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Madden NFL 11 tops August sales charts - EA

Publisher claims sales victory for the month as gridiron sim sales rise 5% across all platforms; Madden NFL Superstars now available on Facebook.

The NPD Group isn't expected to release its August game-industry sales breakdown for at least a couple more weeks, but Electronic Arts is already touting Madden NFL 11 as the month's sales leader. Citing internal figures, EA claims Madden NFL 11 was the No. 1 selling game in North America during August, with sales on all platforms rising about 5 percent year-over-year.

Who dey gonna beat Madden NFL 11's sales?

Who dey gonna beat Madden NFL 11's sales?

EA did not offer specific sales figures for any of the versions of Madden NFL 11, which launched for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii, and iPhone on August 10. However, Madden NFL 10 sold 1.9 million units in August 2009, a figure that included versions on the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, and Wii.

EA also said that digital revenues for Madden NFL 11 were up 200 percent year-over-year. Examples of downloadable content currently available include the "One More Year" bonus, which keeps an in-game player from retiring for an additional year, and "Skilled Medical Staff," which confers a 10 percent bonus chance of avoiding injuries and increasing recovery time. EA also announced its Online Pass initiative in May, which requires used-game owners to purchase access to the game's online mode.

The sales bump is likely a relief for EA, after seeing lackluster results for Madden NFL 10. Last September, EA CEO John Riccitiello expressed disappointment over the game's performance despite the game's near-2-million-unit opening. "It is discouraging that one of our highest rated and best marketed Madden titles in years is facing strong headwinds," he said.

Along with touting Madden NFL 11's sales, EA also took the opportunity to officially announce Madden NFL Superstars, a new installment in the franchise designed specifically for social-gaming network Facebook. Built in conjunction with recent EA acquisition Playfish, Madden NFL Superstars is a team-management sim in which Facebook users can build a roster from more than 1,500 current players and then match their squad up against friends.

Madden NFL Superstars is available as of today through its Facebook game space.

67 Comments

  • tainted_lynx

    Posted Sep 10, 2010 10:14 am GMT

    Westwood, Pandemic, Bullfrog, etc

  • tainted_lynx

    Posted Sep 10, 2010 10:12 am GMT

    @PixelAddict I think you're missing the point. It's not even about "ethics" or any of that moral stuff. It's about the gamers and the pain and horror EA puts them through. The question you don't seem to be asking yourself is that, in a lot of cases, where is EA's competition that's trying to take away their business? Answer, for the mostpart, is "EA bought them out". So it's not so much a 'valid' strategy, but cheap and dirty one.

    It's bad business, plain and simple. I know other companies have done it, but EA does it the worst. When you have a monopoly over a genre while offer nothing good, that's a problem. Especially when 2K/ESPN had the superior product. It's proof EA is afraid of competition.

  • mariokart64fan

    Posted Sep 5, 2010 10:07 pm GMT

    i l iked m adden 11, more challenging then 10 and 9-06

  • david_dbj

    Posted Sep 4, 2010 9:33 am GMT

    I am glad that I did not waste $60.00 bucks on madden. I will wait a year and see what happens next year. I wish there were more games to pick from like it was years ago.

  • knight13951

    Posted Sep 3, 2010 12:55 pm GMT

    if u hate the game so much stop buying the game every year. If u think the game sucks just dont buy it dont complain about a game u thought sucked anyway. God madden haters could be the stupidest people on earth

  • Flint247

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 10:38 pm GMT

    Ugh, Online passes.

  • Pemobian

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 7:59 pm GMT

    EA claims Madden had the highest sales figures for August, yet there was virtually no competition. Maybe they were just hoping no one would notice.

  • StaticKornSlipX

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 4:03 pm GMT

    If you want to play a good madden...you'll have to go back to Madden 2005 on ps2 and xbox

  • Avenger1324

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 3:44 pm GMT

    Latest annual installment topping the sales charts on release in NA is no surprise. I wonder how many of the sports fans that bought it were even aware of the Online Pass "feature" of this years edition.

  • Greatwasabi

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 2:20 pm GMT

    @gnbfd

    I've played it, and it's definitely different, but it's definitely still not very good IMO.

  • gnbfd

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 2:03 pm GMT

    I love how ignorant everyone in this post is
    If any of you haters actually played this years version, you'd know that this year they *gasp*, actually changed the game. The gameplay doesn't feel like Madden 10, gameflow is a great feature, and online team play is just fun.

    Last year, 2 years ago, 3 years ago, this kind of complaining would've been acceptable, now it just comes off as extremely ignorant.

  • ANTHONYMVP2U

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 12:20 pm GMT

    i saw this comming...

  • hornetine

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 10:51 am GMT

    Cant blame EA. Blame the NFL na d fools that buy this crap every year. Alot of stupid human beings in this world

  • threedown

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 10:49 am GMT

    Football fans have nothing else to choose from, how else are they going to get their current pro football fix. until other companies are able to use the NFL license we will see little to no innovation or competition from year to year, just small tweaks here and there with roster updates. sad but true

  • supernova777

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 10:21 am GMT

    Yeah ea got a couple of sucker to buy into that madden bs I'll just keep last years.

  • bballabarry

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 10:10 am GMT

    I've seen a couple posts here about the online pass, people you only have to pay extra for online pass if you bought the game USED. when you buy the game new it comes with a one-time use redemption code.

  • svdbygrce02

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 9:51 am GMT

    This proves nothing..Madden is still the suxxors

  • robram9

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 9:28 am GMT

    @xSlugox

    I get it... you are just ignorant then...

    Because only an ignorant or very inmature person would call a whole country dumb just because a few people decided to buy a game about a sport you don't like.

  • xSlugox

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 9:11 am GMT

    HAHAHA...

    @dipsetboy17 Amen buddy. That's basically what I said, just in a more blunt way and kiddies got really angry. People hate hearing the truth. To the person that compared Madden releases to NHL. You sir are ridiculous. NHL changes pretty significantly every year, new hitting physics, added features, new game engine, new animations. Madden is ALWAYS the same. Probably cuz the game is made at EA Sports Burnaby, B.C. they know if it ain't good, Canada ain't buyin.

  • Blaiyan

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 9:02 am GMT

    People still bought this with Online Pass? It's sad and I would be shocked if I didn't know the majority of gamers are selfish and or ignorant.

    GameSpot, what is with the picture description? What does that even mean?

  • wwlettsome

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 8:22 am GMT

    Yawn. Were any other games released at retail in August? Think I'll go back and play Dead Space again.

  • petemig

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 7:51 am GMT

    BREAKING NEWS: This just in... There is only 1 store in a town that sells water every year. The water sucks and they never improve it, but there are no other places to buy water.

    This year, the store sold the most water in September out of all the other stores. AMAZING!

  • cyntyfyc

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 7:36 am GMT

    Here's an idea EA - take a year off, only release updated rosters in 2011 to appease fans, make your game BETTER, then come back in 2012 and watch people go nuts for an IMPROVED Madden game. Instead of "this year we've improved the physics of the cheerleaders breasts". Actually, that's not a bad idea, but you see where I'm going with this.

  • zwgiantsfan

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 7:17 am GMT

    im rly not surprised at all that madden tops the list
    thruthfully what other good games came out?

  • PixelAddict

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 7:08 am GMT

    @tainted_lynx

    Hey, buying out the competition and/or rights may not be ethically or competitively "friendly", but it's a valid strategery. It's done in business all the time. DirecTV did the same thing with the same sport.

    That's not to say I don't miss 2K's football sim. Seriously, the last football game I bought was the 2K title with Warren Sapp on the cover.

  • tainted_lynx

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 7:08 am GMT

    The ONLY company to compete with EA in all their years of making sports games is 2K, and they only entered recently because before that, EA had a total monopoly over sports games, and they STILL do in some of the sports I'm going to list.
    NHL - monopoly this year

    NBA - 2K better rated five years straight or more

    NFL - madden monopoly

    Tiger - PGA monopoly

    UEFA - Winning 11

    Not that there aren't other games to buy, but there really aren't other games of the same GENRE to buy.

    Do you see another NFL game other than Madden? No? Guess why....

    Has Madden been the same GARBAGE every year and gotten progressively worse? Yes? Guess why....

    Just because something sells slightly more doesn't mean it's good. If there's no competition, it'll sell no matter what.

  • tainted_lynx

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 7:03 am GMT

    @cajunstrike

    That would be reasonable if it was in good spirit. EA doesn't have any competition because they bought it out, remember? 2K were destroying them with better sports titles until EA went into a hissy fit buying exclusive rights to certain sports leagues and licenses. That is the only way EA can compete because they are afraid.

    EA has always made terrible sports games, they've never had the competition to show much they suck. Even then they still have a monopoly over certain sports games. EA is a low-budget, high-profit, monopolizing machine. They buy exclusives rights to everything so that there's no competition to them.

  • PixelAddict

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 7:02 am GMT

    For me, the most interesting bit in this story is the Facebook app. I have been wondering when one of the bigs was going to dip into this "casual" space.

    It's an opportunity just waiting for an established brand to get in on. Zynga is making hay (literally?) while the big's like EA and Activision sit back and watch it all happen.

    It may not be the BEST of gaming, but it will have an impact on the FUTURE of gaming.

  • reeree746

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 6:44 am GMT

    I but the new Madden every 3 years and it works out perfectly.

  • ccputgat2m

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 6:26 am GMT

    @netherscourge

    exaclty, i read somewhere last year where sales dipped 5%, now they grew 5%? big deal. your 2011 release is selling as well as the 2009 version.

    as for the game, I bought it and liked it. The presentation is there, the gameplay is there, but its just not fun anymore. 2003-2005 were the golden years for me.

  • Flinet91

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 6:13 am GMT

    Hahaha Rottenwood!

  • Rottenwood posted Sep 1, 2010 5:48 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Rottenwood

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 5:48 am GMT (hide)

    Way to go, Madden! Boy, I hope they make another one next year!

  • Netherscourge

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 5:47 am GMT

    A 5% gain over last year does not mean success - it's means they're still stuck on a plateau.

    The game is boring and until they change the game engine, it'll continue to be boring.

  • dipsetboy17

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 5:34 am GMT

    i never bought a madden game(or really any sports games for that matter) and i never will lol.don't people know that madden only sells in America? the gaming audience as a whole in America has no diverse tastes. all we want to buy are more rehashed,glitched games.

  • Aboogie5

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 5:22 am GMT

    The same old game every year. People only buy this game because they crave football around this year.. BRING BACK NFL 2k!!!

  • cajunstrike

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 5:20 am GMT

    Agreed. Without direct NFL-licensed competition, namely from 2K Sports, EA Sports is certainly less pressured to innovate. By the way, xSlugox, Americans buy Ontario-based RIM BlackBerry devices, too - but don't much care for Canadian football.

  • Colonel-Snake

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 2:08 am GMT

    I seen nothing Major in madden 2011. Its overrated by far and barely anything is New. Graphics the same and also the frame rate is terrible! It would snow and mess up so badly and thats me not even playing online. Seriously Ea get it together. I think Madden is dead in my opinion. We need to bring back NFL 2k because thats when Madden actually had a challenge. Seriously they add features that has already been in NFL 2K5 which was how many years ago ? I hope they lose the rights so we can have some competition and a variety of NFL football games to choose from.

  • packers91

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 1:09 am GMT

    I love getting me some Madden every 3 years or so, but they need to bring Blitz back. Not the league, not street, NFL BLITZ

  • bballabarry

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 12:06 am GMT

    oh so what they are saying is a lot of people wasted $60 on the same game that has come out the past couple of years, but with a different year number and different player on the cover. thats cool

  • grasshopper6

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 11:05 pm GMT

    oh well it still sucks

  • Alex_Thomson

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 11:04 pm GMT

    Madden topping sales charts? Wow, I didn't see that one coming, it only happens every year when a new Madden game is released. I guess I must be one of like five people in the world that don't care about football videogames.

  • JLCrogue posted Aug 31, 2010 10:17 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    JLCrogue

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 10:17 pm GMT (hide)

    Go throw an actual football if you want to play football. I'm going to stick with shooting people in the face and chopping heads off in my videogames.

  • chingchow48

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 10:07 pm GMT

    @Gelugon baat I like the whole dont buy the game and stop complaining thing but to persuade others to buy games is just dumb cause then you become the annoying person on the internet saying Madden sucks. the best way to do it is buy a madden game every 2-3 years so you see great improvements instead of small changes. thats what i do and it works great... i have 09 right now and will probably buy Madden 12

  • IceJester45

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 9:01 pm GMT

    What a shocking bit of news.

  • Gelugon_baat

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 8:47 pm GMT

    Suck or no, EA certainly considers the Madden franchise to be a gold mine - and a proven one too. Why would a game publisher not crank out sequel after sequel if it knows they are going to sell well?

    If you would like to make a difference, then please don't buy the game and persuade others to spend the money on some other title.

  • monson21502

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 8:26 pm GMT

    online passes dont bother me.... i get all my games for 12 bucks each. and im sure this game will be in the pawn shops soon

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