EA: Madden made $133.5 million last month

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpotPosted Sep 10, 2008 11:06 am PT

Publisher notes NFL 09 sales total tops the biggest box-office draws in August, trouncing Tropic Thunder, Mamma Mia, and Pineapple Express.

Earlier this week, a handful of analysts released their monthly predictions for the NPD Group's US retail software-sales figures. They all agreed that August's results would show at least 20 percent growth in game sales year-over-year. However, their expectations for the month's biggest release, Electronic Arts' Madden NFL 09, were less bullish, suggesting that sales would be flat for the gridiron dynasty.

Perhaps irked by the lack of analyst enthusiasm, EA released a peek at its own internal sales data for the latest Madden. Between the game's August 12 launch and September 1, EA said that Madden rang up $133.5 million in retail sales, or roughly 6 percent more than the prior year's installment managed in its first month.

The publisher also offered an unusual bit of perspective on that figure, noting that Madden outgrossed the month's biggest movies, a slate of late-summer launches including Tropic Thunder ($83.9 million), Mamma Mia ($56.4 million), and Pineapple Express ($79.9 million). Although it wasn't mentioned, Madden also outpaced the month's biggest film (and source material for an Activision Blizzard game), The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, which brought in $98.6 million for the month.

Interestingly, Madden NFL 09 faced less direct competition than its immediate predecessor. Take-Two Interactive made a brief return to the football market last year with All-Pro Football 2K8, which lacked the NFL license but did include more than 200 retired pros such as John Elway, Dan Marino, and Walter Payton. After that game posted disappointing sales for Take-Two, the publisher opted to bench it for the current year.

For more on Madden NFL 09, check out GameSpot's review.

53 Comments

  • rachkovsky

    Posted Sep 19, 2008 5:28 am PT

    You are right the graphics of sports games are superior the game play is superb, it is great.

  • Zaruna_44

    Posted Sep 14, 2008 4:41 pm PT

    i dont care wat anybody says ea is awesome ()

  • Zaruna_44

    Posted Sep 14, 2008 4:41 pm PT

    i dont care wat anybody says ea is awesome ()

  • ThaGrateOne

    Posted Sep 11, 2008 9:49 pm PT

    the only thing madden is good for is, RENTAL, ACHIEVEMENTS, and TRADE-IN's....after 3 games of MADDEN..A good VOMET is in order.

  • SethSOMT

    Posted Sep 11, 2008 8:11 pm PT

    EA now needs to put this money towards Dead Space...

  • cajunstrike

    Posted Sep 11, 2008 10:18 am PT

    Agreed. The lack of competition due to NFL exclusivity greatly reduces Electronic Arts' need to innovate.

  • jlgil8

    Posted Sep 11, 2008 6:59 am PT

    This is no surprise, considering that for years now, they have solo rights to the NFL, and people keep buying Madden games despite what crap they take out/throw in each year! Until we, gamers and consumers, don't stop rushing to the stores every year to buy their games this trend will continue! ME? I don't condone nor contribute to EA Sports Madden games! I rent them every year...THAT'S ALL! I continue to play; "ESPN NFL 2K 5", which is the best NFL game ever made, and it's not just EA Sports fault, but also the NFL for allowing SOLO rights to them, ESPN that yet has even been been put into the game, in any way, shape or form, and yet this week they allowed EA Sports to parade on; "NFL Countdown", with their nonsense, but the most guilty party is the GAMERS/CONSUMERS, who every year run and buy their games as soon as they hit the shelves, some even before by pre-ordering the games, only to then go on sites and complain! Now, we have a whopping 15 years of EA Sports "SOLO" rights to the NFL, which all we can do is hope that sooner or later they will come out with a decent game! SOLO rights should not even be allowed for sports games, especially the NFL!

  • mfortune

    Posted Sep 11, 2008 6:31 am PT

    People are always going to buy this game, because Americans love football...and most Football loving Americans aren't extreme gamers. EA doesn't care about the gaming mechanics or the aspects from a gmaer's perspective. They focus on the mighy dollar, and as for the everyday football fan EA can poop out some crap like Madden for the Football fans because they don't care about Gameplay and useless features...EA knows exactly who its market is, and that is non-Gamer Football fans who just want a new Madden with a flashy overlook, and no substance (Madden on Ice 09 Hooray). Why is it so hard to control your player on the game. Doesn't really make sense to me.

  • bnazty23

    Posted Sep 11, 2008 3:10 am PT

    Don't even get me started on NCAA football, I love that game way more than Madden and its descent in to disparity disappoints at such an unbelievably high level.

  • bnazty23

    Posted Sep 11, 2008 3:07 am PT

    This really is a shame, and not for all the reasons that are listed here. True people are paying $60 dollars for a game that is relatively not much better than the one that was released a year ago and not much better than the one that will be finished 9 months from now. The real shame is that I love madden, I have played every single Madden NFL game since 93',and they are not good any more. Most of the people here sound as though to their core, have really enjoyed this title for a very long as well and are simply frustrated at the shell it has become. It is very true that the game does add advances each and every year, better graphics, new modes and added realism, and for the most part improved mechanics. However, the game play, value, and simply fun factor that has been synonymous with Madden football since its inception has all but vanished. I personally loved 07 but hated 08 and feel more indifferent than anything about 09, going into a second whole year with out Madden football feel terrible because it is so much fun playing with YOUR personal team against some good friends as well as going at it online. Now to those of you who really love the new Madden game, kudos to you for keeping the faith and enjoying it but for me, I have already started the counter on days until next August.

  • orestes1981

    Posted Sep 11, 2008 2:37 am PT

    The best one yet? I would have to disagree with you, cjlewandowski2. I thought 2005 was the top of the line for the Madden series.....then they received the execlusive license. Since then, they have been slowly building the series up to that level.

    They are not there yet, but I hope they will be in the future.

  • cjlewandowski2

    Posted Sep 10, 2008 8:25 pm PT

    too many haters out there. madden's a great game, and this year's installment is the best one yet. ea sports makes the best sports games hands down. =]

  • ocdog45

    Posted Sep 10, 2008 7:53 pm PT

    strait cash homie! go live poor madden hater!

  • rmoorevtps3

    Posted Sep 10, 2008 6:29 pm PT

    HAHA madden hasnt been good since madden 05 and stupid people keep buying the new one every year... cmon people demand a good product for your hard earned money and quit being thoughtless pawns to the videogame hype machine, i hear of way too many games that are going to be the next greatest things, including gta4 and mgs4, and they just dont live up to games that get 8.5's like warhawk. i mean cmon saints row 2 is gona poop on gta 4. gta 4 runs at like 30 frames per second. Garbage! SR2 wont get a 10 tho ill tell you that.

  • wmfrance

    Posted Sep 10, 2008 5:19 pm PT

    Lets all congratulate EA for making buckets full of money for there usual technological step sideways with Madden. And a special congratulations to all of the chumps who fell for it again.

    Long live lack of innovation!!!

  • VolcanoMan001

    Posted Sep 10, 2008 4:40 pm PT

    This is just... well, sad. It is sad that people keep buying them so that they can keep making a killing like this and buying up licenses and companies to eliminate competition. Who is the blame? We are.

  • Rickhavoc2

    Posted Sep 10, 2008 4:23 pm PT

    lolz T2 sports good lolololololololololol thats funny to me

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