LADYDRAGON.COM - Best-Selling Football Videogame, Madden NFL 2003, Launches on Six Platforms

Monday August 12, 2002

Best-Selling Football Videogame, Madden NFL 2003, Launches on Six Platforms

In its 13th year, EA SPORTS' cornerstone franchise adds online gaming, John Madden with Al Michaels commentary and new mini-camp mode

Football season officially starts today with the launch of Madden NFL(tm) 2003 from Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS), the best-selling football videogame. The ship date was moved up a day due to the high demand from consumers.

Available on six platforms, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo GameCube, the Xbox(tm) video game system from Microsoft, the PlayStation console, Game Boy® Advance and PC, the Madden NFL Football franchise enters into its 13th year as the undisputed leader in authentic NFL football simulation.

In its history, the franchise has sold more than 25 million copies including more than four million copies of Madden NFL 2002.

For the first time on the PlayStation 2 console, gamers can play Madden NFL 2003 head-to-head online with a Sony network adaptor.* Featuring an online lobby where gamers can meet, greet and chat, as well as download current player rosters throughout the NFL season, friends can challenge one another coast-to-coast in the most competitive football videogame available.

On all of the consoles, Madden NFL 2003 features all-new commentary with the ABC Monday Night Football team of John Madden and Al Michaels, providing the most dynamic play-by-play and in-depth analysis ever. Melissa Stark will be reporting from the sidelines, while an all-new audio engine delivers appropriate game situation, as well as player and team statistics.

Two new modes will please everyone from the first-time Madden player to the most hardcore Madden NFL 2003 football fans. The innovative Mini-Camp mode allows players to join John Madden's Cruiser Bus traveling to all 32 NFL cities to compete in fun and challenging mini-games. Gamers have the opportunity to take controls of players in practice gear and become an expert in eight positions while trying to earn unique Madden cards.

The new Create-a-Playbook mode allows you to customize receiver routes, player formations and a team's entire playbook for both offense and defense; allowing the gamer to create virtually any play imaginable and play it on the field immediately.

Madden NFL 2003 includes the expansion Houston Texans, the new NFL divisional alignment and new features in its signature franchise mode, making it the deepest such mode available. Gamers will also find dramatically improved graphics and presentation with new signature player animations like sidearm throws, gang-tackles, new high-emotion celebrations and cut scenes, more than 300 realistic player faces, animating 3D crowds and completely redone stadiums and fields that provide the most realistic playing environment possible. With new game play mechanics, the game speed of Madden NFL 2003 is significantly faster and features tighter control with quicker animations, an all-new interior running game and a more finely tuned passing game.

Debuting in Madden NFL 2003, EA SPORTS TRAX, showcases new songs from today's hottest bands with songs throughout the game from artists such as Bon Jovi, Andrew W.K., Nappy Roots (featuring Marcos from P.O.D.), Good Charlotte, OK GO, Audiovent, (hed) p.e., Seether and Quarashi. Many songs from these artists can be heard in Madden NFL 2003 before their albums are available.

On PlayStation (PSOne) Madden NFL 2003 features updated team logos, team uniforms and the conversion of franchise mode to new NFL conference and division alignment as well as the official inclusion on the Houston Texans in Exhibition, Season and Franchise modes. The Game Boy Advance version has link play for head-to-head competition, full season stats tracking and scouting combine style Create-a-Player.

For the PC, Madden NFL 2003 includes many of the same great features as the console versions like mini-camp, but also has a unique player mode that allows the user to only execute plays given by the computer coach, an all-new mouse plus keyboard control scheme and online game play with quick tournaments, quick games, an online hero persona that you can build up and customize, and ranked match ups with more stat rankings.*

Madden NFL 2003, developed by Electronic Arts - Tiburon, one of the leading sports game studios in the country, is rated "E" (Everyone) by the ESRB and is available on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo GameCube, the Xbox(tm) video game system from Microsoft, the PlayStation console, Game Boy® Advance and PC.