Madden really wants you to Ring in '08

Want to wear your Madden skillz on the street as bling? EA is giving you the chance this season with a customizable, unlockable "Ring of a Champion" that you can actually order from Jostens -- ring maker of the Super Bowl ring ... and countless graduation rings across the nation. You might even be able to convince some gullible soul that you actually scored a real Super Bowl ring, and possibly get yourself bumped up to first class on occasion. Plus, if you get into a street brawl, you've got some serious hardware on your fingers.

The rings are unlocked by progressing to various levels as you play the game. Once you reach level three, you'll get a code in the game that will let you order the ring. The further you progress, the more you can customize your ring. You'll also be able to stick any of the NFL teams on there, and you can get the cheapo version in a "non precious ring" (Gollum will be so upset) for $149, or the flamboyant 14k gold version for $495. The finger bling comes studded with cubic zirconium, but Jostens will let you add real diamonds if you have a bottomless savings account and a real desire to toss your money away.

The rings will be available only on the "next gen" (Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) systems, sorry Wii-ers. Check out the pix of the bling below, and you can read the press release after the break.

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REDWOOD CITY, Calif., - July 16, 2007 – Electronic Arts Inc and Jostens. Inc. today announced that the highly anticipated Madden NFL 08 for next generation consoles will give players the opportunity to extend the Madden NFL 08 experience to the real world by giving them the ability to purchase their own custom-designed "Ring of a Champion". Based on the player's Madden Gamer Level, the Ring of a Champion showcases the progress of a Madden NFL 08 gamer, and each ring can be customized to recognize the player advancements through the game. These rings are a direct representation of a player's achievements and game skills. Madden NFL 08 will be available for purchase beginning August 14.

"We wanted our gamers to have something tangible to recognize their achievements within Madden NFL 08 and we kept coming back to Super Bowl rings," said Madden NFL 08 Lead Producer David Ortiz. "We wanted to remain authentic to the real Super Bowl ring therefore we forged a great partnership with Jostens to allow our gamers to proudly display their Madden NFL 08 skills."

The Ring of a Champion series will serve as a visual tracking system for a player's success within the game. As Madden NFL 08 gamers accomplish various achievements, they will progress through five different levels. Once a player has reached level three, the ring can be purchased through Jostens' website utilizing the code provided within game. In addition to the 32 NFL team logos players can incorporate into their ring, the tops and sides of the rings can also be customized. If a player is able to execute an extraordinary achievement they can obtain the Epic ring status, which allows for enhanced design and uniqueness.

"We know that Madden NFL players are passionate about their game and take pride in their skills," said Mike Bailey, president and CEO, Jostens. Inc. "We've had fun designing the rings with EA and hope they add a new dimension of reward to the game."

Minneapolis- based Jostens, creators of 27 out of the 41 Super Bowl Championship rings, and EA have worked together to create the collection of Madden NFL 08 rings, incorporating a unique ring design feature embedded in the game. Jostens will offer three unique ring designs that are available in non-precious metals as well as 10K white and yellow gold. Gamers can also choose from a variety of colors to add to further customize. Rings will range in price from $149 for a non precious ring to $495 for a 10K Gold ring. Each ring incorporate simulated stones chosen by the gamer as well as cubic zirconium stones in the design and gamers will also be given the option to add genuine diamonds if they prefer the ultimate in their Ring of a Champion.

Coming into its 18th year and with more than 60 million copies sold and having generated over $2 billion in retail sales, Madden NFL football continues to stand out as one of the most popular videogame franchises of all time. Developed in Orlando, FL by EA Tiburon, Madden NFL 08 will be available in August on the Xbox 360™ and Xbox® videogame and entertainment systems, PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™, Wii™, PC, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system. For more information check out www.madden08.com.