De acordo com o relatório completo sobre o ano passado da EA, Fifa 09, Madden NFL 09 e Need for Speed Undercover venderam cada um mais de 5 milhões de cópias.

Aparentemente os fãs de esportes e corrida estão se aproximando mais dos games. Diga-se de passagem que com excessão de Undercover os outros dois produtos são de altíssima qualidade, ambos são recomendados até para quem não curte o gênero.

O relatório da EA também diz que a empresa perdeu cerca de 1 bilhão de dólares no último ano fiscal. O lado bom é que esse prejuízo diminuiu em mais de 200 milhões se comparado ao ano anterior.

Além disso, a companhia pretende lançar cerca de 30 games para o iPhone neste ano. Ótima notícia para quem possui o aparelho, pois ele ainda não possui muitos jogos de grande expressão.

Title: Madden NFL 09
Region: NTSC/U
Ixtreme: Yes
Stealth: Yes
Game Size: 7.29gb
Server: Megaupload
Links: 6×999mb y 1×204mb
01 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EMZXSLEB
02 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=L7D4J4M3
03 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TEW68YK4
04 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HWLKYGEV
05 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=V0ME4K5J
06 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=LZAOF4V1
07 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AMIRVYWN

The 100 Games Collection

tetris DS

A selection of the latest 100 recent and well knownGames to keep you amused for hours.   48 hour deliverey to your door on one Nintendo DS card. Simply slot the card into your DS and select the games you want from the menu. Nothing else needed!

DS Lite / NDS Multi Game Card Price:
DSi Multi Game Cartridge Price:

Get a 15% Discount when you buy two

The 100 Games Collection

1. 100 Classic Book Collection
2. 15 in 1 – Konami Classic Arcade
3. ATV Quad Frenzy
4. ATV Thunder Ridge Riders & Monster Trucks Mayhem
5. Backyard Baseball
6. Barnyard Blast – Swine of the Night
7. Battleship
8. Brain Boost
9. Brain Boost Gamma
10. Call of duty 4 – Modern Warfare
11. Call of Duty 5 – World at War
12. Cars
13. Chicken Shoot
14. Command & Destroy
15. Cooking Mama 2 – Dinner with Friends
16. Crash – Mind Over Mutants
17. Diddy Kong Racing
18. Dig Dug
19. Dora the Explorer – Saves the Snow Princess
20. Dr Kawashimas Brain Training
21. Essential Suduko
22. Evolution GT
23. Fantastic Four – Rise of the Silver Surfer
24. Ferrari Challenge
25. Fifa 09
26. Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings
27. Flushed Away
28. GoldenEye – Rogue Agent
29. Happy Feet
30. Harry potter & the Order of the Phoenix
31. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
32. High School Musical 2 – Work This Out!
33. Hot Wheels – Beat this
34. James Bond 007 – Quantum of Solace
35. James Pond – Codename Robocop
36. Jenga World Tour
37. Junior Brain Trainer
38. Kim Possible
39. Kung Fu Panda
40. Lego – Indiana Jones
41. Lego – Star Wars II – The Original Trilogy
42. Madagascar2 Escape to Africa
43. Madden NFL 07
44. Madden NFL 08
45. Madden NFL 09
46. Mario & Luigi – Partners in Tme
47. Mario Kart
48. Mario Party
49. Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2 – March of the Minis
50. Monopoly
51. Monster House
52. My Weight Loss Coach
53. Need for Speed – Most Wanted
54. Need for Speed – Pro Street
55. Need for Speed – Undercover
56. Need For Speed – Underground 2
57. Nintendogs
58. Peppa Pig
59. Pet Alien
60. Pharaohs Challenge
61. Pirates of The Caribbean – At Worlds End
62. Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead man?s Chest
63. Pokemon – Shadows of Almeria
64. Prince of Persia – The fallen Kings
65. Pro Evo Soccer 2008
66. Puzzlers collection
67. Ratatouille – Food Frenzy
68. Rayman Rabbits – TV Party
69. Scooby Doo – Whos Watching you
70. Scrabble 2007
71. Sea Monsters
72. Shrek – Smash & Crash
73. Shrek – The Third
74. SimCity
75. Sonic – The Dark Brotherhood
76. Spider-Man 3
77. Spongebob – Glob of Doom
78. Star Trek – Tactical Assault
79. Star Wars – Unleashed Alliance
80. Star Wars Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith
81. Super Mario Bros
82. Telly Addicts
83. Tetris
84. The Incredibles – Rise of the Underminer
85. The Mummy – Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
86. The Sims 2 Apartment Pets
87. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08
88. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell – Chaos Theory
89. Tomb Raider Underworld
90. Totally Spies 2 – Undercover
91. Trauma Centre 2 – Under The Knife
92. Ultimate Mortal Kombat
93. Underground pool
94. Wacky Races – Crash and Dash
95. Wall-e
96. Whats cooking with Jaime Oliver
97. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008
98. X-Men – The Official Game
99. Yahtzee
100. Yoshi touch and Go

From/De: Xbox Press

The game clock only lasts 60 minutes, but we all know the big game is a day-long affair. That’s why all day Sunday, Xbox LIVE will feature a special “Football Fanfare” channel, featuring dozens of the hottest football-themed movies, TV shows and more.

With favorites like Any Given Sunday and Leatherheads, NBC’s hit series Friday Night Lights, and the latest tips and tricks for “Madden NFL ‘09,” Xbox LIVE has you everything you need to create your own pre-game, post-game, and half-time shows – right in your living room! So dish up the hot wings and nachos, and meet your friends on Xbox LIVE this Sunday.

Len Green Claims Title, Prizes and Bragging Rights At Finals of EA SPORTS Madden Challenge Presented by Best Buy

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–After months of competition amongst gamers from across the world, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced today that Len Green emerged as the winner of the 2008 EA SPORTS™ Madden Challenge presented by Best Buy®. Green, who defeated John Lacapitaine in the Finals, claimed $50,000 in total prize earnings, bragging rights and the distinction as the best Madden NFL 09 player in the world.

Television viewers can tune in to watch a broadcast of the 2008 EA SPORTS Madden Challenge finals on ESPN2 at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Saturday, January 31, 2009.

“It’s great to bring the Madden crown back to the East Coast, and to my hometown of Philadelphia,” Len Green said. “It was a long, tough road to this year’s Madden Challenge finals with fierce competition, and I’m thankful to EA SPORTS and Best Buy for the opportunity to showcase my Madden skills to the world. Philly came out on top this year, and I’m already starting to prepare my title defense for 2010.”

The EA SPORTS Madden Challenge finals, an annual competition hosted by Electronic Arts Inc., pitted winners from 21 regional tournaments and two online competitions against each other in a high-stakes challenge. A group of 23 competitors took part in the two-day finals competition from January 12-13 at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa to determine the winner of the tournament, which celebrated its seventh year in existence. Green took home $50,000 in total prizes as winner of this year’s Madden Challenge, including $25,000 in cash and a $25,000 Best Buy gift card.

NFL stars including Matt Cassel, Kirk Morrison, Marshawn Lynch, Bernard Berrian and Brad Smith supported the contestants as they battled through the competition at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa, the official resort sponsor of the tournament.

The 2008 EA SPORTS Madden Challenge is the only Electronic Arts sanctioned tournament open to all participants during the 20-year history of the Madden NFL videogame franchise. Over 10,000 gamers competed in the 21 regional tournaments from September to December that included 18 NFL cities and international markets such as Mexico City, Toronto and London. Two champions also emerged from a wide-ranging online tournament brought together through a partnership between EA SPORTS and Microsoft that saw more than 180,000 gamers participate between August and November.

The 2008 EA SPORTS Madden Challenge U.S. regional winners and online winners included:

EA SPORTS Madden Challenge contestants competed with Madden NFL 09, the First Sports Game That Adapts To You. Madden NFL 09 continuously assesses your skills and adjusts gameplay to keep the experience both fun and challenging. This year marks the 20^th anniversary of the Madden NFL franchise and the game has added over 85 new features and enhancements, including a brand-new broadcast presentation package featuring Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond, online leagues, and the most realistic graphics in franchise history.

Beaches Turks & Caicos’ new Italian Village, which served as the backdrop for the championship final, unveiled a $125 million expansion this week, which features 162 luxurious two-bedroom family suites; gourmet dining from five new restaurants, bringing the total dining options at the resort to 16; and unrivaled teen programming. Guests of the EA SPORTS Madden Challenge finals were also able to satisfy their own competitive spirit at Beaches Turks & Caicos’ revamped Xbox 360® Game Garage, featuring a maze of metallic kiosks, each equipped with plasma screens and the hottest games from Xbox 360®. In March, Beaches Turks & Caicos will reveal an expanded Pirate’s Island Waterpark with nine waterslides, a lazy river and the Caribbean’s only surfing simulator.

The Madden Challenge is one of four competitions that make up the EA SPORTS Challenge Series, which also includes the NASCAR Challenge, NCAA Football Challenge and NBA LIVE Challenge. The EA SPORTS Challenge Series is a part of EA SPORTS continuing efforts to provide the spirit of sports competition to all people. For more information on the EA SPORTS Challenge Series, visit http://www.easports.com/challengeseries/.

Developed in Orlando, FL by EA Tiburon, Madden NFL 09 is available on Xbox® and Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment systems, Nintendo DS™, Wii™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system and mobile handsets. For more information check out http://www.easports.com/madden09.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS , EA, EA SPORTS Freestyle and POGO. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc in the U.S. and/or other countries. Madden and NFL are trademarks of their respective owners and used with permission. PLAYSTATION, PlayStation and PSP are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and used with permission. Nintendo DS and Wii are trademarks of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

With operations in the United States, Canada, Europe and China, Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is a multinational retailer of technology and entertainment products and services with a commitment to growth and innovation. The Best Buy Co., Inc. family of brands and partnerships collectively generates more than $40 billion annual revenue and includes brands such as Best Buy, Audiovisions, The Carphone Warehouse, Future Shop, Geek Squad, Jiangsu Five Star, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales Kitchen and Bath Centers, and Speakeasy. Approximately 150,000 employees apply their talents to help bring the benefits of these brands to life for customers through retail locations, multiple call centers and web sites, in-home solutions, product delivery and in our communities. Community partnership is central to the way we do business at Best Buy. In fiscal 2008, we donated a combined $31.8 million to improve the vitality of the communities where our employees and customers live and work. For more information about Best Buy Co., Inc., visit www.bestbuyinc.com.

Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa:

Located on a pristine 12-mile stretch of the stunning white sand crystalline shores of the exotic Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa is located just 15 minutes from the Providenciales International Airport. The 453-room resort, comprised of a Caribbean Village and French Village, seamlessly blends the beauty of the Caribbean with the charm of Europe. The award-winning resort features ten specialty restaurants, six pools and three whirlpools, as well as all that forms part of a Beaches Resorts Luxury Included® family vacation, including Beaches Resorts Caribbean Adventure with Sesame Street and on-property Xbox 360® Game Garage.

In January 2009, Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa debuted a $125 million resort expansion, the Italian Village. The Italian Village features 162 luxurious family suites, bringing the total rooms at the resort to 615; a palatial lobby with private check-in services; a sprawling retail mecca and five additional gourmet restaurants, bringing the total at the resort to 16. The resort also debuted a series of teen and tween programming including a new aqua-themed nightclub, Liquid; DJ-training sessions at Scratch DJ Academy; a teen-only resort lounge, Trench Town; as well as tailored spa treatments at Beaches Resorts’ exclusive Red Lane® Spa. In March, Beaches Turks & Caicos will reveal an expanded Pirate’s Island Waterpark featuring seven new slides, a lazy river and surf simulator.

Read this! (Woy is hosting surprise guest blogger PittGirl – aka Jane Pitt – this week) (Why are you still reading this?) (Though it’s hard to escape noticing that for someone who wanted to disappear from public view, PittGirl has had a lot of surprise reappearances…) (She should just come back permanently. Stop taunting us, PittGirl!) 

Or read this! (Cat is even more cutting with her advice-seekers than usual – fun!)

Or read this! (Weird but satisfactory “post-game analysis” of the Madden 09 simulated Super Bowl XLIII played last week by some computer)

From/De: EA Sports

EA SPORTS PREDICTS SUPER BOWL XLIII CHAMPION USING MADDEN NFL 09

January 23, 2009 — Black and gold will reign supreme in Tampa Bay, according to the official EA SPORTS simulation of Super Bowl XLIII by Madden NFL 09. According to the award-winning video game, the Pittsburgh Steelers will win an unprecedented sixth Super Bowl title in a tightly contested game against the Arizona Cardinals, by a final score of 28-24. Holding off a fourth quarter comeback by the Cardinals, the Steelers bring the Vince Lombardi trophy back to the Steel City for the second time in the past four years and for a sixth time in franchise history, setting an NFL record. Madden NFL 09 is the most authentic and adaptable game in sports video game history, and utilizing each team’s current roster and the latest player statistics, EA SPORTS matched the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals in a simulation of Super Bowl XLIII. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 3 touchdowns and was named the Super Bowl MVP; joining teammate Hines Ward who was the Super Bowl XL MVP. Steelers coach, Mike Tomlin, became the youngest coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl, at the age of 36. The start of Super Bowl XLIII became a defensive struggle, but Pittsburgh put the first points up with a 10-yard touchdown reception to Santonio Holmes, with less than two minutes left in the first quarter. The Cardinals returned the favor with their reinvigorated running game as Edgerrin James diced through the vaunted Steelers defense with 8-yard touchdown run, near the start of the second quarter. Pittsburgh, showing great balance, quickly swung the momentum in their favor with two consecutive touchdowns – a 10-yard scamper by “Fast” Willie Parker, and a 13-yard strike to Hines Ward. The Steelers headed into halftime with a 21-7 lead and the route appeared to be on. Despite their high-powered air attack, Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt, kept to the successful running attack as the third quarter opened. The Cardinals made a statement as again they punctured the Steel Curtain with an Edgerrin James 14-yard touchdown run; drawing the score to 21-14. The Steelers, unfazed, looked like they had potentially put the Cards down for good with Santonio Holmes’s second touchdown reception. At the close of the third quarter, the score was 28-14 in favor of Pittsburgh. Taking a page from the Steelers defense, the Cardinals held tough and would not surrender any additional points. This coupled with Pro-Bowl receiver, Larry Fitzgerald’s 15-yard touchdown catch midway through the 4th, brought the Cards within seven points. Neil Rackers added a 45-yard field goal with 3:15 remaining in the game, closing the gap to 28-24. On the following possession, Pittsburgh was able to break through for a few first downs; leaving the Arizona comeback short. Super Bowl XLIII kicks off Sunday, February 1 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Just noticed these over at Major Nelsons’ blog. Some interesting stuff. Stats based on Xbox LIVE connectivity and unique users.

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles

1 – Halo 3
2 – Call of Duty 4
3 – GTA IV
4 – Gears of War 2
5 – Gears of War
6 – CoD: World at War
7 – Guitar Hero III
8 – Battlefield: Bad Company Demo
9 – Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Demo
10 – Rock Band
11 – Fable II
12 – Mirror’s Edge Demo
13 – Madden NFL 09
14 – BF: Bad Company
15 – Rainbow Six Vegas 2
16 – UNO
17 – Castle Crashers
18 – COD: World at War Multiplayer Beta
19 – Forza Motorsport 2
20 – Too Human – Demo

No major surprises there apart from perhaps the Call of Duty: World at War position, at 6th its pretty high up there considering its mid November release date, the beta also makes it in on its own at 18th. Also interesting to see 2 Arcade titles, and 4 demos making the top 20.

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions purchased)

1 – Castle Crashers
2 – Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
3 – Braid
4 – A Kingdom for Keflings
5 – UNO
6 – Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
7 – Fable II Pub Games
8 – Duke Nukem 3D
9 – Bionic Commando: Rearmed
10 – Worms
11 – SOULCALIBUR
12 – Portal: Still Alive
13 – DOOM
14 – 1942: Joint Strike
15 – Bomberman Live
16 – MEGA MAN 9
17 – N+
18 – Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3
19 – Marble Blast Ultra
20 – Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

Still need to pick up Castle Crashers, but have far to much stuff to play at the moment… Good to see N+ in there

Original Xbox Top Live Titles

1 – Halo 2
2 – Fable
3 – Star Wars: Battlefront 2
4 – Counter-Strike
5 – Fable: Lost Chapters
6 – Doom 3
7 – Conker: Live Reloaded
8 – Splinter Cell Chaos
9 – Star Wars: KOTOR
10 – SW: Republic Commando
11 – Star Wars: Battlefront
12 – Burnout 3
13 – Guilty Gear XX #Reload
14 – Gauntlet Seven Sorrows
15 -Call of Duty 3
16 – Ninja Gaiden Black
17 – Crimson Skies
18 – MechAssault 2
19 – Call of Duty 2
20 – Rainbow Six 3

I didn’t even realise that Fable: Lost Chapters was available as well as the original release.

GAMING

The game maker’s new EA Sports Active division will release a line of exercise programs for the Nintendo Wii, beginning with “Kickstart Fitness” in 2009. The company, best known for sit-down titles such as “Madden NFL” and “The Sims,” says the imprint will target women and feature American-style activities such as running and tennis. The Washington Post/The Associated Press (11/13)

A great sports gaming competition will take place starting on your Xbox 360. The Gillette – EA Sports Champions of Gaming Tournament will crown a champion in EA games such as Tiger Woods PGA Tour, Nascar 09, Madden NFL 09, NBA Live 09 and FIFA 09. Players from the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific will have the opportunity to participate in this worldwide contest. If you are going to participate, you’d better practice your skills in your favorite sports game. Are you up to the challenge?

Una gran competencia de juegos de deportes se llavará acabo comenzando e tu Xbox 360. El Gillette – EA Sports Champions of Gaming Tournament [Torneo de Campeones de Juegos de EA Sports] coronará a un campeón en juegos de EA tales como Tiger Woods PGA Tour, Nascar 09, Madden NFL 09, NBA Live 09 y FIFA 09. Jugadores de las Américas, Europa y Asia-Pacífico tendrán la oportunidad de participar en este concurso a nivel mundial. Si van a participar, ustedes deben practicar sus habilidades en su juego de los deportes favorito. ¿Están listo para enfrentarse al reto?

Gillette – EA SPORTS Champions of Gaming Tournament powered by Xbox LIVE Invites Gamers to Take on the World’s Best for the Chance to Challenge Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Thierry Henry or Derek Jeter

BOSTON, Oct 29, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ — World’s largest multi-sport online gaming tournament offers consumers the chance to beat the best gamers in the world and take on sports superstars

Do you have what it takes to beat Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Thierry Henry or Derek Jeter? Now you have the chance to take on gamers from around the world in the ultimate gaming challenge. If you win – you’ll go head-to-head with a sports superstar* to see who is the Champion of Gaming.

Gillette [PG] and EA SPORTS(TM), a label of Electronic Arts Inc., (Nasdaq: ERTS), today announced the Gillette – EA SPORTS Champions of Gaming tournament powered by Xbox LIVE(R), which is a first-of-its kind competition, that pits gamers from around the globe against each other, and ultimately, for the winners, against some of the best athletes in the world. The tournament is the world’s largest multi-sport gaming tournament and will be open for registration beginning October 31, 2008. Gamers will be able to compete against other gamers on Xbox LIVE, the world’s premier online gaming and entertainment service, within their geographical region on five leading EA SPORTS titles – Tiger Woods PGA TOUR(R) 09, NASCAR(R) 09, Madden NFL 09, NBA LIVE 09 and EA SPORTS(TM) FIFA 09. Winners on each franchise will have the chance to be crowned a Gillette Champion of Gaming at the final event in Orlando, Florida in February 2009. At the Tournament Finals, each of the five Gillette Champions of Gaming will have the chance to take on a Gillette Champion or other sports superstars, in an EA SPORTS title with the winner claiming ultimate bragging rights.

“The world of gaming has never seen anything like the Champions of Gaming Tournament. Throughout my career, I’ve looked forward to playing against the very best,” said Gillette Champion Tiger Woods. “With my injury, I’ve been playing my game a lot and I look forward to the challenge at the Finals in February.”

The Champions of Gaming tournament is a global skill-based tournament in which participants compete against other players on the online Xbox LIVE gaming platform to determine winners. The global tournament will consist of one (1) nine (9) part qualification round and one (1) knockout round in three regions — the Americas; Europe and Asia-Pacific. The regional champions of each title will then face-off against each other and compete for the opportunity to play against a Gillette Champion or other sports superstars at the global final event in Orlando, Florida.

“As we continue to globalize our business, we’re thrilled to give gamers from around the world the opportunity to face off head-to-head on some of our most popular EA SPORTS games through the Champions of Gaming tournament on Xbox LIVE,” said Peter Moore, President, EA SPORTS. “Thanks to Gillette, this tournament will offer a payout unlike any other – the chance to compete face-to-face against true legends in the world of sports.”

“The Champions of Gaming tournament will provide the same excitement and intense competition that unfolds on the field, court, course or race track each week,” said Peter Clay, Vice President, Gillette Grooming. “It will be amazing to watch the best gamers in the world go head-to-head against one of the Gillette Champions.”

To compete in the Gillette – EA SPORTS Champions of Gaming tournament, gamers must have the following:

– a valid e-mail address
– access to a Microsoft Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system
– the EA SPORTS video game in which the player is competing (see titles
above)
– a valid EA SPORTS account in good standing
– a valid Xbox LIVE Gold Member account

All players must be in good standing on xbox.com and the Xbox LIVE online service. To obtain an Xbox LIVE account, Windows Live ID or Xbox LIVE Gamertag, access www.xbox.com and follow the applicable instructions. To obtain an EA Account, access www.ea.com and follow the applicable instructions.

For complete details on how to enter and full tournament rules visit www.gillette.com/easports.

“Census Finds a 12 Percent Increase of U.S. Employees in the Industry Since 2007, 17 Percent in Canada”

As another day comes to an end in the stock markets, investors can’t help but notice the splattering of red across the boards. Like a slice across your arm by an epic blade straight out of Lord of the rings, the credit markets spew out money estimated at close to 2 trillion dollars in the US alone. With the losses building and corporations being forced to restructure, one cant help but ask, “Where does the Video Game industry stand in this crisis?”

No industry, (including video games) are immune to the economic down swing. But what makes film and gaming stand out among the rest, is their ability to thrive in these situations. As the Great Depression has shown in the past, people tend to flock towards the movie theaters and other forms of escapism to leave their problems of reality for a few hours.

In times of recession we tend to find the most bang for the buck. And the video game industry has proven to bring not only geeks and socialites together but has also provided a safe haven from reality that is the financial crisis.

“By comparison, overall video game sales are up 43 percent from this time in 2007. Since its release on Aug. 12, fans have purchased more than 2 million copies of the football game Madden NFL 09, according to the National Purchase Diary (NPD) Group.” (NPR, Sydell 2008)

In an article published by NPR.org, video games have shown to out sell the film industry over the past couple years. The reason being the detail, content, and gameplay that games these days are offering. The hours of game time available to the user for the price paid seems to be a fare trade off for gamers.

In the end, games do provide a shelter from the chaos. And the future of the industry does seem to be more resilient then once thought. With every penny pinching activity welcome, look forward to more people spending time at home on a console.

.: DM

View more related articles:
.: In Tough Economic Times, Video Games Console
.: Hirai on Game Industry and Global Financial Woes
.: Think Services Game Group’s Game Developer Research Reveals Size and Breakdown of 2008 North American Video Game Industry in Second Annual Game Developer Census

Madden NFL 09 All-Play . Two decades ago Madden NFL exploded onto the scene with staggeringly authentic football action and a strategic, by-the-playbook approach to the game previously absent in sports video games. With Madden NFL 09, 20 years of innovation culminate in a new apex in the series’ groundbreaking realism. Savor the pulse-pounding excitement as Madden NFL 09 delivers an intense, real-world pro football experience like only legendary coach John Madden can. The action of the gridiron comes alive with stunning graphics, innovative plays and multiplayer competition that thrusts you into the center of the game with no nonsense and no mercy.

* Step into the world of pro football like you can experience only with the legendary John Madden
* Play like a pro no matter what your skill level with the Adaptive Difficulty Engine that tailors your experience to suit your proficiency
* Hone your skills in the Virtual Training Center, featuring a holographic environment designed to help you fine-tune your game
* Execute plays and celebrations like never before with the Total Control Animation System that delivers the most authentic gameplay ever in the series
* Receive customized feedback from EA Sports BackTrack to learn from your mistakes as you play and correct them so you can achieve total dominance on the field
* Access stats, customized tips and in-game options without pausing the game and losing your momentum by using the new Options OnDemand Picture-in-Picture
* Battle it out on the gridiron with up to 32 teams in Online Leagues,complete with trades and statistical tracking
* For 1 to 4 players

Now this is a creative move from the Obama camp — buying advertising on a variety of Xbox live games.

This report is on the ads appearing in Madden NFL 09 gameplay:

Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has found an interesting new way to reach young voters: Campaign ads in the Madden video game.

TheHill.com reportsthat Obama has purchased space in Madden NFL 09. If you’re playing the game on your Xbox you might see an Obama sign in the stands or an Obama billboard outside the stadium. Players will only see the ads if they’re playing online in one of the 10 swing states that the campaign is targeting: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The ads started running last week and will be visible until the day before Election Day. In addition to Madden, Obama has bought ads in nine other EA video games: Burnout Paradise, NASCAR 09, NHL 09, NBA Live 08, Need For Speed: Carbon, Need For Speed: ProStreet, NFL Tour, and Skate.

The ads show Obama’s face and the words “Early Voting Has Begun/VoteForChange.com.”

I’ve seen screenshots of this ad from other games around the web. Interesting and innovative move from a very well-run campaign.

madden o9Description

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