Madden NFL

Madden NFL is an American football video game developed by Electronic Arts Tiburon (EA) for EA Sports. The Madden NFL series consistently is one of the top selling video games in North America every year. The first version of the game was released in 1989 for the PC, as John Madden Football. The first console version (and the version that made it a top-selling franchise) for the Sega Genesis followed in 1990 with a Super Nintendo version available a year later. EA Sports has released annual updates for all versions since 1991's John Madden Football '92. The series gained full NFL licensing and became known as Madden NFL with 1993's Madden NFL '94; NFL players licenses came two years later.

History

The game is named after John Madden, a well-known football commentator and formerly a successful Super Bowl winning professional football coach during the 1970s with the Oakland Raiders. Madden insisted that he would only give his endorsement to a game that was as close to real life football as possible. He rejected an early version of the game when the limitations of 1980s computers restricted the display to seven players per side.

Related Topics:
John Madden - Super Bowl - Coach - 1970s - Oakland Raiders - 1980s

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The game has grown, refined and matured over the years, adding many new features. Among these is voice commentary, allowing players or watchers to hear the game being called as if it were a real game on TV. The commentary is by John Madden teamed with his regular broadcast partner, which meant Pat Summerall until he retired; the role is now filled by Al Michaels, John's regular broadcast partner on Monday Night Football.

Related Topics:
TV - Pat Summerall - Al Michaels - Monday Night Football

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The original version of the game was commissioned by EA founder Trip Hawkins in 1984, and originally ran on an Apple II. EA had just shipped the hit Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One on One and would soon begin work on Earl Weaver Baseball and World Tour Golf, which together were the foundation for the EA Sports line of video games. The Apple II was not fast enough to show all the players running in real formations on the field. Madden personally rejected the initial proposed build because there were only seven players on each team. After several years of unsuccessful experiments the game finally shipped in the late 1980s and did not sell well.

Related Topics:
Trip Hawkins - 1984 - Apple II - Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One on One - Earl Weaver Baseball - World Tour Golf - 1980s

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When the Sega Genesis gained popularity in the early 1990s, EA tried again. Producer Richard Hilleman brought in veteran sports game designer Scott Orr, who had founded 1980s Commodore 64 game publisher GameStar and had led the design of their best-selling sports games. The team of Orr and Hilleman designed and led the development of what is today still recognizable as the modern Madden Football, the highest revenue-generating video game series in North America in game history. Early versions of Madden were created by outside studios (including Park Place Productions and Stormfront Studios) but by the late 1990s development was centralized internally at EA Tiburon in Orlando, Florida.

Related Topics:
1990s - Richard Hilleman - Scott Orr - Commodore 64 - GameStar - Park Place Productions - Stormfront Studios

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There are multiple modes of play, from a quick head-to-head game to running a team for a whole season or even multiple seasons. Online play, which was a new feature for Madden NFL 2003 was only available for users of the PlayStation 2 console or a Microsoft Windows PC until earlier this year. At E3 2004, Microsoft and EA Sports released a press statement announcing that games made from July on will now be Xbox Live-enabled. In August of 2004, EA Sports released Madden NFL 2005 and thus became a fierce competitor in the Xbox Live Community.

Related Topics:
Madden NFL 2003 - Microsoft Windows - E3 - 2004 - July - Xbox Live - Madden NFL 2005

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Also, starting with Madden 2004, EA Sports created the new "Play Maker" tool, using the right analog joystick found on many controllers. This allows the players to make pre-snap route adjustments, as well as defensive alignment adjustments. In Madden 2005, EA Sports further utilized the right analog joystick by creating the "Hit Stick", and option on defense that allows the controlled player to make big hits that can cause fumbles. In the most recent edition to the Madden series, Madden 06, the truck stick was introduced. This feature allows the offensive player to lower his shoulder and break a takle, or back juke to avoid one. Another new feature is the 'Superstar Mode', which allows the player to take control of a Rookie, and progress through their carrer. This includes an IQ test, the NFL draft, hireing an agent, and other aspects of a superstars life.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On December 13, 2004, EA Sports announced it had secured exclusive rights to the NFL for the subsequent five years, precluding any other game company from selling a football game using NFL players, teams, stadiums or other licenses.

Related Topics:
December 13 - 2004

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~