The storied football franchise ushers in a new era with advancements that bring the NFL fan everything they see on Sundays, minus the grass stains.

On-field authenticity and emotion is taken to another level in Madden NFL 10. With more control over the outcome of the play than ever before, players can drag defenders towards the first down marker, fight for a fumble at the bottom of the pile, and avoid the rush by stepping up into the pocket. Utilizing an all-new animation technology, Madden NFL 10 ensures that the Fight For Every Yard doesn’t end until the whistle blows.

For 21 years the Madden NFL franchise has been embraced by its fans, honored by critics, and endured the test of time like no other sports video game in history. Today, EA SPORTS™ is proud to announce the establishment of the Madden NFL Hall of Fame – a program designed to celebrate and honor the individuals, features, playbooks, fans, and even glitches, that have all contributed to making Madden NFL one of the most popular video game franchises of all time.

The inaugural class of the Madden NFL Hall of Fame will be enshrined in February 2010 at Madden Bowl XVI.  Beginning today, all fans of the franchise have an opportunity to help shape the Madden NFL Hall of Fame program, including a possible seat on the official Selection Committee. 

Several seats on the Madden NFL Hall of Fame Selection Committee have been reserved for the ultimate Madden NFL fans, and the application process is now open.  This is your chance to team up with celebrity players, sports stars, journalists, and a few EA SPORTS Madden NFL reps, to lay the foundation for the Hall of Fame program.   Help craft the bylaws, form the nomination and selection processes, determine the nominee categories, and even select the inaugural class.  Make your mark on the Madden NFL legacy with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

To enter the Madden NFL Hall of Fame Selection Committee Contest beginning 12:00:01 a.m. PDT on July 21, 2009 through 11:59:59 p.m. PDT on July 31, 2009 , visit the the Hall of Fame website and follow the instructions to submit your user or screen name, email address, date of birth, answers to the questions below and your Video Application* submission showing us you are the ultimate Madden NFL fan, with the words, “Madden NFL Hall of Fame Selection Committee Contest” in the subject line via email.  No other methods of entry will be accepted.

*Video Application Submission GUIDELINES

Entrants’ submitted Entry must (i) incorporate only the Sponsor-provided game images available on the Site, if any, (the “Contest Assets”) and/or the entrant’s own originally created artwork showing your enthusiasm, knowledge and passion of the Madden NFL franchise (“Original Creations”); You can visit the Site to locate any Sponsor provided Contest Assets to create your video application. Entries must pertain to the Madden NFL video game, and must be submitted as a link to a 90 second or less YouTube video, titled: “Madden NFL Hall of Fame – (Your Title)”, originally created as a Quicktime.MOV file format following the Entry instructions, sized no larger than 100 MB with a resolution of either 640 x 360 or 16 x 9 aspect ratio and linked within your email Entry along with answers to the questions below (150 words or less):

• What is your favorite Madden NFL memory?
• Which edition (year/console) of Madden NFL is best, and why?

See OFFICIAL RULES for details.

 Three fans selected to be part of the Madden NFL Hall of Fame Selection Committee will be provided transportation and accommodations to the first meeting, in an end-zone suite overlooking Heinz Field during a preseason matchup between the Arizona Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers.  In addition, Selection Committee members will be honored in a dedicated section of the Madden NFL Hall of Fame website, and will have the opportunity to be included in the credits for an upcoming Madden NFL video game. 

Members of the inaugural Madden NFL Hall of Fame Selection Committee will be announced on or about August 6, 2009 via the official Madden NFL website.

Timeline: (Dates subject to change)

July 21 – 31, 2009                                              Application period for fan seats on MHOF Selection Committee
August 6, 2009                                                   Announce winners of fan seats on MHOF Selection Committee
August 13, 2009                                                Selection Committee meeting at Heinz Field
September 1 – October 31, 2009               Class of 2010 fan nomination period
November 5 – 6                                                Selection Committee meeting (TBD)
January 7 – 21, 2010                                        Fan voting
February 2, 2010                                               Announce inaugural Madden HOF class
February 4, 2010                                               Induction ceremony at Madden Bowl XVI in Miami, Florida

A free Madden NFL 10 demo will be released to Xbox LIVE Silver subscribers and the PlayStation Store on July 30th, featuring a night game in heavy snow with the Dallas Cowboys visiting the New York Giants.

Reserve Madden NFL 10 at GameStop, and on July 23rd, receive an exclusive demo featuring four, 5-minute quarters in a Super Bowl XLIII rematch, between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals. Visit GameStop.com or your local GameStop retailer for additional details.

Madden NFL 10 on the Wii introduces a unique, genre-defining art style that will raise the bar for sports games on the console. Completely redesigned and built from the ground up, Madden NFL 10 epitomizes what fun looks like on the Wii and will deliver a social, dynamic experience for the entire living room.

This year, Madden NFL 10 arrives on the Wii with breath-taking visuals that will captivate both seasoned veterans and new comers to the franchise. Completely redesigned and built from the ground up, Madden NFL 10 introduces a unique art style that will define the look of sports games on the Wii. All-new player models embody characteristics of your favorite athletes, plus new larger-than-life stadiums showcase the unique details found at each of the 32 NFL fields.

Madden NFL 10 will kick off the season with the Madden NFL 10 Draft Experience hosted exclusively at maddennfl.easports.com on Saturday, April 25th. The innovative website will feature a live, streaming draft analysis show produced right from Madden headquarters in Orlando, Florida. The show will feature several interactive elements, including live call-ins from NFL athletes, on-site correspondents from New York City, and the chance for Madden fans to phone in with comments and questions. As players are drafted, their official Madden NFL 10 ratings will be released and discussed live. The website will also feature dynamic polls, social networking feeds, photos from the NFL Draft, and live blogs from the Madden NFL 10 player ratings team. The Madden NFL Draft Experience is a fully interactive destination for NFL and Madden fans alike.

The countdown to the Madden NFL 10 cover announcement begins today with the launch of maddennfl.easports.com and the There Can Only Be One campaign. Each week, check back to the Madden NFL 10 website as candidates that capture the essence of Fight for Every Yard are introduced. See who is in the running for the most coveted cover in sports video games, leading up to the Madden NFL 10 cover unveil on Friday, April 24th.

Madden NFL 10, not yet rated, will be available on the X360, PS2, PS3, Wii, and PSP, currently scheduled for release on August 14, 2009.