All Articles: Madden NFL 19

Madden NFL 19 beat out Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to become the best-selling game of August 2018

Posted on September 19, 2018 by John Scalzo

As new entries in the series always do, EA Sports’s Madden NFL 19 broke away from the pack and sprinted for the end zone as the best-selling game of August 2018. But it’s one of the games it beat out that might be the most interesting story from The NPD Group’s latest report.

According to the market research company (via GamesIndustry.biz), the #8 spot in last month’s list of best-selling games was occupied by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a title that was originally launched in 2009. So why the sudden sales surge? The most likely explanation is because Microsoft recently added the Xbox 360 edition of the game to the Xbox One’s Backwards Compatibility Library.

Adding new sales to perennially best-selling games was absolutely a trend in August, as 2015’s Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege (#3), 2013’s Grand Theft Auto V (#4), and 2014’s Mario Kart 8 (#5) all cracked the top five. But if you’re looking for newer titles, Capcom’s Monster Hunter: World continued its improbable run at the top of the charts by landing at the #2 spot thanks to the PC edition’s August launch.

Overall, the game industry grew 26% year-over-year with total sales of $796 million, including $214 million in hardware (a 28% increase), $330 million for software (a 16% increase), and $251 million for accessories (a whopping 39% increase).

A list of last month’s best-selling games can be found after the break. (more…)

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Madden NFL 19, Dead Cells, Overcooked 2, more coming to Xbox Store this week

Posted on August 8, 2018 by John Scalzo

Football, failed experiments, and food lead the way in this week’s Xbox Games Store update…

The Madden franchise is back for another season of video football with Madden NFL 19. This year’s football simulation features a revamped animation/control system known as Real Player Motion and an expanded Story Mode that continues on from last year’s game.

Also available to download this week through the Xbox Games Store are Dead Cells, a MetroidVania with roguelike elements from Motion Twin, and Overcooked 2, a multiplayer cooking simulation from Ghost Town Games.

Finally this week, Compulsion Games’s narrative adventure, We Happy Few, will leave the Xbox Game Preview program and graduate to a full release.

You can learn more about the rest of this week’s additions to the Xbox Games Store after the break. (more…)

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Madden NFL 19, Dead Cells, Overcooked 2, more coming to PS Store this week

Posted on August 8, 2018 by John Scalzo

Are you ready for some football?

EA Sports intercepts another PlayStation Store update with this week’s launch of Madden NFL 19 for the PS4. This time around, the football simulation will feature an expanded Story Mode and a new animation engine known as Real Player Motion. Also available to download this week for the PS4 is Dead Cells, a MetroidVania that also includes the “constant adrenaline-pumping threat of permadeath.”

Equally nerve-wracking is the kitchens found in Overcooked 2, a multiplayer cooking simulation for the PS4 from Ghost Town Games. And after you cook up some grub, you can settle in for a game of “basketbrawl” from Bread Machine Games and try to impress the Giant Blue Man of Slam Land.

Finally this week, Compulsion Games will bring their wild tale of an alternate 1960s England to the PS4 in We Happy Few. Players will explore a retrofuturistic city in three intertwined storylines as they try to survive among the drugged-out populace.

You can learn more about the rest of this week’s additions to the PlayStation Store after the break. (more…)

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New Retail Releases: Madden NFL 19, Overcooked 2, We Happy Few

Posted on August 6, 2018 by John Scalzo

A trio of new games will be available on retail shelves this week, and each one will provide a unique experience for players looking for something different.

If you’re looking for a new entry in a tried-and-true franchise, you can never go wrong with John Madden Football. EA Sports’s annual football simulation is back this week with the release of Madden NFL 19, and Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown is on the cover. Set to launch for the PS4 and Xbox One, the development team is touting a new animation system known as Real Player Motion this time around, as well as a continuation of last year’s “Longshot” Story Mode

Also available this week is Overcooked! 2, Ghost Town’s multiplayer cooking simulation sequel for the PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. Though we use the word “simulation” pretty loosely, as players will have to deal with “teleporters, moving platforms, dynamic kitchens that shift and evolve, and magic.”

Finally this week, Compulsion Games is ready to release We Happy Few, their whacked-out tale of drug-fueled denial in a “retrofuturistic” alternate take on 1960s England. Featuring three interwoven storylines, We Happy Few will be available for the PS4 and Xbox One.

All three games will also be available to download for the PC in the coming days.

And speaking of digital downloads, we’ll be back later this week with a complete rundown of this week’s new additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.

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EA Sports selects Antonio Brown as the Cover Athlete for Madden NFL 19

Posted on July 19, 2018 by John Scalzo

Madden NFL 19 will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One in just a few weeks (on August 10), and now we know who’ll be gracing the game’s cover.

Antonio Brown is widely considered one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and a recent inductee into Madden’s “99 Club” for players with a 99 Overall rating in the game. Now, the Pittsburgh Steelers star can add another accolade to his trophy case as the official Cover Athlete of Madden NFL 19.

“I am beyond honored to be on the cover of both Madden games,” said Brown. “There’s a lot of milestones athletes dream of, and after being inducted into the Madden 99 Club earlier this year, and now appearing on the cover of this year’s games, it’s clear that business is not just booming, but I’m also among the all-time greatest with these honors.”

“AB has taken the league by storm the past few years and is arguably one of the best wide receivers to ever play in the NFL,” said Joshua Rabenovets, the Senior Brand Director at EA Sports. “His game is hot, he’s got a ton of personality on and off the field – he was an easy choice for the Madden NFL 19 cover.”

Good luck to Antonio Brown during the 2018-2019 season, and please insert your own “Madden Curse” joke here.

A new Madden NFL 19 trailer featuring Brown can be found after the break. (more…)

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Madden NFL 19’s E3 Trailer confirms the franchise is coming back to PC on August 10

Posted on June 9, 2018 by John Scalzo

It’s been more than a decade since EA Sports released a game in the Madden franchise for the PC. But that all changes this year, as the publisher revealed today that Madden NFL 19 will be available for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC this August.

The E3 Trailer embedded above, which was created using “Game Engine Footage,” gives us our first look at the new Real Player Motion system. The Real Player Motion system is “designed to deliver hyper-realistic animations with a higher level of gameplay,” and according to EA Sports, these “elevated animations” add more control to ball carrying.

In addition to on-field improvements, Madden NFL 19 will expand on Madden NFL 18‘s Story Mode in “Longshot Homecoming,” which continues the story of Devin (JR Lemon) and Colt (Scott Porter).

And speaking of longshots, EA Sports must have a lot of faith in the Cleveland Browns this year, because the trailer ends with a shot of rookie QB Baker Mayfield breaking a tackle and tossing a really long pass for a game-winning touchdown.

Hey, it could happen.

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EA Sports will release Madden NFL 19 for PS4 and Xbox One on August 10

Posted on May 25, 2018 by John Scalzo

With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look ahead to the next big date on the pro football calendar… the next release in EA Sports’s Madden franchise. Now we know when that will be, as the megapublisher announced earlier today that Madden NFL 19 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on August 10.

In an appropriately timed gesture, wide receiver Terrell Owens will appear on the cover of Madden NFL 19’s Hall of Fame Edition. The former 49ers and Cowboys star will be inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton on August 7. The cover athlete for the Standard Edition (and this year’s potential victim of the dreaded “Madden Curse”) will be announced at a later date.

For this year’s edition of the football sim, developer EA Tiburon will roll out Real Player Motion Technology, a new animation system that promises more precision than ever before. The team is also hard at work on improvements to the Franchise Mode and Madden Ultimate Team:

In Madden NFL 19 Franchise Mode, players can choose the offensive and defensive schemes that best fit their playstyle as they compete in single player and/or multiplayer seasons. Schemes are also linked to a new intuitive progression system… based on authentic positional archetypes… that give virtual coaches the tools and the big decision to either win now or build their squad for the future. NFL fans will also have a top community-requested feature with the introduction of Custom Draft Class Creator where fans can create their own draft classes featuring players from the past and present for use in Franchise.

Madden NFL 19 Ultimate Team gives fans even more ways to choose their path to glory as new training tools let them develop their favorite players their way via Player Upgrades. For players who want to prove they’re the best of the best in Solo Challenges, a new curated single-player experience called MUT Solo Battles provides a leaderboard reward system allowing fans to showcase their skills on the field while competing against other top Ultimate Team players.

EA Sports is offering several pre-order bonuses for players who purchase Madden NFL 19 early, and you can learn more about the different packages at the game’s official website.

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