madden-10
Latest
Some copies of Madden 10 missing 'Online Franchise' DLC codes
Developers these days are doing a lot to incentivize those new game purchases over their used counterparts, and Madden 10 is no exception. Those who purchased the game were supposed to receive a downloadable code for the game's "Online Franchise Mode," though reportedly, those in "regions outside of North America," specifically Australia, the UK and "other regions" are getting copies with a missing DLC code.Panic broke out at EA's forums over the situation, but EA Sports told Joystiq this morning that a fix is on the way. "We are aware of the situation and we're working towards a solution right now," EA's Rob Semsey told us. The one-time use DLC code is supposed to be on the back of the manual in the game's box, but due to the "printing process of the manuals," some folks are getting copies without any code. Worse? The DLC has already landed on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, giving some Madden 10 owners the impression that they were expected to pay for the content -- despite having purchased a new copy on launch day.EA says we'll get more official word on a solution "very soon," but for now we suggest following Madden 10 lead designer Ian Cummings' tweeted suggestion of calling the customer support line. %Gallery-63607%
Sports Illustrated subscription and Madden 10 bundled for only $49
This looks to be quite the deal for sports fans. Sports Illustrated is offering a free copy of Madden 10 (on the platform of your choice) with every paid subscription. In addition to getting to getting 28 issues of Sports Illustrated, the $49 bundle includes a documentary DVD, "The Road to Canton" and the aforementioned copy of Madden. The bundle is actually cheaper than buying a standalone copy of Madden 10 at retail! With the money saved, you can afford all those crazy DLC packs EA is pimping in this year's edition ... almost.If you do take advantage of the deal, make sure you watch out for the auto-renewal option. You'll have to cancel your subscription before it ends, or SI will charge you for another year when your subscription ends.[Thanks, Colin M.!]
Madden 10 DLC lets you buy injury healing, retirement prevention, 'Elite Status,' more
To say EA has been going overboard with DLC would be an understatement. The upcoming Madden 10 continues EA's attempt at pinching even more out of your virtual wallet for cheats and game enhancements. Here's but a very small sample of the premium packs you'll be charged for: Super Superstar - Downloading this will enable your Superstar to get maximum progression for the length of his career. Pick A Superstar - Downloading this will allow you to pick any NFL player to start Superstar mode with. Dig Deep - For one play, your players respond to the challenges of the moment. All players receive a 10% boost to all stats. Game Day Instincts - For one game, your coaching staff is in the zone. All players receive a 5% boost to all stats; can be used once per year, per franchise. PK Scout - Download this to use a special scout who will reveal all true stats for Punter and Kicker prospects in the upcoming offseason. This is usable in Franchise only. Play Through the Pain - Using this allows for one player to recover from any injury no matter what the severity; usable once per season, per franchise. Not Done Yet - Downloading this allows you to keep one player out of retirement for one more year; usable once per season, per franchise. This is used in Franchise Mode only. In addition to these game modifiers, players can purchase "Elite Status" through the game's multiplayer lobby. What does it do? It'll give you access to "exclusive VIP lobbies, leaderboards" and will grant you access to "the all new Elite Gametype" which features "All-Madden difficulty level and is tuned exclusively for the hardcore." Wait, what? EA, you're seriously charging money for a new difficulty mode? (IGN reports that it'll be $5.) Those looking for the ultimate Madden experience will have to prepare for sticker shock when the game ships next week.[Thanks, Ryan!]
EA stock dropped slightly following earnings report, back up
EA's stock took a near seven percent dive yesterday, following the publishing giant's latest earnings report on Tuesday, GI.biz reports. As of writing this post, the stock stands at $20.55, jumping up a little over one percent since trading began today. We're no stock analysis site, but we're fairly certain that should The Sims 3 and EA Sports Active keep kicking butt at retail – and with EA's yearly fundraiser, Madden 10, on the horizon – EA stockholders will be A-OK.
EA Q1 sales better than expected, still slow
We've been hearing recession tales of woe for months now in the video game industry. Today is no different, as EA is posting a net loss of $234 million for its financial Q1 sales year over year versus $95 million in losses during the same quarter last year. Unsurprisingly, titles like The Sims 3 and EA Sports Active -- you know, EA's best selling Wii game ever -- helped to boost sales, but overall game sales were lower "due to slowed hardware sales." Don't worry, though, as EA promises four new IPs for the holiday season (Dante's Inferno, Dragon Age: Origins, Brütal Legend and, presumably, Saboteur) and predicts increased revenue with tiny little titles like The Beatles: Rock Band and Madden 10 landing in the next few months. (We were so worried.)
EA creating bite-sized Madden arcade title (think '3-on-3 NHL Arcade')
EA's 3-on-3 NHL Arcade, a smaller and more focused downloadable hockey title, seems to have been a successful experiment for the publisher. In a recent investor call, EA's Peter Moore confirmed that a similar title, this time with the Madden franchise as basis, is currently in development. Though little other information was divulged, we're told to expect title sometime "this holiday."
Play Madden in a football stadium ... on the big screen!
Following in the great tradition of, um, the Jonas Brothers' tour manager playing Gears of War 2 on a way too big screen at Cowboy Stadium, EA and Sony are hosting a Madden 10 event for 256 lucky fans at the same stadium. The kicker? If you manage to snag a spot, you'll not only get access to the full game nearly a week early, but you may also find your gaming projected on one of the stadium's many enormous screens. The event takes place on Cowboy season ticket holder appreciation day and as such, those lucky enough to get inside may find 10,000 or so people in the stands. However, if you brave the Madden 10 tourney ladder and win, you'll be walking away with a copy of the game, before its August 14 release, and a PlayStation 3. The PlayStation US blog is giving away 25 tickets (+1 guest) for little more than a silly photo of yourself demonstrating "your favorite touchdown dance or pose" with a PlayStation item in the picture. It could be worse, right? You could have to sing a Jonas Brothers song or something. [Image credit]
Dude, give me a fist bump: Madden 10 demo up now on Xbox Live
Bro, like, Major Nelson says if you're an Xbox Live Gold member, then you can totally download the demo for Madden 10, right now! Word? Wooord! Of course, if you pre-ordered from GameStop, then you've already got a better demo for the annual franchise, which releases August 14 ... brodawg.%Gallery-50174%
Xbox Live gets Madden 10 demo a week early
With EA having already announced that the public demo for Madden NFL 10 -- read: not the fancy pre-order demo -- would release on July 30 on both the Xbox 360 and PS3, it looks like Microsoft has made other plans. Microsoft has announced that the Madden 10 public demo will be hitting Xbox Live on July 23, a full week ahead of the PSN version. Unsurprisingly, you'll need to be an Xbox Live Gold member to snag the demo early. Silver members will still be stuck waiting until next week.Lest you've forgotten, the public demo features a snowy night game between the Giants and the Cowboys. If you're not in line to pick up the spiffy pre-order demo but still want to see what the fuss is all about, be sure to snag the public demo when it drops this Thursday.
Pre-order Madden 10 at GameStop ... to get free Madden 10 demo
Pre-order either the PS3 or Xbox 360 version of Madden 10 and you'll get a sneak peak at the upcoming football game. GameStop is issuing an "exclusive" 20-minute demo that lets you relive the Super Bowl yet again with the Cardinals and the Steelers, while, according to Kotaku, everyone else will be able to download a shorter 8-minute demo between the Giants and the Cowboys.We're not exactly sure how a free demo is meant to appease those that are already committed to buying the game, but at the very least, it's a far more compelling offer than, say, a free sample of Madden's short-lived recording career.Source - GameStop pre-order announcementSource - EA demo clarification
Roundup: GTTV's E3 trailers
Did your late night Canasta tournament keep you away from your television last night, preventing you from catching all of GameTrailers' exclusive ... trailers for a number of highly anticipated titles that will be appearing at E3? Fear not -- we've got them posted conveniently after the break. What games are present and accounted for, you ask? Well, let's see (deep breath): Mass Effect 2, Brutal Legend, Lost Planet 2, Split/Second, Brink, DJ Hero, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Just Cause 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Supreme Commander 2, Dante's Inferno, Madden 10, NHL 10, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, Need for Speed Shift, Alpha Protocol and Heroes of Telara. Check 'em out!
Madden 10: Did EA press reset?
Senior producer Phil Frazier calls Madden NFL 10 a "reset." That's a tough buzzword to sell, especially for Madden, which is reappearing this August as its twenty-something-ith iteration. Despite its massive following, Joystiq has largely treated the series as uninteresting. Year in, year out, the process has grown mechanical: the annual announcement, followed by details of game enhancements, and then, of course, a look at those supposedly cursed cover athletes. Then, silence. The game's released. A few months later, news of its sales dominance. Rinse. Repeat. Reset.It's difficult not to trivialize a game franchise that follows such a formulaic path from concept to destined bestseller. On the surface, it appears as if there are no surprises. There's nothing to be inspired by. Maybe there's a twinge of aliveness in seeing the first screenshot of the new season, in admiring the game's gradual transformation into lifelike football, in our brief exaggeration of that image as actually lifelike, before scrutiny sets in, and we identify it as just the new Madden.Somewhere, certainly, there are discussion forums geeking out over the new look and tweaks and promises -- or passionately lamenting the next "QB Vision Cone." But here, we have not been moved beyond the mundane and have not trusted that an exclusive NFL license, a one-year development cycle and, dare we suggest, a "simple" sports game are keys to gaming innovation. An inner troll is nagging: Guys, you know it's just another "roster update."
Madden NFL 10 on Wii features 'genre-defining art style'
Click image to juke into our gallery Seriously, EA? Inside your long press release about the Wii version of Madden NFL 10, you point out the new, cartoon looks? Don't play up the fact that this year's edition is entirely new and built from the ground up on the Wii. Don't elaborate on how the game will "deliver a social, dynamic experience for the entire living room" or anything. Nope, just tell us how great it looks, sit back, and prepare to count all the money.Madden NFL 10 sacks retail on August 14, 2009.%Gallery-51384%
Madden NFL 10 to feature new Pro-Tak mode, faster ways to play
EA just passed along some new screens and details for Madden NFL 10, and it looks like Tiburon is really working hard to make this year's edition stand out. One of the biggest improvements to the game is the Pro-Tak feature, which provides more dynamic tackling on the defense, better evasion maneuvers for the Quarterback, and allows players to fight for fumbles at the bottom of the pile. Defenders can even gang up on an offensive player, allowing up to 9-man gang tackles. There will also be a new way for you to decrease the length of a game through the Madden NFL Your Way feature. This is a customizable version of the game that will support a new, revamped play calling system, along with faster clocks, and streamlined presentation.Madden NFL 10 will tackle retail on August 14, 2009.%Gallery-51382%
Report: Halo 3: ODST most desired Xbox 360 game
Research group Gameplan Insights recently conducted a study, which highlighted the most anticipated Xbox 360 games. Its parent company, OTX, polled 1,000 gamers across various demographics every week through March and April, and discovered that Halo 3: ODST is the most anticipated game. Bungie's upcoming spin-off managed to narrowly best Modern Warfare 2 (if you can believe it), according to data Gameplan Insights provided to Gamasutra. Rounding out the rest of the top five are Madden NFL 10, Final Fantasy XIII, and Assassin's Creed 2.What's odd about all of this is that Halo 3: ODST is the only Xbox 360 exclusive to feature in the list. The remainder, as you can see, are multiplatform titles. Perhaps Microsoft will rectify that with its upcoming E3 showcase.[Via Gamasutra]
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!
Madden 10 cover to curse two athletes: Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu
Click to see the full cover. EA continues reinventing the Madden cover. This year's cover features not one, but two players, in a stylized cover that's reminiscent of Street Fighter IV. The Cardinals' wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, and the Steelers' safety, Troy Polamalu, will share the spotlight on EA Sports' annual NFL game when it goes on sale on August 14th. The two teams should be familiar to anyone who watched last year's Super Bowl -- y'know, people that play Madden.In addition to debuting the cover athlete, EA Sports released more screenshots, which you can peruse in our gallery.%Gallery-50174%
New Madden 10 screens break through the line
Click to embiggen. Hot on the heels of the Peter Moore Challenge, EA Sports has handed off a couple of new screens for Madden NFL 10. The game is set to tackle retail shelves in August, and as one might imagine, these first screens have the requisite amount of biceps, pigskins, and blur everywhere, so dive into our gallery below to check them out.Now, on a more personal note, we would like to call out EA Sports for its flagrant abuse of referees. It's not nice to show referees being trounced to death in your new screens. They're a vital part of the game. It's their job to make bad calls and screw over your team.%Gallery-50608%
Madden NFL 10 tackles retail on August 14th
It's another year, it's another Madden. The best only NFL game in town will make its return this year on August 14th, promising "all-new animation technology." The Madden line follows EA's newfound love for Nintendo, as the Wii version gets special attention this year with a "unique, genre-defining art style" that "epitomizes what fun looks like on the Wii." Cel-shaded Madden, perhaps?We don't know much more about this year's iteration of the Madden series, except for details garnered from the game's only screenshot. The infamous cover athlete is also currently unknown and will be revealed later this year on April 24th.Madden NFL10 will be available on Xbox 360, PS2, PS3, PSP and Wii. Update: Big Download has confirmed that no PC version is in the works. "We have no plans to release Madden NFL 10 on the PC this year."
GDC09: EA quietly announces iPhone versions of major franchises
Of the many GDC 2009 announcements taking place this week, we were most shocked to see EA sneakily introducing some of the company's most popular franchises to the Apple device some are calling the newest gaming platform -- the iPhone. Travis Boatman, VP of worldwide studios at EA Mobile, made the announcement at GDC Mobile, naming SSX, Wolfenstein RPG, Red Alert, FIFA 10, Madden 10, NBA Live 10, American Idol, Spore Creatures, Clue, Risk, Mystery Mania, Connect Four, Battleship, Tiger Woods and Star Trek, according to reports from Patrick Klepek (former MTV Multiplayer writer) and Shacknews. While most of the titles are the to-be-expected EA mutliplatform titles like Madden 10 and NBA Live 10, the SSX series will be getting its first update in two years according to this announcement. Also of note, Wolfenstein RPG is of no relation to the just released Wolfenstein 3D for the iPhone; rather, it makes up half of the two iPhone games id Software is purportedly working on. Details are unfortunately scant at the moment but we've reached out to EA for comment.On a personal note, we'd like to extend our personal "WHAT THE HELL?!" regarding Risk being announced for the iPhone and still not hearing a peep on it coming to XBLA/PSN. Seriously, EA. What the hell?![Via Shacknews]
