Madden NFL Superstars

New Madden spin-off launches on Facebook.

News by GamesIndustry International Contributor

Published on Dec. 9, 2010

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – August 31, 2010 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that Madden NFL 11 is delivering a strong performance in August in both retail sales and direct-to-consumer digital revenue. Based on internal estimates, Madden NFL 11 is the #1 selling game in North America in August – sales are projected to be up approximately 5% year-over-year across all platforms for the month.

Today, Madden NFL Superstars, an all-new NFL social game experience, launches on Facebook.

“ Madden NFL 11 is the number one selling game in August, and the game has created enormous enthusiasm in the online community,” said Peter Moore, president of EA SPORTS. “Each day on consoles, fans are playing as many games online as the equivalent of 750 full NFL seasons. Now on Facebook, Madden NFL Superstars will bring a whole new dimension and audience to the Madden NFL experience.”

This month, Madden NFL 11 has reached a number of important milestones:

On the strength of the Madden NFL Ultimate Team game mode being released this year at launch, digital revenues for Madden NFL 11 are up more than 200 percent year-over-year. Madden NFL 11 gamers have averaged more than two million online connected game sessions each day. Nearly 20 percent of all online play has been logged on a brand new feature, Online Team Play. The mode allows fans to go online and play 3-on-3 with, or against, their friends. The innovative new GameFlow play calling system in Madden NFL 11 has been a hit, with 85 percent of players having used the new feature that streamlines play calling and shortens overall game length for a more accessible experience. Says ESPN.com: “GameFlow is a complete game-changer.” Madden NFL 11 debuted as the #1 top grossing application for Apple’s mobile platforms on the day it launched – the first time one game franchise has held the top grossing position in multiple platforms in the App Store.

EA SPORTS and Playfish Launch Madden NFL Superstars

Leveraging the combined expertise of Playfish and EA SPORTS, Madden NFL Superstars is launching today. Madden NFL Superstars is an all-new NFL team management experience on Facebook that enables fans to create their ultimate fantasy squad by collecting NFL players and competing in gridiron matchups against their friends.

“The highly celebrated Madden NFL video game franchise from EA SPORTS is loved by millions. Madden NFL Superstars is a unique new experience that gives those fans, and tens of millions more, an opportunity to enjoy the excitement of NFL football on Facebook,” said Kristian Segerstrale, vice president and general manager of Playfish. “With the start of the NFL season right around the corner, we’re looking forward to feedback from the Madden NFL Superstars community to help us create the most authentic and entertaining NFL football experience possible on Facebook.”

Madden NFL Superstars is a dynamic team management game that features fun and accessible game play, more than 1,500 current players from all 32 NFL 2010 team rosters, and all-new game modes that allow fans to play head-to-head or against the millions of other Facebook users. In Season mode, players compete in increasingly challenging matchups against other player’s teams through a progressive ladder to earn championship trophies. NFL Pro League mode puts players’ Madden NFL Superstars teams to the extreme test to compete for supremacy in a series of contests against each of this season’s actual NFL teams. Scrimmage mode thrusts players into head-to-head contests against their real life Facebook friends for ultimate bragging rights.

From opening kickoff, Madden NFL Superstars will showcase a lineup of features and items that can be earned through free game play and gifting, or purchased via micro-transactions. Features include Game Changers, which enables a team to even the playing field against overpowering competition by instantly increasing its scoring potential; the personalization of stadiums with team names and logos; the ability to open player packs to build a team of real NFL stars, and more.

Editor’s Note:

Madden NFL Superstars can be installed by visiting Facebook at: http://apps.facebook.com/maddennflsuperstars/

Screenshots and additional information can be downloaded at http://info.ea.com.

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About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS ^TM, EA ^TM, EA Mobile ^TM and POGO ^TM. In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

About NFL PLAYERS

Formed in 1994, NFL PLAYERS is the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association. Representing more than 1,800 active and many memorable retired NFL players, NFL PLAYERS “takes the helmets off” the players and markets them as personalities as well as professional athletes. Through an exclusive sponsorship agreement between the organization and the NFL, players are integrated into NFL sponsor activation programs. In addition, under an exclusive agreement between NFL PLAYERS and the NFL, NFLPLAYERS.COM, the company’s official website, is part of the NFL Internet Network. Each year NFL PLAYERS negotiates and facilitates extensive player marketing opportunities for players. NFL PLAYERS activities include retail licensing, corporate sponsorships and promotions, special events, radio and television projects, publishing and internet. For more information, please visit NFLPLAYERS.COM.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO and EA SPORTS Active are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Xbox 360, is a trademark of the Microsoft group of companies. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.