Hey Madden Fans!

Welcome back to Gridiron Notes, your home for news and updates for Madden NFL 25. Our team will be here sharing information all summer long as we gear up for worldwide launch on August 16th. You can expect to see future Deep Dives about topics like Gameplay, Franchise and Presentation, Superstar, Ultimate Team, and more. 

Today, we are covering the high-level features in Madden NFL 25. Before we get into specifics, our team wanted to share the vision for the game this year. 

Bottom line, the goal for Madden NFL 25 is to “look, feel and sound different”. From the first time you fire it up at the “press start” screen, to the menus, to new commentary and inside the game from the NFL Draft all the way to the Super Bowl Trophy Presentation, this was the commitment from the team. We can’t wait to share more with you in future deep dives coming later this summer.

ULTIMATE TEAM PROGRAMS

NFL DRAFT

GAMEPLAY

Here at our Tiburon studio, we know what’s most important to players, and that’s a deep, authentic experience delivering control on the sticks. With this year’s feature set, which includes Physics-Based Tackling powered by BOOM Tech, Signature styles, new mechanics with ball carriers, catching and pre-play, and a focus on football fundamentals within blocking, playbooks, and more, players will have more control than ever before in Madden NFL 25.

BOOM Tech

In Madden NFL 23, the team introduced the FieldSENSE animation-branching system to deliver on control, rather than outcomes that feel more scripted or pre-determined. This year in Madden NFL 25, that vision is being accelerated with the introduction of BOOM Tech, our next gameplay innovation that has been over two years in the making. (PS5®, XBOX Series X|S, and PC only)

The features that make up the BOOM Tech gameplay package are: 

Physics-Based Tackling

Feel realistic control with every tackle, so you can cut loose and attack the ball with powerful Hit Sticks, Cut Sticks, trucks, dives, and stiff arms. The new data-driven physics system considers timing, momentum, weight, speed, strength, and player ratings to inform 1-on-1 ball carrier impact and determine the branching animation to a wider variety of explosive and authentic physical outcomes while keeping players in full control. (PS5®, XBOX Series X|S, and PC only)

Reloaded Hit Stick

The one. The only. The legendary Hit Stick has been refreshed, reloaded, and reimagined to celebrate 20 years as a Madden NFL feature. Bring power in every phase of the game with a timing-based mechanic that provides harder-hitting control determined by angle of impact, stick-skill, and accuracy for cut sticks, big hits, and trucks, with more realistic physical movements and results. Get immediate on-field feedback with visual indicators, new impactful tackle sound effects, and controller rumble haptics (where applicable). (PS5®, XBOX Series X|S, and PC only)

Ball Carrier Control

Run the rock with confidence and command. A new Ball Carrier Balance and Recovery System determines a specific BOOM Tech branching animation based on the quality of the hit and the ratings of the players involved. Get the control you need to counter the Hit Stick, break the tackle, and recover your balance. (PS5®, XBOX Series X|S, and PC only)

Foundational Football

Core gameplay is back with the newest iteration of FieldSENSE™; get increased control across key areas including innovated passing, catching, blocking, and coverages, along with advanced ball carrier mechanics for more dynamic and realistic playmaking. New playbooks capture the game’s most inventive and explosive plays to align with today’s NFL play styles for a wider variety of viable game plans and more strategy in all three phases. Authentic pre-snap and post-play animations deliver a whole new level of authenticity and immersion, while all-new intelligent ball carrier mechanics provide explosive movement and more control between downs. We can’t wait to dive deep into gameplay next to expand on all the new upgrades.

NFL Immersion

Earlier we mentioned the team’s focus on ensuring that Madden NFL 25 looks, feels, and sounds different. The delivery of these features comes down to one huge team focus: Immersion.

Dive deeper than ever into the NFL game day experience with an immersive feature set that brings players closer to NFL action than ever before across game modes; from realistic Franchise changes to two brand new commentary crews, you’ll feel so close to the gridiron you can almost smell the all-new 3D turf. (PS5®, XBOX Series X|S, and PC only)

Franchise Overview

Franchise mode is revamped and recharged with features that build on the realism and immersion:

• NFL Draft Night in Franchise is more authentic than ever with a rebuilt environment, fresh player fits, iconic moments, a draft prospect board that’s easier to navigate, and real-time draft grades. See inside team war rooms and green rooms as the night progresses, then meet Roger Goodell on a new NFL Draft stage in a fresh fit that suits you. 
• Manage personalities through dynamic storylines in team meeting rooms, coach’s offices, press conferences, and practice sidelines.
• Franchise Central provides simplified league creation tools and delivers more important information at your fingertips, including personal messages and top stories that make your Franchise experience feel more like the NFL in every moment. 
• Core Depth Improvements featuring team and rookie records, improved team roster AI for free agency and draft selections, new draft stories and generators, refined player progression logic focused on younger and older players, revamped news content focused on important games every week and female models in create a coach for the first time, as well as a fresh Super Bowl celebration experience.
• Tuning and progression across multiple Franchise systems has been altered to ensure teams are smarter, reflecting real NFL strategy. 
• Crossplay in Franchise will launch in Madden NFL 25 after a successful beta via a live service update at holiday last year.

One More Thing: Team Builder

From our Franchise fans, we heard the desire for more customization!
Introducing Team Builder: design your own team using the customization tools available on the Team Builder website*. Upload your own logos and personalize your team uniforms, helmets and field. Once created, import your team into your Franchise and dominate for Super Bowl glory. Share your creations or explore the download center for other teams created by the community. Stay tuned for more information about Team Builder coming later this summer.

^{*Team Builder content can be used in online Franchise modes. Internet connection & EA account required. Applicable platform account may be required. Age restrictions may apply.} 

(Updates to Franchise mode described here only available on PS5®, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.)

Presentation Overview

New broadcast teams and commentary add to the most immersive audio experience in years. We’ve added crowd audio sourced from the 2023 NFL season’s Monday Night Football games and NFL films, so it doesn’t just feel like realistic crowd noise–it is real crowd noise. On-field sound effects have been increased and refreshed (pad collisions, grunts, exertions, etc.) to now include over 500 samples.

New pregame montages in Superstar and Ultimate Team™ focus more on your players and their storylines. Reenergized environments and camera angles bring an upgraded perspective from kick off to Super Bowl celebrations. Did we mention a new scorebug at the bottom of the screen?

Commentary Teams

Play-by-play never sounded so good. Two new teams join the booth to accompany Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis for the first time in eight years. Mike Tirico and former NFL TE Greg Olsen are paired up, along with Kate Scott and former NFL QB Brock Huard. These new teams are here to refresh your Madden NFL experience and bring it to life with over 42,000 fresh recordings at launch, with multiple in-season updates to keep it fresh. (New commentary on PS5®, XBOX Series X|S, and PC only)

Live Game Modes

Whether you like to team up with friends, go solo, or take on the best competition, there is a Madden NFL mode for you. Last season, the addition of Crossplay made these modes even more accessible. With the addition of Crossplay to Franchise last holiday season, all the top modes are now compatible in Madden NFL 25. 

These experiences have fresh new ways to play in Madden NFL 25 and are constantly being updated all season long. For you, that means new rewards, feature releases, themed programs, and the ability to customize your style and skills in Superstar. Build a dominant roster from current and former NFL legends in Madden Ultimate Team™, utilize regularly updated team playbooks (or stick with Launch Playbooks). Jump into Superstar The League and Superstar Showdown to play and progress your avatar with new, unique mini games, limited-time events, and challenges. 

_{*Superstar mode and new content described here available on PS5®, Xbox Series X|S, and PC only.}

Superstar

Show the world what you’re made of with updates to this action-packed, unique, player-driven mode. Customize your avatar with new archetypes, faces, hair, tattoos, and more. Utilize new Combine drills to grow your avatar, then dominate The League, show off in Showdown, and collect rewards in year-round live events and dynamic seasonal experiences, all while progressing your superstar to Legendary status.  Experience what it takes to become a Superstar by completing the new Superstar quest system. Prove to the media, coach, and teammates that you have what it takes to reach superstar status. New Upgrades to the Player Grading feature track even more on-the-field actions and accomplishments. Completely revamped progression curves help you feel like a rookie coming out of the Combine and playing as a seasoned veteran. Update your player abilities to match your archetype and even upgrade your teammates with Team Abilities. These abilities affect you and help your team progress as you upgrade your character through the Journey to Superstardom. 

Finally, you can transition your Road to Glory character from EA SPORTS™ College Football 25 into Superstar mode. Take your college football character all the way from Draft class to Super Bowl MVP.

Ultimate Team

Build your dream football roster in more ways than ever and utilize new customization options for your powerhouse team of NFL Superstars and NFL Legends. 

In Madden NFL 25 Ultimate Team, winning matters more than ever. With the new Head to Head Ranked mode, only wins can improve your rank. Earning Rank Points will move you up or down Divisions with not only a new level of competition, but a new level of rewards. Win games, earn rewards, rise through the ranks all the way to the Legends Division, an exclusive level of competition reserved for the top 100 Ultimate Team players.

In Solo Seasons, players can play full games against AI opponents of escalating difficulty to progress from the regular seasons, into the playoffs and all the way to the Super Bowl. Providing an endless challenge, solo players can play as much as they want without waiting for the next content update. 

Although, with more seasons than ever in Madden NFL 25, players will never have to wait long for new content. As the NFL season progresses, Ultimate Team will be updated with new, relevant, and responsive content. Even after the Super Bowl, Ultimate Team will still have a full slate of content updates all the way up to the launch of Madden NFL 26.

6-on-6 Live Events will bring small-sided football into Madden NFL Ultimate Team. For the first time ever, players can take their Ultimate Team squad into 6-on-6 matchups. With fewer players on the field, your roster strategy and game plan can be completely different. 

In addition to new ways to compete, the Ultimate Team lineup screen has received a complete overhaul to further streamline the management of your roster. With tools like Lineup Improvement suggestions, drag and drop substitutions, and team boosts all brought to the forefront, unlocking the full potential of your Ultimate Team will be easier than ever.

Online Head-to-Head (H2H)

Climb redesigned leaderboards by playing competitive seasons and mastering the new ranked structure in head-to-head divisions. Progress through divisions to gauge success; only the best of the best will qualify for a spot in the elite Top 100 division.

Experience improved online games through enhancements to the Madden NFL 25 matchmaking system. Based on extensive data and research into what kinds of matchups players enjoy the most, several new factors will be considered when matching with opponents, including your current division and playstyle.

Ranked updates to Online Head-to-Head described here only available on PS5®, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, while playstyle matchmaking improvements are available on all platforms.

Thank you for checking out the first edition of Gridiron Notes for Madden NFL 25. Hopefully this overview helps you get a feel for where we are headed this season, we can’t wait to dive deeper into gameplay and modes coming up this summer! Let’s take a look at the pre-order details and what you can receive from each edition of Madden NFL 25. 

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Pre-order* EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL 25 today and receive:

• Dual Entitlement** (PlayStation & Xbox)
• Superstar Drip Gear + Legendary XP Boost (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, & PC only)
• Choice of 2 Strategy Items (1 Offense & 1 Defense)
• Christian McCaffrey Elite Player Item

Pre-order* the EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL 25 Deluxe Edition and receive:

• 3 Day Early Access
• 4600 Madden Points
• AKA Player Item (if pre-ordered by August 1)
• Exclusive Early Access Solo Challenges 
• Dual Entitlement** (PlayStation & Xbox)
• Superstar Drip Gear + Legendary XP Boost (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, & PC only)
• Choice of 2 Strategy Items (1 Offense & 1 Defense)
• Christian McCaffrey Elite Player Item

Make game day every day with both Madden NFL 25 and EA SPORTS™ College Football 25, plus can’t-miss rewards across both titles. 

Pre-order* the MVP Bundle by August 15 and receive:

• Madden NFL 25 Deluxe Edition
  • 3 Day Early Access
  • 4600 Madden Points
  • Early Access Ultimate Team Challenges
  • AKA Player Item 
  • Cover Athlete Elite Player Item
  • Elite Player Item (Bundle Exclusive)
  • Choice of 2 Strategy Items
  • Superstar Drip Gear (PS5™ or Xbox Series X|S only)
  • Legendary XP Boost (PS5™ or Xbox Series X|S only)
• College Football 25 Deluxe Edition (PS5™ or Xbox Series X|S only)
  • 3 Day Early Access 
  • 4600 College Football Points
  • Alma Mater Ultimate Team Pack (Choice of 1 player item out of 134)
  • Cover Athlete Ultimate Team Pack (Choice of 1 player item out of 3)
  • Heisman Hopeful Ultimate Team Pack (Choice of 1 player item)
  • Road to Glory Ultimate Team Uniform Item

Thank you all so much for tuning in, Happy Madden 25 Season! 

 - The Madden NFL 25 Team

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Madden NFL 25 launches worldwide on August 16, 2024. Pre-order the Madden NFL 25 Deluxe Edition and play early. Conditions and restrictions apply. See disclaimers for details. Stay in the conversation by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Answers HQ.

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