14 DAY TRIAL // Video game hardware maker Microsoft and publisher Electronic Arts announce that they will launch a special bundle for the upcoming Madden NFL 15, which will include an Xbox One home console, which will be offered for 399 dollars or Euro on August 26, when the normal version of the title should also be launched in North America.
The official announcement on the Xbox Wire states, "It’s a franchise that’s synonymous with intense realistic sports action, technical innovation and rabid football fandom. Only on Xbox One, the Official Game Console of the NFL, can you play a game of Madden while tracking your fantasy football team with the NFL on Xbox app snapped to the side."
The special Madden NFL 15 Xbox One bundle can now be pre-ordered, and the two companies are saying that supplies are limited, although they are not announcing exactly how many copies are being offered to fans.
Those who buy it will get access to:
- a standard Xbox One home console; - a download code for Madden NFL 15; - a standard wireless controller; - a standard chat-enabled headset; - special themed packaging; - a token that can be used to redeem three Ultimate Team Pro Packs for the Ultimate Team mode in Madden NFL 15.
The bundle is designed to appeal to long-term fans of the American football franchise, who have not yet made the decision to upgrade to a next-gen consoles.
The announcement is part of a long-term strategy from Microsoft to make its platform more attractive than the rival PlayStation 4 from Sony, which has been outselling it on all major markets in the last few months.
This happened despite the price cut for the Xbox One, which brought the cost down to 399 dollars or Euro, and despite the fact that the Kinect motion tracking system is no longer part of the main retail package.
It will be interesting to see whether Sony will also announce a special sports-themed bundle for the fall of this year.
Madden NFL 15 will also be offered on last-gen consoles, but it is only on the newer devices that players will be able to take advantage of new features powered by an improved version of the Ignite engine.
The title will include a focus on defensive modes, and gamers will get a range of new visual and gameplay options designed to allow them to create a better wall to stop enemy attacks.
The presentation of Madden NFL 15 has also been improved with inspiration from television match broadcasts.