MADDEN NFL 2004 FROM EA SPORTS IN STORES TODAY; EA'S BEST-SELLING FOOTBALL FRANCHISE OFFERS REVOLUTIONARY PLAYMAKER CONTROL AND NEW EA SPORTS NATION ONLINE PLAY

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.-Aug. 12, 2003-Madden NFL 2004, the most anticipated football title of the year and the top North American sports videogame franchise from Electronic Arts, is available in stores today on six platforms. Madden NFL distributed under the EA SPORTS brand is in its 14th season with over 30 million copies sold, and the franchise recently was unveiled for display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the first videogame to receive this honor.

New features in Madden NFL 2004 include revolutionary Playmaker Control that lets gamers adjust on the fly just as NFL players do, and improved online play with the EA SPORTS Nation feature set that includes EA SPORTS Talk in-game chat (USB headset and broadband connection required) and online tournaments for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. The game also features a deeper Franchise Mode with the new Owner Mode option that allows players to take over bottom line responsibilities such as hiring a full coaching staff or setting ticket and concession prices. Extensively updated playbooks, broadcast quality effects, and new gameplay camera angles are just a few of the upgrades in Madden NFL 2004. John Madden, Al Michaels, and Melissa Stark return with new commentary. PS One, PC, and Game Boy Advance also have their own unique features this year, including the ability to connect your Game Boy Advance to the Nintendo GameCube version to unlock hidden content and features.

EA SPORTS TRAX include new songs by OutKast, Nappy Roots, Alien Ant Farm, and Adema, as well as a new song by blink-182 debuting in the game three months before the album releases.

Madden Football 2004, developed by EA-Tiburon, is rated "E" (Everyone) by the ESRB and is available on the PlayStation 2 console, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft, and the Nintendo GameCube, PS One, PC, and Game Boy Advance. For more info on PlayStation 2 online (service, play, capabilities, features) for Madden NFL 2004, go to www.maddenfootball2004.com.