Maddenwon’t be the only show in town anymore, but it will remain the headliner in video-game football for years to come.
NFL ownersapproved an extensionof the league’s current rights deal with EA on Thursday, keeping the company as the sole producer of simulation-based NFL games through the 2025 season and potentially 2026 as originally reported bySports Business Daily. The extension also includes non-exclusive rights to develop arcade-style and mobile games.
Business-wise, the deal doesn’t come as much of a shocker. In terms ofsalesand engagement,Madden NFL 20was the franchise’s biggest year yet. But for football fans, it’s not hard to be disappointed by the news. Players have had varying levels of concern over the franchise’s quality ever since EA gained the exclusive rights fromMadden NFL 06on, and have hoped for years that an alternative would re-emerge to offer choice and drive competition again.
EA’s grip on the NFL rights isn’t as strong as it used to be, with2K having forged a multi-year partnershipwith the league two months ago to create ânon-simulationâ football games, but that hardly means we’ll see the likes of a properNFL 2K,NFL Fever, orNFL GameDayanytime soon.
âBuilding on the most successful year ever forMadden NFL, this is a powerful time for EA Sports to come together with the NFL and the NFLPA in this new wide-reaching partnership,â EA CEO Andrew Wilson said ina joint press release with the NFL and NFLPA. âTogether, we have a tremendous opportunity to entertain more players through newMadden NFLexperiences, games in new genres and on new platforms, esports, and new innovations that will grow fansâ love of the NFL around the world.â
Madden NFL 21wasofficially announcedduring the Inside Xbox showcase on May 7. The game will be there for the launch of the next-gen Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 in the fall, and will have Baltimore Ravens quarterback (and league MVP) Lamar Jacksonas its cover athlete.
