"There goes any chance of us getting a good football game in the future" - NFL fans share their agony over league's latest announcement of extending deal with EA for Madden franchise

Madden NFL 23 is coming very soon (Image via PlayStation)
Madden NFL 23 is coming very soon (Image via PlayStation)

For years, Madden has been the only NFL video game available, but that wasn't always the case. There was a time when there were several other video game companies making football games, including:

  • NFL Street
  • NFL 2K
  • NFL Blitz
  • Backyard Football
  • NFL Fever
  • NFL Gameday

However, since 2010, Madden has been the only official football game since EA partnered with the NFL. Since then, NFL fans have been pleading for different football games since Madden isn't of the highest quality.

Their pleas were dealt a definitive loss with a recent development, though. The NFL renewed its partnership with EA Sports through a new multi-year deal.

The deal only furthers EA's relationship with the league and limits other game developers from getting the required licensing for a strong football game.

Unfortunately, that makes many NFL fans upset.

Another fan was nearly brought to tears.

Others refused to even give EA their money.

Disappointment set in for many.

The news was frustrating for more than a few football gamers.

Suffice it to say, NFL fans are not happy with EA having a relative monopoly in the football gaming world.


Why isn't Madden the NFL game fans want?

Playing a football video game is fun. It's great to be able to take control of one's favorite franchise, suit up as a new player or just play casually as different teams. The football gameplay is one thing, but the most remarkable aspect is the names and likenesses of star players.

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Football is fun, but playing as Patrick Mahomes or Christian McCaffrey is more fun. That's what unfortunately makes Madden so frustrating because that's where the benefits end. The gameplay has problems, and the modes are not optimized. The biggest reason for this is that there's no competition.

If there were another NFL game, fans might buy that, thus forcing EA to improve the quality. Since they're a monopoly, the quality isn't as important.

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Aside from that, the ratings are usually heavily debatable. For example, Micah Parsons is one of the best defenders in football and was an All-Pro last year, but the game has him as the eighth-best linebacker.

Denver Broncos v Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos v Dallas Cowboys

Aaron Rodgers won back-to-back MVPs but isn't even the top-rated quarterback. Both Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry missed a lot of time last season but are in the top two running backs.

DeAndre Hopkins is great, but he also missed time. Placing him as the fourth-best wide receiver and a 96 overall is just another example of poor rating.

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