Despite the onset of some troubled economic times, EA will still be spending big at this year's Super Bowl. Part of those festivities will be the 15th Madden Bowl. So who's playing?
Seven current NFL players will be picking up the controllers and vying for digital bragging rights, including a player each from the competing Super Bowl teams and, for the first time, college players.
USC's Mark Sanchez and Georgia's Matthew Stanford will play first, and the winner of their stoush will take their place among the final eight participants.
The seven NFL players are:
Antonio Bryant – WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Edgerrin James – RB, Arizona Cardinals
Maurice Jones-Drew – RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Willie Parker – RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Justin Tuck – DE, New York Giants
DeMarcus Ware – LB, Dallas Cowboys
With the seventh "yet to be determined". While for some extra marketing muscle, EA will also be flying in the following players from the NFL and...MLB.
Derrick Brooks – LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Marshall Faulk – RB, St. Louis Rams & Indianapolis Colts (retired 2006)
Antonio Gates – TE, San Diego Chargers
Tony Gonzalez – TE, Kansas City Chiefs
Steven Jackson – RB, St. Louis Rams
Chad Johnson – WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Darren McFadden – RB, Oakland Raiders
Willis McGahee – RB, Baltimore Ravens (last year's champ)
Terrell Owens – WR, Dallas Cowboys
Reggie Wayne – WR, Indianapolis Colts
Roddy White – WR, Atlanta Falcons
Evan Longoria – 3B, Tampa Bay Rays
If you're wondering which system they're playing on, Microsoft are sponsoring the event, so it's 360-only.