Thanks folks

Lots of good questions re: Madden. I had a pretty healthy list but that did help a lot. Thanks guys.

A few people asked why we didn't blog much about NCAA. We usually do that and we usually get a lot traffic as a result -- and the occasional mild death threat (that part isn't' a joke, btw.)

Quite honestly, Todd is pretty well fed up with that series (I continue to hold out hope) and based off our time at E3 we're both very excited about Madden and not as excited about NCAA. If you like NCAA -- like what the series has been like since the jump to next gen I see no reason why you won't like this one. It felt very, very similar given the 15-20 minutes I spent with it. (I think I played a quarter and a half before leaving for another meeting. )

Honestly 2x -- if all they do is fix the ridiculous defensive AI holes from NCAA 09 and the crazy speed issues/pursuit angles, I'll be happy. Seriously, just give me a playable game. A lot of the features they are touting hold absolutely zero interest to me so if those issue are fixed -- I'm good. Not thrilled. Just content. I haven't been content with NCAA in a long, long time. But after playing both my interest is squarely on Madden X.

The reason for this, when I sit back and think about it, is philosophical.

Team Madden is fundamentally looking at ways to make the gameplay authentic. Terms like 'authenticity', 'realism', believability,' these are words that the team continues to pound home. And they're damn serious about it. The notion that the high lvl members of Team Madden are looking at ways to completely reshape what that franchise means -- is a pretty big deal. I have been to a LOT of E3s and have been to a LOT of Madden presentations. I ALWAYS come away thiking...eh...it's Madden. Not this year.

They are talking about core football design concepts.

The NCAA team is talking features.

That's a pretty important difference, I think.

But like I said, NCAA this year will be a success, for me anyway, if the defensive AI no longer spins in a circle or retreats from the line of scrimmage or runs alongside a guy without trying to tackle him. If that's all fixed, basically a patch for NCAA 09, I'm counting it as a win.