Will Madden 13 Finally Make Hardcore Fans Forget About NFL 2K5?

In 2004, EA Sports managed to wrestle themselves into exclusivity over the rights to use NFL teams and players. Before then, the NFL gaming market was rich with competition, with the NFL 2K series giving Madden NFL a run for its money year in and out.

Since, however, fans have been stuck with one NFL video game to vicariously live through their controllers. As a result, the criticism of Madden has been loud. With Madden 2006 upsetting fans to the core, the series has improved only marginally, often leaving fans thinking they paid $60 for a roster update.

NFL 2K5 fans have legitimate gripes, too. The gameplay for the series still feels miles better than Madden 12 does, and the physics-friendly engine that 2K implemented made gameplay far more realistic and smooth. Meanwhile, Madden players are stuck with animation-based engines which feels just cheesy.

Of course, Madden 13 has been well-discussed since their announcement that the game will implement the new Infinity Engine, which will feature more physics-based gameplay, which will primarily impact tackling. No longer will touching a ball-carrier knock him over, so the guys at EA say. Finally, Madden is listening to their haters and is trying to make gameplay more realistic.

The engine will be based on mass and velocity, which is innovative, for EA Sports, at least.

The criticisms aren’t dead until Madden 13 finally comes out, though, and the fans see for themselves. Already, fans have cried foul, saying the engine will only be implemented for tackling, while the other aspects of the game — the trenches, movements, etc. — will stick to Madden’s long-running and oft-maligned animation-based engine.

Of course, it’s truly do-or-die time and Madden 13 will determine the future of NFL gaming, since EA Sports’ exclusive license with the NFL and NFLPA runs out after 2013.

Meaning, if Madden 13 fails to catch up to an eight-year predecessor, they’ll be stuck having to play from behind a competitor who revolutionized basketball gaming with NBA 2K11 and 2K12.

Which might not be so bad for us after all.

Read more about the NFL at NFL Spin Zone and keep an eye out at FanSided.com for a review of Madden 13 when the game hits stores August 28.