Madden NFL Social Preview

In the world of Madden, pigskins are the only accepted currency

EA’s E3 2012 press conference ended just hours before writing this, and their focus veered heavily towards the PC and console side of the equation. It’s to be expected at a show like E3, where blockbuster titles almost always take the spotlight. Even so, the company managed to namedrop two big upcoming Facebook games: SimCity Social and Madden NFL Social. Not the most inventive of names, but we’ll take what we can get.

Hitting both iOS and Facebook, Madden NFL Social is quite possibly the most unique entry we’ve seen in the Madden series yet. Its gameplay is turn-based, with a strict emphasis on the offensive side of things. That’s right: You won’t be in control of defense. It’s a strange omission at face value, but it’s a big part of what enables the game to be turn-based.

Perhaps the most interesting reveal of the game (thus far) is that it will have cross-platform playability between iOS and Facebook. You can start a game on Facebook, and continue it on your iPhone or iPad while you’re out and about. I suspect we’ll be seeing a similar feature in a lot of future social games, and it’s encouraging to see a company as big as EA getting behind it.

Although free-to-play, Madden NFL Social will have a coin system in place, enabling players to purchase NFL players through the in-game “Auction House.” There’s no word yet on whether you can purchase coins (I suspect you can), but we do know that you can earn them from winning games. You should probably start finding people who suck at Madden to play against.

Though skill is important, building up a strong team of players will be a major key to success. The more high-rated players you have, the better your chances are of trash-talking your friends when you decimate them on the virtual playing field. You can’t put a price on that, now can you?

Arriving during the NFL season later this year, Madden NFL Social has the potential to be an addictive time-killer for any and all fans of the sport. I can already envision my pigskin-crazy friends trying to get me to play with them, which is always a good sign when it comes to social games.

Dant Rambo