New Madden’s Lack of Launch Week Review Scores Was Partially by EA’s Design

Key insights

7 takeaways

01
Electronic Arts explicitly prohibited most reviewers from publishing scored reviews of Madden NFL 25 until August 16, three days after the game's early access launch.
02
The limited availability of early reviews for Madden NFL 25 contrasts with other major 2024 releases like Black Myth: Wukong and Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, which garnered 60 and 100 reviews respectively by their launch dates.
03
EA Sports College Football 25, which launched in July, saw a similar embargo on scored reviews during its early access period but received more favorable critical reception, averaging scores between 82 and 84 compared to Madden NFL 25's 68 to 70 range.
04
EA Sports College Football 25 reached five million unique players in its first week and currently ranks as the top-selling premium game in the U.S. by dollar sales for 2024.
05
U.S. video game hardware spending increased 12% year-on-year in July 2024 to $326 million, a recovery driven in part by the release of EA Sports College Football 25 on current-gen consoles.
06
Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer confirmed that the company will continue to change traditional game distribution models, citing the decision to bring the first-party title Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to PlayStation consoles.
07
Ubisoft is expanding its use of Steam Early Access, announcing that Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era will launch through the program in the first half of 2025.

Summary

Electronic Arts (EA) has implemented a strategic policy regarding the review cycle for its Madden NFL 25 title, effectively limiting the publication of scored reviews until several days after the game’s early access launch. By stipulating that reviewers receiving early access codes could not publish scored assessments until the official wide release date, the publisher has created a delay that critics suggest serves to shield the title from immediate public scrutiny. This approach contrasts with typical industry standards for major releases, where media outlets often receive review copies well in advance to ensure coverage is available at the moment of launch.

The methodology for this analysis involved reviewing agreements sent by EA to various media outlets and consulting with multiple sources familiar with the review process. Data points indicate that while other major titles, such as Black Myth: Wukong and Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, garnered dozens or over a hundred reviews by their respective release dates, Madden NFL 25 saw significantly lower critic engagement during its initial launch window. This trend is compounded by the broader industry debate regarding the relevance of reviewing annualized sports franchises, which often face limited interest from international outlets and varying expectations from core versus casual audiences.

Beyond the specific review constraints, the broader market impact of EA’s sports portfolio remains significant. EA Sports College Football 25, which also faced similar review restrictions, demonstrated a notable influence on the U.S. gaming market by driving a 12% increase in hardware sales for Xbox and PlayStation consoles in July 2024. This performance helped mitigate a year-on-year decline in hardware spending, underscoring the franchise's ability to move units despite the ongoing challenges associated with the traditional review model for sports video games.