Wikipedia

Madden NFL

(Redirected fromJohn Madden Football)
"John Madden Football" redirects here. For other games in the series, seeJohn Madden Football(1988 video game),John Madden Football(1990 video game),andJohn Madden Football(1994 video game).For the 3DS game, seeMadden NFL Football.

Madden NFL(known asJohn Madden Footballuntil 1993) is anAmerican footballsports video gameseries developed byEA OrlandoforEA Sports.The franchise, named afterPro Football Hall of Famecoach and commentatorJohn Madden,has sold more than 130 million copies as of 2018.[1]From 2004 until 2022, it was the only officially licensedNational Football League(NFL) video game series, and has influenced many players and coaches of the physical sport. Among the series' features are detailed playbooks and player statistics and voice commentary in the style of a realNFL television broadcast.As of 2013the franchise has generated over $4 billion in sales, making it one of the most profitable video game franchises on the market.

Madden NFL
Madden NFLseries logo (2020–present)
Genre(s)Sports(American football)
Developer(s)EA Orlando
Visual Concepts
High Score Productions
Blue Sky Productions
Electronic Arts
D.C. True, Ltd.
Park Place Productions
Bethesda Softworks
Halestorm
Tiertex Design Studios
Stormfront Studios
Exient Entertainment
Budcat Creations
Floodgate Entertainment
finiteMonkeys
Hudson Soft
Publisher(s)EA Sports
THQ
Black Pearl Software
Malibu Games
Hudson Soft
Platform(s)Amiga,Super NES,Genesis/Mega Drive,Game Gear,3DO,Nintendo 64,GameCube,Wii,Wii U,Game Boy,Game Boy Color,Game Boy Advance,Nintendo DS,Windows,macOS,MS-DOS,PlayStation,PlayStation 2PlayStation 3,PlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,PlayStation Portable,PlayStation Vita,Saturn,Xbox,Xbox 360,Xbox One,Xbox Series X/S,iOS,Nintendo 3DS,Android,BlackBerry PlayBook,Arcade
First releaseJohn Madden Football
June 1, 1988
Latest releaseMadden NFL 25
August 16, 2024

Electronic Arts(EA) founderTrip Hawkinsconceived the series and approached Madden in 1984 for his endorsement and expertise. Because of Madden's insistence that the game be as realistic as possible, the first version ofJohn Madden Footballdid not appear until 1988. EA has released annual versions since 1990, and the series' name changed toMadden NFLin 1993 after EA acquired the rights to use NFL teams and players.

Although Madden died in 2021, the game continues to bear his name as a result of a 2005 agreement which gives EA the right to use his name and likeness in perpetuity. Madden's estate continues to receive royalties pursuant to this agreement.

History

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1980s – Creation

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The real reason that I founded Electronic Arts was because I wanted to make computerized versions of games like Strat-O-Matic.

— Trip Hawkins[2]

Trip Hawkinscreated a clone of theStrat-O-Maticpaper and dice-based football simulation game as a teenager. The game was unsuccessful due to its complexity, and he hoped to one day delegate its rules to a computer. AtHarvard College,where Hawkins played football for theCrimson,he wrote a football simulation for thePDP-11minicomputer which, he later said, predicted that theMiami Dolphinswould defeat theMinnesota Vikings23–6 (actually 24–7) in the1974 Super Bowl.[3][4]After founding Electronic Arts in 1982[3]— "The real reason that I founded [it] was because I wanted to make computerized versions of games like Strat-O-Matic", Hawkins later said[2][5]—the company began designing a microcomputer football game. Hawkins first approached his favorite playerJoe Montanato endorse the proposed game but the quarterback already had an endorsement deal withAtari, Inc.,and his second choice,CalcoachJoe Kapp,demanded up front royalties far in excess of what Hawkins was willing to pay.[3]

In 1984, Hawkins approached Madden. He and game producerJoe Ybarraarranged a follow-up meeting with the broadcaster during anAmtraktrain trip over two days because of Madden'sfear of flying.[3][6][7][8]The EA executives promised that the proposed game would be a sophisticated football simulation and they asked the retired Oakland Raiders coach for his endorsement and expertise. Madden knew nothing about computers beyond histelestratorbut agreed; he had taught a class at theUniversity of California, Berkeley,called "Football for Fans", and envisioned the program as a tool for teaching and testing plays.[3][9][10](Madden would continue to see the game as an educational tool. When asked in 2012 to describeMadden NFL,he called it "a way for people to learn the game and participate in the game at a pretty sophisticated level".[8]) Hawkins and Ybarra during the train trip learned football plays and strategies from Madden from sunrise to midnight.[3]

EA likely expected Madden to endorse the game without participating in its design. Early plans envisioned six or seven players per team because of technical limitations but Madden insisted on having 11 players,[3][8]stating "I'm not putting my name on it if it's not real".[7][10]Ybarra, who had playedchess,not football, in high school, became an expert on the subject through his work, but found that 11 players overwhelmed contemporary home computers. Most projects that are as delayed asMaddenare canceled; Ybarra and developer Robin Antonick needed three years, more than twice the length of the average development process. The project became known within the company as "Trip's Folly", and Madden—who had received $100,000advance against royaltiesthat EA's outside auditors advised towrite-offbecause it would never be recouped—believed at times that EA had given up.[3][10]

The company hiredBethesda Softworksto finish the game, but this only got them partway to their goal. While EA used many of its designs, including contributions to their physics engine,[11]within a year Bethesda stopped working onMaddenand sued EA over EA's failure to publish new versions of Bethesda'sGridiron!football game. This added to the delay.[7]After a final development push,John Madden Footballdebuted in 1988 for theApple IIcomputers. Hawkins and an exhausted Ybarra ( "All my memories are of pain" ) could move on to other projects.[3]

Contracted to provide plays,[10]Madden gave EA the1980 Raidersplaybook, and EA hiredSan Francisco Examinerwriter Frank Cooney, who had designed his ownfigurinefootball game with numerical skill ratings. Those skill ratings, also utilized in a spreadsheet based game called Grid Grade, were a precursor to player ratings in Madden Football. Although the company could not yet legally use NFL teams' or players' names, Cooney obtained real plays from NFL teams.[3]The back of the box called the game "The First Real Football Simulation" and quoted Madden: "Hey, if there aren't 11 players, it isn't real football." Documentation included diagrams of dozens of offensive and defensive plays with Madden's commentary on coaching strategies and philosophy.[12]In addition to submitting plays, Cooney worked with programmers and producers to create numerical ratings for every player so they would perform appropriately in the game, especially in man-to-man situations. In the beginning there were eight to 12 traits that were graded for each player. That number would grow to more than 200 as the game became more sophisticated. The game sold moderately well[3]but given the sophisticated playbook its interface was complex, and Madden's insistence on 11 players caused the game to run slowly.[7]

During this period, Madden turned down the opportunity to buy an "unlimited" number of options for EA stock in itsinitial public offering,a decision he later called "the dumbest thing I ever did in my life".[3][8]

1990s

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In early 1990, EA hiredPark Place Productionsto developMaddenfor theSega Genesisvideo game console.Park Place had developedABC Monday Night Footballwith "arcade-style, action-heavy" game play, and itsMaddenalso emphasizedhyperrealitycompared to the computer version's focus on exact simulation.[3][13]Impressed with Park Place's work, EA chose it for the GenesisMaddeninstead of completing an in-house version by Antonick.[14]

EAreverse engineeredthe console to sell the game without paying the standard $8 to $10 license fee per cartridge to Sega, then proposed a compromise of $2 per cartridge and a $2 million cap on the fee. The console maker agreed, afraid that EA would sell its reverse-engineered knowledge to other companies; the agreement saved EA $35 million over the next three years. As its own Joe Montana-endorsed football game would miss the 1990Christmas shopping season,Sega asked EA to let it sellMaddenwith the Montana name. EA refused, but offered an inferior alternative that lackedMadden's 3D graphics and most of its 113 plays.[3][13]Joe Montana Footballsold well despite shipping after Christmas 1990, and it remained popular afterBlueSky Softwaretook over development.[7]John Madden Footballfor the Genesis, however, became both the first hugely successfulMaddengame—selling 400,000 copies when the company expected 75,000[14]—and the firstkiller appfor EA and Sega, helping the console gain market share against theSuper NES.[3][7]From 1992 to 1994,Megaplaced the game at #1 in their monthly Top 100 Mega Drive Games of All Time.

In 1990, EA producerRichard Hillemanbrought in veteran sports game designerScott Orr,who had founded the mid-1980sCommodore 64game publisher GameStar and led the design of their best-selling sports games. The team of Orr and Hilleman designed and led the development of what is today still recognizable as the modernMadden.Early versions ofMaddenwere created by external development studios such as Bethesda,Visual Concepts,andStormfront Studios.John Madden Football '92also featured the ambulance which would run over any players in its path.

After Visual Concepts failed to deliverMadden NFL '96for the newPlayStationin 1995, EA hired Tiburon Entertainment forMadden NFL '97[7]and later acquired the company, centralizing development in-house.[3]It planned to releaseJohn Madden Footballas its first sports-basedarcade game,but the game was cancelled due to unenthusiastic reactions fromplay testers.[15]EA's refusal to releaseMaddenand other sports titles for theDreamcastin 1999 contributed to the console's lack of success and Sega's exit from the hardware market.[7]

By 1996,Maddenwas the best-selling sports video game franchise, with more than eight million units sold up until then.[16]

Franchise Mode

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In 1998, Electronic Arts added "Franchise Mode" toMadden Football,giving players the ability to play multiple seasons, make off-season draft picks, and trade players.[17] Within Franchise Mode, players take on the role of general manager and manage all personnel matters, including contracts, free agency, draft picks, and hiring and firing coaches. The player also acts as a head coach-like character (although there is a head coach figure in-game), choosing which players to play, making substitutions, running practices, practicing gameplans, etc.

Players may play with any of the NFL's 32 franchises; they can choose whether or not to have trade deadlines and salary caps and if they want to start their franchise with a 49-round fantasy draft of all active NFL players. Players can also upload created teams for use in the game.

Once in game, players run training camp (individual drills for improving players' attributes), play in preseason games and compete in a regular 16-game NFL season, including playoffs and the Super Bowl. The player has the option to play any game in the simulation, including those involving other teams if they so desire, or may simulate through the games as they choose. Most versions ofMaddengive a player 30 years with their franchise, sometimes with an opportunity to apply for the Hall of Fame at the end of the simulation.

Throughout the history of Franchise Mode, there have been many issues and glitches including data corruption, gameplay bugs, and developer mistakes. Franchise Mode is one of Madden's most consistently criticized game modes each year.[18][19]

2000s

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Madden NFL 2000

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Madden NFL 2000was the first Madden to have a play editor, arcade mode, and the Madden Challenge. The game was released on August 31, 1999, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and Classic Mac OS. The cover athletes were former Raiders Coach John Madden and the Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders in the background. This was the second Madden to have someone besides John Madden on the cover.

Madden NFL 2001

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Madden NFL 2001featured a segment called "Great Games" where one would be put in a situation where they control one team and would have to win the game with a set amount of time. If the player wins, they unlock either a new team or a stadium. Overall, there were more than 60 teams and over 80 stadiums inMadden NFL 2001.Tennessee Titansrunning backEddie Georgeis the cover athlete.

Madden NFL 2002

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Madden NFL 2002featured for the first time Create-A-Team where one would make a team and play with that team in either Play Now or Franchise mode. It also featured Create-A-League mode but it never caught on. Create-A-Team was not featured inMadden NFL 13and moving teams was first featured inMadden NFL 2004called "Stadium" in the Franchise mode of the game.Madden NFL 2002was the 2nd highest selling game in 2002.Minnesota VikingsquarterbackDaunte Culpepperis the cover athlete.

Madden NFL 2003

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There are multiple modes of game play, from a quick head-to-head game to running a team for a whole season or even multiple seasons. Online play, which was a new feature forMadden NFL 2003(in this version there are also mini-camp challenges) was only available for users of thePlayStation 2console,Xboxconsole, or aMicrosoft WindowsPC until early2004.St. Louis Ramsrunning backMarshall Faulkis the cover athlete.

Madden NFL 2004

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Also, starting withMadden NFL 2004,EA Sports created the newPlaymakertool, using the right analog joystick found on each of the adjustments previously unavailable in prior installments of the franchise.[20]One such adjustment includes the ability to switch which direction a running play was going without changing the formation. Prior to the Playmaker tool, the Player could only call one of four available "hot routes." With Playmaker and the use of the right thumb stick, the player is given 4 additional Hot Route options. When the quarterback has the ball the Playmaker Tool can be used to make receivers alter their routes mid-play. When running the ball on offense, the runner can control the direction in which the blocker is going. Defensive alignment adjustments, however, were not available leading to obvious imbalance in favor of the Offensive player.Atlanta FalconsquarterbackMichael Vickis the cover athlete.

Madden NFL 2005

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InMadden NFL 2005,EA Sports ran a campaign with the Theme "Fear the D" emphasising their improvements on the "other side of the ball." In an attempt to re-balance the players experience, EA gave a Playmaker Tool to the defense. Similar to the offensive Playmaker Tool, the defensive Playmaker allows the player to make pre-snap defensive adjustments. EA Sports further utilized the right analog joystick on defense by creating the "Hit Stick", an option on defense that allows the controlled player to make big hits, with a simple flick, that increases the chances the ball carrier will fumble. Also introduced for the first time is the "Formation Shift." This new feature allowed players to shift their formation in the pre-snap audible menu without actually changing the play. For example, if you call a run play up the middle out of a goal line formation, you could then call a formation shift and make your players spread out into a four wide receiver formation while still in the same running play. The problem with this new function was that EA also added a fatigue penalty for the defense causing defensive players to get more tired each time there was a formation shift. This led to players on offense calling multiple formation shifts each play making the defensive players too exhausted to keep up and force them to substitute out of the game until they are fully rested. This led to more imbalance that could only be fixed by turning off fatigue.Baltimore RavenslinebackerRay Lewisis the cover athlete.

2005also added "EA Sports Radio", a fictional show that plays during the menu screen of Franchise mode to provide a greater sense of a storyline during gameplay. It featuresTony Brunoas the host, who often interviews players and coaches about how the season is going and also has quiz questions in which fake listeners call in to make attempts at answering football-related questions. It included mock interviews of famous NFL players and coaches throughout the in-game season. Some fans have criticizedEA Sportsfor not including new features to the 'programming' as the radio became stale after only two seasons in franchise mode, but the feature drew acclaim for adding content to the Franchise menu. Also added was the Newspaper where the player could look at National News from licensed USA Today and Licensed Local papers for almost each of the 32 NFL teams. Lastly, 2005 also saw the introduction of multiple progressions during franchise mode. Previously NFL players in Madden would only progress or regress at the end of each season. Now at the end of Week 5, 11, and 17 the game would use a program to "progress" players based on their performance in addition to end of season progression.

Madden NFL 06

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InMadden NFL 06,the "Truck Stick" was introduced. This feature allows the offensive player to lower his shoulder and break a tackle, or back juke to avoid one. Another new feature is theSuperstar Mode,which allows the player to take control of a rookie and progress through his career.[21]This includes an IQ test, interviews, workouts, the NFL Draft, hiring an agent, and other aspects of a superstar's life.Philadelphia EaglesquarterbackDonovan McNabbis the cover athlete.

EA also introduced theQB Visionfeature in the 2006 installment. With this feature, a cone of spotlight emits from the quarterback during passing plays, simulating his field of vision. To make an accurate pass, the quarterback must have his intended receiver in his field of vision. Passing to a receiver not in the cone reduces pass accuracy significantly. The size of the quarterback's vision cone is directly correlated to his Awareness and Passer Accuracy rating;Brett FavreandPeyton Manningsee nearly the entire field at once, whereas an inexperienced quarterback such asJ. P. LosmanorKyle Bollersees only a sliver of the field.[3]This feature also allows for bigger plays and more interceptions.

Also, EA sports added theSmart Route.This means that when pressing a hot route to the corresponding receiver, you put the analog stick down and the receiver will run to the first down, and you can throw him the ball.

While current gen Madden remained the same with the exception of a "Smart Route" and "QB Vision", this was also the first year Madden was released on the next-gen Xbox 360. It was completely stripped down, almost every change made in the previous gen was wiped away.

EA Sports Madden NFL Football

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This is an arcade game developed byGlobal VRand released in 2005. The game comes in standard and deluxe cabinets. It can be played with up to four players and includes five game modes: Exhibition, Training, Tournament, Competition, and Career. It features rosters from the 2004–2005 season.[22]

Madden NFL 07

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InMadden NFL 07,EA introducedLead Blocker Controlswhich allow users to control blockers during running plays. In addition, EA redefined the Truck Stick into theHighlight Stick.With the Highlight Stick, users can have their running backs perform different running moves and combos, instead of just bowling over defenders. Truck Stick features still exist for bigger backs, but not for smaller backs who would never realistically use them anyway. Instead, more agile backs perform acrobatic ducks and dodges to avoid tackles.[23]Seattle Seahawksrunning backShaun Alexanderis the cover athlete.

EA Sports Madden NFL Football: Season 2

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This game is the sequel to EA Sports Madden NFL Football. Like the original, it was also developed byGlobal VR.It was released in 2006 only in arcades. This version adds QB Vision, the Hit Stick, and the Truck Stick. The rosters are also updated for the 2006–2007 season.[24]

Madden NFL 08

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InMadden NFL 08,theWeaponsfeature was added, allowing superstar players to be noticed.Randy Moss,for example, is a Go-To-Guy, allowing him to make amazing one-handed grabs.Peyton Manningis a Franchise QB. It also includes new skill drills, Hit Stick 2.0, and Ring of a Champion features.Tennessee TitansquarterbackVince Youngis on the cover.Madden NFL 08was also the lastMaddengame released formacOSand the lastGameCubegame ever released. It was also the last to appear on Windows untilMadden NFL 19in 2018.

Madden NFL 09

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Madden NFL 09was released on August 12, 2008. Citing business concerns, EA chose not to release the game on PC platforms.[25]The game features quarterbackBrett Favreon the front cover, initially in aGreen Bay Packersuniform, but also with a downloadable cover featuring Favre in aNew York Jetsuniform.[26]Favre had retired before the start of the season as a member of the Packers, but came out of retirement late in the summer and was traded to the Jets.[27]Madden NFL 09was the first of the series to offer online, league game play, allowing up to 32 players to compete in an online, simulated NFL season. EA Sports Senior Producer Phil Frazier, up to 32 players were able to participate in competitive games, the NFL Draft and conduct trades between their teams. The game was also the first of the series to incorporate a Madden IQ. The Madden IQ is used to automatically gauge your skills through a series of mini-games consisting of run offense, pass offense, run defense, and pass defense. At the end of each of the drills, the player receives a score ranging from rookie to all-Madden. The final Madden IQ is a mixture of those scores which is used to control the game's difficulty.[3][28][29]

Madden NFL 10

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Madden NFL 10was released on August 14, 2009. It featuresArizona Cardinalswide receiverLarry FitzgeraldandPittsburgh Steelersstrong safetyTroy Polamalu.[30]Compared to previous iterations, Madden NFL 10 has been extremely transparent with its development efforts, maintaining a weekly blog updates as well as a constant presence on various message boards. A new design team has also taken over the game, including members from NFL Head Coach 09. The direction of Madden NFL 10 has been shifted to much more of a realistic and simulation focus, with info already released including Procedural Awareness (a robust head tracking system), a new philosophy on player ratings, and big improvements to realism in QB play, WR/DB play, and other areas across the game. Madden 10 has several new features including the PRO-TAK animation technology, which allows up to nine man gang tackles and fumble pile-ups to help players 'fight for every yard', in this year's tagline. Madden 10 also features an in-game weekly recap show called The Extra Point. Madden 10 offers a series of multiple play packages. This allows for more options to score. This version features a completely overhauled rating system for players, featuring new categories such as throw on the run and specific ratings for short, medium, and deep passes.[31]The game's soundtrack features rap, alternative rock, rap metal and hard rock bands such asNirvana,Pantera,System of a Down,andKid Rock.

2010s

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Madden NFL 11

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Madden NFL 11was released on July 27, 2010 (moved up from its original release date of August 10, 2010 for promotional reasons[32]), and featuresNew Orleans SaintsquarterbackDrew Breeson the cover. It features several new additions to the franchise, such as Online Team Play,[33]Online Scouting[34]and online attribute boosts for co-op play.[35]Along with these new game additions is a new rating (sponsored by Old Spice) known as Swagger.[36]Although early speculation was that this new rating would be reflective of "confidence" or "composure," it was quickly confirmed to be directly tied to a player's personality for celebrations.[37]

Madden NFL 12

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Madden NFL 12was released on August 25, 2011. The release was delayed by two weeks due to theNFL lockout,[38]and featuresCleveland Brownsrunning backPeyton Hillison the cover. However, there is a limited edition in which the cover featuresSt. Louis Ramsrunning backMarshall Faulk.

Madden NFL 13

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Madden NFL 13was released on August 28, 2012, and featuresDetroit Lionswide receiverCalvin Johnsonas the cover athlete.Madden NFL 13is the firstMaddengame to be released on thePlayStation Vita,and it is also the first game in the series to haveKinectsupport as well as a new physics engine promoting real in game physics.[39]

Madden NFL 13included a complete revamp to online franchise mode which became known as Connected Careers Mode (CCM). Some of the new CCM features included player contracts, the ability to trade draft picks, a salary cap, and up to 30 seasons worth of gameplay.[40]

Madden NFL 25

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Main article:Madden NFL 25 (2013 video game)

In early 2013, EA Sports announced that the next installment of the Madden series would be released on August 27, 2013. As this installment is the 25th anniversary of the series,[41]the game is calledMadden NFL 25,instead ofMadden NFL 14with the year like the previous versions.[42]The cover vote consisted of two brackets containing past players ( "Old School" ) and active players ( "New School" ).[43]

"Old School" player andPro Football Hall of FamerBarry Sanderswas chosen as the cover athlete forMadden NFL 25on the April 24, 2013, episode ofESPN'sSportsNation.The "New School" finalist wasAdrian Peterson.[44]

Madden NFL 15

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Main article:Madden NFL 15

On March 13, 2014EA Sportsposted on its website that user would be able to design and submit uniforms for Connected Careers by March 17, 2014, for "the next Madden NFL."[45]On April 28, 2014, EA announced the release of Madden 15 pre-ordering in a release video with NFL linebacker and 2013 Defensive Player of the YearLuke Kuechly.The game was released August 26 in North America and on August 29 in the EU for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. The game featured "dramatic all-new camera angles, as well as dynamic pre-game and halftime features."[46]During the Detroit Lions 10th pick of the2014 NFL draft,Barry Sanders announced fans again would be able to vote for the cover athlete.[47]On June 6,Seattle SeahawkscornerbackRichard Shermanwas announced as the cover athlete.[48]

Madden NFL 16

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Main article:Madden NFL 16

EA decided not to have players vote for the cover athlete through a traditional bracket, but rather through collectible cards inMadden NFL Mobile,or through Ultimate Team on the console devices. On May 4, 2015, the four finalists were announced for the 2016 game cover:New England Patriotstight endRob Gronkowski,Arizona CardinalscornerbackPatrick Peterson,New York Giantswide receiverOdell Beckham Jr.andPittsburgh Steelerswide receiverAntonio Brown.On May 13, Beckham Jr. beat out Gronkowski in a fan vote for the cover ofMadden 16.It was released on August 25, 2015.[49]

Madden NFL 17

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Main article:Madden NFL 17

Madden NFL 17was released on August 23, 2016. The features in the game include an upgrade of the Ground Game, a redesigned and better Franchise Mode, "Madden 365", new Ball Carrier UI Prompts, the new Path Assist and more.[50]New England Patriotstight endRob Gronkowskiserves as the cover athlete.[51]

Madden NFL 18

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Main article:Madden NFL 18

Madden NFL 18was released on August 25, 2017.[52]The game is the first in the series to be developed in theFrostbite Engine,and it incorporates a story mode titled Longshot Mode, akin toThe JourneyinFIFA 17.[53]It was announced thatNew England PatriotsquarterbackTom Bradywould be on the cover, marking the second consecutive year where a Patriot will be on the cover.[54]Furthermore, an enhancedG.O.A.T.edition was also announced.[55]

Madden NFL 19

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Main article:Madden NFL 19

Madden NFL 19was announced withPittsburgh Steelerswide receiverAntonio Brownas the cover athlete.[56]It was released on August 10, 2018. This is the first entry sinceMadden NFL 08in 2007 to receive aWindowsrelease.

Madden NFL 20

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Main article:Madden NFL 20

Madden NFL 20was announced withKansas City ChiefsquarterbackPatrick Mahomesas the cover athlete.[57]It was released on August 2, 2019. This game features an online eliminator mode calledSuperstar K.O.,as well as a revamped story mode titledFace of the Franchise: QB1.

2020s

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Madden NFL 21

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Main article:Madden NFL 21

Madden NFL 21was announced withBaltimore RavensquarterbackLamar Jacksonas the cover athlete.[58]It was released on August 28, 2020.[59]Introduced that year was a new, backyard-football inspired online mode called The Yard, similar toNBA 2k'sMyPark.

Due to theWashington Redskinsannouncing the retirement of the team'scontroversial monikeron July 13, 2020, EA announced on July 17 that it would be doing an update onMadden NFL 21to remove the team's logo and name and replacing them with a generic Washington logo and name pending further developments.[60][61]

Madden NFL 22

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Main article:Madden NFL 22

Madden NFL 22was announced with bothTampa Bay BuccaneersquarterbackTom BradyandKansas City ChiefsquarterbackPatrick Mahomesas the cover athletes. It was the second cover appearance for both players.[62]

Madden NFL 23

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Main article:Madden NFL 23

Madden NFL 23was announced with head coachJohn Maddenas the cover star on Madden Day (June 1, 2022, the same day the series' first installment,John Madden Football,was released) in honor of his death on December 28, 2021. The cover of the next gen version is a picture of Madden celebrating his victory as the head coach of theOakland RaidersatSuper Bowl XI.The All Madden Edition is based on the cover of the series' 1st installment,John Madden Football,made by Chuck Styles.

Madden NFL 24

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Main article:Madden NFL 24

Madden NFL 24was announced withBuffalo BillsquarterbackJosh Allenas the cover athlete.[63][64]

License history and spinoffs

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Licensing

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Until 1993, the Madden series did not have official licenses from theNational Football League(NFL) orNational Football League Players Association(NFLPA).Madden NFL '94was the first game in the series to include real NFL teams, andMadden NFL '95added an NFLPA license for real players through theNational Football League Players Incorporated(NFLPI).[65]The licenses restrict EA from including certain content in currentMaddengames, such as the humorous ambulance that picks up injured players in 1991'sJohn Madden Football II.[3]The NFL Coaches Association sold the rights to have NFL coaches' names appear in theMadden NFLgames;Madden NFL 2001was the first game in the series to feature this license.[66]NeitherNew England PatriotscoachBill BelichicknorBill Parcellsappeared in the game as they are not members of the NFL Coaches Association. Likewise, non-NFLPA players (such asThurman Thomasduring his playing career) do not appear in the game, instead being replaced with generic placeholders.

Exclusivity

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In 2004, EA signed an exclusive licensing rights agreement through 2009 with the NFL and the NFLPA to give the company the exclusive rights to use the NFL's teams, stadiums, and players in a video game.[67]Mike Mika, who was working onNFL 2K,described the agreement as "like a nuclear bomb going off in the game industry", canceling rival NFL projects.[10]This exclusive license prevents other rival video game developers from producing official NFL video games. The deal, reportedly worth $300 million and later extended to 2013,[3]has been widely criticized. Some competitors, such as theBlitz: The Leagueseries, have elected to continue, seeking to distinguish themselves through innovative gameplay while others, such as theNFL 2Kseries, have ceased production. In 2007,2K SportsreleasedAll Pro Football 2K8,which used former NFL stars.

In 2020 2K gained the rights for "non-simulation football game experiences" from the NFL. The deal is said to not impact Madden which will remain the only "simulation" football game.[68]

In 2020 the NFL extended its exclusive rights with EA which were due to expire in 2022, which changed to until 2026 for a reported $1.5 billion, with a provision for an additional year of exclusivity if EA hits revenue targets.[69][70][71][72]

Head Coachseries

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Main article:NFL Head Coach

In August 2006,EA SportsdebutedNFL Head Coach,which utilized theMaddenengine to create a football management simulation. The game was criticized as buggy and unrealistic. EA Tiburon rebuilt the game from the ground up, addressing flaws and creating a proprietary engine, over the course of three years.NFL Head Coach 09was released on August 12, 2008, bundled with the special edition ofMadden NFL 09and as a standalone game on September 2, 2008.

Madden NFL Social

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Madden NFL Socialwas an early version ofMadden NFL MobileforFacebookandiOSthat was released November 1, 2012 and shut down September 2, 2013.

Madden Arcade

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Released on November 24, 2009,[73]the game is 5-on-5 and takes the best 10 players from each of the 32 NFL teams.[74]

Madden NFL Mobile

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Madden NFL Mobilewas released on August 26, 2014, and is only the third Madden game on mobile devices. The game is very similar to the Madden Ultimate Team (MUT) game mode, and the game is currently on its 9th season.

Madden NFL Football

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Madden NFL Footballwas released as a launch title for theNintendo 3DSon March 27, 2011.[75]

Voice commentary

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Voice commentary inMaddenallows players or watchers to hear the game being called as if it were a real game onTV.[76]For early versions of the game, this commentary was performed by Madden himself and his play-by-play partner. Initially, this wasPat Summerall,his partner during their days atCBSandFoxfrom the early 1980s to the early 2000s until Summerall retired; the role was then filled byAl Michaels,John's broadcast partner onMonday Night Football(2002–2005) andNBC Sunday Night Football(2006–2008). For the first Madden games on theXbox 360andPS3,they featured a generic EA Sports radio announcer doing play-by-play. This started withMadden 06and ended withMadden 08.[77]Other versions of those games still featured Madden's commentary.

Madden recorded thousands of lines for eachMaddengame.[10]Madden NFL 09was the last version to feature Madden's commentary, albeit in a reduced role. By that time, he felt that reciting a script covering every single scenario in the game was boring and tedious[9]—Madden recalled the long hours spent alone in the recording studio as "the most difficult part of any part that I've ever had in the game and the least amount of fun"[8]—but said that in the decision to remove him from game commentary, "I feel that something is being taken away from me".[3]

Madden and Michaels were replaced byCris Collinsworthas color commentator andTom Hammondon play-by-play inMadden NFL 09andMadden NFL 10.Gus Johnsonreplaced Hammond inMadden NFL 11andMadden NFL 12,with Collinsworth handling color commentary in both games.[78]Madden NFL 13marked the debut of real-life announcing teamJim NantzandPhil Simms,including them appearing in an in-booth cutscene before the game.[79]Nantz and Simms stayed untilMadden NFL 16,when they were replaced byFox'sBrandon GaudinandCharles DavisforMadden NFL 17.Nantz continued to work as the primary play-by-play announcer forCBS,while Simms later left the CBS broadcast booth to work onThe NFL Today.Gaudin and Davis returned to the studio throughout the2016 NFL seasonto add new commentary relevant to each week of the season.[80]

In addition,Madden NFL 08andMadden NFL 09were also released in Spanish, featuringESPN DeportesannouncerÁlvaro Martínproviding both play-by-play and analysis.[81]

Games list

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Titles in the series
Title Release Platforms On the cover
John Madden Football 1988 MS-DOS,C64/C128,Apple II John Madden
John Madden Football 1990 Genesis,Amiga,SNES
John Madden Football II 1991 MS-DOS
John Madden Football '92 Genesis
John Madden Football '93 1992 Genesis, SNES
John Madden Duo CD Football 1993 TG16(Super CD)
Madden NFL '94 Genesis, SNES
John Madden Football[82][83] 1994 3DO John Madden
Ricky Wattersof theSan Francisco 49ers(PAL version)
Madden NFL '95 Genesis, SNES,Game Boy,Game Gear,TV game John Madden withErik Williamsof theDallas CowboysandKarl Wilsonof theSan Francisco 49ersin the background
Madden NFL '96 1995 Windows,Genesis, SNES, Game Boy, Game Gear John Madden withCary Brabhamof theCarolina PanthersandGordon Laroof theJacksonville Jaguarsin the background[84]
Madden NFL 97 1996 Windows, Genesis, SNES,PS1,Saturn,Game Boy John Madden
Madden NFL 98 1997 Windows, Genesis, SNES,PS1,Saturn John Madden
Madden Football 64 N64
Madden NFL 99 1998 Windows, PS1, N64 John Madden
Garrison Hearstof theSan Francisco 49ers(PAL version)
Madden NFL 2000 1999 Windows, PS1, N64,Game Boy Color,Macintosh John Madden withBarry Sandersof theDetroit Lionsin the background /Dorsey Levensof theGreen Bay Packers(European PAL version)
Madden NFL 2001 2000 Windows, PS1, N64, Game Boy Color,PS2 Eddie Georgeof theTennessee Titans
Madden NFL 2002 2001 Windows, PS1, N64, PS2,GameCube,Xbox,Game Boy Color,Game Boy Advance Daunte Culpepperof theMinnesota Vikings
Madden NFL 2003 2002 Windows, PS1, PS2, GCN, Xbox, Game Boy Advance Marshall Faulkof theSt. Louis Rams
Madden NFL 2004 2003 Windows, PS1, PS2, GCN, Xbox, Game Boy Advance Michael Vickof theAtlanta Falcons
Madden NFL 2005 2004 Windows, PS1, PS2, GCN, Xbox, Game Boy Advance,Nintendo DS,Tapwave Zodiac Ray Lewisof theBaltimore Ravens
Madden NFL 06 2005 Windows, PS2, GCN, Xbox,Xbox 360,Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS,PSP,Windows Mobile,Mobile phone Donovan McNabbof thePhiladelphia Eagles
EA Sports Madden NFL Football Arcade
Madden NFL 07 2006 Windows, Mobile phone, PS2, GCN, Xbox, Xbox 360,PS3,Wii,Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PSP Shaun Alexanderof theSeattle Seahawks
John Madden(Hall Of Fame Edition)
EA Sports Madden NFL Football: Season 2 Arcade N/A
Madden NFL 08 2007 Windows, PS2, NGC, Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP,Mac OS X Vince Youngof theTennessee Titans
Luis Castilloof theSan Diego Chargers(Spanish language version)
Madden NFL 09 2008 PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP Brett Favreof theGreen Bay Packers/New York Jets(alternative cover)[a]
Roberto Garzaof theChicago Bears(Spanish language version)
Madden NFL 10 2009 PS2, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PSP,iOS Troy Polamaluof thePittsburgh Steelers
Larry Fitzgeraldof theArizona Cardinals
Madden NFL 11 2010 PS2, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PSP, iOS Drew Breesof theNew Orleans Saints
Madden NFL Football 2011 Nintendo 3DS N/A
Madden NFL 12 PS2, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PSP, iOS,Android,BlackBerry Playbook Peyton Hillisof theCleveland Browns
Madden NFL 13 2012 Xbox 360, PS3, Wii,Wii U,PS Vita,iOS Calvin Johnsonof theDetroit Lions
Madden NFL 25 2013[85] Xbox 360, PS3,Xbox One,PS4,iOS, Android Barry Sandersof theDetroit Lions(Xbox 360 and PS3)
Adrian Petersonof theMinnesota Vikings(Xbox One and PS4)
Madden NFL 15 2014 Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 Richard Shermanof theSeattle Seahawks
Madden NFL Mobile iOS, Android Richard Shermanof theSeattle Seahawks(2014 season)
Odell Beckham Jr.of theNew York Giants(2015 season)
Rob Gronkowskiof theNew England Patriots/Von Millerof theDenver Broncos/Antonio Brownof thePittsburgh Steelers(2016 season)
Tom Bradyof theNew England Patriots(2017 season)
Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers (2018 season)
Patrick Mahomesof theKansas City Chiefs(2019 season)
Lamar Jacksonof theBaltimore Ravens(2020 season)
Tom Bradyof theTampa Bay BuccaneersandPatrick Mahomesof theKansas City Chiefs(2021 season)
John Madden (2022 season)
Josh Allenof theBuffalo Bills(2023 season)
Madden NFL 16 2015 Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 Odell Beckham Jr.of theNew York Giants
Madden NFL 17 2016 Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 Rob Gronkowskiof theNew England Patriots
Madden NFL 18 2017 Xbox One, PS4 Tom Bradyof theNew England Patriots
Madden NFL 19 2018 Windows, Xbox One, PS4 Antonio Brownof thePittsburgh Steelers
Terrell Owensof theDallas Cowboys(Hall of Fame Edition)
Madden NFL 20 2019 Windows, Xbox One, PS4 Patrick Mahomesof theKansas City Chiefs
Madden NFL 21 2020 Windows, Xbox One, PS4,Xbox Series X/S,PS5,Stadia Lamar Jacksonof theBaltimore Ravens
Madden NFL 22 2021 Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Stadia Tom Bradyof theTampa Bay Buccaneers
Patrick Mahomesof theKansas City Chiefs
Madden NFL 23 2022 Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 John Madden[b]
Madden NFL 24 2023 Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 Josh Allenof theBuffalo Bills
Madden NFL 25 2024 Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 Christian McCaffreyof theSan Francisco 49ers

Reception and legacy

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Madden recalls a time in San Francisco when aPhiladelphia Eaglesplayer rushed into a hotel room asking, 'Where's Madden?' When people pointed to theFoxcommentator, the player said, 'No, not that Madden. I want the game!'

— Los Angeles Times,2002[86]

As of 2013Electronic Arts has sold more than 100 million copies ofMadden NFL,and more than five million in one year, for more than $4 billion in total sales.[87]AtEA TiburoninOrlando, Floridaa team of 30 developers and more than 100game testersworks on each new game in the series,[88]which as of 2012contains more than 10 million lines ofsource code.[8]

Madden, once better known forAce Hardwarecommercials than football despite winningSuper Bowl XIas the head coach for theOakland Raiders,is now better known forMadden NFLthan as coach or broadcaster.[13][3]He received an estimated $2 to 3 million each year for his endorsement[89]but describes himself as "never a good player" ofMaddenand prefers to watch others play.[8]Although Madden says that "a computer is a helluva lot smarter than me"[90]he has influenced the series' design from the first game,[10]and since retiring from broadcasting and doing video-game voice commentary in 2009 his participation in eachMadden's development has increased:[8][88]

He breaks down upcoming rules changes. He brings up concussions, helmet-to-helmet hits and gimmick quarterbacks. A digression on how theDome Patrol-eraSaintsused to frustrateBill Walsh's49ersteams with short linebacker drops becomes a lecture on the obsolescence of the fullback, which then morphs into a short aside on player character.[3]

EA estimates that the series has five to seven million dedicated fans, and an underground circuit ofMaddencash tournaments exists.[8]Marshall Faulkin 2010 estimated that "50 percent on up" of NFL players areMaddenplayers, who play in the league with or against childhood heroes they once chose to play as in the game.[5]Players typically play as themselves regardless of their electronic counterparts' abilities[86][91][5]and immediately check new releases of the game for changes in the more than 60 ratings of their talent.[92][90]They often complain to Madden and EA about allegedly inaccurate ratings (onlyEmmitt Smithhas told him that the game rated him too high),[10]or ask for changes in theirin-game appearance.Such complaints began as early as 1990, confusing the broadcaster, who did not contribute the player statistics for that year's version due to lack of time.[88][89]

Coaches and players at all levels of the sport such asK. J. WrightandJoe Brady[93]say thatMaddenhas influenced them and recommend the game to learn football strategy and tactics, practice plays and assignments, and simulate opponents.[88][5]Teddy Bridgewater,who has usedMaddento practice plays since college atLouisville,created Brady's playbook in the game to help his backupsP. J. WalkerandWill Grier.[93]Young players who grew up withMaddenreportedly understand plays better than those who did not.Wiredin 2010 wrote that the growing use of rookie quarterbacks and thespread offensewas influenced by the game, stating that "the sport is being taken over by something you might call Maddenball — a sophisticated, high-scoring, pass-happy, youth-driven phenomenon". When theDenver Broncos'Brandon Stokleyin 2009 burned six seconds of the clock with an unusual run before scoring the winning touchdown against theCincinnati Bengals,Maddendesigners—who were watching the game with Madden—immediately recognized his action as "what happens in the game!"[5][3][10]

Football broadcasts on televisionuseMadden-like visual cues to more closely resemble it, and the NFL considers the series its "33rd franchise" because each week during the season EA Sports receives the same searchable film database of every play that each of the league's 32 teams do.[3][8][90]The game is the NFL's second-largest source of licensing revenue, after apparel, and an important part of the league's recruitment of children as new football fans[86]

ThePro Football Hall of Famein 2003 opened an interactive exhibit in which visitors playMadden,[92]three years before its namesake's induction.[3]Museum of the Moving Imagein New York City in early 2014 celebratedMadden NFL's 25th anniversary, with an exhibit including five playable versions of the game.[94]

In a similar approach used by the automobile industry, untilMadden NFL 25,theMaddenseries has always historically been numbered one year later than the year in which it is released. However, the season it represents is the year in which the game is released (thus,Madden NFL 13was actually released in 2012 and is modeled after the2012 NFL season).

In 1996,Next Generationlisted the Genesis installments of the series collectively as number 30 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time", calling them "One of the best two-player games of all time, the game that reinvented EA, and, (along withSonic the Hedgehog), the game that launchedSega's 16-bit assault onNintendo."[95]

During the mid-1990s, the series came under increasing criticism for its exploitable AI in single-player mode, as certain plays would consistently trounce AI-controlled teams,[96]and came to be regarded as primarily a multiplayer experience.[97]

Incidents

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On August 26, 2018, amass shootingoccurred at anesportstournament inJacksonville, Florida,[98]that was a qualification event for theMadden NFLChampionship Series, playingMadden NFL 19.The incident waslive-streamedonTwitch,and shots can be heard in the streaming coverage.[99]3 people, including the suspect were killed and at least 11 people were injured. One victim was not hurt by gunfire.[100]

Criticism

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SinceMadden NFL 06on the seventh generation of consoles,Electronic Artshas received criticism for not evolving the Madden games for next generation consoles, while graphics have certainly improved, certain popular features from older games in the series have been removed for unknown reasons, then some come back in newer iterations slightly altered and advertised as a new feature. Many glitches and poor balancing of the meta have been seen in the games and some gamers and reviewers think there has been little to no improvement with recent iterations ofMadden.[101]The most notable bugs affecting the community have been extensive issues with franchise mode, commentary hiccups, gameplay/physics issues, and disconnection/loss of progress problems.[102][103][104][105][106]Some reviews of recentMaddengames have criticized the series for not evolving and not making changes to the series and saying older iterations of the series are better games.[107]EA has also received criticism for not improving Franchise Mode, which was one of its flagship modes and instead only focusing on Ultimate Team, its team-building card game mode introduced inMadden NFL 10which gradually started to get monetized throughout the 2010s.[108]The trailer release forMadden NFL 21on June 17, 2020, was widely panned by gamers and reviewers as seen in its like-to-dislike ratio and its user review score onMetacriticare at an all-time low, sitting at 0.2 as of January 2021.[109][108][110][111]

Curse

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Prior to 1998, every annual installment of theMadden NFLseries primarily featured Madden on its cover.[3][112]In 1998,Electronic ArtsselectedGarrison Hearstto appear on the PAL version's cover, although Madden remained on the North American release. Beginning withEddie Georgein 2000, the series has usually featured one of the league's top players on every annual installment,[113]despite Madden's opposition.[3]While appearing on the cover has become an honor akin toappearing on the Wheaties box,[3]much like theSports IllustratedCover Jinx,certain players who appeared onMaddenvideo game box art have experienced a decline in performance or an injury. This run of misfortune forMaddencover athletes has been dubbed the "Maddencurse ".[114]

When asked about the Madden Curse, EA Sports'Chris Erbsaid, "I don't know that we believe in the curse. The players don't believe in the curse."[115]Running backShaun Alexander,who was featured on the cover ofMadden NFL 07,commented, "Do you want to be hurt and on the cover, or just hurt?" andMadden NFL 08cover athleteVince Youngexpressed skepticism,[116][117]whileMadden NFL 12cover athletePeyton Hillisattributed his subpar season that year to the curse.[118]

The perception that the curse is real has resulted in fans lobbying for their favorite players not to be on the cover, such as fans ofLaDainian Tomlinsonwho were strongly opposed to EA Sports' initial decision to feature him on the cover ofMadden NFL 08,so much that a fan createdSaveLTfromMaddento voice their disdain.[119][120][121]Tomlinson declined the offer, but later said it was solely due to contract negotiations.[121]Starting withMadden NFL 11EA has allowed fans to choose their favorite player for the cover.[122]However, EA believes that many fans vote against their favorite player to avoid the "curse".[8]It has become so prominent that bookmakers create odds on how likely an injury will occur to the player appearing on the cover.[123]

The injuries thatMaddencover athletes experience can be attributed to the physical nature of football.[115]Critics of the curse also note that several players had successful seasons when they appeared on the cover, such asMadden NFL 13'sCalvin Johnson,who set the single-season record for receiving yards,Madden NFL 18'sTom Brady,who was namedMVP,andMadden NFL 20'sPatrick Mahomes,who not only wonSuper Bowl LIV,but was also thegame's MVP,thus breaking the Madden Curse.[124][125]

In December 2010, EA announced plans to develop a comedy film based on the Madden curse.[126]However, EA Entertainment executive Pat O'Brien stated in October 2014 that EA is not working on a Madden curse movie.[127]

Annual events

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Madden Bowl

edit

The Madden Bowl is a single elimination tournament held on the most current edition ofMadden NFL.It has been held since1995during Super Bowl weekend in the host city and, in the past, participation included NFL players and celebrities. The Madden Bowl's participation has changed over the years from being an event held with athletes, musicians, and celebrities, to become an event where only NFL players who are invited to participate get a chance to play. Participants in the Madden Bowl are free to choose whichever team they like. Winners receive a Madden Bowl trophy and recognition in the upcomingMaddenvideo game.

The 2006 Madden Bowl, held during the weekend ofSuper Bowl XLin Detroit, was televised onESPNand premiered in April 2006. Concurrently, ESPN also hosted a separate series of competitions calledMadden Nation,which was areality televisionshow that chronicled a cross-country trip to crown the best Madden player in the United States and aired from 2005 to 2008.[128]

From 2011 to 2012, the Madden Bowl competition utilizes the new Online Team Play feature included inMadden NFL 11.Rather than competing as individuals, players form groups of three to square-off for the trophy. After this feature was discontinued, the Madden Bowl competition continued in a Head-to-Head format.

Winners

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Rookie winners

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EA Super Bowl simulation

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Since 2004, EA Sports has run a simulation of theSuper Bowlusing the latest game in theMadden NFLseries and announced the result. The game simulations conducted by EA have correctly predicted 11 of the last 20 Super Bowl winners. The company accurately predicted the final score for the 2015 game and other details, including a score of 24–14 in favor of Seattle in the third quarter, despite skepticism within EA that Seattle would lose after a double-digit lead.[131][90]The predictions were incorrect in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. The latter three was the first time that the predictions were incorrect for three consecutive years. EA also releases a computer-generated description of the simulated game as if it were a summary of the real Super Bowl. The results of the simulated and actual Super Bowl games are listed below.

Year Super
Bowl 		Madden's winner Madden's loser Actual
score 		Madden's prediction Madden's
record (based on Result) 		Sources
Score Result Points diff.
2004 XXXVIII New England Patriots Carolina Panthers 32–29 23–20 Y Y 1–0 [132]
2005 XXXIX New England Patriots Philadelphia Eagles 24–21 26–21 Y N 2–0 [133]
2006 XL Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks 21–10 24–19 Y N 3–0 [134]
2007 XLI Indianapolis Colts Chicago Bears 29–17 38–27 Y N 4–0 [135]
2008 XLII New England Patriots New York Giants 14–17 38–30 N N 4–1 [136]
2009 XLIII Pittsburgh Steelers Arizona Cardinals 27–23 28–24 Y Y 5–1 [137]
2010 XLIV New Orleans Saints Indianapolis Colts 31–17 35–31 Y N 6–1 [138]
2011 XLV Pittsburgh Steelers Green Bay Packers 25–31 24–20 N N 6–2 [139]
2012 XLVI New York Giants New England Patriots 21–17 27–24 Y N 7–2 [140]
2013 XLVII Baltimore Ravens San Francisco 49ers 34–31 27–24 Y Y 8–2 [141]
2014 XLVIII Denver Broncos Seattle Seahawks 8–43 31–28 N N 8–3 [142]
2015 XLIX New England Patriots Seattle Seahawks 28–24 28–24 Y Y 9–3 [143]
2016 50 Carolina Panthers Denver Broncos 10–24 24–20 N N 9–4 [144]
2017 LI New England Patriots Atlanta Falcons 34 – 28 (OT) 27–24 Y N 10–4 [145]
2018 LII New England Patriots Philadelphia Eagles 33–41 24–20 N N 10–5 [146]
2019 LIII Los Angeles Rams New England Patriots 3–13 30–27 N N 10–6 [147]
2020 LIV Kansas City Chiefs San Francisco 49ers 31–20 35 – 31 Y N 11–6 [148]
2021 LV Kansas City Chiefs Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9–31 37 – 27 N N 11–7 [149]
2022 LVI Cincinnati Bengals Los Angeles Rams 20–23 24 – 21 N N 11–8 [150]
2023 LVII Philadelphia Eagles Kansas City Chiefs 35–38 31 – 17 N N 11–9 [151]
2024 LVIII Kansas City Chiefs San Francisco 49ers 25–22 (OT) 30 – 28 Y N 12–9 [152]

Notes

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  1. ^The cover was initially launched with the recently-retired Favre in a Green Bay Packers uniform. After production began, Favre came out of retirement and was traded to the New York Jets. A downloadable version of the cover with Favre in a Jets uniform was made available on EA Sports' website.
  2. ^The cover of the next gen version is a picture of Madden celebrating his victory as the head coach of theOakland RaidersatSuper Bowl XI,while the cover of the All Madden Edition is based on the cover ofJohn Madden Football,made by Chuck Styles.

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Further reading

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