Like most annualized franchises, the Madden NFL series has consistently been accessible on multiple platforms. Since its 1988 inception, only a handful of exclusive installments have been released in the overall franchise, the last of which was 2011's Madden NFL Football on the Nintendo 3DS. For the most part, EA has continued to release its Madden NFL games on all mainstream consoles, even those that are starting to show their age. In 2016, for example, the company decided to port that year's Madden NFL game to PS3 and Xbox 360, in spite of the fact that the two systems were completely outdated at the time. It seems this habit of EA's may be coming to an end, however.
This week, EA revealed that 2025's upcoming Madden game, Madden NFL 26, will not be released on last-generation consoles (namely the PS4 and Xbox One). Instead, it will only come out on the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. This means that Madden NFL 26 will be the first game in the entire franchise that won't be available on a PS4 or Xbox One in nearly 12 years. This is a big deal, as it suggests that EA is finally starting to move on from Sony and Microsoft's legacy consoles. Frankly, it's about time that Activision starts doing the same with its Call of Duty series.
Insider Shares Bad News About Call of Duty 2025
An industry insider shares a disappointing update surrounding Call of Duty 2025, which is rumored to be a direct sequel to 2012's Black Ops 2.
Call of Duty Should Move On from Last-Generation Consoles, Just Like Madden NFL
Activision Has Often Ported Call of Duty Games to as Many Platforms as Possible
Call of Duty is one of the world's biggest video game franchises, in large part due to its widespread availability on multiple consoles. From the mid-to-late 2000s, Activision released Call of Duty games on basically anything that had a screen, even systems as under-powered as the Nintendo DS. These days, the company still develops games for older and weaker consoles. The latest Call of Duty installment, 2024's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, was released on PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. This is despite the fact that Activision's new parent company, Microsoft, stated a few years ago that it would no longer support systems like the Xbox One.
The first and last Madden NFL games on PS4 and Xbox One are, ironically enough, both called Madden NFL 25. The first Madden NFL 25 came out in 2013 in commemoration of Madden's 25th anniversary, while the second one was released last year.
This Year's Call of Duty Game is Apparently Going to Come to PS4 and Xbox One
Apparently, Activision is still interested in bringing its Call of Duty games to last-gen consoles. According to a report from CharlieIntel earlier this year, 2025's upcoming Call of Duty game is going to be released on PS4 and Xbox One in addition to current-gen systems. The as-of-yet unannounced title is reportedly going to be a sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, and it should be unveiled by Activision and Microsoft in the coming weeks. Fans will, therefore, not have to wait too long to see if this rumor is actually credible.
If this year's Call of Duty game really does come out on PS4 and Xbox One, it won't really be that surprising. Despite being over a decade old, the last-generation systems still have sizable install bases. The PS4, in particular, has roughly 49 million monthly active users, at least as of April 2024. From a business standpoint, it makes sense why Activision and Microsoft would still want to support these older platforms. However, there is a major downside to this entire situation.
Last-Gen Consoles Are Holding the Call of Duty Franchise Back
Since the Call of Duty games are being ported to aging systems, their developers cannot push too many technical boundaries. Otherwise, they won't be able to run on those platforms. This strategy frankly holds Call of Duty back from its true potential. If the Call of Duty games were developed exclusively for current-gen consoles, they would likely look far better graphics-wise. Their developers could also add new features, like the ability to simultaneously have two big maps in Call of Duty: Warzone, if they were to take this route. The PS4 and Xbox One are preventing the Call of Duty franchise from developing technically, but if the series follows in Madden NFL's footsteps, it could improve significantly over time.
Madden NFL 25
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 69 /100 Critics Rec: 34%
- Released
- August 16, 2024
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Developer(s)
- EA Tiburon
- Publisher(s)
- EA
- Engine
- Frostbite
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes. PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
WHERE TO PLAY
FRANCHISE IMMERSION
Recharged Franchise mode provides a rebuilt NFL Draft experience featuring Roger Goodell, team and rookie records, new environments, personalized storylines, more ways to customize your NFL team and season, a fresh Super Bowl celebration experience, and Franchise Central with simplified league creation tools and more information at your fingertips so you can drive your Franchise to victory.
LIVE UPDATES IN ULTIMATE TEAM & SUPERSTAR
New rewards, feature releases, themed programs, and the ability to customize your style and skills in Superstar bring refreshed experiences across Ultimate Team™ and live game modes.
PLAYBOOK EXPANSION
Evolve your strategy with a brand new set of featured plays, from some of the game’s most inventive team playbooks.
TEAM BUILDER
Create your own NFL franchise using Team Builder, a web-based customization tool that allows you to design a team that perfectly matches your style.
Team Builder content can be used in Franchise mode. Internet connection & EA account required. Applicable platform account may be required. Age restrictions may apply.
- Genre(s)
- Sports
