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Madden NFL 13 sells franchise-record 900,000 copies during first day

Updated Dec 19th, 2018 8:34PM EST
BGR

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Electronic Arts (EA) has apparently succeeded in convincing gamers that the newest version of its popular Madden franchise is more than just another roster update. EA on Thursday announced that it sold 900,000 copies of Madden NFL 13 during its first day of availability, representing a franchise record for the current console generation. The latest version of Madden features a revamped physics engine and new career mode options, and has received generally positive reviews from critics who have scored the Xbox 360 version of the game an aggregate 82 out of 100 on Metacritic so far. EA’s full press release is posted below.

Hot Start for Madden NFL 13; Sell-Through, Online Usage, and Strong Critical Acclaim Fuel Record Day One

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced today a huge first day for Madden NFL 13, which launched Tuesday across North America. Madden NFL 13 scored record day one retail sales, record day one online usage and it’s enjoying the best critical acclaim the game has seen in years.

Based on internal estimates, sell-through for Madden NFL 13 was up 7 percent year-over-year on HD platforms with 900K units sold in its first 24 hours on the market, its best start ever on this console generation. The franchise also set a day one online usage record with a 28 percent jump in peak simultaneous users over last year’s first day.

“It was a phenomenal first day for Madden NFL 13, and we have high expectations for this great game to be popular throughout the fall and into the holidays,” saidSeong Ohm, Walmart SVP of Entertainment. “We’re excited that our partnership with EA has helped deliver our customers unique access and content to this great game. There’s incredible demand for Madden NFL 13, and it’s easy to see why people are loving it.”

Critics are praising the game with nine scores of 90 or above, and aggregated reviews of Madden NFL 13 show the biggest single-year jump in critical acclaim for an EA SPORTS™ game in four years*. GamesRadar said the game is “brimming with innovation on and off the field” and IGN.com said “it all adds up toMadden NFL 13 being something truly special.”

Not only are fans playing Madden NFL 13, but they’re talking about it. Since the launch of Madden NFL 13 for EA SPORTS Season Ticket consumers on August 24th, there have been 665,464 total social interactions on Facebook and Twitter combined, and the game has been mentioned on average every six seconds on Twitter.

Madden NFL 13 is the most innovative entry the franchise has ever seen and we’re thrilled that fans have embraced it with such a huge first day,” said Andrew Wilson, Executive Vice President of EA SPORTS. “As we approach the kickoff of the NFL season next week, the football community is whetting their appetites by playing Madden NFL 13 in record numbers. With the combination of the cutting-edge Infinity Engine and new Connected Careers fans are truly getting their football fix with the best Madden NFL game ever.”

Madden NFL 13 on Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3 delivers physics you can feel on every play, and will connect you to the NFL and other fans like never before. Powered by the all-new Infinity Engine, every impact on the field is more intense; every battle is more authentic; and no two plays will every look or feel the same. With Connected Careers you’ll build your legacy as a player or coach within a completely new and fully connected universe, accessible on and off the console. With deep new gameplay innovation, social integration, and an overhaul of the audio and visual presentation, Madden NFL 13 is the biggest game-changer in the history of the franchise.

Madden NFL 13 is developed in Orlando, Florida by EA Tiburon. Madden NFL 13 is now available and retails for $59.99 on the Xbox 360® video game system and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. Madden NFL 13 is also available for $49.99 on the Wii™ console from Nintendo, and$39.99 on PlayStation® Vita System. To learn more about Madden NFL 13, visit http://www.easports.com/madden-nfl. For Madden NFL 13 assets, visit:http://maddennfl13.newslinevine.com/ or http://info.ea.com.

All player participation has been facilitated by National Football League Players Incorporated, the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association.

EA SPORTS is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, fan programs and cross-platform digital experiences. EA SPORTS creates connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA SoccerNHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® FootballTiger WoodsPGA TOUR® golf, SSX™ and Fight Night boxing.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.