Madden NFL 25: Everything you need to know
Jun. 19, 2024The annual Gridiron sim has landed, and here’s where to find Madden 25 guide help
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We’ve reached the Madden 25 release date, and while EA College Football 25 takes the Gridiron spoils this summer, it’s still a highly playable addition to the series. You can read more about it in GR’sMadden 25 review. If that’s enough to convince you to give it a go, we have all the guides you need right here – from the best players and teams to newly added signature celebrations, and sliders that improve authenticity. Here’s everything you need to know about Madden 25.
Madden 25 trailer
The first Madden 25 trailer reminds us that while it’s from the same studio, this is no College Football 25. Moments of note include some pretty snow effects in Green Bay, and a spectacular one-handed grab by Justin Jefferson. Tap the button to see for yourself.
Inevitably, Madden 25 pre-order bonuses came in a selection of flavors, including the option to purchase it bundled in with new sister game EA College Football 25. We’ve listed what’s in each edition below. As for pricing, Madden 25 costs $69.99 / £69.99 for the Standard Edition, $99.99 / £99.99 for Deluxe Edition, and $139.99 / £139.99 for the Deluxe MVP College Football 25 bundle.
The Madden 25 cover star is monster San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey – and, breaking with the norm, he gets all three editions to himself, in unique poses. “Christian’s electrifying, dynamic and physical play style perfectly represents the gameplay innovations we’re bringing to Madden NFL 25 and made him the ideal fit for this year’s cover,” says senior production director Mike Mahar.
With the EA’s latest instalment of sacks and TDs now in the wild, GR has produced a suite of guides to help upgrade your skills. Toast first downs like a pro withMadden 25 celebrations, or adjust your on-field experience usingMadden 25 sliders. TheMadden 25 X-Factorslist reveals which players stand out beyond their stats, whileMadden 25 tipsand theMadden 25 best playbookslist offer key gameplay help, whatever your experience level.
Continuing the above theme, we have three specific guides dedicated to Madden 25 ratings. Reigning Super Bowl champs Kansas City are the top side in the game, and you can see the main contenders to their crown using theMadden 25 best teamslist. OurMadden 25 best playersguide hones in on individual numbers, whileMadden 25 rookie ratingswill introduce you to the best new blood found across the league this year.
Rumors swirled of an NCAA Madden 25 tie-in during the winter, and now we have one – sort of. EA has brought back the likes of Michigan, Ohio State and Illinois for the first time in a decade inCollege Football 25– but it isn’t officially an NCAA game. That’s because of a legal dispute over player likenesses, which triggered the demise of the original series following NCAA Football 14. Now we can once more recruit and play as the sports’ best young athletes, before they reach the NFL. Read all about it in GR’sCollege Football 25 review.
The big new Madden 25 gameplay feature is Boom Tech. This physics-based tackling mechanic has taken two years to develop, and uses timing, momentum, weight, speed, strength, and player ratings to determine the outcome when you try to take down a ball carrier.
“This system is not organic physics, or ragdoll, but rather dynamic animation selection informed by real-world physics,” says director – and former NFL player – Clint Oldenburg. “While not every tackle-type in the game is driven by physics, BOOM Tech will make Hit Sticks, Cut Sticks, and Dive Tackles more authentic and more unpredictable.”
Before release, EA expressed a desire to make everything “look, feel, and sound different”, with fresh details added to key events such as the annual NFL Draft, and Super Bowl trophy presentation. Tied into that are two new commentary crews. Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis are back, alongside two pairs of alternate voices. The pairings of Mike Tirico and Greg Olsen, and Kate Scott and Brock Huard, deliver 42,000 new dialogue segments – and add welcome depth on the presentation front.
While gameplay tweaks are incremental, Madden 25 franchise mode gets a more detailed makeover. Dynamic off-field storylines see you deal with player and staff personalities on the sidelines and in meeting rooms, press conferences and coaching offices. The AI’s competency at building rosters through free agency and the draft has been reconfigured, as has aged-based player progression.
Also getting a fresh look is the all-important NFL Draft. This key annual event has been reworked to incorporate shots from within team war rooms and player green rooms, to go with a cleaner prospects board. Also brand new is Team Builder – where you can create an entire team online, with customisable logos and helmets, then import them into a new Franchise save.
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I’m GamesRadar’s sports editor, and obsessed with NFL, WWE, MLB, AEW, and occasionally things that don’t have a three-letter acronym – such as Chvrches, Bill Bryson, and Streets Of Rage 4. (All the Streets Of Rage games, actually.) Even after three decades I still have a soft spot for Euro Boss on the Amstrad CPC 464+.
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