Definition: Given a document, generate a short title of the document. The title should convey the main idea/event/topic about which the document is being written. Note that URLs in the text have been replaced with [Link].
Input: There aren't many video game franchises that can be called "sure things " but the "Madden" series is about as close as you can get.
The release of "Madden NFL 18 " which hits shelves Friday  marks a shift  of sorts  for the title  though. While new iterations usually have small tweaks  this year's entry in the series has one of the biggest additions of the past several years.
In addition to the game's usual pick-up-and-play and multiplayer modes  this year's "Madden" includes a track called "Longshot Mode " a narrative single-player game that puts players in the shoes of an NFL rookie as he starts on the long path of becoming a star. It's a story mode in a sports game  something that " Madden " has never done before (and few sports games have tried before Take-Two Interactive Software's "NBA 2K" series did it two years ago).
"' Madden ' is a machine that keeps rolling on " says P.J. McNealy  founder and CEO of Digital World Research. "There's a dedicated fan base that loves the NFL and ' Madden ' is a huge part of it."
Beyond taking a more personal look at football (which encompasses the sacrifices players make early on  the stress of going through the NFL combine to impress scouts and  ultimately  the price of celebrity and the potential downsides it can have for people around you)  "Madden NFL 18" also boasts a notably improved graphics engine and fans will be able to play upcoming NFL matchups with updated stats and rosters as well as fresh in-game commentary.
The game is earning some of the best reviews for  "Madden " in years  which is likely to cheer EA investors. But even if it draws a larger-than-usual audience  it's unlikely to negatively impact sales of other titles coming out later this year.
 "Madden " is also a game that's family friendly  meaning parents can play with their kids  then swap in "Assassin's Creed Origins" when those kids go to bed.
Of course  some football enthusiasts will play  "Madden " almost obsessively. The release of each year's game is marked by a series of superfans who call in sick on release day. And NFL players regularly check their in-game player rankings to see that they're adequately represented  though some (especially rookies) tend to overestimate their numbers  as EA tweeted in this video leading up to the game's release.
"If you look at the past 16 years  there have been several competitors who tried to take down 'Madden' â and  to date  all have failed " said McNealy. "I don't see that changing this year."

Electronic Arts to release Madden NFL 18