- Barry Janoff

Electronic Arts, which is riding high with the release this week of the 20th anniversary edition of Madden NFL, said today it would feature the likenesses of such performers as Fergie, Avril Lavigne, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban and Nelly Furtado in its upcoming Celebrity Sports Showdown.

The videogame is scheduled to be released for the 2008 holiday season for the Nintendo Wii (MSRP $39.99). Marketing showing likenesses of the stars in action from the videogame will support. EA, Redwood City, Calif., spent $93 million on U.S. media in 2007 (not including online), per Nielsen Monitor-Plus. Lead agency is Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.

In addition to the aforementioned performers, Celebrity Sports Showdown also will feature the likenesses of athletes Paul Pierce (basketball), Mia Hamm (soccer), Kristi Yamaguchi (figure skating), Reggie Bush (football) and Sugar Ray Leonard (boxing). Extreme sports events will include wild water canoeing, hurdle derby, cliff hangers, rapid fire archery, joust duel and arena dodgeball.

The videogame is part of EA's Sports Freestyle division, which launched in May to offer products "about fun, inclusiveness, cooperation and suspending the normal rules associated with sports videogames," per the company. The first title, FaceBreaker, a boxing game, is scheduled to hit retailers in September.

"We feel that this game is the EA Sports Freestyle answer to a great Wii party game," Dave McCarthy, executive producer at EA, said in a statement. "It explores the lighter side of sports and pulls inspiration from the entertainment spectacles that are so prevalent in pop culture today. "Celebrity Sports Showdown will bring people to the party with a collection of games and celebrities that appeal to everyone."