EA Sports announced that Madden NFL 19 launches August 10 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. If that sounds a little early for Madden, you’re right. Madden typically arrives near the end of August, just prior to the start of the NFL regular season in early September.
Fresh off of his induction into the NFL Hall of Fame, former wide receiver Terrell Owens will grace the cover of the “Hall of Fame Edition.” The special edition costs $80, grants players three-day early access, and includes a slew of in-game goodies such as 12 gold team fantasy packs for Ultimate Team and an elite legends player.
It’s unclear which jersey Owens will don on the cover. He played for five NFL teams throughout his illustrious 16-year career. He spent the most time with the San Francisco 49ers, the team that chose him in the third round of the 1996 NFL draft, but EA’s press materials show him in Dallas Cowboys attire.
EA also announced updates to two of the game’s popular game modes, franchise and Ultimate Team. In franchise mode, offensive and defensive schemes will be linked to a new progression system that goes toward cultivating your roster for future success. Another big addition to franchise mode is Custom Draft Class Creator, which lets football fans create their own draft classes that include both former and current NFL players.
Ultimate Team, the card-collecting fantasy mode, will implement a new set of training tools to develop players. And for those who appreciate the single player aspect of this multiplayer-oriented mode, EA has added Madden Ultimate Team Solo Battles, a solo mode that doles out rewards for top challenge performers.
Those who pre-order the game will receive one elite player and five Gold Team fantasy packs for Ultimate Team. Additionally, EA Access members can jump into the football sim on August 2 on Xbox One and receive a 10 percent discount on the digital copy of the game.
Madden NFL 19 will be on display at EA Play during E3. We’re eager to learn which NFL star will be on the cover of the standard edition. Here’s to hoping EA announces the return of Longshot, the excellent cinematic story mode that debuted in Madden 18. And yes, it seems EA isn’t bringing Madden to Switch.
