Madden NFL 10 goes gold, demos due this month

The perennial hit football sim, EA Sports' Madden NFL, has a 21-year history with just over $1 billion in sales since 2006. The series is poised to add to that considerable commercial success, as EA today confirmed that Madden NFL 10 has now gone gold and is ready to make its August 14 release date.

The publisher also revealed today further details behind two demo versions of the game, both of which are due out later this month. For Xbox Live members and patrons of the PlayStation Store, there will be a free demo featuring a snowy night game between the Dallas Cowboys and the visiting New York Giants, due out July 30.

GameStop also has an exclusive Super Bowl XLIII demo for those who reserve the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions. That sampler version of the game sports four five-minute quarters that pit the Arizona Cardinals against the Pittsburg Steelers. The demo, out July 23, will be available online and for in-store pickup, according to EA and GameStop.

As outlined in GameSpot's previous coverage, the game will introduce a new injury system, the "fight for the fumble" feature, online co-op play, and Online Franchise mode. The football game will be available on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, and PSP, with the franchise being discontinued on the PC.