After multiple weeks of speculation, we have finally learned that Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals will be sharing the cover of the Madden NFL 2010.

It’s the first time in 21 years that EA has decided on two athletes for the Madden cover. However, Grand Slam Tennis and Fight Night Round 4 -  which are both releasing this year - also feature multiple athletes on their respective covers.

Wait!?!? These are the same two players from the same two teams that were in this year’s Super Bowl. What are the chances?

Are you ready for some football? Madden NFL 09, the first ever sports game that adapts to you, has gone gold and will be available nationwide on August 12, 2008. Every year, it’s the hottest item of the summer for sports fans and this year Madden NFL 09 delivers a whole host of new features in the 20th anniversary of the award-winning and best-selling franchise.

Madden NFL 09 introduces 85 new features and enhancements, including the ability to adapt gameplay to the player’s skill level. Whether you are a veteran Madden NFL player or a newcomer to the game, everyone can have an enjoyable and competitive gaming experience. Madden NFL 09 will also feature a network-inspired broadcast presentation highlighted by the commentary team of Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond. The game also features online leagues, allowing players to take their rivalries online and compete in leagues with fans from around the country.

On June 24th, Madden NFL celebrated its 20th anniversary with a sneak peak at this year’s game at the Madden NFL Premiere Event in New York City. Former cover athletes Eddie George, Dante Culpepper, Ray Lewis, Shaun Alexander and Vince Young all attended the VIP party hosted by EA SPORTS and Sony Entertainment.

According to details revealed in the upcoming GameInformer magazine, Madden 09 is set to have an IQ test but, unlike the other IQ test you have taking in Madden games this one will determine how hard the game will be for the user. This new system is called Madden IQ. The test will be taken at the beginning of the game in the form of a challenge/game and jugging by how good or bad the player performs you will then be given an IQ score. The IQ score is then given to the computer which then determines how the computer will challenge the user during gameplay.

[GameInformer Issue 183 (July) via NeoGAF]

Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that Madden NFL 09 will be available in retail stores in North America on August 12, including a special collector’s edition in celebration of the 20th anniversary of one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. The Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition will be the ultimate interactive NFL experience – featuring full versions of both Madden NFL 09 and the all-new NFL Head Coach 09, exclusive classic Madden NFL gameplay, and an extensive library of exclusive bonus video content.

EA Announces Madden NFL 09 Official Ship Date and Special Collector’s Edition

Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, including NFL Head Coach 09, will be available this summer.

March 27, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced today that Madden NFL 09 will be available in retail stores in North America on August 12, including a special collector’s edition in celebration of the 20th anniversary of one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. The Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition will be the ultimate interactive NFL experience – featuring full versions of both Madden NFL 09 and the all-new NFL Head Coach 09, exclusive classic Madden NFL gameplay, and an extensive library of exclusive bonus video content.

“The Madden NFL franchise has a rich history, and we’re proud to be celebrating it with this definitive video game package,” says Peter Moore, president of EA Sports. “Featuring two deep and innovative new standalone games, as well as a host of exclusive bonus content, the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition is the ultimate interactive offering for both long-time Madden NFL fans and anyone who enjoys football on Sundays. I can’t think of a better way to get your NFL fix than to enjoy everything that’s unique about both Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09, and then connecting and sharing content from both.”

Whether you prefer to make your moves on the field, from the sidelines or in the front office, the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition has something for every football fan. Madden NFL 09 will feature the most immersive gameplay, the richest online offerings and the most comprehensive feature depth in the history of the franchise, while NFL Head Coach 09 has been reinvented to provide a unique new NFL experience by allowing fans to be in total control of their favorite franchises. The two games offer unique experiences and then can even interact with one another with gamers being able to import their user-designed plays from NFL Head Coach 09 and put them into Madden NFL 09 to create customized playbooks for complete control on the field.

“Both Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09 are deep and unique gaming experiences that will truly immerse sports fans of all ages, skill levels and playing styles,” says Chris Erb, EA Sports director of marketing. “With the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, we’re bringing two great NFL games together to create the definitive football offering.”

NFL Head Coach 09 provides the complete NFL coaching experience, offering a variety of different ways to control an NFL franchise, on and off the field, in-season and off-season. With strategic game-planning features, NFL Head Coach 09 places gamers in the coach’s seat by allowing gamers to comprehensively scout the opponent, build custom playbooks, and develop a team that will adapt to the philosophy and system of an NFL franchise.

Last year’s Madden NFL 08 was honored with various awards, including the 2007 Game Critics “Best Sports Game” award at last year’s E3 Media and Business Summit, “Best Team Sports Game” from the Spike TV Video Games Awards, “Best Sports Game of the Year” by GameTrailers’ 2007 Game of the Year Awards, GameSpot’s “Best Sports Game” Reader’s Choice Award, and the “Best Sports Games” of 2007 by MSNBC. Over the past 20 years, the Madden NFL franchise has sold over 70 million* copies and has been established as one of the most revered sports video games in the industry. Since 2002, Madden NFL has been the number one selling sports game** each year in North America.

Both Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09 are developed in Orlando, Florida by the award-winning EA Tiburon studio, which also produces NCAA Football, Tiger Woods PGA Tour and NASCAR racing.

Madden NFL 09 will be available for the Xbox 360 video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment systems, Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP (PlayStation Portable) handheld entertainment system and is rated RP by the ESRB. NFL Head Coach 09 is scheduled to ship only as a part of the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, which, at a suggested retail price of $89.99 for the complete package of Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09 plus additional exclusive bonus content, will ship on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

EA Sports is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA Football, Tiger Woods PGA Tour and NASCAR racing.

For more information about Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09, please visit www.madden09.com

* Based on internal sales data

** According to the NPD Group

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS, EA, EA SPORTS BIG and POGO. In fiscal 2007, EA posted revenue of $3.09 billion and had 24 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com.

Please Note: this is a press release by EA