April 18^th, 2005 (3:30pm) - Electronic Arts will premier the world’s first look at the next generation of videogames on Saturday April 23, 2005. EA’s flagship football franchise, Madden NFL football, will make its next generation debut in a TV ad during the first hour of the NFL Draft broadcast on ESPN, beginning at 12 noon ET. EA is deep in development on what will be the strongest next generation console line up in the video game industry, highlighted by other hit franchise titles to be announced at a later date.

"We have had a dedicated team working on next generation Madden NFL football and we cannot wait for Madden fans to get a sneak peek at the experience that awaits them," said Frank Gibeau, Senior Vice President of North American Marketing for Electronic Arts. "An innovative and unparalleled NFL football experience is what we’ve promised; and that is what we are going to deliver."

The ad, which will run only once during the broadcast, is a 60 second TV advertisement showcasing the photo-realistic graphics and heart-pounding football intensity that is the essence of the EA SPORTS branded next generation Madden NFL football game, and representative of what game players everywhere will be able to play when the next generation of videogame consoles come to market.