Topic: Madden 25 Not Coming to Wii U?

[NWR_DrewMG]

Madden may be missing Nintendo's home console for the first time since 1991.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rumor/33196

Madden NFL 25 has been announced for an August 2013 release, but the announcement did not include mention of any Nintendo platforms. The game, named in honor of the 25th anniversary of the series, was announced specifically for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

The Madden series has been available on Wii since Madden NFL 07, and the GameCube received Madden every year from Madden NFL 2002 through Madden NFL 07. Before that, the game came to Nintendo 64 in 1997 with Madden 64 and came yearly after that through 2001. The series made it's Nintendo debut on Super Nintendo in 1992 and was available yearly through 1998.

The game appeared on Nintendo 3DS for the system's launch year, but has not reappeared since.

Nintendo World Report has reached out to EA Sports for confirmation that the game will not be available on Wii U. 

[Mop it up]

EA really does have a grudge against Nintendo...

[Jonnyboy117]

I suspect they are simply waiting for a Nintendo-specific event to announce a special Wii U version with many unique features. Nintendo desperately wants to engage third-parties, especially Western ones, in that way, and they have a history of trying to court EA these past few years. Maybe it will even interface with a new 3DS version that lets you carry an entire league simulation on and off your console.

[NWR_insanolord]

EA wasn't willing to say anything about Madden for Wii U at last year's E3, and the only reason we even knew it existed is their PR rep mentioned it in passing in our conversation. They didn't formally announce it or FIFA until a special Nintendo-focused event. It is very possible that Jonny's right and they're just waiting on the Wii U announcement.

[broodwars]

This whole thing feels just like last year when they didn't announce Madden for the Wii U launch at E3, and what happened a month later? Madden was announced for the Wii U launch. I wouldn't jump to conclusions about this year's Madden until E3.

[shingi_70]

Why would they announce the Wii U version of their special 25th anniversary game later on.

Only real logical expectation is that in November Madden 2014 is going to be announced for Wii U, Orbis, and Durango.

[Stogi]

Only real logical expectation is that in November Madden 2014 is going to be announced for Wii U, Orbis, and Durango.

That is absolutely not the 'only real logical' expectation.

[house3136]

 Wii U next-gen confirmed? There was also no confirmation for PS4 or Nextbox. Yeah, I’m not holding my breath; nor do I think EA has resentment against Nintendo.

[Ian Sane]

It would be pretty bad if Nintendo got left out on this.  When that happened to Sega it was a big warning sign about the Dreamcast's fate and thus Sega's as well.  And like the Dreamcast, the Wii U is the early bird of it's generation and faces the risk of the competitor's systems easily topping its specs.

But if EA didn't reveal the Wii U version of last year's game all that quickly, then I could see it happening again.  But one thing that makes it quite different is that the Wii U had not yet been released at that point so saving it for a Nintendo event made more sense.  There is less reason to hold back this time, unless the Wii U version really has some special features worthy of being shown off seperately from the other versions.

I have Madden '98 for the Genesis, which came out TWO YEARS after the Saturn was released.  EA likes to put this game on everything.  And with the NFL licence being exclusive, they would have to provide a pretty good reason to the league to skip a current system.  The NFL wants this on EVERYTHING and doesn't give two fucks what EA thinks of Nintendo.  Only an expected loss would convince the NFL to go along with skipping the Wii U.

[NWR_Neal]

As likely the internet's #1 source for irreverent Madden Wii/Wii U info, I'm very worried about Madden coming to Wii U next year.

Still, I'm waiting for a reply from EA, and until I get that, I'll be concerned. The silence is very worrisome.

[smallsharkbigbite]

Hopefully they'll both release for the Wii U and 3DS.  Both games had the same complaints.  They had a solid base, but glitches and lack of features means hold off on buying the initial release.  Well, if their is no second release......

[Shaymin]

Wii U next-gen confirmed? There was also no confirmation for PS4 or Nextbox. Yeah, I’m not holding my breath; nor do I think EA has resentment against Nintendo.

They'd get the same benefit from announcing a game for the PS9 at this point, they exist on the same evidence.

And when the head of EA Sports is on record as being a "Nintendo should go third party" nutjob, there's reason to worry.

[ShyGuy]

Somebody call Petah Moore.

[funguy11]

This probably will come out for Wii U in the end if the NFL get involved themselves. I know their business model and they will fight to the extreme to get what they want in the end because the profit loss of not getting it is not an option they'll take. The NFL wants these games on everything including Nintendo.

[ShyGuy]

This thread title seems like FUD.

The next NWR article should be "Nintendo has announced no plans for the Wii U in 2014. Canceled?"

[Podings]

What's the point of Riccitiello walking on stage with everybody from Nintendo and making a big deal out of supporting the Wii U, if they aren't going to?


If this all is indeed a backlash from not allowing EA to handle online services for the machine, then it's sad to see things unfold like this gamewise because of something rather unrelated. I'm thinking maybe in a bout of greed, EA were looking to make the Wii U the unofficial "EA Box" in response to the "SteamBox" rumors of the time.


In any case, for me personally this is not a big loss, but it does NOT bode well for the system's success in the US to not feature Madden.

[BlackNMild2k1]

This thread title seems like FUD.

The next NWR article should be "Nintendo has announced no plans for the Wii U in 2014. Canceled?"

[NWR_Neal]

For the record, Madden on 3DS is dead. That ain't happening again.

That's why I'm concerned for the future of the franchise on Wii U. There is some precedent.

[NWR_insanolord]

The thing with the 3DS Madden is it had to be made on its own. The PS3 and 360 will get Madden for at least a couple more years, and that version could be ported to Wii U with little effort. Lower costs and higher likely returns make the Wii U version a lot easier to justify.

[Jabs]

Yeah until Wii U can sell 4 million copies of this EA will just act like it doesn't exist. I sucks but that's just the way they roll.


I'm sure they will still make it, it just won't be advertised.

[smallsharkbigbite]

For the record, Madden on 3DS is dead. That ain't happening again.

Sadly, you are probably right.  My hope was that with 3DS sales taking off (including me getting one) and Vita struggling mightily they would give the 3DS another shot.  Especially since most of the base game doesn't need rebuilt.  New rosters and stat tracking would probably be enough to make me purchase a new version.  No stat tracking in the 1st title is a big deal to me. 

[NWR_insanolord]

For the record, Madden on 3DS is dead. That ain't happening again.

Sadly, you are probably right.  My hope was that with 3DS sales taking off (including me getting one) and Vita struggling mightily they would give the 3DS another shot.  Especially since most of the base game doesn't need rebuilt.  New rosters and stat tracking would probably be enough to make me purchase a new version.  No stat tracking in the 1st title is a big deal to me. 

I don't know that the Vita version has much of a future either, but they'd give up on handheld Madden entirely before they'd bring it back to 3DS. As possibly the only person who bought the Madden games they made for DS prior to giving up there, I'm upset about that, but I get the business logic behind it.

With the Wii U there's no reason not to give it at least for one more year except to spite Nintendo for the drama that went down between them.

[xcwarrior]

Not too worried either. I own three Madden games:

2004 for GCN (I also own 2004 for GBA to get super teams through Connectivity, but GBA game is bad)
2006 for PS2
2012 for PS3

And the quality of games are in the same order. 2004 version is the best, 2006 was a small downgrade, and 2012 is a pretty bad downgrade. It's horrible they are the only ones who make NFL games. They are putting no effort into them at all. And how has the announcing gotten worse? Just very disappointed in the series.

I know it's for for Wii U that madden comes out - and I'm sure it will - but man I want EA to face competition so the games don't continue to lose quality.

[Ceric]

What I would like to see if EA is going "We're not making Madden for Nintendo Systems"  Then NoA going to the NFL and going "EA is not making games for our system.  We would like the rights to Publish NFL Games ourselves."  Then make a competative Nintendo exlusive Madden Alternative.

[TJ Spyke]

The NFL and Nintendo legally couldn't do that. EA has a contract for the exclusive rights. EA could make it Xbox 360 exclusive, and it wouldn't matter. EA is the only company that can make a NFL game. The NFL tries to let Nintendo do it, and they would get sued by EA for breach of contract (and EA would win).