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WiiU

Madden 25 Not Coming to Wii U?

by Andy Goergen - February 1, 2013, 3:09 pm EST
Total comments: 33 Source: EA Sports, http://www.easports.com/madden-nfl/news/article/ma...

Madden may be missing Nintendo's home console for the first time since 1991.

Madden NFL 25 has been announced for an August 2013 release, but the announcement did not include mention of any Nintendo platforms. The game, named in honor of the 25th anniversary of the series, was announced specifically for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

The Madden series has been available on Wii since Madden NFL 07, and the GameCube received Madden every year from Madden NFL 2002 through Madden NFL 07. Before that, the game came to Nintendo 64 in 1997 with Madden 64 and came yearly after that through 2001. The series made it's Nintendo debut on Super Nintendo in 1992 and was available yearly through 1998.

The game appeared on Nintendo 3DS for the system's launch year, but has not reappeared since.

Nintendo World Report has reached out to EA Sports for confirmation that the game will not be available on Wii U. 

Talkback

Mop it upFebruary 01, 2013

EA really does have a grudge against Nintendo...

I suspect they are simply waiting for a Nintendo-specific event to announce a special Wii U version with many unique features. Nintendo desperately wants to engage third-parties, especially Western ones, in that way, and they have a history of trying to court EA these past few years. Maybe it will even interface with a new 3DS version that lets you carry an entire league simulation on and off your console.

EA wasn't willing to say anything about Madden for Wii U at last year's E3, and the only reason we even knew it existed is their PR rep mentioned it in passing in our conversation. They didn't formally announce it or FIFA until a special Nintendo-focused event. It is very possible that Jonny's right and they're just waiting on the Wii U announcement.

broodwarsFebruary 01, 2013

This whole thing feels just like last year when they didn't announce Madden for the Wii U launch at E3, and what happened a month later? Madden was announced for the Wii U launch. I wouldn't jump to conclusions about this year's Madden until E3.

shingi_70February 01, 2013

Why would they announce the Wii U version of their special 25th anniversary game later on.

Only real logical expectation is that in November Madden 2014 is going to be announced for Wii U, Orbis, and Durango.

StogiFebruary 01, 2013

Quote from: shingi_70

Only real logical expectation is that in November Madden 2014 is going to be announced for Wii U, Orbis, and Durango.

That is absolutely not the 'only real logical' expectation.

house3136February 01, 2013

Wii U next-gen confirmed? There was also no confirmation for PS4 or Nextbox. Yeah, I’m not holding my breath; nor do I think EA has resentment against Nintendo.

Ian SaneFebruary 01, 2013

It would be pretty bad if Nintendo got left out on this.  When that happened to Sega it was a big warning sign about the Dreamcast's fate and thus Sega's as well.  And like the Dreamcast, the Wii U is the early bird of it's generation and faces the risk of the competitor's systems easily topping its specs.

But if EA didn't reveal the Wii U version of last year's game all that quickly, then I could see it happening again.  But one thing that makes it quite different is that the Wii U had not yet been released at that point so saving it for a Nintendo event made more sense.  There is less reason to hold back this time, unless the Wii U version really has some special features worthy of being shown off seperately from the other versions.

I have Madden '98 for the Genesis, which came out TWO YEARS after the Saturn was released.  EA likes to put this game on everything.  And with the NFL licence being exclusive, they would have to provide a pretty good reason to the league to skip a current system.  The NFL wants this on EVERYTHING and doesn't give two fucks what EA thinks of Nintendo.  Only an expected loss would convince the NFL to go along with skipping the Wii U.

As likely the internet's #1 source for irreverent Madden Wii/Wii U info, I'm very worried about Madden coming to Wii U next year.

Still, I'm waiting for a reply from EA, and until I get that, I'll be concerned. The silence is very worrisome.

smallsharkbigbiteFebruary 01, 2013

Hopefully they'll both release for the Wii U and 3DS.  Both games had the same complaints.  They had a solid base, but glitches and lack of features means hold off on buying the initial release.  Well, if their is no second release......

Quote from: house3136

Wii U next-gen confirmed? There was also no confirmation for PS4 or Nextbox. Yeah, I’m not holding my breath; nor do I think EA has resentment against Nintendo.

They'd get the same benefit from announcing a game for the PS9 at this point, they exist on the same evidence.

And when the head of EA Sports is on record as being a "Nintendo should go third party" nutjob, there's reason to worry.

ShyGuyFebruary 02, 2013

Somebody call Petah Moore.

funguy11February 02, 2013

This probably will come out for Wii U in the end if the NFL get involved themselves. I know their business model and they will fight to the extreme to get what they want in the end because the profit loss of not getting it is not an option they'll take. The NFL wants these games on everything including Nintendo.

ShyGuyFebruary 02, 2013

This thread title seems like FUD.

The next NWR article should be "Nintendo has announced no plans for the Wii U in 2014. Canceled?"

PodingsFebruary 02, 2013

What's the point of Riccitiello walking on stage with everybody from Nintendo and making a big deal out of supporting the Wii U, if they aren't going to?


If this all is indeed a backlash from not allowing EA to handle online services for the machine, then it's sad to see things unfold like this gamewise because of something rather unrelated. I'm thinking maybe in a bout of greed, EA were looking to make the Wii U the unofficial "EA Box" in response to the "SteamBox" rumors of the time.


In any case, for me personally this is not a big loss, but it does NOT bode well for the system's success in the US to not feature Madden.

BlackNMild2k1February 02, 2013

Quote from: ShyGuy

This thread title seems like FUD.

The next NWR article should be "Nintendo has announced no plans for the Wii U in 2014. Canceled?"

http://i49.tinypic.com/23oh7l.jpg

For the record, Madden on 3DS is dead. That ain't happening again.

That's why I'm concerned for the future of the franchise on Wii U. There is some precedent.

The thing with the 3DS Madden is it had to be made on its own. The PS3 and 360 will get Madden for at least a couple more years, and that version could be ported to Wii U with little effort. Lower costs and higher likely returns make the Wii U version a lot easier to justify.

JabsFebruary 02, 2013

Yeah until Wii U can sell 4 million copies of this EA will just act like it doesn't exist. I sucks but that's just the way they roll.


I'm sure they will still make it, it just won't be advertised.

smallsharkbigbiteFebruary 02, 2013

Quote:

For the record, Madden on 3DS is dead. That ain't happening again.

Sadly, you are probably right.  My hope was that with 3DS sales taking off (including me getting one) and Vita struggling mightily they would give the 3DS another shot.  Especially since most of the base game doesn't need rebuilt.  New rosters and stat tracking would probably be enough to make me purchase a new version.  No stat tracking in the 1st title is a big deal to me. 

Quote from: smallsharkbigbite

Quote:

For the record, Madden on 3DS is dead. That ain't happening again.

Sadly, you are probably right.  My hope was that with 3DS sales taking off (including me getting one) and Vita struggling mightily they would give the 3DS another shot.  Especially since most of the base game doesn't need rebuilt.  New rosters and stat tracking would probably be enough to make me purchase a new version.  No stat tracking in the 1st title is a big deal to me. 

I don't know that the Vita version has much of a future either, but they'd give up on handheld Madden entirely before they'd bring it back to 3DS. As possibly the only person who bought the Madden games they made for DS prior to giving up there, I'm upset about that, but I get the business logic behind it.

With the Wii U there's no reason not to give it at least for one more year except to spite Nintendo for the drama that went down between them.

xcwarriorFebruary 04, 2013

Not too worried either. I own three Madden games:

2004 for GCN (I also own 2004 for GBA to get super teams through Connectivity, but GBA game is bad)
2006 for PS2
2012 for PS3

And the quality of games are in the same order. 2004 version is the best, 2006 was a small downgrade, and 2012 is a pretty bad downgrade. It's horrible they are the only ones who make NFL games. They are putting no effort into them at all. And how has the announcing gotten worse? Just very disappointed in the series.

I know it's for for Wii U that madden comes out - and I'm sure it will - but man I want EA to face competition so the games don't continue to lose quality.

CericFebruary 04, 2013

What I would like to see if EA is going "We're not making Madden for Nintendo Systems"  Then NoA going to the NFL and going "EA is not making games for our system.  We would like the rights to Publish NFL Games ourselves."  Then make a competative Nintendo exlusive Madden Alternative.

TJ SpykeFebruary 04, 2013

The NFL and Nintendo legally couldn't do that. EA has a contract for the exclusive rights. EA could make it Xbox 360 exclusive, and it wouldn't matter. EA is the only company that can make a NFL game. The NFL tries to let Nintendo do it, and they would get sued by EA for breach of contract (and EA would win).

Mop it upFebruary 04, 2013

I'd rather have a new NFL Blitz or Mutant League Football, or see someone finally try a Mario Football. Of the gridiron kind, not soccer.

None of these things would happen regardless, sadly...

CericFebruary 04, 2013

Quote from: TJ

The NFL and Nintendo legally couldn't do that. EA has a contract for the exclusive rights. EA could make it Xbox 360 exclusive, and it wouldn't matter. EA is the only company that can make a NFL game. The NFL tries to let Nintendo do it, and they would get sued by EA for breach of contract (and EA would win).

The NFL can be called many things but, they know how to make a contract.  If its no longer in the best interest of the NFL to be exclusive with EA I'm sure their is an escape clause of some sort that would allow them to pull out of the deal.

TJ SpykeFebruary 04, 2013

EA is very good with contracts too. It's a safe bet that the only escape clause for the NFL would be if EA released no NFL game at all in a calendar year. Not releasing a Wii U version would NOT let them do it.

Ian SaneFebruary 04, 2013

Since the NFL name is the truly valuable product I would assume that the NLF holds all the cards.  I don't think the NFL could start a competing game on the Wii U but they probably have enough sway to force EA to make a Wii U version if they want it.

In the end the deal expires and the NFL says "fuck you, you neglected a platform for petty personal reasons, no more NFL licence for you" and EA is shit out of luck.  No one would give a flying fuck if some other company had the exclusive NFL licence and the game didn't have "Madden" in the title.  If the NFL wants it on the Wii U, it's going on the Wii U and that's that.  And EA only has their Madden cash cow if the NFL wants them to.

Mop it upFebruary 05, 2013

There wasn't a Madden game on the 3DS in 2012 and I didn't see any other company able to release an NFL game.

LouieturkeyFebruary 07, 2013

EA's NFL exclusivity ends this year.  So depending on what the NFL wants to do, a new game could be released by January of 2014, though I expect any new games to be ready in August of 2014 as long as the NFL doesn't renew the exclusivity agreement.

I would be very surprised if they didn't renew the deal.

SorenFebruary 07, 2013

They will probably renew for a lower price. The market just isn't there for 2 or more licensed NFL games. Nor is it for any sports game right now.

If EA really wanted to fuck with Take Two they'd let the deal lapse. I really doubt 2K wants to put all the resources into rebooting the NFL 2K series, especially after failing so hard at baseball that they're just giving up, but they couldn't not give into the demands of the fans who still maintain 2K5 is the best football game ever made.

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