Developers and publishers will regularly be finalizing and polishing their new games, right up until the very moment they press the button to ship. In the case of games with a focus on realism, sometimes real-world changes can cause last-minute alterations, as has happened with EA's latest in the long-running Madden series, Madden NFL 21. As it turns out, Madden NFL 21 will be removing the Washington Redskins name and logo imagery from the game, and replacing them with a generic team.
The change to Madden NFL 21 is happening because the team itself has announced they will be retiring the Redskins name and replacing it, following renewed calls from fans, shareholders, investors, and sponsors, for action in the wake of protests following the death of George Floyd in May 2020. The word "redskin" is considered offensive by many Native Americans, and while there is disagreement on its exact origins and meaning, it is typically considered a slur.
Although the change has happened too late to be included on the first retail Madden 21 discs, when players connect to the internet, an automatic update will remove the old team details. However, the new team name and design is unknown, and with no firm date when it will appear, EA has taken the decision to use a placeholder name in the meantime. EA told Kotaku that changes "will include audio/commentary updates; motion graphics and presentation updates; stadium art, environments, crowd gear and signage updates; and uniform updates." Any remaining references will gradually be removed in future updates.
The recent debate is not the first time that the Redskins name has generated controversy, with the offense being discussed regularly in Washington since 1971, and protests occurring in 1988 after the team won Superbowl XXII. Some pickets have taken place at games held in cities with large Native American populations since 2013, including Glendale, Dallas, and Denver. However until now the team has managed to avoid making any changes.
The powerful and important protests that have been taking place in the US and other countries, show a clear desire from a large percentage of the population for significant change on all kinds of racism. While some gamers may feel uneasy at a name that is almost ninety years old disappearing from the game, EA is simply reflecting the reality of a changing time, and the desires of many in their fan base.
The positive news for Washington, is that changing their name to one with no offensive origins will widen their potential supporter base, and potentially even drive higher merchandise sales. Players looking forward to taking the new, more culturally-sensitive Washington team onto the digital field have just over a month to wait for Madden 21's release.
Madden 21 is due for release on August 28 for Google Stadia, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X versions also in development.
Source: Kotaku