Today, Electronic Arts Inc. ushered in the next generation of sports gaming with the worldwide releases of EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL21 and FIFA 21 on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation®5. The games feature faster load times, the most realistic, fluid player movement, authentic game and match day experiences inside stadiums and new deferred rendering and lighting that enhances fidelity and player visuals. On PlayStation 5, both titles will also feature new haptic feedback that deepens the gameplay experience with the new DualSense controller.
Madden NFL 21 features Next Gen Player Movement made possible by the addition of athlete data from the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. The data, which captures each NFL players’ speed and acceleration on the field, is fed into Frostbite to drive seamless animation selection based on their stats. As a result, the game features the most realistic and fluid player movement to date, further enhancing the authenticity of the gameplay experience. A revamped play calling system makes it easier to get the ball in the hands of top players and save favorite plays for later. In addition, deferred lighting makes everything look crisper, player bodies have been improved, a new cloth animation tech has been added, enhancing silhouettes and even showcases jersey wrinkles as players move while new location-based audio brings the sounds of the NFL to life.
“Everyone at EA SPORTS is excited to unleash the power of next gen Madden NFL 21 and FIFA 21,” said Cam Weber, EVP and Group GM of EA SPORTS. “Next gen technology has allowed us to make our games more authentic with sports specific features like NFL’s Next Gen Stats in Madden NFL 21 and next level player movement and football physics in FIFA 21. We’re all sports fans and want everyone to feel sports at the next level through Madden and FIFA this year. This is just the beginning and we’re excited to continue innovating within these new platforms.”
FIFA 21 immerses players in a visceral football experience through EA SPORTS GameCam, inspired by the look and feel of top-level football broadcasts, as well as LiveLight Rendering, a deferred lighting system that enhances every aspect of the on-pitch experience. Additionally, thousands of authentic chants captured exclusively from the world’s biggest competitions, including the Premier League, La Liga, and the Bundesliga, deliver the ultimate EA SPORTS Atmospheric Audio experience, unparalleled in games. Visually, with the power of Frostbite, fans will notice deeper definition in player physiques, including flexing muscles and ball deformation after strikes, and strand-based hair on a selection of the top footballers.
Players who buy, or who have already bought, Madden NFL 21 and/or FIFA 21 for Xbox One and/or PlayStation 4 can get the Xbox Series X|S and/or PlayStation 5 version of the game for free* up until the release of Madden NFL 22 and FIFA 22. Players carry over their progress and content in Ultimate Team™, The Yard and both Franchise modes in Madden NFL 21, and their progress and content in Ultimate Team and VOLTA FOOTBALL in FIFA 21.
EA Play members can get more out of EA SPORTS Madden NFL21 and EA SPORTS FIFA 21 on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, with trial access and monthly in-game rewards. EA Play is a game membership service that makes every game more rewarding with access to exclusive player challenges, in-game rewards, member-only content and a library of top titles.
Players also have the option to buy standalone NXT LVL editions of Madden NFL 21 and FIFA 21 on the Xbox® Series X|S and PlayStation®5 for $69.99 USD.
