Madden 2005

madden_2005 Madden 2005

Video games account for over $11 billion in annual revenue eclipsing Hollywood box office totals by over a billion each year. Madden 2004 was the top selling video game on the planet last year selling over 4 million copies, and despite facing some increasing price competition from ESPN's football simulation, Madden figures to be another juggernaut for 2005. For those who have already circled the release date of August 12th on your calendar as the day to sprint to your nearest retailer, you could always head on over to the Pro Football Hall of Fame a week earlier, and be among the first to play the newest version of virtual football heaven.

Electronic Arts has just announced that they will exclusively showcase Madden 2005 on August 5th in Canton, Ohio.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the only place Electronic Arts, or EA, will let the public play Madden -- seven days before the Redwood City, Calif., publisher releases it in stores. - SBN

An interesting sidenote to this year's release is the placement of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis on the cover. For those who don't know, being featured on the cover of Madden is akin to crossing a black cat in a back alley. It ensures two things for the player;

1) A hefty endorsement check.
2) Near-total football ruin. - ESPNGAmer

Since EA Sports began putting real players on the cover in 2000, every single player showcased since has been significantly injured during their cover season. In 2001, Eddie George suffered a severe concussion and had his worst year as a pro. In 2002, Daunte Culpepper had his worst career year and sustained a season-ending knee injury. In 2003, Marshall Faulk battled ankle and knee injuries all season long and failed to rush for 1000-yards. And the worst evidence of this horrid and bewildering curse came last season, when 2004 cover boy Michael Vick broke his leg in preseason and missed all but a fraction of the entire season. It's no wonder EA Sports tried something different this year. They probably couldn't find an offensive star willing to take their money. So this year, it's defense and the NFL's most tenacious player on the cover. If something terrible should befall upon Ray Lewis this season, I'm guessing we'll see John Madden's ugly mug or Bugs Bunny in a helmet in 2006.

Canton to release 2005 [SBN]
Covering the blues [ESPNGamer]
Image: [Electronic Arts]

( Add your comments )

Recent Entries:
· Grant enters not guilty plea
· Davis apologizes for missing practice
· Can Indy finally grab Super Bowl?

(Note: separate multiple email addresses with commas)

Madden 2005