Since 2005, if you have purchased @EAMaddenNFL, @EANCAAFootball, EA Arena Football.

If you purchased Madden NFL, NCAA Football, or Arena Football League between January 1, 2005 to the present, you may be a member of a class action lawsuit. Excluded from the class are purchasers of these games for play on mobile devices, persons who purchased directly from EA, and persons who purchased used copies of these games.

HAGENS BERMAN SOBOL SHAPIRO LLP AND THE PAYNTER LAW FIRM, PLLC ANNOUNCE NOTICE OF CLASS CERTIFICATION

IN PECOVER V. ELECTRONIC ARTS, INC. LAWSUIT

This Website Provides Information for Individuals who Purchased Certain Electronic Arts Brand Football Video Games Between January 1, 2005 and the Present.

You May Be a Class Member.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Oakland Division has certified a class in a lawsuit alleging violations of California’s antitrust and consumer protection laws in connection with the sale of certain football video games (Case No. 08-cv-02820 CW).

Plaintiffs in the case are purchasers of Electronic Arts’ football video games, and they claim that Defendant Electronic Arts entered into a series of exclusive licenses with the National Football League (NFL), National Football League Players’ Association (NFLPA), National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), and Arena Football League (AFL), which plaintiffs claim foreclosed competition in an alleged football video game market. Plaintiffs allege that this series of exclusive licenses caused customers who purchased certain football video games to be overcharged. Defendant Electronic Arts has denied any liability and all allegations of misconduct.

The certified class includes all persons who, during the period January 1, 2005 to the present, purchased the Madden NFL, NCAA Football, or Arena Football League brand video games published by Electronic Arts with a release date of January 1, 2005 to the present. Purchasers of software for mobile devices, persons purchasing directly from Electronic Arts, persons purchasing used copies of the relevant football video games, and Electronic Arts’ employees, officers, directors, legal representatives, and wholly or partly owned subsidiaries or affiliated companies are excluded from the class.

The Court has ordered that notice of the class certification be published and provided to potential class members, but the Court has not decided whether the Defendants did anything wrong, and the required notice is not an expression of any opinion by the Court about the merits of any of the claims or defenses asserted by any party to the litigation.

More detailed information about the class action and its potential effect on the rights of class members can be obtained by viewing the Court’s Order and the Long-Form Class Notice on this website.

Your Legal Rights and Options

Option Result

Remain A Class Member

If you want to remain a class member, you do not need to take any further action at this time. You will automatically remain a class member. (See below "What Happens If I Do Not Exclude Myself?")

If you remain a class member, you will be bound by the Court's rulings in the lawsuit, including any final Settlement or Judgment. However, you can object to or comment on any proposed Settlement, and you also have the right to appear in Court.

The Court has appointed Class Counsel to represent all class members. Class Counsel is obligated to protect and pursue the interests of all class members. There is no cost to you to be represented by Class Counsel. You can also hire your own attorney at your own cost.

In the event that there is a trial and a judgment on behalf of the class, Class Counsel will be entitled to seek reasonable attorneys' fees and reimbursement of expenses. Class Counsel will request an amount to be approved by the Court and in any case the amount of attorneys' fees will not exceed 25 percent of the recovery to the class, after reimbursement of expenses.

Exclude yourself:

If you do not want to be a class member, you must elect to opt out.

If you want to exclude yourself from the class, opt out, and keep your right to sue Defendant, you must take further action. (See below "How Do I Exclude Myself From the Class?")

To exclude yourself from the class, you must do so in writing or electronically via the Request Exclusion link above by June 25, 2011.

Any class member who excludes himself or herself from the class will not be eligible to share in any recovery or settlement of any kind in this action. You will, however, retain whatever legal rights you may have against Defendant with regard to the claims that are the subject of this litigation.

For the official website and more details click here