In the world of football, when players do something really cool on the field, fans often say it’s like a "video-game move." Saquon Barkley, from the Philadelphia Eagles, jumped over a defender without looking earlier this season, and now that move is in Madden NFL 25, but only he can do it.
EA Sports shared that they quickly wanted to add Barkley’s amazing move into the game, so they watched lots of motion-capture videos. They found the right animations and used some "animator magic" to get it just right. While it sounds awesome for any player to have, there are special rules for using Barkley’s jump. The defender has to come from a 45-degree angle, and the timing has to be perfect, making it a tricky move to pull off.
Fans wonder if these updates make the game more realistic or just more complicated.
This month, Amazon Prime Video is launching "It’s in the Game," a documentary about how the Madden NFL games came to be, available on November 26. Also, Nicolas Cage will become John Madden in a new movie by David O. Russell.
For those curious, here’s what’s new in Madden NFL 25:
Gameplay Updates
- To do the Saquon Spin Hurdle, Barkley must be the player, with the defender coming at an angle, nearby, and the hurdle button pressed at the right time.
- Illegal formations by moving the tight end after an audible are now fixed.
- Quarterbacks no longer walk through the center in QB Kneel plays.
- Defensive players are now in the correct positions, especially in certain formations.
- The kicking team will now have more predictable power kicks.
- Deep zone defenders and seam flat defenders now cover their zones better.
- Improvements in Cover 4 Quarters, Palms, and Cover 6 alignments.
Superstar X-Factor Updates
- New X-Factor Players: C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins, Aidan Hutchinson, Antoine Winfield Jr., Quinnen Williams.
- New Superstar Players include Jayden Daniels, Baker Mayfield, and others.
- Some players like Tre’Davious White and Jalen Hurts are downgraded.
New Face Scans
- Players like Charvarius Ward and Rhamondre Stevenson have updated looks.
Playbooks
- New plays are added to various playbooks, including Nickel Over and Nickel 2-4 formations.
- Added New plays to the Run & Shoot playbook.
Franchise Mode
- Fixed a crash when starting a new offline league.
- Hub Timeline now shows final scores during Playoffs.
- Fixed mismatches and commentary errors.
Superstar Mode
- Fixed CAP absence in some plays.
- Updated difficulty settings.
- New vanity items like Snowman Helmets and Candy Cane Capsule.
NFL Authenticity
- New gear like Xenith Orbit Helmet and Nike Vapor Knit gloves.
- C Patch updates for several teams.
