REDWOOD CITY, Calif., August 12, 2008 - Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) 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.
Whether you are a seasoned veteran, or a franchise rookie, Madden NFL 09 will continuously assess your skills and adjust the gameplay to keep the experience both fun and challenging, all while training gamers to become better Madden players. Madden NFL 09 also includes a brand-new broadcast presentation package featuring Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond, online leagues, and the most realistic graphics in franchise history.
Due to the trade of Madden NFL 09 cover athlete Brett Favre to the New York Jets, new packaging featuring a first-look at Favre in a Jets uniform is now available on www.easports.com. A roster update with Favre as the Jets' starting quarterback is also now available*. Offline users will find Favre on an all-time greats team in the final packaged version of the game and can place him on whichever team they choose.
"Madden NFL 09 truly embodies the rich history of Madden NFL football," said Senior Producer Phil Frazier. "With adaptable gameplay, stunning visuals, and beyond broadcast presentation this game is a fantastic and competitive experience for all types of gamers."
Included in the 85 new enhancements is the Virtual Training Center which establishes a player's gameplay difficulty. It is a new interactive tutorial mode, set in a holographic environment that aims at teaching gamers fundamental concepts about football strategy and how to use the controls in quick, fun and stylized drills. After players complete these drills, a Madden IQ score is given, and their "My Skills" difficulty settings are automatically set based on their strengths and weaknesses. Throughout their Madden NFL career, the all-new Adaptive Difficulty Engine will continually tailor the difficulty settings as the gamer's Madden IQ score evolves.
In addition, EA SPORTS BackTrack is a new replay learning tool imbedded within the game that dissects plays and shows the player what they should have done in certain circumstances. When a mistake is made, Collinsworth will breakdown where the user went wrong and what they could have done better.
Included in this year's new network-inspired broadcast presentation for Madden NFL 09 are sleeker player models, realistic weather and grass and exterior stadium views.
Madden NFL 09 gives gamers the ability to create online leagues. Avid Madden NFL fans can now take their rivalries online and compete in leagues with up to 32 teams. Online league play will feature in-depth stat tracking, player trades and a flexible scheduling option.
Madden NFL football has become a cultural phenomenon and has evolved into the must-have sports title every year and has sold more than 70 million** units lifetime.
Madden NFL 09 is developed in Orlando, Florida by the award-winning EA Tiburon studio, which also produces NCAA Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR and NASCAR racing.
Madden NFL 09 will be available for the Xbox 360 video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation2 and PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment systems, Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP (PlayStationPortable) handheld entertainment system and is rated E by the ESRB. Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition will ship on the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION3.