Gets It Right (News)

Feb 2, 2009

Last week, EA simulated the Super Bowl XLIII match-up between the Steelers and Cardinals with Madden NFL 09. The Super Bowl is now over and not only did the simulation predict the winner, but it also got the margin of victory right and even came close to the real game's final score.

Xbox Live Gets in on Super Bowl Fever with "Football Fanfare" Channel (News)

Jan 30, 2009

If you are hosting a big football party this weekend for the Super Bowl and want some additional football related entertainment for pre-game and post-game, then Xbox Live has answered your call.

Which create-a-character is best for making Obama? (Feature)

Jan 30, 2009

Barack Obama. The most important politician in a generation. A peerless orator. Winner of a historic election. And exceedingly effin hard to recreate in every create a character mode we could find. You’d think the current leader of the free world’s unassuming features would be easy to make with the plethora of chin, forehead and septum sliders most games now have. Wrong.

Not only did we fail to craft convincing Obamas, we ...

"Freakishly Accurate" Madden simulator takes a crack at Super Bowl XLIII (News)

Jan 29, 2009

PWN or DIE simulated the NFC Championship game between the Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles and came amazingly close to the final outcome of the actual game that was filled with highlights. Fast forward a couple of weeks to the Super Bowl this Sunday and the Arizona Cardinals will be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. Given the success of the previous simulation, it was a no-brainer to do it for the "big game".

[Video Highlights Included]

Here Are Your Madden Bowl XV Participants (News)

Jan 29, 2009

Kotaku Writes: Despite the onset of some troubled economic times, EA will still be spending big at this year's Super Bowl. Part of those festivities will be the 15th Madden Bowl. So who's playing?

Seven current NFL players will be picking up the controllers and vying for digital bragging rights, including a player each from the competing Super Bowl teams and, for the first time, college players.

USC's Mark Sanchez and Georgia's Matthew Stanford will play first, and the winner of their stoush will take their place among the final eight participants.

Madden 09 is totally redneck sh*t, according to copy found in Walmart (News)

Jan 26, 2009

The image is the sight that greeted one young boy as he opened the first game purchased for his brand new Xbox 360. Having bought the system and game with his own Christmas money, the lad eagerly expected to be playing Madden 09, before being faced with the grisly truth -- he'd actually bought some redneck sh*t.

EA confirms layoffs at developer Tiburon (News)

Jan 22, 2009

One of the developers Electronic Arts, Tiburon, makers licenses sports games like Madden or Tiger Woods, reducing its workforce.

Survey says: Playing Madden increases your NFL IQ (News)

Jan 22, 2009

EA has announced the results of a survey conducted by University of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center which show that Madden NFL players' football IQ was 60 percent higher than non-players.

EA sacks Madden, NCAA staffers (News)

Jan 22, 2009

GameSpot writes: "When Electronic Arts announced it was laying off 1,000 employees--or 10 percent of its staff--many presumed its Tiburon studio would be untouched. Located in plush offices outside Orlando, Florida, the developer makes the Madden NFL and NCAA Football series, EA Sports' exclusive--and lucrative--professional and college football sims. It also crafts Tiger Woods PGA Tour, the popular and feature-laden pro golf series.

Unfortunately, according to the Orlando Sentinel, not even EA Tiburon has escaped its parents cost-cutting unscathed. This evening, EA government affairs chief Craig Hagen told the newspaper that a number of the studio's 650-700 employees had been laid off."

NPD Clarifies: The Real List Of Top 5 Best-Selling Games Of 2008 Is... (News)

Jan 21, 2009

Last week MTV Multiplayer reported that it could not yet be determined whether "Wii Play" or "Grand Theft Auto IV" was the best-selling game of 2008 in the U.S. But today they finally got the definitive Top 5 2008 list - and it knocks "GTA" to third place.

Today, NPD provided MTV Multiplayer with the numbers they needed and they can now present the definitive list of top 2008 games.

Top-Selling Games In The U.S. For 2008
(All versions combined. Units in millions)

1. Wii Play 5.28
2. Madden NFL '09 5.25
3. Grand Theft Auto IV 5.22
4. Mario Kart w/ Wheel 5.00
5. Call of Duty: World at War 4.63

10 Ways Madden Simulation Was Freakishly Accurate (News)

Jan 20, 2009

PWN or DIE took the time to use Madden NFL 09 to simulate the NFC Championship Game that was played on Sunday between the Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles. They had no idea that our simulation would be so accurate, getting the Cardinals' final score right and only being off by 4 on the Eagles' final point tally. After further review, here are the top 10 things our madden simulation got right.

December 2008 NPD: Top 20 Software Rankings (News)

Jan 17, 2009

Top 20 Games of December 2008:
01. [WII] Wii Play (Nintendo) - 1460k
02. [360] Call of Duty: World at War* (Activision Blizzard) - 1330k
03. [WII] Wii Fit (Nintendo) - 999k
04. [WII] Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo) - 878k
05. [WII] Guitar Hero World Tour* (Activision Blizzard) - 859k
06. [360] Gears of War 2* (Microsoft) - 745k
07. [360] Left 4 Dead (Electronic Arts) - 629k
08. [NDS] Mario Kart DS (Nintendo) - 540k
09. [PS3] Call of Duty: World at War (Activision Blizzard) - 533k
10. [WII] Animal Crossing: City Folk* (Nintendo) - 497k
11. [WII] Wii Music (Nintendo) - ~480k
12. [NDS] New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo)
13. [NDS] Personal Trainer: Cooking (Nintendo)
14. [360] Fallout 3* (Bethesda Softworks)
15. [NDS] Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force (Disney Interactive Studios)
16. [WII] Link's Crossbow Training (Nintendo)
17. [PS2] Guitar Hero World Tour* (Activision Blizzard)
18. [360] Madden NFL 09* (Electronic Arts)
19. [WII] Call of Duty: World at War (Activision Blizzard)
20. [WII] Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip (Ubisoft)

Judge Upholds $28 Million Award To Retired NFL Players Over Madden Suit (News)

Jan 15, 2009

Kotaku writes: "U.S. District Judge William Alsup upheld a decision to award retired NFL players $28.1 million in the group's lawsuit against the league's player union over allegations they were cheated by an unfavorable deal with EA.

A federal jury ruled in November that the former NFL players were due $7.1 million for the use of their likenesses and $20.9 million in punitive damages for uncredited appearances in EA Sports' Madden NFL games, an award that union lawyers said was "unjust," saying they were "confident it will be overturned." They also said "Hissss!!!", allegedly, when presented with crosses."

Hootie: Tiger Woods Prefers Shooters (News)

Jan 14, 2009

Not only is golf's greatest a devoted fan of the shmup, but he also pwns. Not only that, but those ads where Woods unwinds at home with a round of Tiger Woods Golf for the Wii are misleading. It's more likely that he's teabagging some newbie in Halo or slicing someone with the chainsaw in Gears of War.

Amazon Offers Free $50 Gift Card w/ Xbox 360 Console + Madden NFL 09 (News)

Jan 13, 2009

Gamerdeals.net writes:

"Perhaps in a move to clear out the rest of the Xbox 360 holiday bundle stock (and while the NFL playoffs are top of mind), Amazon has kicked off a decent deal for Xbox 360 gamers...

For a limited time, you have the chance to get Madden NFL 09 and an Xbox 360 while saving. Just pick out one of the Xbox 360 consoles, a copy of Madden NFL 09 and you'll receive an Amazon.com $50 gift card."

Rumor Killers: Killzone 2 release date, LittleBigPlanet idea theft, GameStop subscription service (News)

Nov 25, 2008

A release date for Killzone 2, Sony stealing from the LittleBigPlanet community, and GameStop and EA creating a subscription service in the pre-Thanksgiving edition.

EA Forcing Good Behavior: Get Banned on their Forum and You're Banned from their Games (News)

Oct 30, 2008

Ripten: "A recent post by an EA Community Staff member on the company's Command and Conquer message board outlines changes to their policy, stating their intent to link a gamers forum account to their EA gaming account. Why does this matter? Because EA is planning on banning those who get banned on their forum from their games as well.

The post by the EA Community Staff member can be seen below:"

EA Spent Over $10 Million on Madden Marketing in Last 18 Months (News)

Oct 29, 2008

Gamedaily.Biz writes: "According to a new article from Nielsen Games on the growth of the Madden NFL franchise, EA Sports has spent many, many millions on advertising for Madden in the last year and a half. One might think that EA's Madden games sell themselves – and to some degree that's probably true (it's also the only official NFL video game) – but it would be foolish to ignore the marketing muscle that EA throws behind its football juggernaut with each release.

Nielsen said that EA spent the majority of its marketing dollars on television, with roughly $3 million going to network TV and about $5.5 million to cable TV. Another $1 million or so was spent on web ads, such as ESPN.com, and the publisher also made sure to target Spanish-language television to help promote a Spanish-speaking version of the game. All told, Nielsen said the latest campaign included nearly two dozen television spots and more than 50 web vignettes."

EA Might Auction Madden Cover (News)

Oct 28, 2008

The cover of the Madden games used to be a place to showcase the league's top players and curse them to a horrible season. Now, it seems that EA might let money determine who graces the cover of the next installment in the football series. Specifically, the players' money.

Obama campaign has a presence in Madden 2009 (News)

Oct 16, 2008

The other week, we brought you a story about an Obama ad present on a billboard in Burnout Paradise. While we were skeptical about it, it has been proven true. This morning, I was greeted with the same ad in another game. This time, it's Madden NFL Football 2009.

The ad is the same as was featured in the Burnout billboard, except in Madden it appears on drive summaries in the lower right-hand corner. The ad reads, "Early voting has begun" and at the bottom features Obama's campaign logo and his name.

After the Burnout piece, I found myself wondering the impact that political ads can actually have. Have any of you been swayed to vote early, or consider Obama over that other candidate? Do you consider this intrusive? Personally, I enjoy this ad much more than a Nike one because it at least has a message that is important. I like sneakers and all, but politics and blueberry pie are higher on my priority list.

World Gaming lets you turn frags into cash (News)

Oct 1, 2008

It's every gamers' dream: win money by playing video games. Despite gaming's newfound mainstream acceptance, most people--especially those in the United States--do not recognize gaming as a legitimate competitive activity. In a country where card games like Texas Hold 'em have recently exploded, turning 21-year-olds into online superstars, it's no stretch to assume that more gaming mediums deserve a similar place in public attention.

EA Sports Takes Advantage of Retired NFL Players, Madden Asked to Defend Them (News)

Sep 30, 2008

Ripten writes:

"You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Behind the scenes wheeling and dealing can generate tasty bargains, but sometimes those bargains come with a nasty aftertaste.

In this case, it appears that EA and the NFLPA along with Players Inc. struck a deal for retired NFL player rights that was significantly below fair market value. A class action lawsuit was filed by the players in question against Players Inc, but the fun didn't stop there. In a letter crafted by 51 year old former Buffalo Bills safety, Jeff Nixon, Madden was asked to come to the aid of his fellow Hall of Famers.

Jeff's "Dear John" letter to the former Raider's Head Coach is laced with incriminating quotes, the most shocking being that EA's total cost to produce Madden each year is apparently no more than $200,000!!"

Madden 09 Patch #2 Now Out (News)

Sep 23, 2008

The second patch for Madden 09 is out for the PS3 and 360. Complete details on what the patch does is included.

2008 EA SPORTS Madden Challenge Presented by Best Buy Kicks off a New Season of Intense Competition for Madden Players Worldwide (News)

Sep 18, 2008

Finalists of the EA SPORTS Madden Challenge presented by Best Buy to Compete at Beaches Turks & Caicos in January.

Madden NFL 09 En Español (In Spanish) has Shipped to Store Shelves (News)

Sep 16, 2008

Electronic Arts Inc.,announced today that Madden NFL 09 En Español has shipped to retail stores for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game system from Microsoft. Fully translated in Spanish, Madden NFL 09 En Español features Chicago Bears offensive guard, Roberto Garza, on the box cover.

EAs Madden takes top three in NPD software for August (News)

Sep 11, 2008

According to the August NPD data, all three versions of EAs Madden 09 cleaned up in the software sales charts for the month.

EA and Gillette doing huge 360 tourney (News)

Sep 11, 2008

Eurogamer reports that EA Sports and Gillette will be running an enormous Xbox Live competition in October to win a trip to Florida and chance to take on sports stars such as Tiger Woods at their own game.

Other sponsored clean-shaven celebrities Thierry Henry and Roger Federer will be there as well, but neither of them actually have their own game, which would have made the bit above sound strange.

There will be plenty of other prizes besides - consoles, games, razors, shaving foam, David Beckham maybe - and all you need to do to win is be good at EA Sports titles.

Analysts: Weak Pre-Orders Did Not Stifle Madden (News)

Sep 10, 2008

Edge writes: "Multiple analysts have reiterated their BUY rating for Electronic Arts stock as the company has announced that total Madden NFL 09 sales have greatly outpaced the game's flailing pre-order rate.

Pre-orders for the year's Madden were down 25% versus last year, but EA has announced that actual sales of the game were up 6%, generating $133.5 million (£75.74m) in retail dollars.

This strong performance was no surprise to analysts, who have predicting for some time that the low pre-order numbers would not accurately reflect final sales. Arvind Bhatia with Sterne Agee & Leach said in a financial note that this performance was "in line with our checks," and attributed the higher retail dollar count to sales of the $89.99 (£51) collector's edition, as well as a higher percentage of total sales being from the higher-priced Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, compared to last year."

Madden defeats the movie business (News)

Sep 10, 2008

TVGB: "EA has just sent us word that Madden 09 has made $133.5 million in retail sales for the month of August. This is a roughly 6 percent increase over last year's game. More importantly it means that Madden made more money than any of the top films for the month of August. Woooo, videogame industry, way to stick it to those dirty movie makers."

The Game and Bow Wow Battle it out in Madden NFL 2009 (News)

Sep 7, 2008

For weeks, these two stars in the realm of Hip Hop have exchanged words via youtube videos, talking trash about who can beat who at Madden. Finally, the game commences and $100,000 is put on the line. Who came out the victor?

Madden 09 Roster Update #2 Details (News)

Sep 6, 2008

Complete list of all the changes coming in the second roster update for Madden 09, scheduled to be out on Saturday September 6th.

Video Game Players Added to ESPN NFL Broadcasts via EA Virtual Playbook (News)

Sep 5, 2008

Ripten writes:

"Get your popcorn ready. EA Sports, in partnership with ESPN, has created a new technology called Virtual Playbook that merges real life ESPN analysts with virtual EA video game characters.

According to EA, in-studio cameras will be synchronized with in-game cameras, allowing both real and virtual people the ability to 'move realistically around the studio set to demonstrate plays and scenarios.'"

IGN: Serious Madden Problems? - Players reporting frequent freezes in latest Madden title (News)

Sep 5, 2008

IGN writes: "While the Madden-oliday was celebrated last month, this happy moment seemed to be hampered by a serious problem that many players started reporting on message boards and blog posts. Apparently, some players were receiving a number of problems, including online disconnects, franchise progression issues and weak coverage problems. However, the biggest problem appeared to be freezes that would pop up every now and then during play calling or highlight screens which would halt the game. According to a Producer Blog posted by Ian Cummings, Senior Designer of Madden 2010 on the EA Sports site on August 26, the team has been working on a new patch, and has been furiously trying to work on the stability of the game, as well as tracking down what was causing the problem."

Madden NFL 09 Xbox 360 sales higher than PS3, Wii (News)

Sep 4, 2008

Sales for EA Inc.'s Madden NFL 09 are higher on Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 than rival hardware according to sales data from Amazon.com.

In the sales figures, the Madden NFL 09 Xbox 360 SKU held 31 percent of all sales, followed by Madden for Sony Corp.'s Playstation 3 at 25 percent and Madden for Nintendo Co.'s Wii at 13 percent.

Boastful Rapper Actually Is Good At 'Madden', Statistics Prove (News)

Sep 3, 2008

Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo writes:

"People brag. People talk trash. And rapper Game has been doing a lot of that as he's been hyping his album-promoting $100,000 "Madden" face-off against fellow rapper Bow Wow. My colleague, MTV News hip-hop reporter Shaheem Reid, has been following the hype for the face-off which will finally occur this Friday in L.A.

But I've been skeptical."

Game Vs. Bow Wow: No Rap Beef Here, Just A 'Madden 09' Face-Off (News)

Aug 22, 2008

MTV news writes: "Bow Wow ever has a rap beef, he can always call on his "big brother" the Game for some assistance. But the next time the two MCs meet in person, it might not be all love - at least for four quarters. The two are apparently going to face off in a game of "Madden NFL 09."

On Tuesday, Bow released a video on DimeWars.com challenging his friend to a $100,000 video game showdown.

"I seen you do your thing in 'Madden,' " Bow said. "I want to let you know I will bust your ass in that 'Madden.' We can get it poppin'."

*Caution Video has some M-rated language.*

Endsights: Madden NFL 09 Review - 6/10 (News)

Aug 14, 2008

Endsights writes:

"The online is lag-free, the graphics are updated and look good, and the gameplay, while unchanged, still plays great. But fundamentally, can the new additions justify purchasing the new edition of Madden? As a causal football and Madden fan, no, they're not. The new elements to the game were high in concept and poor in execution, leaving you with a game that is without a purpose for existing. (Besides a huge paycheck) Hardcore Madden fans can justify purchasing it with the inclusion of online leagues–but for the rest of you that don't care about that, stick with Madden NFL 08."

Kotaku: Brett Farve? No EA, It's Brett Favre (News)

Aug 13, 2008

Kotaku writes: "'Brett' is easy to spell. B-r-e-t-t. "Favre", not so easily. But to review: F-a-v-r-e-. Not "Farve". If you're a football fan, you should know that. And if you're EA, you damn well should know that - especially because he's the coverboy! Reader Devon points out that Brett Favre's name is mispelled in the collector's edition menu in Madden 09. That's a pic of it right up there. Well, at least EA didn't put 'Brett Favor.'"

Analyst: Madden 09 Sales "Better Than Expected" (News)

Aug 12, 2008

Edge writes: "Initial sales of EA Sports' Madden NFL 09 "appear better than expected," Stern Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia said Tuesday.

Some analysts and investors were concerned over lower pre-order numbers for Madden NFL 09, released this week, but first night retail checks conducted by Stern Agee showed that sell-through for the game is up "low single digits" over last year.

"If this trend holds in the near to medium term, we believe investors will view it as a positive," he said."

EA's Madden NFL 09 Hits Store Shelves Today, Marking 20th Anniversary (News)

Aug 12, 2008

Not that EA needed to send out an official press release that Madden NFL 09 is out today, but here it is none the less:

Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that Madden NFL 09 is available in retail stores across North America. Recently named Best Sports Game of E3 in the official "Game Critics Best of Show Awards", Madden NFL 09 celebrates the 20th anniversary of the best-selling franchise and is the First Sports Game That Adapts To You while introducing more than 85 new features and enhancements.

Madden 09 (Review)

Aug 12, 2008

Like the career arcs of many promising first-round draft picks, Madden’s next-generation games have steadily improved from unwatchable embarrassment to veteran excellence. Perhaps, then, we were expecting too much - or (more likely) the short development cycle allotted to Madden 09’s crew didn’t allow enough time for all their ideas to get fully implemented. ...

Sam's Club will print new Madden 09 cover for you (News)

Aug 12, 2008

Destructoid writes: "If you're a fan of the Madden NFL Football series, there is a slight chance that you already know about the Brett Favre trade this offseason. Aside from making every self-respecting NFL fan cringe at the sight of Favre in a Jets jersey with a roster update, the folks at EA Sports had to do some damage control with their Madden 2009 packaging featuring Favre in his old Packers jersey. Currently, EA Sports has a printable copy of the cover featuring the gunslinger in his new uniform available on their website.

For those with less-than-stellar printers, there is another option available. Sam's Club will print out the optional cover with each purchase of Madden 2009. That means no hassle with PDFs for you, and professional quality printing as well. Sam's Club is also offering the game $55.55, which is a decent discount. I really wish I knew about this last night, because I'm currently having sizing problems with EA's downloadable version of the artwork. Either way, it's good to know that there are some options available for the perfectionists out there."

Madden 09 Downloadable Packaging Featuring Bret Favre As A Jet Now Available (News)

Aug 12, 2008

Madden 09 is now available in stores and as EA promised you can now download alternate packaging featuring Bret Favre in a NY Jets uniform. you can download the alternate packaging for your system of choice after the jump.

Rose Bowl Covered in Madden 09 Advertising Blanket (News)

Aug 11, 2008

Pictures of the Rose Bowl's current setup have been posted online. If this setup stays the same, TV viewers will be hard-pressed to not see Madden 09 plastered somewhere.

Madden NFL 09 - A new chapter (Video)

Aug 11, 2008

Like a 13-10 overtime win, Madden 09 doesn't totally wow us but definitely gets the job done. Saddle us up for another season, even though we're a tad underwhelmed.

This Week's New Videogame Releases (Week of 8/11/08) (News)

Aug 10, 2008

It's Madden NFL 09 week. Be sure to check out the deals and midnight launch events from various retailers. The Madden NFL 09 PSP Entertainment Pack will be available this week, featuring the Metallic Blue PSP.
Here's the new videogame releases available this week.

Challenge Warren Sapp in Madden NFL '08 on Xbox 360 (News)

Aug 9, 2008

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of EA Sports' Madden NFL Football, the most beloved sports video game franchise of all time, former NFL great Warren Sapp will step back onto the playing field to challenge fans in Madden NFL 08® on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. As part of the latest Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network Game with Fame session, Warren will be gaming live from 'Maddenpalooza;' the all-day music, sports, and gaming festival at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA.

Additionally, EA Sports is providing the Pro vs. G.I. Joe organization the opportunity to have Los Angeles-area troops play Madden NFL 09 with their colleagues stationed in Kuwait via Xbox LIVE. Warren Sapp will also play against the troops overseas as part of his Game with Fame.

PS3 Vault @ the Madden 09 Launch Party (News)

Aug 9, 2008

EA does launch parties right. Forget stuffy ballrooms, EA brought out humongous sports simulation games, lots of great BBQ worthy of Madden himself and, though they had nothing to do with it, weather to make it all perfect.

Madden 09 Release Day Roster Update (News)

Aug 9, 2008

Complete list of changes for the first roster update for Madden 09. It is expected to be out on release day of the game, August 12th.

Madden NFL 09 Deals and Launch Events (News)

Aug 9, 2008

It's a new season, and the 20th Anniversary, of Madden NFL. Retailers have various offers and kickoff events for Madden NFL '09 taking place as early as Monday evening, before the August 12th midnight launch. Here's a breakdown of launch events and deals on Madden NFL 09.

New Game Releases for the Week: Jets Edition (News)

Aug 9, 2008

Welcome to New Releases for the Week!

The highlight this week is Madden NFL 09 (Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Sony PSP).

Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of August 10, 2008 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PS2, PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC!

Madden NFL 2009 Info Blowout Free Sale (News)

Aug 7, 2008

This is all the Madden NFL 2009 Rosters and the Team Playbooks.

Madden Curse Strikes...EA? (News)

Aug 7, 2008

News broke Thursday morning that Green Bay Packers mainstay (and now former NFL retiree) Brett Favre would be traded to the New York Jets.

Unfortunately for EA Sports, Madden NFL 09 is launching next week, and the cover is plastered with the image of Favre donning The Green and Gold.

EA Will Produce Brett Favre 'Madden' Cover Featuring Jets Uniform, Updating Roster On Monday (News)

Aug 7, 2008

Stephen Totilo reports:

"Quarterback Brett Favre will be available to play as a New York Jet on the day "Madden NFL '09" is released next week. We just got word from EA that the game will still ship with Favre on the cover in his old Green Bay Packers uniform, but the following updates will make him a Jet.

Fast work on EA's part, given that the Favre deal only made the news several hours ago.

Here are the details we got from EA, in the words of a company spokesperson..."

Analyst: Madden 09 Pre-orders Improving (News)

Aug 7, 2008

Edge Online writes: "Pre-orders for EA Sports' Madden NFL 09 have been showing improvement following sluggish recent performance, Stern Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia said in an investor note on Thursday.

Stern Agee's retail checks showed that Madden pre-orders are still down, but by 20 percent, compared to being down 30 percent a month ago.

Bhatia called the improvement "meaningful," adding, '...We believe pre orders in the most recent week were up double-digits year-over-year for the one week period.'"

Inside look at Madden NFL 09 at EA Tiburon (News)

Aug 6, 2008

Orlando Sentinel Says: "For Madden fans, August is the most important month of the year. On August 12 the 20th edition of Madden will hit just about every device capable of playing video games - but the real stars of this release are the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. We took a trip to Orlando-area EA Tiburon to chat with Madden NFL 09 Senior Producer Phil Frazier about what to expect from this year's Madden."
"There's no doubt that Madden 08 had issues on the PS3, particularly when it came to the framerate. When asked about Madden 09 performance on the PlayStation 3 in part 2 of our interview, Frazier says that not only do the two play identically at 60 frames per second, but the quality assurance team actually prefers playing on the PS3. He didn't go into detail about that statement, but it looks like PS3 owners have nothing to fear this time around."

Madden 09 Patch Details (News)

Aug 6, 2008

Specifics on patches and downloadable content for Madden NFL 09. A first patch may be released next week with a second patch and free downloadable content to follow.

20 Years Of Madden - Video Interview With John Madden (News)

Aug 5, 2008

The highly anticipated release of Madden NFL 09 is only one week away! This year's installment of the award winning Madden NFL franchise will be in stores nationwide on August 12, 2008. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the franchise, EA SPORTS sits down with legendary broadcast analyst and former NFL head coach John Madden to discuss the number one selling football video game in history - his namesake - Madden NFL Football.

In this video interview, Madden discusses his involvement with the game and his vision for the franchise.

Madden NFL 09 Xbox 360 Bundle on Amazon Gets You A $50 Gift Card (News)

Jul 31, 2008

WorthPlaying writes: "Amazon is offering a $50 gift card (until Aug. 27, 2008 at 11:59PST) when you purchase an Xbox 360 consoles, and a copy of Madden NFL 09."

Madden 2009 Demo Available Now (News)

Jul 31, 2008

Madden 2009 Demo is now available. This year EA sports feels as if they have made a large upgrade to the Madden series and they just can't wait to get it out to the consumer.

Madden NFL 09 - Celebration (Video)

Jul 30, 2008

Like a 13-10 overtime win, Madden 09 doesn't totally wow us but definitely gets the job done. Saddle us up for another season, even though we're a tad underwhelmed.

Madden NFL 09 Coming to Xbox (News)

Jul 29, 2008

Electronic Arts has confirmed that Madden NFL 09 will be available on the Xbox. That is not a typo, EA Sports is actually releasing a game on the big, black brick called Xbox.

Madden NFL 09 User Celebration (News)

Jul 29, 2008

Time to celebrate with the all new user celebration feature, just one of 85 new gameplay features included in first game that adapts to you, Madden NFL 09. The 20th Anniversary installment of the award winning Madden NFL franchise hits stores nationwide on August 12, 2008.

'Madden NFL 09' - Simulates Brett Favre's Possible Season (News)

Jul 28, 2008

Worthplaying Writes: "Whether you prefer to make your moves on the field, from the sidelines or in the front office, the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition has something for every football fan. Madden NFL 09 will feature the most immersive gameplay, the richest online offerings and the most comprehensive feature depth in the history of the franchise, while NFL Head Coach 09 has been reinvented to provide a unique new NFL experience by allowing fans to be in total control of their favorite franchises. The two games offer unique experiences and then can even interact with one another with gamers being able to import their user-designed plays from NFL Head Coach 09 and put them into Madden NFL 09 to create customized playbooks for complete control on the field.

Madden NFL 09 introduces 85 new features and enhancements, including the ability to adapt gameplay to the player's skill level. Whether you are a veteran Madden NFL player or a newcomer to the game, everyone can have an enjoyable and competitive gaming experience. Madden NFL 09 will also feature a network-inspired broadcast presentation highlighted by the commentary team of Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond. The game also features online leagues, allowing players to take their rivalries online and compete in leagues with fans from around the country."

Brett Favre to Remain a Packer -- on Madden 09 Cover (News)

Jul 25, 2008

With all the talk of Brett Favre coming back to the NFL for a different team, some questioned what would happen to the Madden cover. Well, EA has set the record straight, saying that "Brett Favre [would appear] in a GB jersey, no matter what."

EA's Maddenpalooza Maddetailed (News)

Jul 24, 2008

EA has dropped details on this year's celebration for the release of Madden NFL 09, annoyingly titled Maddenpalooza. Mentioned during Leigh's interview with Steve Schnur earlier this month, Maddenpalooza is a music festival featuring bands from current and past Madden soundtracks that will take place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on August 11th. Fans can snag tickets through local radio stations or at the Rose Bowl on event day, which entitle them to a day filled with music, NFL star signings, and various other bits of marketing, all leading up to 9PM when the stadium's pop-up Wal-Mart will sell the first copies of the game.

Artists scheduled to appear include headliners Good Charlotte, Busta Rhymes, Rev Theory, Airbourne, From First to Last and Young Dre The Truth. Sounds like a worthy successor to the traditional Maddenoliday, more than enough to hold us until they add the word Madden to the front of some new festive term.

Madden 09 Demo Coming August 1st (News)

Jul 22, 2008

XBL and PSN will be seeing the demo for Madden 09 arrive on Friday August 1st.

Madden NFL 09 (Screenshots)

Jul 15, 2008

EA: Next Year's Non-Music Games Will Feature DLC-Enabled Soundtracks (News)

Jul 9, 2008

Stephen Totilo writes:

"Year after year EA's chief music executive Steve Schnur has told me, in interviews, that video game soundtracks for games like "Madden" will someday be update-able via downloaded music.

When I interviewed Schnur yesterday about the soundtrack for "Madden NFL 09" he finally named a timeframe. "You're going to see it in 2009," he said. He said that by "Madden '10" gamers can expect some of the "broader-based" EA games (not just any music titles) to be able to "continually recommend" new music that can be downloaded to enhance a soundtrack."

Madden 09 Soundtrack Revealed (News)

Jul 8, 2008

Electronic Arts Inc today unveiled the music track listing for Madden NFL 09, set to release August 12, 2008. The new soundtrack features 26 songs from a multi-genre roster of superstar acts and soon-to-breakthrough artists, including Franz Ferdinand, Good Charlotte, Airbourne, From First To Last, The All-American Rejects, Rev Theory, K'Naan, and Kidz In The Hall.

Madden NFL 09 Achievements Revealed (News)

Jun 30, 2008

The achievements for Madden NFL 09 have been revealed by Xbox360achievements.org. A huge change from last year, there are only 25 achievements for the full 1000 points. A fairly simple list, where quite a few achievements revolve around touchdown celebrations and the rest are basic accomplishments such as getting a certain number of sacks or Touchdowns. For the full list of achievements, click the link below.

Madden NFL 09 - Presentation (Video)

Jun 26, 2008

Like a 13-10 overtime win, Madden 09 doesn't totally wow us but definitely gets the job done. Saddle us up for another season, even though we're a tad underwhelmed.

What's new in Madden NFL 09? (News)

Jun 26, 2008

So what's new in Madden NFL 09 that would make you want to buy it over the previous iteration? The 20th anniversary of the franchise brings lots of new features and Madden moments.

Madden NFL 09 New Screenshots and the Game has Gone Gold (News)

Jun 26, 2008

Are you ready for some football? Madden NFL 09, the first ever sports game that adapts to you, has gone gold and will be available nationwide on August 12, 2008. Every year, it's the hottest item of the summer for sports fans and this year Madden NFL 09 delivers a whole host of new features in the 20th anniversary of the award-winning and best-selling franchise.

EA doesn't usually get benefit of the "cult" says CEO (News)

Jun 18, 2008

GamesIndustry.Biz writes: "Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello says that his company doesn't usually get the benefit of the "cult" when it comes to game ratings.

While speaking to investors gathered for the William Blair & Company's 28th Annual Growth Stock Conference, Riccitiello was asked to estimate the Metacritic review scores for EA's upcoming titles.

"I always hate answering questions like this. It is a little bit like you're jinxing the play, you know - 'We expect the New York Times to love this play.'

"And you sort of feel a little bit like a twit getting out ahead of it because there's a certain cadre of journalists that would love to prove me wrong."

Riccitiello said that he has looked carefully at EA Sports titles - NASCAR, NCAA, Madden and NBA Live - and found them to be better products than last year."

Video Gamers Sue EA Over Exclusive Sports Games (News)

Jun 16, 2008

Sports video games are a huge business -- and for many years, it was an extremely competitive space. I remember a few years back trying to wade through half a dozen different baseball video game titles to figure out which one was worth buying. However, a few years back, video game giant EA started signing "exclusive" deals with a variety of sporting leagues, including the NFL. These "exclusive" deals supposedly meant that only EA could produce games with the names and stats of real players -- a huge selling point among most fans. And, of course, in gaining exclusivity, EA has completely cashed in. However, a bunch of angry video gamers are now suing the company for anticompetitive conduct, noting that these exclusive deals killed off all the competition, allowing EA to drastically raise its prices.

EA Sports Fantasy Football Delivers Console-Based Tools and In-Game Integration with Madden NFL 09 (News)

Jun 16, 2008

Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that EA Sports Fantasy Football will be launching a new website, fantasy.EASPORTS.com and will have fantasy football applications specific to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system later this summer. The web-based service of EA Sports Fantasy Football is free, while members of Xbox Live or PlayStation 3 Network will have the opportunity to download the innovative fantasy football applications for a fee. In addition, for the first time ever, gamers will have the ability to play their fantasy football squad in Madden NFL 09. EA Experts, a team of internal fantasy football gurus, returns and serves as a go-to source for all fantasy football information.

EA sued over football exclusivity (News)

Jun 12, 2008

Electronic Arts has been hit with a lawsuit for what the plaintiffs describe as the publisher's "blatantly anticompetitive conduct" in the football gaming genre.

According to the San Jose Business Journal, EA's move to tie up exclusive licenses with US football associations for games based on the sport is at the heart of the case.

The plaintiffs point out that competition from rival publisher Take-Two, which sold more than ...

Madden 09 To Put Your Skills To The Test (News)

Jun 10, 2008

According to details revealed in the upcoming GameInformer magazine, Madden 09 is set to have an IQ test but, unlike the other IQ test you have taking in Madden games this one will determine how hard the game will be for the user

'Madden NFL '09' Backtrack Trailer (News)

Jun 5, 2008

Madden NFL '09 is on the horizon and it's going to bring some new features along for ride. One of them is Backtrack, which is shown off in this new trailer:

Madden 09 Player and Team Ratings (News)

Jun 1, 2008

Overall ratings for most of the players in Madden 09 are displayed, and a list showing the team ratings in the game.

Is Madden 09 too noob-friendly? (Preview)

May 30, 2008

Just as the leaves fall in autumn and the birds migrate south, each August will see the release of a new Madden game. Millions of dutiful fans line up to buy it every year, while the rest of the gaming world looks on and wonders what all the fuss is about. Every year, EA is forced to up the stakes to keep the fanbase happy, but the more complex the game becomes, the fewer new recruits are drafted into the ranks of happy Madden players. Even ...

Madden NFL 09 vs Madden NFL 08: Visual Differences [video and screenshots] (News)

May 23, 2008

How has Madden NFL's visuals improved over the course of a year? Electronic Arts released a comparison video showing the visual differences between Madden NFL 08 and the upcoming Madden NFL 09. See screenshots and a video.

EA Hosts Second Annual Rookie Madden Bowl (News)

May 23, 2008

On Friday, May 16th, over 30 NFL rookies gathered in the Arcadia Ballroom at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel for the EA Sports 2008 Rookie Madden Bowl. The second annual Rookie Madden Bowl brought together top NFL rookies to compete on Madden NFL 08 to see who would be crowned the 2008 EA Sports Rookie Madden Bowl Champion. The eight-man tournament included New England Patriots quarterback Kevin O'Connell, Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brian Brohm, Washington Redskins wide receiver Devin Thomas, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall, New York Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Dexter Jackson. Devin Thomas came out victorious, proudly taking home the 2008 Rookie Madden Bowl trophy.

Madden 09: Why even Europeans will love it (Preview)

May 22, 2008

For non-US gamers, American football is a daunting sport. EA's Madden-sponsored yearly videogame strips away none of the intricacy or depth, and so it's not surprising that it leaves most non-believers in a state of almost paralytic befuddlement. But with Madden 09 we finally get an American football game that doesn't alienate casual observers with its impenetrable action ...

Do Over! Madden Mondays Week 6: EA SPORTS REWIND (News)

May 19, 2008

Gamestop Madden Blog writes: "We all have moments we'd like to do over in life. If we had a nickel for every time someone around here said, "I wish I didn't drink that whole bottle of pancake syrup," or I wish I had known that 'beachball' was actually a Portuguese Man-of-War jellyfish," we'd be living on our own private island by now.

Here are some important details regarding EA SPORTS REWIND in Madden NFL 09: Before the game begins, each player may select 0, 1, 3, 5, or unlimited REWINDS to be used during the course of the game. Rewinds may be be used on any play: Offense, Defense, & Special Teams. They're not available during online games. Madden NFL 09 hits the streets August 12th, including the historic 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition. So click here or head to your local GameStop to reserve your copy. And remember, with great power comes great responsibility."

Madden NFL 09: First Online Leagues Details (News)

Apr 30, 2008

When it comes to sports videogames it doesn't get much bigger than the yearly release of Madden Football. Some complain it's the same game year in and year out, but that doesn't stop droves of pigskin fanatics from lining up outside of their local retailers in hopes of scoring a copy.

Brett Favre Is Not A Madden Fan (News)

Apr 28, 2008

Kotaku via ESPN writes: "A few months ago, I spoke with EA Sports' Chris Erb about Madden. Guy said that every year they had "100 guys calling us, begging to appear on the cover". So it's odd that when settling on a cover star for Madden 09, they went not for a player who's Madden crazy, but a guy who positively bah humbugs the thing.

I'm not savvy enough to play this game. Most of the younger generation has no idea [Madden] coached...Some of our guys play Madden better than they play on Sundays. And they spend more time talking about playing Madden.

Guess Brett won't be helping promote the game much, then."

Madden Live Draft Update (News)

Apr 27, 2008

As the draft starts at 3pm, and the rookie screenshots are released for Madden 2009, Stick Skills will bring them to you live!

Commentators and new Madden 09 features revealed (News)

Apr 25, 2008

EA Sports has announced that the duo of Tom Hammond and Cris Collinsworth will provide commentary for Madden 09. Also added are a total control animation system and online leagues.

Scoop: Brett Favre to Cover Madden NFL 09 (News)

Apr 24, 2008

While speculation might suggest Eli Manning or Adrian Peterson, EA has gone with longtime Packers star Brett Favre. The announcement is expected tonight on Letterman.

According to the Facebook site for Madden NFL 09, the cover athlete is expected to be announced on April 25. Moreover, a quick check of the CBS schedule for Late Show with David Letterman shows that Favre is going to appear as one of Dave's guests tonight (April 24). For the past few years, EA has used late-night shows to announce the Madden cover. Last year Jimmy Kimmel's show was used to announce Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young for Madden 08.

Madden 2009 Cover Athlete Announced (News)

Apr 24, 2008

Were you thinking that Eli Manning or Adrian Peterson would be gracing the cover? Well, you might want to start thinking again.

NFL Head Coach 09 NOT Only Available In Madden 09 Collectors Edition (News)

Apr 23, 2008

Excellent news, American football strategists and virtual Monday morning coaches! EA has decided not to limit the availability of this year's NFL Head Coach release to a the Madden NFL 09 Collectors Edition.