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Madden 25 features All-25 dream team coached by Madden
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series, Madden 25 will include a special All-25 Team comprised of the best players to step foot on the virtual turf, usable in the Play Now mode of the game. Of course, the team wouldn't be complete without the game's namesake, John Madden, as its head coach, who will bring his own special playbook to the sidelines. EA Sports will lift the curtains on two players on the dream team's depth chart per day, starting today with former Buccaneers fullback Mike Alstott and former Rams running back Marshall Faulk. EA's All-25 team hub offers a few ratings for each player, such as Faulk's 90 catching and Alstott's 98 trucking ratings. Faulk is a respectable, albeit curious choice, given that Barry Sanders is the cover athlete for the game. Madden 25 will launch on Xbox 360 and PS3 on August 27, and will come to Xbox One and PS4 at a later date.
EA denies NFL lawsuit rumors
Responding to questions regarding allegations made by retired NFL player Bernie Parrish, perennial Madden publisher, EA, told GamesIndustry.biz that it is, "Not aware of any legal action." Parrish wrote an open letter recently to the 2,062 retired NFLers who won $28 million in a lawsuit with the NFL last January, asking that they each put $1,000 of their stake from the last victory into a "litigation War Chest."Considering the tenacity of the folks involved (the $28 million was won in appeals court, mind you), we think it may be worth pointing out that they may just not be organized yet -- after all, the statements made by Parrish were published just over one week ago. Either way, EA seems to contest the allegations, stating, "This is a dispute between the retired players and their union." Another lawsuit it is then!
Report: Retired NFL players planning to sue EA and Madden for royalties
A story on GamePolitics recently pointed our attention to the blog of NFL retiree Dave Pear, where fellow former football player Bernie Parrish announced that a number of retired NFL players are planning to sue Electronic Arts and John Madden for using their likenesses in a number of Madden titles without paying them any royalties.If this story sounds familiar, it's because the same group of 2,062 retirees filed a similar suit against the NFL Players Association last fall, ultimately receiving $28 million in damages. Parrish is asking each of the players involved in last year's lawsuit to put $1,000 of their respective settlements into a "litigation War Chest" with which to seek legal action against the publishing juggernaut and the recently retired commentator, who reportedly "collected over $100,000,000 in royalties while paying the retired NFL players used in those games absolutely nothing."
John Madden announces retirement
If you follow sports like we do (no, seriously!) you probably already heard the news: After 123 years serving in different capacities with the NFL, John Madden is retiring from his broadcasting duties.We've written EA asking about the impact this will have on its franchise named after the football legend, but we'd postulate that abandoning his commentating will allow Madden more time than ever to cash his annual check.
John Madden impersonator in Blitz: The League II
Although it's probably wrong to call Frank Caliendo a "John Madden impersonator," because he does a billion great impressions ranging from President Bush to William Shatner, he's definitely best known for his spot-on send up of the white-haired football legend. Both Caliendo and Jay Mohr are joining the voice cast of Midway's upcoming footballer, Blitz: The League II.Caliendo will play three different characters, the prison warden, the offensive line coordinator and the color commentator, and Mohr will be playing The Agent, which will probably be similar to the role he played in Jerry Maguire. Midway probably wants to avoid a lawsuit with NBC, the NFL, and Madden himself, so it's doubtful Caliendo will be speaking as The Coach when we get blitzed this Fall... but here's hoping. %Gallery-20859%
Madden keeping EA rich in '06
EA's Madden NFL 07 is the year's top money-maker, accounting for more than five millions units sold across ten platforms since its release in August. The cult of Madden would not let poor Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 showings disgrace its beloved franchise, blindly shelling out for the lackluster efforts, which failed to best the deeper (and cheaper) PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions.But Madden's success does not depend on rapidly evolving gameplay. Seventeen years in the football sim business has taught EA that to follow success's formula one must simply eliminate competition (i.e., own exclusive NFL gaming rights) and update rosters.
Fence sitters take note, Madden 07 demo
If you're still not sure whether you need Madden 07 -- or if you've already bought the game and can't decide whether or not to open it -- the new demo on Marketplace should help you make up your mind. Go give it a shot and figure out if you really need a working fatigue meter anyway.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]
Artist of the Month: Audioslave
The Artist of the Month for August is (drum roll please) Audioslave. Be prepared to game with Audioslave in Madden 07 (that's football, right?) and download their video, "Original Fire." There's even a chance to win an Xbox 360 and Audioslave's next album. It's all part of the hoopla surrounding this "Madden" I keep hearing so much about. If you're interested in playing Madden with the group, click here for details.So, does anybody care about Artists of the Month? Just curious.
