Madden 07 sets career sales record

By Tim Surette, GameSpotPosted Aug 31, 2006 2:49 pm PT

Electronic Arts' estimate puts latest football game at 2 million copies sold in first week--most ever for 17-year franchise.

If Electronic Arts' estimation of the sales success of Madden NFL 07 is accurate, this year's game could be headed to the Hall of Fame in no time. The publisher believes that more than 2 million copies of the game have been sold across all platforms in just its first week of release.

This year's first-week sales are up 12 percent over Madden NFL 06's 1.8 million units sold over the same period last year, says EA. Though the franchise has always performed well in retail during its 17-year career, EA's estimation makes Madden NFL 07 the best-selling game in the franchise's history of first-week performance.

Earlier today, Microsoft claimed that the Xbox 360 version had logged more than 2 million hours of online play over Xbox Live--the equivalent of 228 years in just one week.

Of course, one of the reasons the game could be selling well is because football fans who want to get their game on don't really have any other choices. In late 2004, EA struck a five-year deal to obtain the exclusive rights to make NFL-licensed games--it later also acquired Arena Football and NCAA college football licenses. The only other high-profile pro-football franchise is Midway's Blitz: The League, which focuses on a seamy, drug-addled, violent, and completely fictional football league.

Madden NFL 07 is rated E for Everyone and was released on all current-gen platforms and the Xbox 360 on August 22. PlayStation 3 and Wii versions are currently in development. For more information on the game, read GameSpot's review.

195 Comments

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Sep 3, 2006 2:36 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • unleashed_dw

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 7:26 pm PT

    "Of course, one of the reasons the game could be selling well is because football fans who want to get their game on don't really have any other choices."

    Of course we don't have any other choices and that is not one of the reasons it's the only reason. The 2K series in basketball and football alike is better than that garbage EA makes. I mean EA's sports games look nice but that's it and i don't think i'll buy another football game soon but i'll buy NBA 2K7 because it does not have E A on it and i don't care what you EA fanboys say i'm not changing unless Ea changes!!

  • Da1ShrpSh0trGrl

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 9:54 am PT

    I guess a good cover for this game review should be: "When Bad Games Happen to Good People." :p

  • tomservo51

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 9:06 am PT

    Depressing when bad games do so well. Bad for the industry as a whole.

  • Killagorilla27

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 11:25 pm PT

    *Heavy Sigh* This is exactly what EA wanted. They make maximum profit from minimal effort. While most have lauded EA's NFL takeover manuver, idiots who don't care about quality in their football games go out in droves and buy the hell out of it. The smartest business decision they could've made, but the gamers lose big time on this one...

  • Sickboy_NOLA

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 2:09 pm PT

    This is the Madden I bought in years. Go Saints!!!

  • PrinceAdam11

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:53 pm PT

    EA has been doing a disservice to fans for quite sometime. The fact that majortiy ppl that play madden have a playstation, it is obivious that EA didnt care and went to where the money was. If EA or sony cared the playstation would have been at the challenge. Nov. 7 from the same ppl that delayed the console over and over again.

  • arthururatani

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:41 pm PT

    im pretty sure EA didnt want to display the game on the old systems and ps3 aint coming out anytime soon so the 360 was the only choice.

    The Madden Challenge isn't a showcase. It's the biggest nationwide gaming tournament there is. The XBOX (1) is the main console in the tournament this year, the 360. To be more exact, 512 people can register in each city to play in the XBOX tourney. Only 32 (or maybe it was 64) can register to play on the 360 in each city. They have a duty to make sure all their Madden fanbase is represented and considering over 50% of Maddens sold are for PS2, I'd say they're doing their "fans" a disservice. Oh, and by the way, the PS3 is coming out in November. I'd say 2 and a half months is pretty soon.

  • PrinceAdam11

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:34 pm PT

    im pretty sure EA didnt want to display the game on the old systems and ps3 aint coming out anytime soon so the 360 was the only choice.

  • arthururatani

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:23 pm PT

    EA has the same ego trip that sony has!!!

    or maybe Microsoft considering they paid EA (sponsored) to have only Microsoft consoles at this year's Madden Challenge

  • PrinceAdam11

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:19 pm PT

    EA has the same ego trip that sony has!!!

  • arthururatani

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:18 pm PT

    At least in those games we get new levels or areas, story and much more.

    Come on, that's all? I could come up with a detailed story with plot twists and everything in a week by myself. New areas/levels? Come on, they HAVE to have new areas/levels. Madden also technically has new areas/levels if you talk about the redesign of the stadiums for the next-gen versions. First tell me how much different Dragon Warrior 3 is from 2 or how different Megaman 3 is from 2 and then you can make fun of Madden.

  • FlashNovice

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:18 pm PT

    Keep up da good work EA...

    Although I don't tihnk it won't sell as good as Halo:CE or Halo 2

  • arthururatani

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:11 pm PT

    Makes me laugh that people want to play the same boring game year after year. The gameplay is exactly the same yet people willing to pay $50-$60. And the people who compare this to Zelda, Resident Evil, Mega Man got to stop. At least in those games we get new levels or areas, story and much more. Madden is just the same rehashed crap year after year really wish people would stop buying this junk, just reinforces companies to make bad games.

    I made that comparison and I stand by it. First off, the development cycle for all those other games are MUCH longer than that of Madden. Secondly, let's take Megaman 3 for example (one of my favorite games). What was so different between that game and Megaman 2 really? The base game is almost exactly the same. All that's different are the levels (which take a while, but they have a long time), weapons and enemies (plus story, but that's usually the job of 1 or 2 guys). That's not much. They're not rehauling the gameplay or graphics system and if they do it's very minor. I doubt you even play Madden. I agree that Madden this year may actually be a step backwards, but from the way you talk I doubt that you ever gave Madden a chance.

  • arthururatani

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:03 pm PT

    Good for the madden team I guess. I just hope that Live 07 on the 360 wont be a joke.

    or PS3 considering they're both coming out around the same time

  • mat2g

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:01 pm PT

    Good for the madden team I guess. I just hope that Live 07 on the 360 wont be a joke.

  • Paulf001

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:59 pm PT

    Makes me laugh that people want to play the same boring game year after year. The gameplay is exactly the same yet people willing to pay $50-$60. And the people who compare this to Zelda, Resident Evil, Mega Man got to stop. At least in those games we get new levels or areas, story and much more. Madden is just the same rehashed crap year after year really wish people would stop buying this junk, just reinforces companies to make bad games.

  • arthururatani

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:48 pm PT

    Since when does one game out selling another make it a better game???FIFA outsells Winning Eleven/Pro Evo every year, is it a better game?? HELL NO.The reason this happens is cos all the kiddies want to play the "offical game", and others just recognise the "madden" name, so automatically assume it's the better game. This really sucks, cos I love football games and to have only have madden as a choice hurts, cos there's no way I'm buying another EA Sports made game.

    Where did I say that Madden was better because it outsold NFL2K? I said that Madden 2005 was very good because many 2K5 supporters forget to add (or don't even know) that Madden had a solid outing that year as well.

    Also, you're wrong about "kiddies" wanting to play the "official game". Kids don't care about that. When 2K was out, trust me, kids did not buy Madden for the "official game". I don't even believe that Madden was the "official game" when 2K was out.

  • arthururatani

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:43 pm PT

    in fact I think that every Madden since at least 04 has sold more than the previous year's

  • arthururatani

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:41 pm PT

    YOu guys are ridiculous. The article says it set FRANCHISE RECORDS! That means that they set personal best records. Generally, I expect each year's Madden to beat the previous versions' sales.

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