Grossing $100 million in the first week of release is a blockbuster by Hollywood standards, but what about for a video game?
Madden 2007, the latest NFL football game from Electronic Arts, has sold more than 2 million units, totaling more than $100 million in the first week, the biggest launch in the franchise's history.
"The game is in its 16th year," Public Relations Representative for Electronic Arts Nick Straw said. "It's become quite a phenomenon."
The Madden series of games has been around since 1989 and has been on every platform from Apple II computers to Xbox 360. A new version of the game comes out every year.
An additional feature of this year's game is that video gamers have more control in the game play.
"If one of the football players gets an injury, you can rehabilitate them, and if you play an injured player or push them too hard they will not play well," Straw said.
The success of the Madden games comes down to the fans themselves.
"Consumers are the best reviewers. We have fans who are very loyal, they come back year after year," Straw said.
Sales of the Madden game have also been very good around the State College area.
"It has sold very well." Caleb Nagle, manager of Circuit City, 48 Colonnade Way, said. "We have been very busy, almost as busy as when the Xbox 360 came out last year."
Some store employees said Madden 2007 is so popular that students may not even be able to find it in Happy Valley.
"We can't keep it in stock. It's been a long while since a video game has sold this well," said Walt Hall, an electronics department representative at Wal-Mart, 1665 N. Atherton St. "The game is selling well, because it was released as soon as the football season started."
Many college students are now hooked on this popular game.
"I love the new Madden game. The graphics are very realistic," Chris Cancino (senior-mechanical engineering) said.
However, Electronic Arts isn't just sitting back and patting themselves on the back for a job well done -- instead, work on Madden 2008 has already started.
Electronic Arts will try to make it even better than the 2007 version, Straw said.
