Topic: Next Madden to Emphasize Risks of Concussions

[NWR_MattB]

Electronic Arts announces new changes to its Madden series. 

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/25941

Earlier this week, EA announced that the next installment in the Madden series will prevent in-game players from returning to a game after a concussion. The purpose behind this is to put emphasis on the seriousness of such incidents.

"Good for EA Sports. Concussed players in NFL Madden prevented from returning to play," NFL Players Association assistant executive director of external affairs George Atallah said via Twitter. "Culture change is important."

In Madden NFL '10, the developer revamped the injury system by adding injuries as a possible result of violent hits and tackles. The company also added information about the consequences of such an injury, such being unable to return to a game.

Madden NFL 12 is due out later this year.

[RABicle]

I felt it was handled very appropriately in Madden '92
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_138p6uzhUk

[Ian Sane]

The side effect here is that a new strategy will appear where one intentionally tries to injure the other team because they know they can't come back in.  This isn't real life where there might be a resistance to seriously injuring other human beings.  Who cares about videogame characters?  I'll mow down 100 videogame characters without batting an eye.  So instead of emphasizing the true injuries that can occur in football, it becomes part of the gameplay.  You can cause injury which can give you an advantage and there is no real world guilt or repercussions.  So it becomes a strategy and more emphasis is put on hurting others.

It's like if you make an FPS that shows the real effects of getting shot.  Well that just plays up for gore freaks.  Murder simulation becomes part of the gameplay.  Ironically if this didn't emphasize the injuries it would just be about football strategy.  Without injuries as part of the gameplay the goal becomes entirely to sack the quarterback because there is no reason to "kill" the quarterback.

[Stogi]

Yeah, I agree with Ian.

They already kind of do this for their FIFA games. If it were real soccer, I would feel bad about flying in with a slide-kick, injuring a player. But when it happens in the game, I cheer. And thanks to the usually lenient calls as long as you slide from in front of the players, I do it way more often then I would in a real game.

Injuring players became a strategy, albeit a small strategy, but one none-the-less.