Good news and bad news for fans of the No. 1 selling sports video game of all-time.
"Madden NFL 12" will have updated rosters and player ratings, but rules changes happened too late to be implemented in this year's game.
MTV reports Madden NFL 12 is scheduled to be released in about a month, with rosters getting an assist from the web.
Mike Young, Madden's creative director, confirmed to MTV that the rosters would be up-to-date not only at the beginning of the season, but also straight through to the Super Bowl.
"Our ratings people and our roster guys are going to be really, really busy," he told MTV. "Day one, anybody with an online connection is going to have all these moves and up-to-date rosters. All season long, we'll support that really well."
While up-to-date rosters are great for EA fans with an Internet connection, the new NFL rules won't be available. Young said it's just too complicated a system to change that quickly.
Madden NFL 12 won't have the new rookie salary cap rules, for example. So video gamers playing Franchise mode will be using outdated rules.
Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis beat out Michael Vick in a 32-player bracket tournament to appear on the cover of this year's game. The contest received close to 13 million votes.
Hillis ran for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns in a surprising season with the Browns.
The Madden franchise has sold more than 90 million copies since it began in 1988, last year, Madden NFL 11 sold over 5.5 million copies in the U.S.
We at The Dish believe the Madden Curse will still be part of the new game. Legend says players who appear on the cover are doomed to be injured or have poor performance.
