[adembroski]

I have to believe that if there was no exclusive license, Ian and Phil would have taken charge years ago, and looking back over 2k's history, I'm not entirely sure they would have kept improving to a point that would have kept up. Having played Madden 10, I can't even imagine what it would be if they'd had 2 previous years or so.

That said, if VC continued the rate of improvement it made from 2k3 to 2k5, then it'd be a very tough battle and I'd probably end up buying both.

Just as a disclaimer... I like 2k5 quite a bit, and I'm not ready to say Madden is absolutely better than 2k5, but I enjoy playing Madden 10 better than 2k5. It feels more natural and fluid than 2k ever did, so take that for what it's worth when considering my comments.