For weeks, EA has been drip-feeding the Madden community information regarding its next release, Madden 26. Last month, it was revealed that Madden 26 would strictly be a current-gen game, releasing exclusively for the Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and the Nintendo Switch 2. And just last week, its cover star was announced — Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley. While these are all good holdover announcements that signify work is being done, not much has been revealed about Madden 26 ahead of its intended August 14 release date. Until now.
Though often criticized, it’s likely that Madden 26 will provide at least a passable experience, as most entries into the series do. But it sure is an exciting time for the franchise and a huge chance to make leaps in terms of innovations, both cosmetically and mechanically.
And if the reveal trailer is anything to go by, Madden fans might be getting such overhauls, especially as they pertain to weather effects and, potentially, changes to tackling.
Weather Seems To Be A Focal Point Of Madden 26 Reveal Trailer
Weather effects being in Madden is nothing new. For years, the team at EA has attempted to replicate the chaos and unpredictability of professional football being played in less-than-ideal conditions. The results have been… a mixed bag.
Sure, players tend to have shoddy performances when playing in adverse weather in Madden. But it always comes across (at least in terms of the optics) as more of the RNG just not being in your favor, rather than a collection of elite football players struggling to deal with the unforgiving elements of Mother Nature. But judging from the reveal trailer, Madden 26 seems to be committed to providing a more realistic experience when it comes to playing in bad weather.
About halfway into the trailer, many players are shown struggling in rainy conditions. The Packers’ Jordan Love and the LA Chargers’ Ladd McConkey are seen struggling to find footing on the soggy field whilst being closed down by defensive tackles.
Moments later, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chargers are seen playing a game that can only be described as being in “white-out conditions,” likely based on the two’s battle in last year’s Divisional Round. Though the Chargers’ defense does its best, cover athlete Saquon Barkley is seen tearing them apart with quick cuts. This isn’t unlike how it unfolded in the actual game, with Barkley rushing for 205 yards, which included two runs that went for more than 60 yards each.
Assuming this trailer is like most, where the developer is emphasizing certain mechanics, expect weather to play a bigger part in Madden 26 than it ever has before.
Are Tackling Mechanics Getting An Overhaul?
Like its college football counterpart, Madden 26 has promised more in the way of realism and immersion in its latest installment. Pre-game rituals and walkouts are featured prominently, as are new celebrations and animations. But that’s not the extent of EA’s efforts this year. Rather, they’re trying to emulate everything — not just the bombast and the pageantry, but playcalling and tendencies as well.
On the topic of realism, one area in which Madden has fallen short in the past is in its tackling mechanics. Yeah, it probably works better than I’d say it does, but something always feels lacking about it. If I had to point at anything specific, it’d be that there doesn’t seem to be any kind of real risk-and-reward to it — you line up a tackle, press a button, and the game either rewards you or has the ball carrier shake you off. But one shot in the trailer caught my eye.
During the section in which the trailer reveals the effects rain has on gameplay, there’s a shot in which Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray escapes the pocket and begins a run downfield. But as a Seattle Seahawks defender closes him down, Murray decides to give himself up and slide to avoid a big hit. As he does this, the Seahawks defender abandons his tackle and leaps over him.
Now, this could very well just be an animation in which the defensive AI sees that the quarterback has slid and jumps. But what if this shot is indicative of a mechanic where there’s a risk involved: Either you commit to the tackle to prevent any kind of fake slide situation and risk an unnecessary roughness penalty, or you bow out and hope the slide is legit.
The Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen has pretty much made a career of faking a slide, only to continue running and pick up a chunk of yardage. Maybe it’s time Madden 26 introduces this tactic in the game.
