Ignorant Madden Question - "Madden 09"?

[NoahsMyBro]

I've never payed attention to Madden games. I liked the Intellivision and 5200 football carts, as well as the M-Network 2600 football. Around the time of the C64 I suppose football carts grew too complicated for me to want to bother with, although I have to admit I liked NFL 2k and 2k1 on the Dreamcast.

I noticed today that this years Madden is called Madden NFL 09. I thought about that, and considered that the regular season is played in 2008. Only Post-season games and the Superbowl will take place in 2009. On the NFL's website, they refer to the season as the 2008 Season.

SO, why is the Madden game that comes out to coincide with this year's NFL season called "Madden NFL 09"?

[Kid Ice]

My guess....okay, let's say it's the first week of February 09, the Super Bowl's coming up, may be a good motivator to buy the latest football game.

On the shelf at K-Mart you see either:

Madden 08

or Madden 09

If you see Madden 08 you think "08 is over, I'm waiting for the updated game"

If you see Madden 09, you buy it.

Same with the 2K series...the Dreamcast came out 9-9-99, if they call it "NFL 99" they get 4 months of sales out of that before it's outdated.

[garagesaleking!!]

ya that makes sense, the most important part of the season is in 09.

[shoes23]

My guess....okay, let's say it's the first week of February 09, the Super Bowl's coming up, may be a good motivator to buy the latest football game.

On the shelf at K-Mart you see either:

Madden 08

or Madden 09

If you see Madden 08 you think "08 is over, I'm waiting for the updated game"

If you see Madden 09, you buy it.

Same with the 2K series...the Dreamcast came out 9-9-99, if they call it "NFL 99" they get 4 months of sales out of that before it's outdated.

Sounds logical. Same reason magazine dates are set a month out in the future. The month coincides with when sellers should remove the magazines, not the month they came out in, otherwise people would be looking for the next months issue even though it hasn't been published yet.

[jcalder8]

I figured it was because it's the 2008-2009 season

[GM80]

It's like graduation from school (Class of '09).

[NoahsMyBro]

Thanks guys. Those answers all make sense.

[Nature Boy]

It's the same reason they sell 09 models of cars in 08 and why magazines on shelves now are dated October instead of August. It gives the product a longer shelf life.

[whoisKeel]

because in 1991 somebody decided to name it '92. now they're stuck.

[Gentlegamer]

So will the next game be titled "Madden 10," or "Madden X" . . .

[SegaAges]

I mentioned that somewhere else, hahaha. If I remember correctly, Madden hit its 20th anniversary, so calling it Madden '10 makes it looks dumb. It should be Madden 2010, because putting the 20 makes it sound futuristic. Maybe they should just scrap Madden now and go for Mutant League Football!

So will the next game be titled "Madden 10," or "Madden X" . . .

[Nature Boy]

I can't wait to see "2K10" on games personally.

[Poofta!]

i always thought that madden 0x has x year's roster. as in madden 09 has the roster of next year...

[skaar]

It's from the FUTURE!