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‘Maddenpalooza’ to celebrate newest football game launch

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Electronic Arts Inc. announced July 24 that Madden NFL 09 will celebrate its launch with Maddenpalooza, a music, sports and gaming fan festival hosted at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Aug. 11. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the award-winning Madden NFL franchise and the release of Madden NFL 09, Maddenpalooza will run from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. the day before the official August 12 launch date. The event will feature live musical performances by bands from past and current Madden NFL soundtracks, including Good Charlotte, who will headline the music stage. In addition to the music performances, Maddenpalooza attendees can enjoy a number of fan-friendly festivities, including autograph signing stations with retired NFL legends, interactive NFL activities, 300 Xbox 360(R) gaming kiosks to play Madden NFL 09, and a Wal-mart pop-up store where customers can be among the first to purchase their copy of Madden NFL 09.

“Maddenpalooza will truly be a celebration of the 20th anniversary of one of the most popular video games in history,” said Director of Marketing Chris Erb. “The fan festival will provide an interactive experience for Madden fans to come together and experience Madden NFL 09 before its launch.”

Each summer, the launch of Madden NFL has emerged as a highly anticipated event that wins the attention of both consumers and media across the country. Past Madden NFL launches have centered around the concept of Maddenoliday, where thousands of Madden NFL fans flocked to stores and took the day off from work and school to immerse themselves in that year’s copy of Madden NFL. This year, with Maddenpalooza, EA SPORTS will take it to the next level for the 20th anniversary of Madden NFL. Hosted at the Rose Bowl, the stadium where John Madden and the 1976 Oakland Raiders won their first Super Bowl, Maddenpalooza brings together the impressive mix of elements from sports, entertainment and video games that have made the Madden NFL franchise an American pop culture icon.

In addition to Good Charlotte, whose song “The Anthem” first appeared on the Madden NFL 03 soundtrack, other music acts scheduled to perform include Busta Rhymes, Rev Theory, Airbourne, From First to Last and Young Dre The Truth. Each of these bands will perform throughout the day — leading up to the first sales of Madden NFL 09 which will begin at 9 p.m. PST at the Wal-Mart pop-up store located within the Rose Bowl stadium.

Admission to Maddenpalooza is free. Tickets will be distributed through the Los Angeles-based radio station KIIS, as well as various other local radio stations and promotional partners. There will also be a limited amount of tickets available at the Rose Bowl on Aug. 11 through a first-come-first-serve basis.

Madden NFL 09 introduces over 85 new features and enhancements. Whether you are a seasoned veteran, or a franchise rookie, Madden NFL 09 will continuously asses your skills and adjust the game play to keep the experience both fun and challenging, all while training gamers to become better Madden players. Madden NFL 09 also includes a brand-new broadcast presentation package featuring Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond, online leagues, and the most realistic graphics in franchise history.

Madden NFL 09 is developed in Orlando, Fla., by the award-winning EA Tiburon studio, which also produces NCAA Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR and NASCAR racing.

Madden NFL 09 will be available for the Xbox and Xbox 360 video game systems from Microsoft, PlayStation 2 and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment systems, Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP handheld entertainment system and is rated E by the ESRB.

EA SPORTS is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR and NASCAR racing.

For more information about Madden NFL 09, check out http://www.madden09.com.