EA Sports released more information last week about Madden 19 with their deep dive on presentation. Here are the key updates with my thoughts.

 

Key Updates

 

Stadium Exteriors and Points of Interest

 

Madden 19 continues EA’s “multi-year project to expand [their] stadium exteriors with updates to the homes of several NFL teams”, which is accomplished by scanning stadiums to accurately depict the venue, thus creating a more realistic NFL broadcast experience. This year, the stadium exteriors were captured for the Bills, Bears, Buccaneers, Chiefs, Dolphins, Falcons, Patriots, and Titans.

 

3D Broadcast Graphics

 

The broadcast package in Madden 19 has also been updated with graphic elements powered by the Frostbite Engine “in real-time.” This means there are now 3D models for basic logos like “EA SPORTS” or the NFL Shield, as well as team logos and helmet visuals for all 32 franchises (plus expansion teams). To make different broadcasts feel different, the team logos are used for day games, while the helmet visuals will be used for primetime and postseason games. Apparently, this “opens the door for more complex visuals in the future,” which I will talk about more in “My Thoughts”.

 

Pregame and Halftime Flows

 

The real-time visuals from the 3D Broadcast Graphics are also going to be used for “pregame and halftime flows.” For pregame presentation, it means “3D visuals paired with high-energy music” to set the stage for the matchup, which kicks off after Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis talk from the broadcast booth.

 

At halftime, a 3D map will take us around the league to other games, whether they are finished, in progress, or yet to begin. Zooming from city to city, users are given scores and stats during the updated Halftime Show.

 

Replay Camera Views

 

Two new camera, Orbital and Overhead, have been added to the replay presentation. Orbital is “an action shot where [they] ramp down the replay feed then rotate the camera 360 degrees around the action,” while Overhead “shoots directly down the goal line to show when the player has broken the plane.” Also, there is now post-play replays for head-to-head games.

 

Commentary Call-back Stories

 

Finally, Commentary Call-back Stories allow the broadcast team to “carry a storyline throughout the game, drive, or moment.” It’s pretty self-explanatory, but here is an example provided by EA:

 

Another instance could be Charles [Davis] talking about how an opposing running back was a 1,000-yard rusher last season and keeping him under 100 yards this game will be paramount in giving you the best chance for victory.  As the game progresses, he and Brandon [Gaudin] will reference how you are, or aren’t, keeping your opponent away from that 100-yard threshold and how it’s impacting likely outcome for this contest.

 

My Thoughts

 

So that’s it? How much resources did they pour into the 3D Broadcast Graphics? No one really cares that a helmet looks cooler than it did last year thanks to the Frostbite Engine, so that’s a complete and utter joke either caused by either a) flat-out incompetence by the development team or b) laziness by the development team. Neither is a great look.

 

The “complex” future visuals they talk about better be in Madden 20 and they better be for holiday games (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas). And can we please get FOX/NBC/ESPN/CBS/NFL Network involved somehow with the broadcast? There is no excuse for franchise mode being a bare bones mode every single year. I mean, where’s the “heart” for the mode?

 

And unsurprisingly, there’s no mention of dynamic weather, which doesn’t exist yet again. Plus, the start times for games are still off. Where’s 12:30? Or 4:05? Or 4:25? Or 8:20? I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m tired of EA’s lame excuses and overall stupidity or laziness (or a combination of both).

 

Madden 15.4 (i.e. ‘Madden 19’) releases on August, 10.