Welcome to The Huddle, a periodic look at the latest news in the sports world where GameSpot and SportsGamer editors give their candid takes on a single topic from the worlds of sports and sports gaming. This week we tackle the news of EA Sports' NFL Head Coach being bundled as part of the 20th anniversary collectors edition of Madden NFL 09.

　　Brian: I can't tell if the news that NFL Head Coach 09 will be bundled with the collector's edition of Madden NFL 09 is good news or bad news for Head Coach. On one hand, selling it with Madden will ensure that the game will be seen by thousands, if not millions, more gamers than it would normally sell on its own. On the other hand, I can't help but think that this is sort of a slap to the face for the developers behind the game. Here they are, having spent months on working on a project that is obviously near and dear to their hearts and, all of a sudden, EA management pulls up and says that the only way fans will be able to see this game is if they agree to spend ninety bucks on Madden.

　　I'm not sure how I would react to this kind of decision if I was put in that position. Am I overjoyed at the news that my game will be seen by a huge audience, or am I pissed that EA doesn't seem to believe in it enough to make it a standalone product?

　　Fred: I was surprised when I read this the other day. I think EA was going to get praise and flak for this decision. On one hand the consumer can save a few bucks and get two games for less than it would have cost to buy them separately. At the same time, some people complain that they just wanted NFL Head Coach and not spend the extra money on Madden.

　　The problem I have with EA releasing another Head Coach version, is why didn't they just focus their efforts on implementing this stuff in Madden? From what I've read you'll be able to create playbooks in Head Coach and use them in Madden. If it's not in this year's version of Madden why wasn't it? Gamers have been asking for this feature the last few years.

　　I think Head Coach is a "niche game." This is probably the reason its being bundled with Madden. And if this is case a whole new game shouldn't be released, it should just be apart of Madden if possible.

　　Shanker: From a consumer standpoint, I have a problem with Head Coach only being available as a bundled product. As a result of EA's exclusive NFL license, consumers are already offered little choice with regards to console football gaming. Apart from the graphical improvements resulting from next-gen systems and esthetic bells and whistles, the Madden franchise has undergone little renovation in the last few years. The only alternative, 2K's All Pro Football, is simply not a viable alternative for the majority of football gamers due to the lack of actual teams or current NFL players. As a result, consumers attracted by Head Coach 09's novelty (and improvements from the previous Head Coach) will still be forced to purchase Madden.

　　From EA's perspective I think the move is pure genius; a credit to a marketing team that has proven time and again that they know how to move copies. Obviously there is a natural synergy between the two titles. Both are based on the same graphical engine and Head Coach's fan base is likely a hardcore subset of Madden franchise enthusiasts. As Brian mentioned, packaging the two titles will undoubtedly attract many longtime Madden fans, who otherwise would not have purchased a secondary football title alone, to give Head Coach a try. At essentially a $30 additional cost, the move allows EA to expand the consumers' annual football gaming budget without devaluing the Head Coach franchise in the long term (in future years, after Head Coach establishes itself, EA could split the two franchises and sell each title for $60).

　　Aaron: I'm cautiously optimistic about the Madden 09/Head Coach bundle. It could be a good idea for several reasons. For starters, Head Coach is a full game, so it alone is provides more content than what's typically included in collector's editions. Also, bundling the two games together is the only way most people are going to give Head Coach a chance. Like many others, I wasn't all that into the first Head Coach game, so there was no way I was going to buy a sequel--especially for $60. This bundle only costs $30 more than the standalone version of Madden 09 and I'm willing to risk $30 to find out if this Head Coach is any good.

　　I don't know that I totally agree with what Brian's saying about this being a "slap to the face of the developers behind the game," but I don't know that this aggressive move speaks highly of EA's confidence in Head Coach. Electronic Arts might think the game stinks and they're trying to cut their losses. Of course, they might have made the decision based totally on the numbers--there's no doubt that Head Coach will generate more money riding on the coattails of Madden than it will on its own. If nothing else, this is an interesting idea and I'm anxious to see how it plays out.

　　What's your take on the NFL Head Coach/Madden 09 bundle? Let us know in the comments!