Interactive Leagues and Communities Become Reality Via the Internet

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., August 23, 2000 - Madden NFL™ 2001 for the PC shipped today breaking new ground in online gaming. Last year Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) became a pioneer by empowering people to compete via the Internet in one-on-one football contests. This year Madden NFL 2001 goes even further and enables users to create ongoing online leagues, fantasy drafts, and explore Madden lobbies where players can meet, chat, participate in ranked games, and gather information about potential opponents around the world to learn if they would be a good match.

With this expanded online functionality people can create customized leagues of up to 31 teams. It is possible to sign free agents, trade players, draft college players, and handle all contract negotiation and salary cap management in the role of team general manager. All the aspects of the traditional single player franchise mode that earlier versions of Madden football made so popular are now available online.

Not to be outdone by the new online capabilities, the graphics in the game has been improved greatly. Over 200 NFL player faces were scanned and imported into the game. Now the lines between the look of Madden NFL 2001, and how the real NFL players appear in games on the television, blur to the point where it is difficult to tell the difference.

"I see myself run in Madden NFL 2001 and it looks so real that it seems like I'm watching actual game tapes from Sunday afternoon," said All-Pro running back for the Tennessee Titans, Eddie George. "With the new body and face mapping technology that EA SPORTS is using, you can look through my facemask and see that it's actually me under the helmet. It's incredible!"

Player models show a whole new level of detail in Madden NFL 2001. Wristbands, visors, facemasks, gloves, turf tape and elbow pads all exist in the game, and are player specific so that each player has the same equipment in the game that they use in the real NFL. Additionally, if a gamer wants to use the create-a-player feature to model their own ideal football player, all these same options are available, as well as skin tone and face type.

In the past, Madden games have only included players currently active in the league, but now Madden NFL 2001 includes hundreds of the greatest NFL players from the past. Also included are all the All-Madden teams that John Madden has picked since 1984, including the All-Super Bowl and Millennium teams.

A new Read-N-React defensive option allows gamers to change defensive assignments on the fly just before the snap of the ball. Using this feature it is possible for linebackers and defensive lineman to switch from a pass defense mode to run stopping mode, or vice versa, without actually changing the play that was called.

Electronic Arts (“EA”) obtained the exclusive rights to the Coaches Club license and worked with NFL coaches to develop authentic strategy and signature playbooks in the game. The voices and faces of the coaches in the Coaches Club were recorded and scanned in the offseason and will pop up in the game when it is time for a key coaching decision to be made.

The weight and height of each player is now factored into collisions to help determine how much ground a ball carrier gains as the tackle is made. A small defensive back will have a tough time knocking a big bruising fullback down. On the flip side, the lighter and quicker wide receivers will be able to shake a linebacker during a pass route if the linebacker is forced to cover the receiver. If the offense floods a zone and sends more receivers into an area on the field than the defense has defensive backs to cover them, big gains can occur.

Last week EA shipped Madden NFL 2001 for the PlayStation®, and in the beginning of September it will ship the game on the Nintendo® 64. Later this fall Madden NFL 2001 will be available on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Game Boy® Color.

Madden NFL 2001 is rated “E” (Everyone). Consumers may purchase the game directly by going online at (http://www.eastore.ea.com) or by calling toll free at 877-EA GAMES (877-324-2637). The game has a suggested retail price of $39.95, while the Nintendo 64 version has a suggested retail price of $49.95.

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Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts (EA) posted revenues of more than $1.4 billion for fiscal 2000. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for the Internet, personal computers and video game systems. Electronic Arts markets its products under three brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA GAMES™ and EA.COMSM. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at .

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