View source for Software:ESPN NFL 2K5

{{Infobox video game
| title = ESPN NFL 2K5
| image = NFL 2K5 Cover.png
| caption = Cover art featuring Terrell Owens
| developer = [[Company:Visual Concepts|Visual Concepts]]
| publisher = [[Company:Sega|Sega]]<br>Global Star Software
| series = ''NFL 2K''
| released = {{vgrelease|NA|July 20, 2004|EU|February 4, 2005}}
| genre = American football simulation
| modes = Single player, [[Software:Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]], [[Software:Online game|online]]
| platforms = [[Engineering:PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]], [[Engineering:Xbox (console)|Xbox]]{{efn|Backwards compatibility is available on Xbox 360}}
}}
'''''ESPN NFL 2K5''''' is an American football [[Engineering:Video game|video game]] [[Software:Video game developer|developed]] by [[Company:Visual Concepts|Visual Concepts]] for the [[Engineering:PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]] and [[Engineering:Xbox (console)|Xbox]] [[Engineering:Video game console|consoles]]. Co-[[Company:Video game publisher|Published]] by Global Star Software and [[Company:Sega|Sega]], it is the sixth installment of the ''NFL 2K series'' and the last to use official NFL licensing. Gameplay is presented as a live ESPN television broadcast and features the voices and digital likenesses of multiple ESPN on-air personalities. 

The game was originally released on July 20, 2004. It was the last ''NFL 2K'' game to be released before [[Company:Electronic Arts|Electronic Arts]] (EA) signed an exclusive rights agreement with the National Football League (NFL) to make 2K's rival ''Madden NFL'' series the only officially licensed NFL game. It was also the last game still being developed by Sega at the time.

== Gameplay ==
The game features a franchise mode with a ''SportsCenter'' feature hosted by Chris Berman. He outlines the games of the current week with his co-host Trey Wingo who talks about the latest injuries and free agent deals and trades during the season. Mel Kiper Jr. hosts the draft portion of the segment, while Suzy Kolber reports from the sidelines. There is also weekly preparation for the coming week, which allows the player to make decisions on training and preparation. The player can also create their own team, deciding the team logos (over 10 are available), team name, the team's city, the team's stadium look and build, jerseys and how good the team is. It also has a feature called first-person football, which gives the player the experience on the field looking from the eyes of the players. There is also the traditional create-a-player mode.

One of the features in the game is a celebrity game involving Jamie Kennedy, Steve-O, David Arquette, Funkmaster Flex, or Carmen Electra which is initiated by a phone call from one of the aforementioned "celebrities" in the player's custom crib. The player plays against a celebrity with their own custom team of Pro Bowl players. The teams the celebrities use are The Buartville Funkmasters, Cincinnati Electra Shock, LA Dreamteam, Los Angeles Locos, and the Upper Darby Cheesesteaks. During the game, the celebrities appear in a small box and use trash-talk. If the player wins the game, they receive the team's stadium as a playable venue.

ESPN NFL 2K5 features the voices of Terry McGovern as play-by-play announcer Dan Stevens, Jay Styne as color commentator Peter O'Keefe, sideline reporter Suzy Kolber, studio host Chris Berman, Trey Wingo, and Mel Kiper Jr., with Berman appearing at the start of a player's own SportsCenter broadcast and during the loading screen for the player's own ESPN NFL Countdown pregame show, and Kolber appearing in the Player of the Game segment of the postgame show.

== Release ==
In what ''Grantland'' later described as "one of the greatest, most insidious guerrilla-warfare moves in the history of video game competition", ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' was priced at $19.99 the day it shipped, much lower than the market leader ''Madden NFL'' at $49.99. This greatly reduced ''Madden'' sales that year; one EA Sports developer recalled that "[i]t scared the hell out of us".<ref>{{cite web|last=Bissell|first=Tom|title=Kickoff: Madden NFL and the Future of Video Game Sports|url=http://grantland.com/features/tom-bissell-making-madden-nfl/|website=Grantland.com|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures, LLC|date=January 17, 2012|access-date=April 28, 2020|archive-date=November 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105105907/http://grantland.com/features/tom-bissell-making-madden-nfl/|url-status=live}}</ref> This led EA to reduce ''Madden NFL 2005''{{'}}s price to $29.95.

== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
| PS2 = true
| XBOX = true
| na = true
| EGM_PS2 = 8.33/10<ref name="egm">{{cite magazine|author=EGM staff|title=ESPN NFL 2K5|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=Ziff Davis|issue=182|date=September 2004|page=94}}</ref>
| EGM_XBOX = 8.33/10<ref name="egm"/>
| GI_PS2 = 9.5/10<ref name="gi">{{cite magazine|last=Kato|first=Matthew|title=ESPN NFL 2K5|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/D84BE2E1-841B-475D-8CBD-9B24452A3EB5.htm|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=[[Company:GameStop|GameStop]]|issue=137|date=September 2004|page=100|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506102041/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/D84BE2E1-841B-475D-8CBD-9B24452A3EB5.htm|archive-date=May 6, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| GI_XBOX = 9.5/10<ref name="gi"/>
| GamePro_PS2 = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="gamepro">{{cite magazine|author=Bro Buzz|title=ESPN NFL 2K5|url=http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/37338.shtml|magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG Entertainment|date=August 9, 2004|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050212135412/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/37338.shtml|archive-date=February 12, 2005|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| GamePro_XBOX = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="gamepro"/>
| GameRev_PS2 = B+<ref name="gamerev">{{cite web|last=Dodson|first=Joe|title=ESPN NFL 2K5 Review|url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33671-espn-nfl-2k5-review|website=GameRevolution|publisher=CraveOnline|date=July 28, 2004|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911080100/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/espn-nfl-2k5|archive-date=September 11, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
| GameRev_XBOX = B+<ref name="gamerev"/>
| GSpot_PS2 = 9.1/10<ref name="gspotps2">{{cite web|last=Navarro|first=Alex|title=ESPN NFL 2K5 Review (PS2)|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/espn-nfl-2k5-review/1900-6103133/|website=GameSpot|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=July 21, 2004|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-date=August 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810081325/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/espn-nfl-2k5-review/1900-6103133/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| GSpot_XBOX = 9.2/10<ref name="gspotxbox">{{cite web|last=Navarro|first=Alex|title=ESPN NFL 2K5 Review (Xbox)|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/espn-nfl-2k5-review/1900-6103135/|website=GameSpot|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=July 21, 2004|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-date=October 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028152853/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/espn-nfl-2k5-review/1900-6103135/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| GSpy_PS2 = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="gspy">{{cite web|last=Tuttle|first=Will|title=GameSpy: ESPN NFL 2K5|url=http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/espn-nfl-2005/534869p1.html|website=GameSpy|publisher=IGN Entertainment|date=July 30, 2004|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-date=August 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815065542/http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/espn-nfl-2005/534869p1.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| GSpy_XBOX = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="gspy"/>
| GameZone_PS2 = 9.3/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Knutson|first=Michael|title=ESPN NFL 2K5 - PS2 - Review|url=https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/espn_nfl_2k5_ps2_review/|website=GameZone|date=August 10, 2004|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230222401/http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r23840.htm|archive-date=December 30, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>
| GameZone_XBOX = 9.5/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Surette|first=Tim|title=ESPN NFL 2K5 - XB - Review|url=https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/espn_nfl_2k5_xb_review/|website=GameZone|date=August 3, 2004|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007012545/http://xbox.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r23840.htm|archive-date=October 7, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>
| IGN_PS2 = 9.3/10<ref name="ignps2">{{cite web|last=Carle|first=Chris|title=ESPN NFL 2K5 (PS2)|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/07/16/espn-nfl-2k5-2|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=July 16, 2004|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-date=May 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506150840/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/07/16/espn-nfl-2k5-2|url-status=live}}</ref>
| IGN_XBOX = 9.4/10<ref name="ignxb">{{cite web|last=Carle|first=Chris|title=ESPN NFL 2K5 (Xbox)|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/07/16/espn-nfl-2k5-3|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=July 16, 2004|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-date=October 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003194747/http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/07/16/espn-nfl-2k5-3|url-status=live}}</ref>
| OPM_PS2 = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|title=ESPN NFL 2K5|magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine|publisher=Ziff Davis|issue=84|date=September 2004|page=93}}</ref>
| OXM_XBOX = 9.3/10<ref>{{cite magazine|title=ESPN NFL 2K5|magazine=Official Xbox Magazine|publisher=Imagine Media|date=September 2004|page=83}}</ref>
| rev1 = ''Maxim''
| rev1_PS2 = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="maxim">{{cite web|last=Porter|first=Alex|title=ESPN NFL 2K5|url=http://www.maximonline.com/entertainment/reviews/review_games_8044.html|website=Maxim|publisher=[[Company:Biglari Holdings|Biglari Holdings]]|date=July 20, 2004|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040804122401/http://www.maximonline.com/entertainment/reviews/review_games_8044.html|archive-date=August 4, 2004|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev1_XBOX = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="maxim"/>
| MC_PS2 = 90/100<ref name="mcps2">{{cite web|title=ESPN NFL 2K5 for PlayStation 2 Reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/espn-nfl-2k5/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2|website=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-date=February 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227165223/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/espn-nfl-2k5|url-status=live}}</ref>
| MC_XBOX = 92/100<ref name="mcxb">{{cite web|title=ESPN NFL 2K5 for Xbox Reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/espn-nfl-2k5/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox|website=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=April 29, 2020|archive-date=June 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610160933/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox/espn-nfl-2k5|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

Upon release, ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' received "universal acclaim" on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.<ref name="mcps2"/><ref name="mcxb"/> Matthew Kato of ''Game Informer'' rated the game 9.5 out of 10 and summarized his positive review by calling it "the best football title there is and the only one that's a must have", a quote which was paraphrased on the front cover of the game's keep case. Andrew Reiner echoed this sentiment in the review's "Second Opinion" section, calling ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' "the greatest football game to date."<ref name="gi"/> Chris Carle of ''IGN'' gave the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions a 9.3 and 9.4 out of 10 respectively, and each version was awarded the publication's "Editor's Choice". Carle praised the game's various features, particularly the VIP system, which he called, "Probably the coolest innovation ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' has to offer."<ref name="ignps2"/><ref name="ignxb"/> Bro Buzz of ''GamePro'' gave the game a perfect 5 out of 5, praising the incorporation of ESPN broadcast styles within the game and noting that "the tight controls do a great job of commanding a slick array of player moves and on-the-fly scheme adjustments."<ref name="gamepro"/> 

Many reviews compared ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' to ''[[Software:Madden NFL 2005|Madden NFL 2005]]'', which was released in the same year. In a direct comparison of the two games, ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' declared ''Madden'' to be the better game, with scores of 9.5, 9.0, and 9.0, while ''NFL 2K5'' was given scores of 8.5, 8.5, and 8.0.<ref name="egm" /> Alex Navarro of ''GameSpot'' recommended ''NFL 2K5'', noting superior offensive gameplay, special teams, online play, features, presentation, graphics, and sound.<ref name="gspotps2"/><ref name="gspotxbox"/> Jon Robinson of IGN agreed that the graphics and presentation of ''NFL 2K5'' were superior to ''Madden'', yet he felt ''Madden'' was the better game due to the superior gameplay.<ref>{{cite web|last=Robinson|first=Jon|title=Madden NFL 2005|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/08/05/madden-nfl-2005-8|website=IGN|date=August 5, 2004|access-date=May 6, 2020|archive-date=September 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916123630/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/08/05/madden-nfl-2005-8|url-status=live}}</ref> Kato opened his review by claiming, "''ESPN NFL 2K5'' is better than ''Madden NFL 2005''. I say this without reservation", while Buzz stated, "Each season, Sega's ESPN NFL series has been making steady progress in its quest for video-game football stardom. This year, the design guys at Visual Concepts have turned ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' into the most entertaining show in video-game football."

=== Sales ===
In the United States, the PlayStation 2 release of ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' had sold 1.7 million copies and generated $33 million in revenue by July 2006, two years after its release. During the same time period, sales of ''NFL 2K5'' reached 3 million combined units across all consoles, and it was the 23rd highest-selling game launched for either the [[Engineering:PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]], [[Engineering:Xbox (console)|Xbox]], or [[Engineering:GameCube|GameCube]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Campbell|first1=Colin|last2=Keiser|first2=Joe|title=The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3537&Itemid=2&pop=1&page=1|website=Next Generation|publisher=Future US|date=July 29, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028115051/http://www.next-gen.biz/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3537&Itemid=2&pop=1&page=1|archive-date=October 28, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Awards ===
''ESPN NFL 2K5'' won multiple awards for the best sports game of 2004. During the AIAS' 8th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (now known as the D.I.C.E. Awards), ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' won in the category of "Console Sports Simulation Game of the Year".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interactive.org/awards/2005_8th_awards.asp|title=2005 8th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards|website=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 13, 2011|archive-date=November 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116102216/https://www.interactive.org/awards/2005_8th_awards.asp|url-status=live}}</ref> At E3 2004, it won the Best Sports Game award from ''GameSpot'',<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20040622005801/en/ESPN-Videogames-Announces-Tremendous-ESPN-NFL-2K5|title=ESPN Videogames Announces Tremendous Value for ESPN NFL 2K5; Critic's Choice Game Boasts Groundbreaking New Features at a Must-Have Price|publisher={{wipe|Business Wire}}|access-date=May 6, 2020}}</ref> and in IGN's year-end awards, it won Best Sports Game released for the Xbox.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2004/Xbox_Sports_Game|title=Xbox Sports Game - Best of 2004|publisher=IGN|access-date=May 6, 2020|archive-date=March 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313030030/http://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2004/Xbox_Sports_Game|url-status=live}}</ref> Upon release, ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' won ''GameSpot''{{'}}s Xbox Game of the Month and PlayStation 2 Game of the Month awards,<ref name=gotm>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050414042111/http://www.gamespot.com/features/6104571/index.html | url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/6104571/index.html | title=''GameSpot''{{'}}s Month in Review for July 2004 | date=August 10, 2004 | work=GameSpot | author=Staff | archivedate=April 14, 2005 | url-status=dead }}</ref> and the publication later named it the year's "Best Traditional Sports Game" and "Best Budget Game" across all platforms.<ref name=bestworst2004>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050307021607/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2004/ | url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2004/ | title=Best and Worst of 2004 | author=The ''GameSpot'' Editors | date=January 5, 2005 | work=GameSpot | archivedate=March 7, 2005 | url-status=dead }}</ref> It was also nominated for Best Sports Game across all video game systems by IGN and the ''Spike Video Game Awards'',<ref>{{cite web|last=Van Autrijve|first=Rainier|title=Video Game Awards 2004 Categories and Nominees|url=http://www.gamespy.com/pc/half-life-2/566660p1.html|website=GameSpy|publisher=IGN|date=November 16, 2004|access-date=May 6, 2020|archive-date=June 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150603112409/http://www.gamespy.com/pc/half-life-2/566660p1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> losing in both to ''Madden NFL 2005''. In the Satellite Awards, given annually by the International Press Academy, it was the only NFL simulation game nominated for Outstanding Sports Game, although ''[[Software:NFL Street|NFL Street]]'', a football game that does not simulate NFL gameplay, was also nominated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000296/2005/1/|title=Satellite Awards (2005)|publisher=[[Social:IMDb|IMDb]]|access-date=May 6, 2020|archive-date=May 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509054310/https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000296/2005/1|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since its release, numerous websites and publications have ranked ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' as one of the greatest sports video games of all-time, listed as 44th by ''Bleacher Report'' in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pumerantz|first=Zack|title=The 50 Best Sports Video Games of All-Time|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/925327-50-best-sports-video-games-of-all-time|website=Bleacher Report|publisher=Bleacher Report|date=November 7, 2011|access-date=May 6, 2020|archive-date=May 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501171630/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/925327-50-best-sports-video-games-of-all-time|url-status=live}}</ref> In his "Sports Video Game Rankings" compiled for ESPN, Robinson ranked the game 8th, two spots higher than ''Madden NFL 2005'' despite Robinson's preference for ''Madden'' in his contemporary review.<ref>{{cite web|last=Robinson|first=Jon|title=Jon Robinson ranks the best sports video games of all-time|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/playbook/story/_/id/9233143/jon-robinson-ranks-best-sports-video-games-all|website=ESPN|date=May 9, 2012|access-date=May 6, 2020|archive-date=June 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607081255/https://www.espn.com/espn/playbook/story/_/id/9233143/jon-robinson-ranks-best-sports-video-games-all|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Yardbarker'' included ''NFL 2K5'' in an unordered list of the 25 best sports games of all-time, noting that, "For a brief moment, there was a true challenger to the Madden hegemony. ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' had a different look and a slightly different game play, and people loved it." ''{{wipe|Time (magazine)}}'' ranked ''NFL 2K5'' as the 41st greatest video game of all-time regardless of genre, stating, "Sorry, Madden NFL fans, true football gaming fanatics know this is the best gridiron game ever made."<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Fitzpatrick|first1=Alex|last2=Pullen|first2=John Patrick|last3=Raab|first3=Josh|last4=Grossman|first4=Lev|last5=Eadicicco|first5=Lisa|last6=Peckham|first6=Matt|last7=Vella|first7=Matt|title=The 50 Best Video Games of All Time|url=https://time.com/4458554/best-video-games-all-time/|magazine={{wipe|Time (magazine)}}|date=August 23, 2016|access-date=September 19, 2016}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
In retrospective analyses, ''ESPN NFL 2K5'' has continued to receive favorable comparisons to the ''Madden NFL'' series and is noted for its depth that has yet to be matched in subsequent years. In 2014, Owen S. Good of ''Polygon'' wrote that ''NFL 2K5'' was "sports video gaming's King Arthur, eternally populist, noble and heroic, champion of an age long ago enough to make its triumphs soar and its shortcomings recede to nothingness." Good went on to state that EA's ''Madden'' developers "for 10 years have been haunted by ''NFL 2K5'' — in forums, in comments, in social media — that nothing they do could be as good as something that by now really isn't a video game, but a mythological ideal that grows more romantic with every year".<ref>{{cite web|last=Good|first=Owen S.|title=NFL 2K5 — sports gaming's King Arthur — launched 10 years ago today|url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/7/20/5921365/nfl-2k5-ps4-xbox-one-madden-nfl-2k15|website=Polygon.com|publisher=[[Company:Vox Media|Vox Media]]|date=July 20, 2014|access-date=January 25, 2015|archive-date=January 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128114201/http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/20/5921365/nfl-2k5-ps4-xbox-one-madden-nfl-2k15|url-status=live}}</ref> A 2016 ''Game Informer'' retrospective by Matthew Kato praised the variety of features in the game, which was noted as "a far cry from the stark decline that followed in EA's NFL titles." Kato concluded by stating, "The title is more than just a novelty or a case of its reputation exceeding its value, a rare feat for the genre in my eyes."

=== EA exclusive licensing controversy ===
In December 2004, EA Sports acquired an exclusive rights agreement with the NFL and NFLPA to be the sole creator of NFL video games.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cobbs|first=Chris|title=Electronic Arts Scores NFL Exclusive|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2004-12-15-0412150048-story.html|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|publisher=[[Company:Tribune Publishing|Tribune Publishing]]|date=December 15, 2004|access-date=April 28, 2020|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125210522/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2004-12-15-0412150048-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In December 2010, a U.S. district court judge certified a class action anti-trust lawsuit against Electronic Arts for anti-competitive practices to proceed.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pigna|first=Kris|title=Judge Allows Madden "Price Fixing" Lawsuit to Proceed|url=http://www.1up.com/news/judge-madden-price-fixing-lawsuit|website=1UP.com|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=December 23, 2010|access-date=February 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120726093923/http://www.1up.com/news/judge-madden-price-fixing-lawsuit|archive-date=July 26, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Electronic Arts settled the class action suit in July 2012 for {{US$|27 million|long=no}} (equivalent to about ${{inflation|US|27|2012}}M in {{inflation/year|US}}), and retained its exclusive NFL license.<ref>{{cite web|last=Albanesius|first=Chloe|title=EA Settles Football Game Class-Action Suit for $27 Million|url=https://www.pcmag.com/archive/ea-settles-football-game-class-action-suit-for-27-million-300641|magazine=PC Magazine|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=July 23, 2012|access-date=April 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727010320/https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2407524,00.asp|archive-date=July 27, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Good|first=Owen S.|title=The Madden Class-Action Settlement Triples Its Payout to Gamers|url=https://kotaku.com/the-madden-class-action-settlement-triples-its-payout-t-473344725|website=Kotaku|publisher=Gizmodo Media Group|date=April 16, 2013|access-date=March 6, 2015|archive-date=August 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829011333/http://kotaku.com/the-madden-class-action-settlement-triples-its-payout-t-473344725|url-status=live}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Notes==
{{notes}}

== External links ==
* {{moby game|id=/espn-nfl-2k5}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Espn Nfl 2k5}}
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]

{{Sourceattribution|ESPN NFL 2K5}}