When Madden NFL 21 comes to the next-gen consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, it isn’t just a graphical upgrade that the game will receive. According to EA, it will use the extra memory and CPU of the more advanced machines to change up how it handles a little bit of everything, including the ability to use “next gen stats so every athlete in the game will play how they do in real life, with the data being updated in real-time.” Rather than waiting for some kind of player-rating update, it sounds like each and every player will receive constant updates.
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“Historically, console transitions have been punctuated by increased graphic fidelity and that hasn’t changed — this next generation of games will certainly take a visual leap — but we are also taking advantage of the extra memory and CPU cycles to bring a lot more detail to life,” EA’s Chief Studios Officer Laura Miele told GamesIndustry.biz. “As an example, in Madden we will be using the NFL’s next gen stats so every athlete in the game will play how they do in real life, with the data being updated in real-time.”
How, exactly, that will be handled by the PS5 and Xbox Series X remains to be seen. We are still several months away from their release, after all, and Madden NFL 21 will launch for PS4, Xbox One, and PC prior to that. In case you missed it, the cover of Madden NFL 21 features Baltimore Ravens quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, which Jackson himself revealed ahead of the official announcement.
“I grew up playing Madden and owned every copy I could get my hands on, so to be on the cover of Madden NFL 21 is a dream come true, especially when the cover represents so much of my story,” Jackson said when it was officially revealed. “The welcome to the Madden family from around the league and from fans has been phenomenal and I think people will have a lot of fun with the new features coming in this year’s game.”
Madden NFL 21 is set to release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on August 28th. It is expected to launch for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles as well, though there is no definitive date on either the next-gen consoles’ release dates or those versions of the new Madden. You can check out all of our previous coverage of Madden NFL 21 right here.
What do you think about what we have seen and heard of Madden NFL 21 so far? Are you excited to check it out when it releases later this year? Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk all things gaming!
