News
-
The Madden NFL Sim gets sixth victory in seven years!
02/09/10 10:49 AM
For the sixth time in seven years - and the first time picking an underdog - EA Sports' Madden Simulation has correctly predicted the Super Bowl winner. But it's not as simple, or as complicated, as one might think.
It's a no-frills simulation, said Anthony Stevenson, senior product manager on the Madden NFL team. This year it was done on an Xbox 360; they loaded the latest roster update and depth chart, booted up a game with ranked-match parameters (basically, All-Pro difficulty) started it, then ran the game from kickoff to final gun in the Super Sim menu, which takes 23 seconds. (I timed it.) Last week, the Madden Sim spit out New Orleans as a 35-31 winner. In reality, the Saints won 31-17.
That's all there is to it. It's commercial code and currently available DLC. No tweaked gameplay sliders, no custom rosters or depth charts, no taking averages off of 100 simulations, no secret sauce. It's something you can run at home yourself with your copy of the game.
"We sim the game one time," Stevenson said. "That's what's unique about the NFL, and it's what the Saints proved yesterday, it's any given Sunday, you could see any team winning out. And the Saints did, despite being, what, five point underdogs?"
Now, yes, seven attempts is not a large sample size. One could hit six straight coin flips in a row. And, this is the first year that the Madden Sim picked the underdog to win straight up. (Only three underdogs have won the past 10 Super Bowls).
But a closer look shows that the Madden Sim, while not the kind of supercomputing that predicts weather or performs risk analysis in global thermonuclear war, isn't just getting lucky. In addition to being 6-1 straight up (missing New York's upset of the heavily favored Patriots in 2008), it's 5-2 against the spread, missing only last year and the Patriots-Eagles Super Bowl of 2005.
Granted, the Madden sim has gone with the overdog in six of its seven tries. Just not this year, making its Saints pick a little more impressive. Further, according to its own team ratings the Saints were the lesser team. New Orleans began the year at 74 (to Indianapolis' 87) and later improved to a 93 (to the Colts' 94).
That said, I wouldn't take the Madden Sim's advice on the over/under. It consistently returns higher scoring predictions than occur in real life. Over the past six years it's been over the actual point total by an average of nearly 22 points, and lifetime it is 3-4 against the over/under line.
Stevenson was proud that the Madden Sim delivered a game-changing special teams play that, while it did not happen in the real Super Bowl, mimicked the effect of New Orleans' shocking onsides-kick recovery to open the second half. In the Madden Sim, Reggie Bush returned a punt 46 yards to put the Saints on top 28-24. While the Colts briefly regained the lead in that sim, "it is cool that our game also predicted a pivotal turning point on special teams."
Actually, having run nearly a dozen sims of my own (all of them as unscientific as EA Sports') I can attest to the conspicuous impact of the Saints' special teams. I must have seen half a dozen kicks or punts returned for touchdowns, plus a couple recoveries off botched punt snaps or blocks.
One thing the Madden Sim did not get right: Saints QB Drew Brees' otherworldly accuracy, abetted by a short-gain passing strategy. The Madden Sim had him at 25 of 37 for 299 yards and three touchdowns. Brees was 32 of 39 (including 29 of his last 32) but he did have fewer yards (288) and touchdowns (two) than in the real game. Stevenson thinks he knows the reason why.
"When I was watching the game, it seemed like there were not more than one or two passes thrown (on the fly) for more than 15 yards," Stevenson said. "In our sim, you would have seen several deep passes at least attempted if not completed." That backs up the simmed Brees' reduced accuracy but greater results.
Whatever the case, with this kind of accuracy after seven years, the Madden Sim has emerged as a counterpart to the Madden Curse for reliably predictive if statistically unproven performance.
Not that Stevenson wishes the cover curse to continue. Brees is a leading candidate for inclusion on Madden NFL 11's cover, and Stevenson was pulling hard for him and the Saints.
For more, and to comment on the article, visit the Kotaku website here.
-
Three players. One cover. Fans choose. In a bold move to give diehard Madden NFL fans ultimate control of their gaming experience, Doritos tortilla chips - the bold, intense snack brand within PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division - and EA SPORTS today announced that for the first time in the 22-year history of the franchise, the Madden NFL 11 cover athlete will be determined by consumer votes. Starting today through March 15, fans can log on to doritoschangethegame.com to vote daily for one of three nominees for the Madden NFL 11 cover:
• Jared Allen - Defensive End, Minnesota Vikings
• Drew Brees - Quarterback, New Orleans Saints
• Reggie Wayne - Wide Receiver, Indianapolis ColtsTo inspire fans to get out and vote for the next Madden NFL cover athlete, consumers can collect limited-edition Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch Doritos bags featuring former NFL all-stars and Madden NFL cover legends Eddie George, Marshall Faulk and Shaun Alexander, available in stores nationwide now. The Doritos and EA SPORTS partnership will extend throughout 2010 and include additional surprises and special offerings surrounding the winning cover athlete and game release.
"Doritos fans are passionate about gaming so we want to bring them unprecedented access to the games they love most," explained Rudy Wilson, vice president, marketing, Frito-Lay. "One of the most highly anticipated gaming moments of the year is the annual Madden NFL cover athlete reveal. That's why this year we're partnering with EA SPORTS to up the ante and give fans the power to choose who they want to see grace the next cover."
Voters also will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a trip to the 2010 NFL Draft, for the exclusive cover unveiling of Madden NFL 11 and dozens of other prizes. Click HERE for more details and the Official Rules."Our diehard fans are the reason Madden NFL has been so successful year after year," shared Todd Sitrin, Group Vice President, EA SPORTS Global Marketing. "That's why we are thrilled to turn over the honor of choosing the cover athlete to our fans. It's something our team looks forward to every year, and we are excited to see the level of enthusiasm our fans will bring for this historic decision."
-
EA SPORTS Predicts New Orleans Saints Defeat Indianapolis Colts, 35-31, at Super Bowl XLIV Using Madden NFL 10 on Xbox 360
02/03/10 4:51 PM
Who Dat! The New Orleans Saints pull the upset and march to a victory over the Indianapolis Colts with a score of 35-31 at Super Bowl XLIV, according to the official simulation run by Madden NFL 10 on Xbox 360. The first three quarters display the offensive fireworks that both teams have become known for, with the Colts leading 24-21. A nail biting fourth quarter begins with a big play, courtesy of the Saints' special teams, when Reggie Bush returns a punt for a 42-yard touchdown. However, with minutes left in the game the duo of Joseph Addai and Peyton Manning put the Colts back on top with a go-ahead touchdown pass. With the game hanging in the balance, Drew Brees hits David Thomas for an 11-yard touchdown and the game winning score. Drew Brees takes home MVP honors as the Saints earn their first Super Bowl Championship title in franchises 46 year history.
Utilizing each team's current roster and the latest player statistics, Madden NFL 10 was able to accurately predict the outcome of both the NFC and AFC Championship games within a margin of three points for each game. EA SPORTS utilized this same simulation formula to predict the outcome of Super Bowl XLIII (Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals) with unprecedented accuracy - down to the final score and individual player statistics. EA SPORTS has correctly predicted the Super Bowl winner for five out of the last six years, since the official Madden NFL Super Bowl simulation began in 2004.
Super Bowl XLIV kicks off Sunday, February 7 in South Florida, and as a part of the Super Bowl week festivities, Xbox 360 and EA SPORTS will give Madden fans at home a rare opportunity to participate in the electrifying action. On Thursday, February 4 Cincinnati Bengals' Chad Ochocinco, self- proclaimed King of Madden (gamertag: Ochocinco MBGwF) will face off against fans on Madden NFL 10 as part of the latest Xbox LIVE online entertainment network Game with Fame session. Be sure to keep an eye out for the session on Xbox LIVE at 6:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. PST) for your chance to battle one of the biggest personalities in football to earn ultimate Madden NFL 10 bragging rights.
Following the Game with Fame matchup, Xbox 360 and EA SPORTS will host the 16th annual Madden Bowl, the only official Madden tournament featuring some of the NFL's brightest stars. Chad Ochocinco (Cincinnati Bengals), Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans), Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jared Allen (Minnesota Vikings), Andre Johnson (Houston Texans), Patrick Willis (San Francisco 49ers), Miles Austin (Dallas Cowboys) and more will go head-to-head in Madden NFL 10 on Xbox 360 in an eight-player, single elimination tournament. Who will walk away with the coveted EA SPORTS Madden Bowl Cup? Stay tuned to Xbox LIVE for exclusive coverage from the event.
-
Download Madden Ultimate Team Today for Free!
01/07/10 10:00 AM
Madden Ultimate Team is an all-new, strategic game mode for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Take the challenge to create the definitive NFL team, by collecting virtual cards that include everything from NFL superstars, head coaches, stadiums and much more. Perfect for card collectors and fantasy football gurus, Madden Ultimate Team provides a unique football experience, giving you total control over building a single team in the quest to be crowned the ultimate Madden team.
The Madden Ultimate Team game mode is available free for Madden NFL 10 now, via XBOX LIVE and the PlayStation Network.
“Madden Ultimate Team is yet another example of how EA SPORTS is expanding the Madden NFL experience to all types of gamers. Card collecting and fantasy football are huge parts of an NFL fan’s lifestyle and we took the best of both worlds and combined it with Madden NFL 10,” said Jeremy Strauser, Executive Producer for Madden NFL 10 and Madden Ultimate Team. “It’s not just about building a team of players, as you have to also manage coaches, injuries, and team chemistry. It doesn’t matter if you’re a hardcore Madden NFL player, a fantasy football fan, or just an NFL fan – Madden Ultimate Team brings something for everyone.”
Madden Ultimate Team allows fans to collect up to nine types of cards through, platinum, gold, silver and bronze virtual packs. The customization options are endless as you are responsible for selecting everything from the team playbook to the uniforms. Earn coins to buy new cards or card packs through your performance on the field, acquire new cards through the auction block, or purchase card packs through the in-game store. Collect cards with players from the same pro and college team to get an on-field chemistry boost. Collect rare, legendary player cards to put your team over the top, like the 1999 Vikings Randy Moss and the 1995 Packers Brett Favre player cards. You can even back up Brett with his 2009 Vikings player card. Build a dynasty through weekly online deals or find the final missing piece to your team’s puzzle.
Easily select the starting offense, defense, and special teams or have Madden Ultimate Team do it for you. Once your team is set to your liking, put it to the test against human opponents or against the CPU. See how your team stacks up against other Madden Ultimate Team players via online leaderboards and prove you are the best of the best.
-
Introducing an all-new way to experience the Madden NFL franchise with Madden NFL Arcade - fun, pick-up-and-play, 5-on-5 football. Madden NFL Arcade is pure adrenaline football for both casual and diehard NFL fans, featuring a unique art style that brings your favorite players to life like never before!
PLAYSTATION 3 owners, Madden NFL Arcade is available for download for $14.99 from the PLAYSTATION Store in-console.
XBOX 360 owners, download Madden NFL Arcade on XBOX LIVE for 1200 MS Points. Click here.
Choose one of your favorite 32 NFL teams and distinctive home stadium for a battle with the best five players on each side of the ball, and let the excitement begin! Each team is given four downs to march 60 yards to pay dirt - no penalties or field goals allowed here, pal! Get your Madden NFL fix in a completely new way, with fast-paced games where the first team to 30 wins. Want to mix it up? Madden NFL Arcade can be tailored to fit your liking by changing options, such as skill level, points to win, and more; making each game unlike the one before. Take advantage of 13 unique "Game Changers" to break the game wide open on a single play. Add an entourage of lineman to get the sack, freeze an opposing player, turn off your opponent's passing icons, and much more. No lead is safe in Madden NFL Arcade.
Madden NFL Arcade is the perfect video game for gameday, allowing up to four players to play co-op on a single console. You can also take on the world online in head-to-head matches and track your performance via interactive leaderboards. If you like to commemorate your gridiron success, Madden NFL Arcade will also provide a host of achievements and trophies to boost your gamer score.
Download a complete listing of each team's ten-man roster here. On the second sheet of the download you will find those players available through the "Entourage" Game Changer used during gameplay.
