Tag: EA Madden

Texans QB C.J. Stroud gets underwhelming EA Madden 25 ranking

Nearly everyone can agree that Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was shafted in his Madden ranking heading into 2024.

C.J. Stroud wasn’t expected to do much in the NFL before the 2023 season. As the No. 2 overall pick out of Ohio State on a franchise that won 11 games in three combined seasons, expectations were markedly low heading into September.

Stroud never got that memo since he put together one of the best seasons in NFL history for a rookie en route to helping Houston secure its first division title in four years. Players even were dazzled by his heroics, ranking him No. 20 in the NFL’s Top 100 list.

Even NFL coaches, executives and scouts voted Stroud the seventh-best quarterback in the league entering the 2024 season despite only having one season under his belt.

The folks over at EA Sports still need to see more from the offensive rookie of the year before placing at the top-tier spot.

EA Madden 25 revealed its ratings for quarterbacks on Friday, with Stroud grading out as an 81 overall. That would place him not just outside the top 10, but nearly outside the top 15.

Stroud, who became the fifth rookie in league history to throw for 4,000 yards in their first season, was sandwiched between Detroit’s Jared Goff (82 overall) and Green Bay’s Jordan Love (81 overall).

Naturally, fans weren’t happy with the results.

It would be one thing to argue that Stroud’s inexperience warrants a lower ranking, but EA Sports listed San Francisco’s Brock Purdy as a top-10 passer. Few can insist that Purdy hasn’t shown promise since taking over in the Bay Area, but he’s also been blessed with arguably the league’s top defense and a cast of All-Pro weapons.

Entering Year 2, Stroud has one of those thanks to the additions of Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon and former All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs, but remember that he made history with eight different offensive line combinations and a lackluster run game.

On top of that, the Texans’ defense was hit-or-miss most of the season, especially in the secondary. Twice last season, Stroud led comeback drives to secure victories and plant Houston at the top of the AFC South rankings.

Without Stroud, the Texans would have remained an underwhelming franchise with a lack of direction at the most essential position for success.

Could the same be said for the 49ers with Purdy, who graded out with an 85 overall ranking?

Could the same be said for Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts, who ranked eighth at 86 grade?

How about Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa or Dallas Dak Prescott, who each ranked in the top six with an 88 overall grade or higher?

Stroud, who didn’t play in Thursday’s 21-17 loss against the Chicago Bears in the Hall of Fame game, likely has other things on his mind as the Texans prepare for Week 1.

Fans, however, have ample time to complain about the egregious decision made by those who say, “It’s in the game.”

EA Sports says Madden 24 gameplay is like ‘nothing you’ve seen’

EA Sports debuted the first Madden 24 gameplay footage in a lengthy new trailer and highlighted some of the sports game’s improvements

EA Sports debuted the first Madden 24 gameplay footage in a lengthy new trailer and highlighted some of the sports game’s improvements, including enhanced animations and better collisions. These fixes showed up in July’s Gridiron Notes, but the roughly 30-minute video lets us see them in action and get an idea of how they change the game.

Designer K Spade says these enhancements pave the way for more creativity in playbooks and gameplay in general, and EA expects players to see new plays and strong off-meta builds like nothing they’ve seen before.

Some of the tweaks that make these improvements possible include changes that sound basic, but give you greater control over a situation and an understanding of how it will play out. In one example, EA showed a running play where it takes a heavy collision to force the ball out of the player’s hand. In Madden 23, even a light collision might knock the ball out of your hands, which forced most players to rely on specific builds and teams to try and work around the problem.

Other fixes include better pathing and impact management for receivers, who won’t randomly slow down anymore when they catch the ball, and the option to create deceptive runs to keep the opposing team guessing where your running back is going to end up.

EA also said longtime fans will have some habits to break. Some tried-and-true mechanics, such as the high pass, won’t work the same way they used to. You’ll have to plan more carefully, and even then, a good defense could still tip the ball out of your receiver’s hands for an interception.

In short, what reads like a list of minor improvements looks like it’ll have some substantial effects on how you play and enjoy Madden 24 when it launches for PC and console on Aug. 15, 2023.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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33 Super Bowl halftime stars who were featured in video games

These famous and beloved Super Bowl halftime stars have surprising links to video games that you might not expect.

The Super Bowl halftime shows are as famous and exciting as the game itself, and they’ve only gotten bigger and more grandiose over the years. Since 1967, the Super Bowl halftime shows have been an annual thing to look forward to. 

But wait – these stars aren’t just known for performing at the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl halftime show is often the pinnacle of many artists’ careers, but they all have long and historic careers preceding that moment. 

But in this list we’re looking at fairly recent history, and how popular culture has influenced it. Since the ‘80s, video games have been a common household staple, and many Super Bowl halftime stars have given their talents to video games – or, at the very least, they’ve become tangentially related to them.

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Yes, this is a breakdown of Super Bowl halftime stars that have been associated with video games in some way since the ‘80s. A bit niche? Maybe, but you know you want to see where we’re going with this.

9 of the best football video games that aren’t Madden

Madden 23 is the best current football game, but it’s not the best ever – these are the best football games that aren’t Madden.

If you’re getting ready for a dose of Super Bowl mayhem, then maybe you should look to video games for the opportunity. We all know that Madden is the premier NFL game series in 2023, but that hasn’t always been the case.

If you go back in time you’ll find football games branded by ESPN, NCAA, NFL, and much more. It was probably overwhelming when multiple football games would launch every year, but variety truly is the spice of life. 

In this list we’re breaking down the best ever NFL games that don’t use the Madden name and license. Get ready for a trip down memory lane.

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Here’s the result of every Madden NFL Super Bowl prediction since 2004

EA Sports’ Madden NFL always predicts the Super Bowl results, but how often have they been accurate? We’ve got the answers.

EA Sports’ Madden NFL series has been the go-to football game for decades now. If you want to unwind after work with some football action, this is a mainstay. But not only is it a solid game, but it also has the potential to act as a darn good simulator for real life.

Since 2004 EA Sports has been releasing the results of simulations it runs within the annual editions of Madden NFL that predict how the Super Bowl will unfold – and while nothing is perfect, these predictions can feel surprisingly prescient, especially in the case of Super Bowl 49’s result.

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The results really speak for themselves, and you can find the full list of Madden NFL Super Bowl predictions throughout history, thanks to SportingNews.

For more from the Madden games, take a look at every Madden cover star throughout history.

Madden NFL 23 outsells all other games in the US in August

Madden NFL 23 is hugely popular in the U.S., which shouldn’t surprise anyone.

The U.S. software chart was dominated by Madden NFL 23 in August, and it is already the fifth-best-selling title of 2022, when looking at dollar sales.

VGC reports that the only games that have sold more in 2022 based on revenue are Horizon: Forbidden West, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, and Elden Ring, according to the NPD Group.

Saints Row also made its debut last month, but a lukewarm reception prevented it from taking the top spot. Still, a lack of competition meant that it still took the #2 spot for the month, followed by Marvel’s Spider-Man thanks to a PC release. Spider-Man was the best-selling game for the month on Steam.

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Thanks to restocks PS5 has been the most successful console during August, though the Nintendo Switch is still currently the best-selling console of 2022 to date. There are a few months for that to change, though.

There’s still some time left in September, but it was been an excellent month for games already. Recent releases like Splatoon 3 and Metal: Hellsinger have been huge successes, while FIFA 23 launches on September 30, and is likely to become the best-selling title of September in the UK, at least, if not the US.

If you want to read more about Madden NFL 23, make sure to take a look at our advanced controls guide, Ultimate Team guide, and our breakdown of the best offensive and defensive playbooks to use.

Written by Dave Aubrey on behalf of GLHF.

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Chad Johnson says Ja’Marr Chase’s low Madden 23 rating could change

Former Bengal Chad Johnson believes Ja’Marr Chase’s Madden 23 rating could hit the 90s in the first few weeks of the season. 

Madden 23 is almost here, and, as you’ve probably seen, many fans aren’t happy about the ratings — especially when it comes to Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase. 

In fact, of the thousands of calls to the Madden ratings hotline (yes, that’s a real thing), Chase is the most requested player for a rating adjustment.

There’s no one better to ask about Chase’s current 87 rating than former Bengal and current Madden rating adjuster Chad Johnson. In an interview with Mackenzie Salmon on Sports Seriously, Johnson shared his reaction to the rating. 

“…knowing Ja’Marr, I don’t think he would be upset, because it’s just motivation,” Johnson said. “Me being one of the rating adjusters, he’s one of those that goes, ‘Oh, yeah, 87? OK, watch this,’ and that’s who he is.” 

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Johnson believes Chase’s rating could hit the 90s in the first few weeks of the season. 

“He’s built different, so his 87 can be a 92 by Week 4,” Johnson said. “He has a certain something about him — you can’t coach it, you can’t teach it, it’s just in you. He’s got that ‘it’ factor.”

Watch the interview:

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John Madden will grace the cover of Madden NFL 23

EA Sports is honoring the legendary coach.

The first details of Madden NFL 23 are rolling in, and long-time fans will undoubtedly love this year’s cover star.

On Wednesday, EA Sports announced that John Madden will be on the cover of Madden NFL 23 for the first time in more than 20 years. There’ll be three unique variants featuring the football icon: one from his broadcasting days, another when he was coaching, and original artwork from Chuck Styles for the Madden NFL 23 All Madden Edition. Talk about honoring a legend’s memory in the most appropriate way possible.

“As someone who grew up loving football, playing in the suburbs of West Philly, it’s a full-circle moment to now be able to contribute to the culture of the sport by honoring an icon like John Madden, who has influenced generations of football fans through his passion for football and unmistakable energy, through my art,” Styles said in a press release.

Not since Madden NFL 2000 has John been on the cover, so this has been a long time coming. Check out the All-Madden Edition sleeve for yourself below.

Many were hoping he would be on this year’s cover, so this is fitting. The timing also couldn’t be better since John Madden Football, the series’ first entry, came out on June 1, 1988 — precisely 34 years ago from today. 

There’ll be more information on Madden NFL 23 later this week, including a gameplay trailer reveal. We’ll update you once the details are available.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF.

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Ranking the 10 greatest sports video games of all time

Madden? NBA 2K? The Show? Or a near-40-year-old Atari game?

Welcome to hallowed ground. A virtual hall of fame where only the 10 absolute finest specimens of sports gaming are allowed in. Breathe it in – smell that? Greatness. (Don’t worry if you can’t smell anything, this is just a webpage.)

Sport is a broad term in gaming, of course. Competitive Starcraft is athletic as heck, and the rosters of certain Nintendo karting titles and era-defining skating games would argue strongly for their inclusion here. But we’re being strict.

You can keep your blue shells, Mario Kart. And yes, that is a sick stiffy, Tony Hawk’s 2, but right now we don’t care. It’s numbers, face scans, animations, and forensically accurate kits that matter here. Sports games are about engines simulating and imitating life, and, above all else, making you feel like you’re performing a real sport at a top-level.

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Below are the releases people still talk about, though their polygons might have wilted and their licenses expired because they took a leap forward toward perfect simulation and immersion of the stuff we shout at on TV. They’re the titles we dedicated ourselves to, and were richly rewarded for doing so. Ladies and gentlemen, the sports game GOATs.