FirstCuts: Latest On Madden 09, Take 2 Takeover

By Chris Littmann
Sports don’t start and end with a referee’s whistle. FirstCuts, a blog dedicated to sports culture, will cover everything outside the lines, from games to gear.
All sorts of fun gaming news to catch up on today. First, let’s get to the game evidently everyone plays: Madden. This year’s edition – Madden 09 – will be available in stores on August 12th. I mention this so you can plan accordingly and take that Madden sick day. Also available this season is a collector’s edition 20th anniversary offering. The Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition will come with NFL Head Coach 09 as well as bonus video content. (Personally, I’m hoping there’s a blooper reel of glitches from previous seasons. It’d at least show they’ve got a little sense of humor.)
You can expect to pay the standard $59.99 for regular editions on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The collector’s edition appears to be stamped with an $89.99 price tag, according to Gamestop.com.
Here’s the bizarre part – as pointed out on 1UP.com – NFL Head Coach 09 will only be available as part of a pack with the collector’s edition. Despite the fact that Gamestop lists it as being available as a separate game, you will have to shell out the full $89.99 if you want this title. I would say I’m angry, but I wonder how many people will really go out and buy just the coaching sim without buying Madden.
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And now the latest on the video game industry’s biggest hostile takeover. Electronic Arts has extended its offer to Take Two Interactive another week, marking the expiration date at April 18 rather than April 11. As recently as Wednesday, Take Two called EA’s offer of $26 per share “inadequateâ€.
In other words, EA isn’t going away, and it’s more clear than ever that they really want Take Two prior to Grand Theft Auto IV’s release. In many respects, picking up GTA IV could be a vote that you want to keep 2K sports titles.↵