EA Selects Darren McFadden as the First of Four Cover Athletes for NCAA Football 09

[Steve_OS]

EA Selects Darren McFadden as the First of
Four Cover Athletes for NCAA Football 09

McFadden Will Grace the XBOX 360 Cover in
Platform Exclusive NCAA Football 09 Packaging

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE) --Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ:ERTS - News) today announced that former University of Arkansas running back and two time All-American recipient, Darren McFadden, will appear on the front cover of NCAA® Football 09 for the Xbox 360™ video game entertainment system, scheduled for release on July 15, 2008. This year, the packaging for each of the NCAA Football 09 console platforms will feature an exclusive cover athlete. Following McFadden on the Xbox 360 package front will be three other cover athletes from different regions throughout the county to appear on the box art for NCAA Football 09 on the PlayStation® 2 and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment systems, and the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system.

During McFadden’s three year career at the University of Arkansas, the two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up earned three First Team All-SEC selections, was named the SEC coaches and Associated Press “Offensive Player of the Year”, received the 2007 Walter Camp Award, and was the first Sophomore to receive the Doak Walker Award for the best college Running Back two years in row. McFadden holds multiple University of Arkansas records, the most notable being the Razorback’s all-time leading rusher with 4,485 yards in only 37 career games.

NCAA Football 09 will unveil the all-new Break Away Animation Engine which allows gamers to break in and out of moves giving the user more direct control as well as instant influence and responsiveness on the field. At its core, NCAA Football 09 will focus on wide-open collegiate style gameplay featuring unique animations that you will only find on college football Saturdays. This style of gameplay will allow agile backs like McFadden to show off their break out speed and maneuverability in-game.

"These four athletes represent the best and brightest of college football, but our selections aren't just about Heisman candidates and All Americans,” says Sr. director of marketing Tom Goedde. “They represent the spirit and passion of the sport in the same way EA SPORTS video games do."

In anticipation for the NFL Draft, EA will announce the exclusive cover athlete for the PLAYSTATION 3 system on April 24, while the exclusive cover athletes for the PlayStation 2 and the PSP systems will be unveiled the beginning of May. The Wii™ cover will feature the winner from the NCAA Football 09 Cover Mascot Challenge, and will be announced on the NCAA Football 09 website on March 18.

Developed in Orlando, Fla., by EA Tiburon, NCAA Football 09 will be available for the PlayStation 2 and PLAYSTATION 3 systems, the PSP system, the Wii and the Xbox 360 system. For more information about NCAA Football 09 please visit www.ncaafootball09.com.

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®, NBA LIVE, NCAA® football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® and NASCAR® racing.

[Pared]

Interesting. Thanks for the info, Steve.

I wonder who the other 3 will be.

The information about the Break Away system intrigues me more. Seems like they're working on gameplay but let's get some better atmosphere. No excuses; It can be done!

[Rocky]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pared

Interesting. Thanks for the info, Steve. I wonder who the other 3 will be. The information about the Break Away system intrigues me more. Seems like they're working on gameplay but let's get some better atmosphere. No excuses; It can be done!

Co-sign on the atmosphere. Full sidelines, interactive crowds, media, bands would make it so much better.

The Break Away feature sounds scary though.

[Cdenz]

Quote:

Seems like they're working on gameplay but let's get some better atmosphere. No excuses; It can be done!

if the game does not have this it will be DULL AND BORING AGAIN!!

very doubtful this game will be anything more than NCAA08.2.

NG football by EA/TIB is been a major letdown in my Opinion.

[JBucc]

Wasn't breaking out of animations the same thing they hyped up last year?

[Altimus]

Wow they don't announce the other cover athlete for the other three consoles for a while. McFadden was a good choice and should have been on all the covers.

[LBzrule]

Quote: Originally Posted by JBucc

Wasn't breaking out of animations the same thing they hyped up last year?

nahhh that was "Branching Animations" which basically was described similarly but there are some distinctions.

But like I said in the other thread it does say they are working on animations where players collision, which to me this has been a several weak part of their games for the past 9 to 10 years. But that's the problem to so I'm not expecting anything world beating.

[Pared]

My only concern is they touted this with Madden last year.. and it wasn't all that spectacular, IMO.

If this game is just a slightly improved version of Madden 2008 on next gen, I will be severely disappointed. It's about time that these football games starting getting the treatment as if they were the best selling sports titles on the market.

Honestly, if you compared the quality of some sports games vs. their sales... numbers just don't add up, IMO.

Upsets me to think about it.