'Madden 23' cover (Image: EA)
Electronic Arts announced this week that legendary coach and long-time NFL broadcaster John Madden will be on the cover of Madden 23, the long-standing NFL franchise game and Madden’s namesake.
Madden NFL 23 is the first time that Coach Madden will be on the cover since 2000. Starting in 2001, the game changed to a player-based cover, and it has remained the same up until the 2022 release of Madden 23.
The cover honors the legendary coach after his untimely death in December 2021 at the age of 85. Madden joined the Oakland Raiders in 1969 and led the team for 10 seasons. In those 10 seasons, Madden raked up 103 wins and won one Super Bowl with the team in 1976. His 75% winning percentage is still the best of any NFL head coach with at least 100 games.
Madden then began his illustrious career as a broadcaster in 1979 and immediately made an impact as a fan favorite. For nearly three decades he made himself known to football fans everywhere.
His flamboyant and energetic delivery and presence in the booth garnered him both fan support and critical acclaim as well.
In 1988, Madden partnered with EA Sports to provide his name to the Madden NFL franchise and it has since become one of the best-selling sports video games of all time.
Regarding the Madden 23 release itself, EA announced a total overhaul of certain mechanics within the game. The most notable is the newest FieldSense system designed to completely change how players process passing, defending and running. Senior producer, Mike Maher, explained reactions to the new system. “We had some of the community in to review [the current build], and to see them start getting the hang of it over a drive or two – throwing the ball behind or in front of a receiver, or leading them into a gap in the defense – was pretty positive,” he said.
The game has previously received backlash from fans claiming that each new version of the game felt recycled, so a new system, as well as other new features not yet announced means anticipation, will only grow for Madden 23.
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