Gamers hit the virtual gridiron early

Although the future team colors of quarterback Brett Favre are unknown, when the 20th Anniversary "Madden NFL 09" game is released in August he will be wearing the Green Bay Packers' colors on the cover.
Football fans can put him on any team without having to wait for the official season kickoff on September 4.
EA Sports is celebrating two decades of video game football with the release of "Madden NFL 09: 20th Anniversary Special Collector's Edition," which includes full versions of the new "Madden" game, as well as the new "NFL Head Coach 09" strategy game and bonus video content.
"The launch of this year's title is of a magnitude that only the Rose Bowl can accommodate," said Peter Moore, president of EA Sports.
"Maddenpalooza, a games and music festival, will take place on August 11th in Pasadena, and approximately 10,000 fans are expected at the stadium to get their hands on the game and hear bands like Good Charlotte play."
The "Madden" franchise has been the number one selling sports franchise in North America for six years. Since its inception, Electronic Arts has sold over 70 million units of the game worldwide. This year's version has more than 85 new features, the most ever for the franchise in one year.
"It seems like every year Madden gets more and more realistic," said Miami Dolphin Jake Long. "When I watch someone playing 'Madden,' it's like I'm watching a real NFL game. The guys look so realistic and the features keep getting better."
The football simulations are getting so realistic on consoles like PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 that NFL rookies like Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said players can use the game as part of their preparation for the real sport.
"Madden does give you a feel for who some of the good players are," said Ryan. "The ratings and the rankings are pretty accurate. You may know from playing Madden that I need to watch out for that guy."
Each year, NFL players pick up a copy of the game to check out "Madden" player ratings.
College players, who don't have the luxury of seeing their names or likenesses in "NCAA Football 09" because of NCAA restrictions, use that game franchise to keep their competitive edge.
"I know with Tennessee last year I'd actually play the video game before going to the field," said Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Deshaun Jackson. "It's good to be able to know the players you're going to be playing against. Playing the video game was part of my preparation."
Indianapolis Colts Coach Tony Dungy, who guided his team to a Super Bowl Championship in 2007, believes the new "NFL Head Coach 09" game will appeal to the arm-chair quarterbacks who play fantasy football and tracks the NFL all season long.
"They're going to really have fun with this game because they're going to be able to explore the ins and outs and the behind-the-scenes stuff," said Dungy.
EA Sports is making sure fans who buy all versions of their new football games can interact across titles. Players from the college game can be imported to the NFL game. And gamers who play EA Sports Fantasy Football can download their fantasy rosters into "Madden" and play with that team in-game.
Those looking for a more mature-rated take on football can pick up Midway Games "Blitz: The League II," an arcade-style game featuring former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor that explores the grittier side of the sport – minus the NFL license. EA Sports has the NFL license locked up through 2012.