Those hoping that the NFL might stop catering to EA Sports and Madden, look away. EA has been the sole video game creator for American football since 2004, which is when the last non-Madden NFL title was released (NFL Gameday 2005). The series has been criticized heavily by fans and players, with many lamenting the lack of competition. Sadly, that’s not going to change any time soon.
EA, Madden Retain NFL Deal for Six More Years
Madden has never been the pinnacle of video gaming. It is often a lazy yearly release meant to capitalize on the changes the NFL undergoes from a year to year basis. There are hardly ever any new game modes, meaningful gameplay wrinkles, or graphical changes that happen when a new title in the series is released. The only thing that changes is the roster, from players being on certain teams (and rookies) and the overall ratings.
EA can get away with doing the bare minimum, which they often do, because there is no alternative. If you’re a fan of the NFL, the only video game you can get is the latest Madden. There’s no other way to run the Carolina Panthers, build a team around Caleb Williams, or any simulation of the NFL. There are other football games, but they’re few and far between and they don’t have NFL licensing.
That’s going to continue to be the case through 2031. According to NFL insider Albert Breer, the NFL has extended its partnership with EA through then. Any hopes of a challenger or at least a reason for EA to truly try and make a better game has gone by the wayside for now.
Why Madden Doesn’t Work
The reason this is such disappointing news for the gaming world is because it means six more years of bad football simulators. EA takes advantage of consumers desperate for licensed NFL gaming so they can put out lazy, half-baked games every single year for $70 (base game, there are some editions that cost well over $100). Players pay for it, which only furthers the cycle, but they’re really at a loss here since there is no alternative. It’s not like with Call of Duty, which is also often a lazy yearly release, because there are other first-person shooters to turn to.
Madden players can only really play it, and the NFL and EA Sports both know this. They have a monopoly on it, which is bad for business in every scenario, but especially for the gaming world. And since the partnership seems to have no end, no one can even attempt to make a competitor that might possibly either give football fans a better game or at least scare EA into putting in more effort.
We know EA can do that. College Football 25 had its faults, but it had a lot more effort put into it and there was a lot more care for the community. That’s not been true for Madden for the most part, which is sad. A $50 billion company (via Macro Trends) should put more time and effort into making good games. They should also consider making it live-service so players don’t have to spend $70 a year to get an accurate overall rating or rookies, but that’s a conversation for another day.
Fourth Down
Maybe someday, NFL fans will get the chance to experience what good gaming is like. It is a fantastic industry full of love and wonder, but that rarely ever bleeds into the crossover between video games and sports. And sadly, for football, it looks like it won’t for another six years at least, although we can probably stop deluding ourselves that EA will ever have competition on this one.
