EA Sports busted the news wide open as it officially announced the launch of Madden NFL 26 on August 14, 2025, the pre-orders being active as of now. The words “Build From Sundays” within the announcement tweet gave a sneak peek into a new direction for this long-time football franchise. The gaming community, therefore, is divided between hype and skepticism.
Whatever kind of media was attached to it, the trailer generated some big reactions. Some said it’s “raw” and “fire,” and the others rolled their eyes to say, “Madden 21 part 6.” Classic Madden conversations.
The user @itzkingmiami commented, “This actually looks… good?” Rarely can this be a compliment in this crowd. However, @nick__deez fired a return: “Let’s be honest. Nothing is changing but the roster and you’ll just copy-paste the same shit as the last 10 years.” Ouch.
Then there was @MaddenNFLWorld, dragging EA for their past faults: “Y’all said the hit meter boom stick was the next big thing for Madden 26, and it turned out to be one of the worst, if not the worst thing about Madden 25.” Brutal but accurate. For weather effects to be touted as new in 2025, it just drives home how stagnant the series has felt.
Franchise mode vultures also won’t hold back. “@timryan1019: Will the Bills new stadium be in year 2 of Franchise mode?” So subtle and so EA in updating real-world stadium changes. Then @Daeva__ went off on a hard roast for its infamous menu lag: “I don’t care about all this fancy shit that you preach every year just make the game run snappy when you click on something.”
And there is positivity. “@UpTheScoreLC: This look dope Asf! Looks like a lot of improvements made hopefully they improved throwing on the run.” And @looking4hype straight-up said, “this actually looks good as fuck.” Perhaps EA is actually starting to listen?
Then there’s the opposition in @blackitachisan: “🥱 add back all the features you’ve taken out since 2005 then we’ll talk.” This sentiment is echoed by many veterans who feel the series has been gutted over the years.
Gameplay changes? Who really knows. There was hardly anything to squeeze out of that tweet, and with EA’s track record, players aren’t holding their breath. But, one thing is clear—like it or not, Madden NFL 26 is happening. Preordaining is already open, so if you feel brave or just really dig digital football, you can jump the queue and buy your copy months ahead of launch.
Will it change the game landscape, or is it just touching up a roster update with some new shine? A little over a year will tell. Meanwhile, the debate goes on, same as ever.
