Madden NFL 2004 is an American football simulation developed by EA Tiburon and published by EA Sports, released in 2003. Featuring Michael Vick on the cover and a revamped Owner Mode, it sold over 5 million copies and is widely regarded as the peak of the long-running franchise — the moment Madden became more than a sports game and turned into an institution.
Madden NFL 2004 was developed by EA Tiburon and published by EA Sports, releasing in August 2003 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PC, and Game Boy Advance. Michael Vick — then the most electrifying player in the NFL — appeared on the cover, and his in-game speed rating of 95 made him a weapon so overpowered that exploiting him became a cultural phenomenon in its own right.
Madden NFL 2004 introduced the Owner Mode, which allowed players to manage every aspect of a franchise — ticket prices, stadium construction, staff hiring, revenue streams — on top of the on-field simulation. The Playmaker control system gave ball carriers and receivers real-time route adjustments, adding a layer of reactive decision-making that previous editions lacked. The combination of deep franchise management, refined simulation, and responsive on-field controls set a standard for sports games that the series struggled to match in subsequent years.
At its peak, Madden NFL was the bestselling sports game franchise in North America, and the 2004 edition sat at the apex of that dominance. The "Madden curse" — the superstition that cover athletes suffer injuries or underperformance in the following season — became a genuine talking point in sports media. The game's roster updates, ratings debates, and franchise mode leagues built communities that operated year-round, not just during football season.
Madden NFL 2004 is ranked #18 on Rolling Stone's 2025 list of the 50 Greatest Video Games of All Time. It represents the high-water mark of sports simulation in the PS2 era — a game that captured the full breadth of professional football, from the boardroom to the end zone, better than anything before or since.