Press release: 1996-09-26: Electronic Arts Ships MADDEN NFL 97 for the Sega Saturn; Industry's Best-Selling Sports Video Game of All Time Leads EA SPORTS' Holiday Push onto the Sega Saturn Platform

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English third-party Original source: The Free Library

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 26, 1996--Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS), a leading global interactive entertainment software company, today announced the shipment of MADDEN NFL 97 for the Sega Saturn.

MADDEN NFL 97 is the first in a series of EA SPORTS titles to be released for the Saturn platform this holiday season.

EA SPORTS' John Madden Football product line, the best-selling interactive sports game in the world to date, has sold more than eight million units over the life of the franchise. A decade of collaboration between EA SPORTS and John Madden combines Madden's encyclopedic knowledge of the game from his years as a player, Super Bowl winning coach and Emmy award-winning broadcaster, and EA SPORTS' unmatched interactive sports simulation leadership.

"MADDEN NFL 97 for the Saturn is here and it is going to undoubtedly satisfy the hungry appetites of 32-bit football fans," said Don Transeth, vice president of sports marketing for EA SPORTS. "MADDEN NFL 97 raises the bar in key areas such as gameplay and graphics and will quickly emerge as the industry benchmark for football on the Saturn."

MADDEN NFL 97 offers more than 100 past and present NFL teams. All 30 current NFL teams, 68 All-Time and Super Bowl teams, plus six secret teams provide a multitude of match-ups for historical football fans who like to relieve the glory years of their favorite teams, or the more casual fan or newcomer who is interested in focusing on this year's season.

Actual video footage and the exclusive EA SPORTS television-style presentation features John Madden in the booth with his longtime broadcasting partner Pat Summerall, and James Brown providing game introductions from the studio.

"As 32-bit systems such as the Saturn and PlayStation continue to gain momentum among our loyal EA SPORTS customer base, we want to ensure that consumers can play their favorite sports titles, such as MADDEN NFL 97, on whatever platform they choose," continued Transeth.

"We foresee our 32-bit sports titles being the cornerstone of nationwide tournaments on college campuses from dorm rooms to fraternity houses as well as the number one pastime of professional athletes on the road between games. Everywhere you look, MADDEN NFL 97 is going to be there."

Every detail of the real game has been authentically reproduced in MADDEN NFL 97. Superior 3-D graphics that deliver fully-rendered custom stadiums for all 30 teams, multiple camera angles, and instant replay with a full 360-degree view all contribute to MADDEN NFL 97's realism.

Working with professional athletes, EA SPORTS has exploited the use of advanced motion capture technology to reproduce the exact movements of NFL players so that they run, jump, pass, tackle and celebrate the same way in the video game as they do in real life.

With competition being such a major part of the interactive gaming lifestyle, MADDEN NFL 97 has multiplayer capabilities that allow up to eight players to compete simultaneously. More than 500 plays are included to reflect the NFL's sophisticated offensive and defensive playcalling.

A host of adjustable penalties are included in the game so that infractions such as holding, pass interference and unnecessary roughness can be called frequently or sporadically, depending on the personal preference of those playing the game. MADDEN NFL 97 also has the option of letting participants take on the role of a general manager and trade players while working under a salary cap.

With the "create a player" feature, custom players can be created for any position. The new dynamic Pro Bowl mode selects players based upon their performance during the season. Those players who excel are picked to play in the Pro Bowl, in a fully-rendered reproduction of Aloha Stadium in Hawaii.

MADDEN NFL 97 for Sega Saturn carries a suggested retail price of $59.95. MADDEN NFL 97 is also currently shipping on the PlayStation and PC.

EA SPORTS is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world. Its top-selling titles include FIFA Soccer, John Madden Football, NHL Hockey, NBA Live Basketball, and PGA TOUR Golf, Triple Play Baseball, College Football USA and Coach K College Basketball.

Electronic Arts, headquartered in San Mateo, is a leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, EA posted revenues over $530 million for fiscal 1996. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems such as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn.

Electronic Arts markets its products worldwide under five brand names: Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS, ORIGIN Systems Inc., Bullfrog Productions Ltd. and Jane's Combat Simulations. EA has international subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and U.S. development operations in San Mateo; Baltimore; Austin, Texas; and Seattle.

More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com. -0-

Note to Editors: Electronic Arts, Origin, Bullfrog, EA SPORTS, Triple Play Baseball and John Madden Football are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts or its wholly-owned subsidiaries. Jane's is a registered trademark of Jane's Information Group Ltd. Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, and the NFL are registered trademarks of the National Football League. NBA, NHL, PGA TOUR, and College Football USA are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are used under license. PlayStation is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sega Saturn is a trademark of Sega Enterprise Ltd.

CONTACT: Electronic Arts, San Mateo

Charlie Scibetta, 415/513-7537

[email protected]

Shelly Eckenroth, 415/513-7501

[email protected]
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