All Articles: Madden NFL 18

EA will announce at least two never-before-seen games during their 2017 E3 event

Posted on June 9, 2017 by John Scalzo

The 2017 E3 Expo will unofficially begin this weekend, when Electronic Arts opens the doors to “EA Play 2017,” their E3 Press Conference. EA Play 2017 will feature eight new titles, and it can be viewed online at EA.com or Twitch beginning on Saturday, June 10, at 3:00 PM (Eastern Time).

So what will EA talk about during their 90 minutes in the spotlight? In addition to a closer look at six previously-announced blockbusters, the publisher plans to unveil “more surprises,” including at least two never-before-seen projects. The six games currently confirmed for EA Play 2017 are:

EA Play 2017 Lineup

  • Star Wars: Battlefront II – Featuring all Star Wars eras, a single player campaign and epic scale multiplayer battles, Star Wars: Battlefront II presents the most robust Star Wars game to date. The game is developed in partnership with three powerhouse studios: DICE, Motive Studios and Criterion Games, each with a rich background of creating award-winning games.
  • FIFA 18 – Powered by Frostbite, FIFA 18 blurs the line between the virtual and real worlds, bringing to life the heroes, teams, and atmospheres of the world’s game.
  • Madden NFL 18 – With Frostbite, the spectacle of NFL gameday comes alive delivering photorealistic players, crowds and stadiums, and introduces an all-new mode to the Madden NFL franchise.
  • NBA Live 18 – Delivering gameplay innovations and a brand-new way to play with “The One,” NBA Live returns with an experience completely centered around a player’s individual journey.
  • Need For Speed Payback – This explosive adventure is filled with intense heist missions, high stakes car battles, epic cop pursuits and jaw dropping set pieces. It’s blockbuster gameplay never before seen from the series, fueled by a gripping story of betrayal and revenge. With Need for Speed Payback, it’s about building the perfect ride, getting behind the wheel and playing out an action driving fantasy.
  • Battlefield 1 – It’s a Summer of Battlefield including the entry of the Russian Army and the biggest front of WW1 in Battlefield 1: In the Name of the Tsar. Partake in the skirmishes of the Albion assault in a freezing archipelago and fight in the snow-covered ravines of the treacherous Lupkow Pass.

EA Play 2017 will be followed by a second livestream that includes further details about the all-new “Nivelle Nights” map in Battlefield 1 Need For Speed Payback, Madden NFL 18, FIFA 18, and Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes.

If you’re going to be in Los Angeles for this weekend, you can attend the EA Play FanFest at the Hollywood Palladium to play any (or all) of games. More than 150 demo stations will be available, and tickets are free (but limited). You can learn more about how to attend the EA Play FanFest at the event’s official website.

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Tom Brady gets a “GOAT Edition” as the cover athlete of Madden NFL 18

Posted on May 13, 2017 by John Scalzo

Ever since he helped the New England Patriots win Super Bowl LI in February, the sports world has been debating whether or not Tom Brady is the “Greatest Of All Time” (the “GOAT”). Yesterday, EA Sports delivered their opinion on the matter by announcing that Brady would grace the cover of Madden NFL 18, as well as a special “GOAT Edition” of the game.

“The Madden NFL 18 cover is a great honor for me,” said Brady. “Especially since I have been playing the game since growing up next to EA headquarters in the Bay Area. I’m not one to believe in curses, so I’m ready to take the challenge head on like always! It doesn’t stand a chance!!!”

Madden NFL 18 is once again in development at EA Tiburon and will use EA’s proprietary Frostbite engine for the first time. According to the publisher, the Frostbite engine will provide “a significant visual leap” for the franchise.

EA Sports also unveiled the first teaser trailer for Madden NFL 18, but fans will have to wait until this year’s E3 Expo for a more in-depth look at the game. As part of this presentation, EA Sports will reveal a brand new story mode for Madden NFL 18 patterned after FIFA 17‘s The Journey.

Fans who pre-order Madden NFL 18 will receive a pair of Ultimate Team bonuses including an Elite player from their favorite NFL team and five Squad Packs. Those who opt for the GOAT Edition will also receive the “GOAT Player” of their choice for the popular mode. And in addition to these bonuses, the GOAT Edition will also feature a three-day early access period.

Madden NFL 18 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on August 25.

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EA’s EA Play event at E3 2017 will include Star Wars: Battlefront 2, a new Need For Speed, FIFA 18, Madden NFL 18, and more

Posted on March 24, 2017 by John Scalzo

Electronic Arts has announced that they’ll once again play host to EA Play, their E3-adjacent mini-conference, in Los Angeles this June.

The publisher will take over the Hollywood Palladium from June 10th through the 12th, and tickets will go on sale at noon (Eastern Time) on April 20. EA also wants to connect to their fans who can’t make it to LA, and they’re planning to broadcast multiple live reports from the show floor at EA.com.

EA Play will give in-person attendees and viewers at home a first look at the publisher’s upcoming slate of games including Star Wars: Battlefront 2, Need For Speed 2017, Madden NFL 18, FIFA 18, and NBA Live 18.

And as you might have guessed, several surprise announcements are also being lined up for EA Play.

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EA Sports will release Madden NFL 18, FIFA 18, NHL 18, NBA Live 18, UFC 3 this year

Posted on February 2, 2017 by John Scalzo

There’s no need to panic… EA Sports will indeed release a full slate of sports simulations in 2017.

CEO Andrew Wilson shared the completely unsurprising news during EA’s quarterly financial report earlier this week, and he seems particularly proud of the enhancements planned for FIFA 18, including an expanded new storyline for “The Journey”:

FIFA 18 will build on the foundation we created with Story Mode this year, bringing players back to “The Journey” with Season 2, featuring new characters and new storylines. Our development team in Vancouver is delivering deeply innovative new experiences across this year’s game, including an Ultimate Team, and creating the most emotionally immersive and connected FIFA we have ever produced.

Wilson also announced that development of the Madden franchise will finally transition to the Frostbite Engine with Madden NFL 18:

Our Madden NFL franchise will transition to the Frostbite Engine with Madden NFL 18, unlocking major visual advancements and new gameplay experiences that will excite dedicated Madden players, football fans, and sports fans overall.

The executive closed the EA Sports portion of his report with confirmation that EA Sports UFC 3 is set to be released sometime in 2017, while NHL 18 and the “all new” NBA Live 18 will be released in the Fall.

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Voice actor strike reveals unannounced games like Lego Marvel 2, Brothers in Arms, more

Posted on October 21, 2016 by John Scalzo

legomarvelsuperheroes-header

SAG-AFTRA, a union representing voice actors and stunt performers, authorized a strike against game developers that began this morning. As part of the process, the union has published a list of projects that members are no longer allowed to work on, and it includes several unannounced games.

It wasn’t much of a shock to learn that EA Sports is already hard at work on Madden NFL 18 and NHL 18, but listings for Lego Marvel 2 and Brothers in Arms were a bit more surprising (though not unexpected). While WB Games has yet to make any noise about a new Lego Marvel game, Gearbox confirmed the existence of a fourth Brothers in Arms game last year.

A large number of mobile games also make up a large part of the list, as well as a few games that are denoted only by codenames. For example, Take-Two is working on something called “Alligator,” while EA is developing games under monikers as diverse as “Odin,” “Fearless,” “Scorpion,” and “Timbits.” We may never know what these codenames refer to (they may even belong to games that have already been released), but one of the union’s major demands is for developers to be more transparent during the hiring process and to use a game’s actual title when contracting with vocal/stunt performers.

Finally, several highly-anticipated 2017 titles will be affected by the strike including Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue, Injustice 2, and Crash Bandicoot Remastered. So hopefully the two sides can reach an equitable agreement soon.

UPDATE: A representative from WB Games has informed us that the inclusion of “Lego Marvel 2” in the SAG-AFTRA strike list is actually a reference to Lego Avengers, which was released earlier this year. However, Lego Avengers was announced in January 2015, several weeks before the union’s deadline for projects that must be part of the picket line.

I’m not sure why it was included on the list (it’s possible the union goofed), but the official line from WB Games is that “Lego Marvel 2” is definitely not a reference to “Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2” or any other unannounced game. That said, I’d be very surprised if WB Games isn’t working on another Lego Marvel game, and we’ll likely hear more about “Lego Marvel 2” in the future.

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