John Madden Signs 6-Year Extension with EA Sports

John Madden’s relationship with EA Sports, the manufacturer of “Madden NFL,” has gone on far longer than his career as a coach did. And it’s not ending anytime soon; the 84-year-old Hall of Famer has signed on for six more years with the gaming company.

NFL owners on Thursday approved the extension, which not only will extend Madden’s affiliation with EA Sports to 36 years, but also allows the company to continue as the league’s exclusive publisher of football simulation games.

After three decades, “Madden NFL’s” popularity doesn’t appear to be waning. In fact, the current edition of the game has seen a 30 percent increase in players over the previous edition, according to EA officials. Since the game was released last August, more than 330 million hours of playing time have been logged, the company reports.

How does “Madden NFL” stack up against other sports-related video games? How many editions have you owned? How many other games become obsolete after one year?