So what if the kickoff of football season is still three weeks away? The new “Madden” is out.
Twenty years after its debut the “Madden” franchise and its latest installment, “Madden NFL 09,” released today, is an annual obsession for football fans and major economic driver for the video game industry.
“With ‘Halo’ or whatever other big game … you see a big crowd surge in, but to me this is even bigger because they’re such die-hard sports fans,” said Robbie Baldwin, a store manager at Best Buy in Bel Air. “They’re camping out before the store opens, they’re wearing their jerseys, it’s almost like they’re ready to go tailgating.”
Last year’s “Madden” game has sold 6.7 million units since its August release, according to New York-based NPD Group, and in 2007 the game accounted for 3 percent of the nation’s $9.6 billion in total software sales. Each year the game is among the top 10 selling games.
“It’s one of the most reliable franchises in the industry,” said Anita Frazier, a video game industry analyst with the New York-based NPD Group. “Retailers can count on it year after year to bring bodies into stores each August. There is no element of surprise, and that helps build a solid foundation for the industry.”
Among the most eagerly anticipated parts of the game are the individual player rankings, updated with every version to reflect the past year’s performances. Gamers debate their favorite teams’ ratings, and some of the real-life pros keep an eye on them, too.
“Each year it changes,” said Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason. “I don’t know what Madden decided to rate me this year, but I guarantee you it was probably a very underrated rating.”
Mason got an 87 overall rating, up two points from last year. But he said his real-life football skills don’t translate to his game play.
“I can play it, but I can’t play it … against these guys [his Ravens teammates],” he said. “They really kill me.”
Intern Eric Detweiler contributed to this story.
