EA Extends NFL Exclusivity Until 2013

EA has extended its exclusive licensing deal with the NFL until 2013, which means that EA games will be the only ones to feature genuine NFL players, teams, and stadiums for the next five years.

In addition to giving EA the sole rights to develop, publish, and distribute NFL-based games for everything that draws current, the deal also gives EA access to content from NFL Films and the NFL Network. Rumor has it they also get John Facenda frozen in carbonite.

Though other football games have found creative ways around EA's exclusivity, such as All-Pro Football's use of retired NFL players or Blitz the League's fictional teams, it's hard to ignore the advantage that the NFL license gives to the Madden games.

This year marks the-- get ready to feel old, people -- 20th anniversary of the *Madden *franchise. Go have a turducken to celebrate.