Saints win Super Bowl XLIV, Madden NFL prediction was correct

That’s right, sports fans, the New Orleans Saints have just garnered their first Super Bowl victory, proving EA’s video game-based prediction correct.

According to a post at 1Up, this marks the sixth accurate prediction of the game, in which EA uses football sim Madden NFL for accurate pigskin analysis. The only year they’ve been wrong was in 2008 when the New England Patriots suffered a tragic loss to the Giants.

Full disclosure: I’m a Boston girl. It still hurts.

Still, Madden seems to be quite the powerful predictor – especially for a consumer entertainment product.

From Kotaku, here’s how the simulation went down:

“The first three quarters display the offensive fireworks that both teams have become known for, with the Colts leading 24-21. A nail biting fourth quarter begins with a big play, courtesy of the Saints’ special teams, when Reggie Bush returns a punt for a 42-yard touchdown. However, with minutes left in the game the duo of Joseph Addai and Peyton Manning put the Colts back on top with a go-ahead touchdown pass. With the game hanging in the balance, Drew Brees hits David Thomas for an 11-yard touchdown and the game winning score.”

In reality, the Saints took the Colts 31-17. Congrats to the team and to New Orleans!

Read [1Up]