Madden 18

Games Sports
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Madden NFL 18 Brings Multiplayer to MUT with Squads

Madden NFL 18 is adding multiplayer to its Madden Ultimate Team (MUT) mode with MUT Squads. This new game mode features 3v3 multiplayer, with each player filling a different team role. Players will be able to participate in a group of three or use matchmaking to find partners.

In MUT Squads, each player must fill a different role. One of the producers of MUT, Jake Stein, discusses the three roles and how each contributes to the team:

Offense Captain:

  • Brings in all players from Offense and Special Teams for that user’s MUT Lineup

  • Brings in the offensive playbook and calls every play on Offense

  • When on Offense, you control the QB at the start of every play

  • However, they are not player-locked to the QB post-snap. If you call a run play and neither of the other two human-controlled players are on the HB, the player controlling the QB will immediately switch and become the ball carrier

  • Controls all audibles and adjustments on Offense

  • When on Defense, the user can control any of the 11 players on the field not controlled by another user

  • There is no locking into only linebackers, defensive line, or secondary

Defense Captain:

  • Brings in all players from Defense for that user’s MUT Lineup

  • Brings in the defensive playbook and calls every play on Defense

  • When on Defense, the user can control any of the 11 players on the field not controlled by another user

  • There is no locking into only linebackers, defensive line, or secondary

  • Controls all audibles and adjustments on Defense

  • When on Offense, the user can control anyone besides the QB at the start of any given play

Head Coach:

  • Brings in the Head Coach, Stadium, and Uniforms for that user’s MUT Lineup

  • Calls timeouts and determines the results of penalties for the Squad

  • When on Offense, the user can control anyone besides the QB at the start of any given play

  • When on Defense, the user can control any of the 11 players on the field not controlled by another user

  • There is no locking into only linebackers, defensive line, or secondary

Madden NFL 18 releases on August 22.

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Day 1 purchase for me! Ordered my Tommy Touchdown GOAT edition already

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Hail Brady

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Different Play Styles in 18

Arcade, Competitive and Simulation

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Each year the Madden player ratings become a fun but contentious point of debate for fans and players alike. Today EA revealed the top five QB ratings for the game’s launch. As you may know, the Madden ratings are constantly in flux as players gain or lose attribute points based on their real life performance, but for the launch of “Madden Season”, those initial ratings can get people quite boisterous. Below are the Top Five quarterbacks according to Madden NFL 18’s launch ratings.

5. Ben Roethlisberger - Pittsburgh Steelers
The long time Steelers signal caller has been to three Super Bowls and won two of them in his somewhat underrated career with Pittsburgh. He is famous for playing through injuries, being tough to sack, and having great pocket awareness. His injury history might eventually shorten his career, but he’s still playing at a high level and that’s reflected in EA and Tiburon’s sim. He opens Madden 18 with an overall rating of 91.

4. Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints
Brees was all but abandoned by the league a decade ago when he was coming off surgery on his rotator cuff. The Miami Dolphins famously elected to sign Daunte Culpepper over Brees in their search for a new quarterback back in 2006. That didn’t go so well for them, but it’s gone great for Brees. He won the Super Bowl with the Saints in 2010 and has pretty much broken passing records every year since he joined the Saints, often times even breaking his own records. He comes in at an overall of 92.

3. Matt Ryan - Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are the butt of countless jokes and memes these days after they blew a 28-3 lead late in the third quarter of the Super Bowl last February, but even in that game the Boston College alum played very well, like he did all year in his MVP season. His stellar surrounding talent is mostly returning to the team alongside him this year, though they’ll be without offensive coordinator guru Kyle Shanahan who departed for San Francisco. Ryan is at the height of his career right now and putting him to use in Madden should be just as fun as it is to watch him on autumn Sundays. He opens Madden this year at a 96.

2. Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers
Noticing a theme with the quarterbacks? In almost all cases, these elite players have never played for another team. That’s again the case with Rodgers, who waited patiently for his chance to lead the Packers until Brett Favre retired, and has since then been more accurate, elusive, and arguably more impressive overall than the legend he replaced. Rodgers won one Super Bowl so far, but like Ryan, is in the prime of his career and is an every year favorite to win it all. He begins Madden 18 at a near perfect 98 overall rating.

1. Tom Brady - New England Patriots

Was there ever any doubt? The greatest player to ever play the position is also the deserved cover star of Madden NFL 18. Brady is coming off his fifth Super Bowl victory in seven appearances (both are league records) and is beginning to make people wonder if he’s maybe a humanoid automaton designed specifically to dominate the National Football League. At age 40, he’s playing better than he ever has and, if healthy, is all but a lock to be playing deep into January in the upcoming season. He opens the game with — duh — a 99 overall rating.

On the topic of ratings, EA has made it an annual tradition to playfully tease incoming rookies over their debut Madden ratings. It seems each year players overrate themselves, and that again is on display in this new video from the publisher and the studio at Tiburon.

Madden NFL 18 hits the field on August 25th with early game time available to those with EA Access or those that pre-order the G.O.A.T. edition.

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Just last week we recapped Madden NFL 18’s top five quarterbacks. Today EA Sports is continuing with more reveals and this time it’s the running backs that are getting the attention. Increasingly fans and players talk about how the sport is now a “passing league” and the role of the running back has been diminished. That’s tough to argue with, but it still remains true that having an elite ball carrier in the backfield can be a key weapon for any team looking to contend. That’s true for Madden too. You can’t get one-dimensional and expect to win online. Here are the game’s five best running backs according to their launch day ratings.

5. Ezekiel Elliott - Dallas Cowboys
Although his name has been in the news for all the wrong reasons this offseason, back in the fall and winter Elliott was one of the most dynamic players on the field every given week, despite it being his rookie season. He nearly upended his teammate Dak Prescott for the Rookie of the Year award and has shown all the signs of being an elite player for years to come. Would it shock you if he topped this list next summer? He opens Madden 18 with a 90 overall.

4. DeMarco Murray - Tennessee Titans
His down year as an Eagle is now a distant memory. Murray burst back onto the scene looking rejuvenated as the lead back in Tennessee’s up-and-coming offense. He’s entering the back half of his career now, so it remains to be seen if he can keep it up or if his backup Derrick Henry will challenge him for more snaps in the 2017 season, but if he looks close to his 2016 self, Murray will be tough to allow off the field. He comes into Madden 18 at a 91.

3. LeSean McCoy- Buffalo Bills
Another Eagles castoff has found a second life in a new city. “Shady” McCoy has been exceptional for the Bills. In fact, he’s about all that’s gone right for them in the past several years. Injuries have long been an issue but he also seems to bounce back from them like he never missed a beat. He’s been one of the most elusive RBs in the game since he entered the league and in that regard he has impressively stayed consistent, still regularly making defenders look silly. His opening rating for Madden 18 is a 92.

2. David Johnson - Arizona Cardinals

It’s tough to make something as generic as “David Johnson” a household name, but that’s exactly what the Cardinals halfback did last season. After a great second half to his rookie year where the coaches trusted him more each week, he was given keys to the franchise in 2016 and did not disappoint. He led the position in virtually all stat categories and is truly in his prime coming into 2017. He’ll be an asset to the Cardinals, fantasy football teams, and your Madden win/loss record all season long. He comes into Madden with a 94.

1. Le’Veon Bell - Pittsburgh Steelers
No running back means more to his team than Bell means to the Steelers. His rough injury history has left the black and gold vulnerable for two straight seasons, but when he’s healthy they’re on a whole other level. Considered the best contender to usurp the Patriots’ AFC throne in 2017, Bell will need to stay healthy for the Steelers’ potential to be realized. No doubt franchise mode players will be hoping for the same. His all-around talent tree is the California Redwood of the NFL. His Madden rating reaffirms that too; he comes in as the clear number one with some impressive distance over the pack with a 97 rating.

Stay tuned for the wide receiver rankings that should be arriving tomorrow. Madden NFL 18 hits stores on August 25th.

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Continuing the daily reveals for Madden NFL 18’s top players at every position, today EA Sports has shared the five best wide receivers in the game according to their ratings at launch. Avid fans of the game can probably guess the five, but can you guess their correct order? Check it out below.

5. Dez Bryant - Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys standout has been a household name since day one. Some of that is due to him playing for “America’s Team”, but he’s undeniably made enough plays of his own to earn his fame and fortune too. He’s also been the benefactor of a long stretch of solid quarterback play, as both healthy Tony Romo and the young upstart Dak Prescott have aided Bryant in dominating secondaries for nearly a decade now. He opens Madden NFL 18 with a 91 overall.

4. Odell Beckham Jr. - New York Giants
Bryant’s division rival comes in one spot ahead of him as the fourth best wideout in August’s sim. OBJ’s career highlight video is already quite long and he is the type to scare defenders on any snap due to his superb catch radius and shifty moves. His height disadvantage compared to the rest of the guys on this list has so far been a non-issue as he can leap like something you’d see on Nat Geo. His 99 spectacular catch rating helps buff his overall rating in Madden 18, as he comes in at a 93.

3. AJ Green - Cincinnati Bengals
Whether he’s been paired with a solid group of other wideouts or has been left to do it all himself, Green has rarely disappointed. His height and tip-toe catch ability is among the very best the league has ever seen, and he arguably doesn’t always get the credit he deserves playing for the troublesome Bengals. Another player in the prime of his career, Green is looking to stack another elite individual season in 2017 even if his teammates around him blow up the season yet again. He opens Madden 18 at 94 overall.

2. Antonio Brown - Pittsburgh Steelers
His hair looks like it was created in Minecraft and his route running looks like a gift from the football gods. Brown is the other Steelers weapon that strikes fear into defenses along with yesterday’s top ranked running back, Le’Veon Bell. Brown has been the most consistent receiver in the league, often putting up solid numbers even when Big Ben was out with injuries. He makes the Steelers the only team so far with a player in each top five list, but can they all stay healthy? Maybe at least on the virtual gridiron they can. Brown comes into the game at a 97 overall.

1. Julio Jones - Atlanta Falcons

Like Brady topping the QB list, there’s only one correct answer when you’re talking about the best wideout in the current NFL. Julio has staved off some nagging foot injuries to rack up some of the biggest games in the league’s illustrious history, including last year’s 300 yard receiving game. He even made a few spectacular catches, as he is known to do, in the otherwise humiliating Super Bowl loss for the Falcons. He has justified the Falcons trading several draft picks for him ten-fold by now. He enters Madden 18 at a near perfect 98 overall.

EA also revealed that the overall WR class coming into the launch of Madden NFL 18 is remarkably top-heavy, with over 60 players ranked 80 or above. Other players ranked 90 or above at the position include DeAndre Hopkins, Jordy Nelson, Mike Evans, and Larry Fitzgerald.

In case you missed them, you can also check out the game’s top quarterbacks and running backs from earlier this week. You can unleash the deep wide receiver roster of Madden NFL 18 when it hits stores on August 25th.

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can’t wait

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I’m interested in seeing how the 3 play modes work out. I definitely prefer simulation mode, because it feels like current Madden is what you can do with the controls, and the ratings feel like they’ve had minimal impact.

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Arcade mode seems like it will be most dependent on ratings, I know it won’t be like NFL Blitz but if it is faster and more action-packed that might be something I check out

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I didn’t gather that at all in the Op Sports article I read. They made it sound like Sim mode is most dependent, Competitive mode is more dependent on the truck stick and the like, and Arcade mode is more Blitz like over the top.

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@TEXENT @D1G1TALC1PHERS - we know this list is horse shit based on our League Results.

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I suck but it’s fun.

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Can’t wait. Super excited. Yay

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More of “Johnny Lies”, coming up after this commercial break!

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fuck off.

It’s always fun when you don’t lose.

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@anon36214017 - it’s been a blast playing with Dig, Texas and Beers. Lots of shit-talking and outside of the occasional white washing our games have been pretty competitive. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Glad you’re on board!

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I normally buy digital anyhow (game sharing), but this would definitely drive me to getting Madden 18 digitally as well.

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10 Days until early access for the GOAT edition

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