The first set of Gridiron Notes and a trailer for Madden NFL 26 were both released by EA Sports today. Today's notes include high-level improvements we can expect to see in Madden NFL 26, with more details coming in the future as we approach the game's global release on August 14th or August 11th by pre-ordering the Deluxe Edition. Check out a summary of the notes below or for the original Gridiron Notes from EA, Click Here.
Gameplay
Opening up the Gridiron Notes, EA highlights the importance of authenticity when it comes to the tendencies and traits of NFL Superstars, which will be influenced by the following in M26:
- Real-World NFL Data
- Real Football Weather
- Football X's and O's Strategy
- Real Community Feedback
*More details on features will be included in the Madden NFL 26 Deep Dive, which is expected to be released soon.
QB DNA
Madden NFL 26 reimagines the QB position, placing greater emphasis on realism and capturing the authentic behaviors that are unique to each quarterback. More than 500 new quarterback animations have been added to Madden NFL 26! New QB Signatures and 50 new player traits for various positions, powered by real-world NFL tendency data, have also been added to M26. Examples used by EA included how Joe Burrow likes to set his feet before throwing and how Josh Allen isn't afraid to run over a defender when the time comes.
Coach DNA
Similar to QB DNA, EA has announced a new feature called Coach DNA that brings the personalities and tendencies of NFL Head Coaches to Madden for a more authentic experience. The examples EA used were Dan Campbell and his tendency to keep his offense on the field in 4th-and-short situations, and how the defense of the Vikings can dial up an unpredictable blitz from time to time.
If you are someone who enjoys Coach Suggestions, Madden NFL 26 will offer suggestions based on your coach's tendencies and even mirror the way the coach talks. Realtime Coaching AI will suggest better playcalls meant to counter your opponent's tactics.
Nearly 1,000 new plays will be included in Madden NFL 26, featuring shift-based offenses like the 49ers and Dolphins. Defensive playbooks will have exotic blitz pressures, defensive disguises, and all-new stunts and twists!
Wear & Tear and New Depth Chart Positions
If you played College Football 25 then you are probably familiar with the Wear & Tear system, which will be coming to Madden NFL 26. As a player experiences more wear and tear during a game. and even week-to-week, it will affect their ratings and performance.
New depth chart positions in Madden NFL 26 will include Edge, Nose Tackle, Long Snapper, and Gadget. An example EA used in their notes of how the new positions could be influenced by Wear & Tear was Travis Hunter and how he will have abilities that help counteract the effects of playing on both sides of the ball, more than a normal CB or WR would have when attempting it.
Football Weather
Madden NFL 26 introduces harsh weather conditions for even more realism, including heavy snow, fog, and rain. The harsh conditions will affect player movement, visibility, stamina, and ball control. Everyone knows it's more difficult to grip the football or keep your balance when it's wet! We can also expect to see cold-weather teams play with less of a Wear & Tear penalty in the cold, but get tired sooner in extreme heat. The opposite would be true for teams who normally play in warm weather.
Foundational Football
Football fundamentals and concepts are the core of any football game and an area that EA attempts to improve each year. In Madden NFL 26, greater emphasis will be placed on making fast players feel fast, but beyond that, the all-new Explosive Locomotion seeks to differentiate north-to-south speed guys like Tyreek Hill from a shifty east-to-west runner like Jahmyr Gibbs.
We first saw custom route stems in Madden NFL 25, and in Madden NFL 26 we will get a better counter in the form of custom defensive zones, meaning players can set the depth of zone defenders before the play.
Franchise Mode
EA touched on the following improvements to Franchise in today's Gridiron Notes:
- More coach customization options, including hundreds of new heads and pieces of gear.
- Coach Abilities that can be earned by leveling up your coach. An example EA used was an in-game ability that "increases your Offensive Tackles' success chance against Power Moves".
- Play Sheets will become a component of weekly game planning, allowing extra plays to be added to your playbook. Leveling up your coach unlocks more slots to add plays to the Play Sheet!
- The Wear & Tear system mentioned earlier will be included in Franchise. Upgraded trainer roles unlock trainer abilities that help reduce the effects of Wear & Tear.
- Enhanced presentation including halftime shows and weekly recaps by the NFL Redzone's own Scott Hanson! There will also be all-new custom broadcast packages for Sunday, Monday, and Thursday primetime games.
Presentation
Madden NFL 26 is revamping NFL stadium atmospheres for greater authenticity, including team-specific runouts, crowd chants, mascots, and pre-game traditions like Minnesota's Skol chant or Baltimore's light show. Head Coaches will look more like themselves now with additional gear options, such as Dan Campbell in his t-shirt or rolled-up long sleeve.
More alternate and classic jerseys from Nike have been added to M26, including the Texans redesign. Stadium walls and field art will now change based on the uniform your team is wearing at home. Examples used by EA were the Bengals in their white-out uniforms or the Buccaneers in their creamsicles.
Superstar
The big news here is we can now import our Road to Glory player from College Football 26 into Madden NFL 26 to continue their journey! New career chapters and objectives will guide your Superstar's journey from the bench to stardom. Just make sure you hit your objectives and please the coach or you could find yourself back on the bench.
Ultimate Team
EA touched on the following improvements to Ultimate Team in today's Gridiron Notes:
- Deep team-building challenges
- More programs and events than MUT 25
- Rebuilt solo reward structure with a focus on progression, pacing, and rewards
- A new Solo Champions mode that allows players to choose their difficulty
- Live Events with constraints meant to encourage more team-building
- Leaderboard Campaigns for online and solo players, which are smaller-leaderboard, limited-time, focused competitions
- A new Pack Helper feature that relays important info to the pack opening screen, such as whether the player is better than your current starter, Auction House info, whether the player is eligible for a set, and Chemistry tier impacts
*Expect an Ultimate Team Deep Dive later this summer.
What are your thoughts on the new Gridiron Notes?
Comments