Why are the Madden games a year ahead?

I think it has something to do with car model years being a year ahead: you feel like you are playing the future now; this is to be contrasted with releasing a game (around now) called Madden 2008, where people think they are playing an outdated game.

It all has to do with market perception of software deprecation.

Video games always come out towards (or in middle) the end of previous year. Like what blastfamy said, just like cars. It’s a marketing ploy to get you to buy over the holidays, as well.

ya, think about buying that same football game in Jan, 2009 – the game would be called Madden 08, so you’d probably think “ah, I’ll just wait for the new version”... Which, if everyone did so, would deprive them of 6 months of sales.