sentences:  EA had initially propposed that the game be played between two teams of six or seven however Madden refused to endorse such a game.Due in part to this, as well as a legal issue involving Bethesda Softworks-whom EA hired to work on parts of the game, the development eventually took three years.At the time among the company the title became known as "Trip's Folly", with both employees of EA as well as Madden assuming that the game would be cancelled.