Madden 09 website launches; new Head Coach videos and features
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The official website for Madden 09 went live earlier today following the announcement that the 20th Anniversary Collectors Edition would include NFL Head Coach 09. From the main page of the site you can access the press release containing details of the collectors edition along with links to new Head Coach videos and features. It also notes that “the countdown begins 4/5/08″. Whether that countdown will lead into the NFL Draft or something else (cover announcement?) isn’t immediately clear.
Previously the Head Coach website listed some features of the game. However several new ones have been added and the entire list can be found here. It’s a pretty intensive list that would be too difficult to for me to recap so check it out in its entirety there.
One interesting thing of note is that with the new play creator and ability to export them to Madden they’ve also added Gamernet which will allow for you to upload created plays where they’ll available for anyone to rate, view and download for their own use.
There are also two new videos for Head Coach. One is a general overview of the game while the other focuses on the play creator. You can check those out in HD by visiting the media section of the Head Coach website.
March 27, 2008 at 3:26 pm
A integral part of coaching during the game is the emotional and often essential interaction with referees.
I don’t think there were any refs present in the Head Coach 09 preview video. Does this mean referees won’t be included?
March 27, 2008 at 4:27 pm
is the game going 2 be release in the UK or region free ? please answer this question lol
March 27, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Wow that coaching on the fly thing with the making plays in games is a great idea. I still wish they would combine the two so the fanchise mode was this deep as far as managing the team, but then you could choose to play the games or coach them like in Head Coach. I’m still pumped that they have this 20th Aniversary edition package. I was worrying about having to shell out $120 for both.
March 27, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Awesome.
March 27, 2008 at 6:17 pm
I bet that if you’re the patriots you get to control the camera and get plays from other teams. lol
March 27, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Drool… waitaminute eew I got spittle on me… Looks nice, though.
March 27, 2008 at 8:25 pm
If this version of HC is anything like the last version, which it probably is given that it’s not seeing an individual release outside of the combo-pack, it won’t be worth the plastic it’s printed on.
March 27, 2008 at 9:43 pm
[quote comment="16344"]If this version of HC is anything like the last version, which it probably is given that it’s not seeing an individual release outside of the combo-pack, it won’t be worth the plastic it’s printed on.[/quote]
well with all of the features, it sounds like everything i have ever wanted in madden. as for it only going to be released this way, i think it is to build a fan following for it first. get anybody that buys madden to buy this game to so they can get everybody that is skeptical because of the last version to just try it for cheap this year, and then release it on its own next year if it gets good reviews.
it actually seems like they are going all out with this title, so maybe there will just be a small update title each year released with madden. because with madden there is so much room for improvement and more features to add to make sense with releasing a new one each year, with head coach it doesn’t seem like they need to add that much to make a completely new game each year.
March 27, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Im dissapointed. Im getting the feeling were going to get the same rehashed game. But OH WAIT!? It come with HC!! So no innovative game play and Im sure there is going to be some glitch in the game, ala int/fummbles, in this years version. But lets not worrie about it. We have HC! Screw HC. The focus should be on improving Madden.
March 27, 2008 at 10:45 pm
There are really, after all the hoopla and ballyhoo. only two items of interest here:
1) If true, the fact that EA is only bundling HC in the Collector’s edition of Madden means they basically pulled the plug on the game by deeming it unprofitable as a standalone
2) If the idea is that HC will have robust franchise, play editing, and coaching functionality – don’t expect those in Madden as the feature set would be redundant in a bundled package
Not to say that Madden won’t have other new stuff – but don’t look for HC type features in Madden
March 27, 2008 at 11:05 pm
[quote comment="16349"]If true, the fact that EA is only bundling HC in the Collector’s edition of Madden means they basically pulled the plug on the game by deeming it unprofitable as a standalone[/quote]
Not necessarily. It could simply be a way of introducing the title to the casual player who normally wouldn’t buy a coaching sim. Plus, the original Head Coach didn’t garner many fans, so this is also a way to have people give it another shot.
March 27, 2008 at 11:09 pm
can’t wait, so they are coming out when now?
March 27, 2008 at 11:50 pm
[quote comment="16347"]Im dissapointed. Im getting the feeling were going to get the same rehashed game. But OH WAIT!? It come with HC!! So no innovative game play and Im sure there is going to be some glitch in the game, ala int/fummbles, in this years version. But lets not worrie about it. We have HC! Screw HC. The focus should be on improving Madden.[/quote]
You do know that it is different teams working on each game, right?
March 28, 2008 at 1:06 pm
[quote comment="16349"]There are really, after all the hoopla and ballyhoo. only two items of interest here:
1) If true, the fact that EA is only bundling HC in the Collector’s edition of Madden means they basically pulled the plug on the game by deeming it unprofitable as a standalone
2) If the idea is that HC will have robust franchise, play editing, and coaching functionality – don’t expect those in Madden as the feature set would be redundant in a bundled package
Not to say that Madden won’t have other new stuff – but don’t look for HC type features in Madden[/quote]
I totally agree with this post. If EA thought Head Coach was a good game, they would sell it seperately and make $30 more dollars on the deal. EA didn’t get to be the biggest game publisher in the world by doing the consumer a favor.
[quote comment="16350"][quote comment="16349"]If true, the fact that EA is only bundling HC in the Collector’s edition of Madden means they basically pulled the plug on the game by deeming it unprofitable as a standalone[/quote]
Not necessarily. It could simply be a way of introducing the title to the casual player who normally wouldn’t buy a coaching sim. Plus, the original Head Coach didn’t garner many fans, so this is also a way to have people give it another shot.[/quote]
Peter Moore has said multiple times that he wants to make the EA Sports games more casual and user friendly. Adding this to the Madden package goes against that idea, unless you position it that Head Coach makes Madden more of a total sim, versus Madden along being more pickup and play for the casual user.
I see this as being the gateway to EA removing more features from Madden and making them part of HC, so that you buy HC to get the fully featured Madden with in-depth franchise/coach/owner mode. This makes Madden more simple and approachable for a novice while still allowing the hardcore player to get all the features they want.
Similar to how they sell NCAA. Granted NCAA used to be a good game on its own, but you can’t deny that being able to export your draft class to Madden helps sell that game.
March 28, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Where exactly is everyone getting that HC won’t ALSO be a stand-alone? I’m thinking they’ll also release it as a $40-50 title. Why wouldn’t they?
March 28, 2008 at 2:16 pm
It is funny how so many people are pumped up for NFL Head Coach 09. The last one was a huge dissapointment and now EA Sports is trying to hype it up. They hyped up Madden 08 too and that game turned out awful. Expect NFL Head Coach 09 to be bad because they won’t even sell it separate. EA Sports are money hungry and would sell it separate if it was completely legit. Mighty Boom is right, Madden 09 will have its share of glitches which will make it unplayable and Head Coach 09 will just make you pay 30 dollars more for a mediocre at best Madden game plus a mini game. Say no to exclusive agreements!
March 28, 2008 at 3:04 pm
[quote comment="16396"]Where exactly is everyone getting that HC won’t ALSO be a stand-alone? I’m thinking they’ll also release it as a $40-50 title. Why wouldn’t they?[/quote]
It started with the press release which states its exclusive to the Madden CE. That was then confirmed by 1up:
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3167134
But yeah, I have my doubts it’ll remain this way.
March 28, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Yeah… that interview seemed pointless. He, of course, left it wide open to release it later anyway (kinda like Valve milking the hell out of HalfLife 2). And what about that poor developer’s dad? He has to fork over $90 just to play HC. This seems like a BS marketing ploy to move more CEs.
March 28, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Oh… thanks for the reference, BTW.
March 28, 2008 at 3:42 pm
[quote comment="16403"]Yeah… that interview seemed pointless. He, of course, left it wide open to release it later anyway (kinda like Valve milking the hell out of HalfLife 2). And what about that poor developer’s dad? He has to fork over $90 just to play HC. This seems like a BS marketing ploy to move more CEs.[/quote]
…And even if EA never sells HC as a standalone, it’s almost guranteed to be available on Ebay and in the used section of video-game stores.
March 28, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Great point, DLaren.