It’s hard to believe that we’ve been playing Madden football in one form or another for the past quarter of a century. The series got its start way back in the late 80’s, when it launched as a small computer gaming title before making its way to the Sega Genesis where it would soon cement its pigskin legacy for years to come. Since that time, we’ve played the game on a number of systems and seen vital improvements with each passing generation. This culminated with last year’s Madden NFL 13 and the introduction of new realistic motion technology, which made tackles and running appear more realistic than ever before.
The franchise is about to get a big push again and the next generation of gaming will play a huge part. Madden NFL 25 will be arriving on store shelves this August, well in time for the upcoming season. Along with its usual arrival on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, it’ll also be making its way to Xbox One and (as yet to be confirmed but very likely) the PlayStation 4.
The next-gen versions of the game are probably the ones to be most excited about these days, especially from the bits and pieces we’ve seen of it in action. During the Xbox One presentation yesterday, EA Sports showed off parts of its Ignite technology that allows the incorporation of run-time physics, player intelligence, animation, locomotion and online systems into one huge and smooth running system that could change the way you play forever. (You can watch the trailer here.)
Let’s say you’re running down the field for a touchdown. A sea of defenders is out to stop you, but what happens can change hugely depending on your next move. You can juke left and some defenders might react accordingly or be faked out. Some of the reactions won’t be the same as others, depending on the skill of the player and the runner. This is just one of the scenarios where real-time behavior will play a part in Madden NFL 25.
Expect to see the game play well on current gen systems too. Madden NFL 13 had great AI interaction and the current gen versions will certainly live up to the expectations of long-time fans of the series. You’ll still be able to choose and design plays with ease and execute them through pinpoint passing, a quick running play, or one of those specialty plays that the defense can’t see coming.
Defense will continue to play a pivotal part in each game as well giving you access to a number of moves that can easily throw someone off, like getting a tackle that could jar the ball loose for a fumble or nailing a QB and taking the ball away, maybe even for the score if you’re good enough.
We previously talked about one of the new modes being introduced to all the versions of Madden NFL 25 in the Owner’s Mode. Included as part of the Connected Franchise mode, it really gives you control of literally every aspect of what someone like Jerry Jones go through, from stadium management to team decisions. You can read all the details in our extensive first look here.
Though the gameplay hasn’t been discussed too much, most of last year’s smooth flowing control should once again return for Madden NFL 25, along with a few tweaks to make sure that offensive and defensive plays click without a hitch. This possibly includes the return of the Truck Stick, which allows you to think on your feet while you nail the ball carrier. Sometimes the right defensive move is all you need to turn a game’s tide in your favor.
What would Madden NFL 25 be without some sort of online integration? EA Sports will definitely involve community in one form or another, with fantasy football options (possibly tied in with the NFL/Microsoft channel being introduced to Xbox One), online league support, quick match-ups, ranked tournaments and so much more. There will be no shortage of what you can do within the game, but we’ll find out more in the weeks ahead as EA Sports lifts the veil off its football monster at its press conference prior to E3.
Madden has become a juggernaut over the past decade, so why stop a good thing now? Madden NFL 25 could easily be the best in the series to date, whether you’re sticking with current generation systems or moving on up to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. We’ll find out for sure later this year. Be sure to check back for impressions of the game from E3!
