Madden 19’s Pre-Game Won’t Address NFL’s Controversial Kneeling Policy

[Megalith]

It has been over a decade since a Madden title has graced the PC (2007’s Madden ’08), but that will finally change when Madden NFL 19 is released this fall on Origin. While the franchise strives to be authentic, EA is avoiding the controversy as to whether players on the field should be forced to stand during the national anthem. The pre-game presentation will merely remain the same as it has in previous years, and commentary won’t make mention of it.

"We work very closely with the NFL and the NFLPA. We work very closely about how we want to represent the game, and really make it a celebration of the sport," he said. "And maybe a place where you don't have to ... you love the game, but you don't have to worry about everything else that's going on that might be distractions from [the reason] you're trying to be here--it's about the game."

 

[The Mad Atheist]

Could just let the player decide if they want the character to kneel.

 

[captaindiptoad]

Good

 

[craigdt]

Its a game.

In which you play a game.

As players who are paid to do as they are told.

Just let us play our game and leave current events out of it.

We play games to escape current events, not embrace them.

 

[vegeta535]

Could just let the player decide if they want the character to kneel.

You think EA would open themslves up to the backlash if they did that?

 

[Oniigumo]

I dont think the games have ever featured the anthem, not that i remember anyways, so theres no real point to asking if you can kneel during something that doesnt happen. That said, I dont know ANYONE who plays a sports game that doesnt just mash the controller to skip the intro anyways.. I know I crush the controller to skip to puck drop in NHL at least lmao.

 

[cjcox]

Coming in 2018. Dez.... Johnny.... Colin..... there's a new battleground.

SALARY CAP 2018

Who do you pick? Who will actually play? Who will kneel? Who will go to jail? CFL? Who will get "capped"? And the most important question....

Who gets the last spot in the NFL?

 

[d8lock]

Press "F" to pay respect.

 

[mufcfan]

Finally back on the PC!
I will have to fight the strong urge to buy it early and get disappointed.

 

[bigdogchris]

The kneeling thing has been so blow out of proportion. It's like literally a 5 minutes conversation for people willing to actually talk about what it really means.

 

[RealBeast]

That would be a no win situation for EA, good move to just make the football game actually about just football.

 

[mUdliLLy]

Is it seriously back on PC?! Where is the official announcement? Link or where to find announcement please!

 

[mUdliLLy]

For reference, yes, I did see it mentioned in the article. Nothing ever seems official enough though when it comes to Madden coming back to PC

 

[Mega6]

Could just let the player decide if they want the character to kneel.

should make it a micro-transaction.

 

[gxp500]

Could just let the player decide if they want the character to kneel.

Is there even an anthem in the game where they can do that?
Press A to kneel
Press B to stand
Press X to do the Macarena

 

[heatlesssun]

That would be a no win situation for EA, good move to just make the football game actually about just football.

Totally correct. Steam talked about its store policy and there was thread in this forum about that subject. So I came up with "Child Rape Murder" and figured who the hell would argue against Steam rejecting that. Seems like NFL players kneeling during the anthem might be less popular than Steam rejecting a game that graphically depicts "Child Rape Murder".

 

[DF-1]

should make it a micro-transaction.

2 $4.99 DLCs one for each.

20% goes to either community related things or 20% goes to veterans programs

 

[capt_cope]

Press "F" to pay respects...

Would have worked here

 

[mUdliLLy]

I think an NFL video game addressing real life politics steps over the line. The fact that it's even mentioned is absurd.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Could just let the player decide if they want the character to kneel.

Players dont own the rights to their likeness

 

[ZLoth]

I would be interested if games placed in FirstEnergy Stadium will actually be more filled in the game than in real life....

 

[Verge]

You think EA would open themslves up to the backlash if they did that?

They would have gotten reamed. Like when they added diving to pro evolution soccer

 

[The Mad Atheist]

Is there even an anthem in the game where they can do that?
Press A to kneel
Press B to stand
Press X to do the Macarena

IDK, last sport game I play was RBI Baseball for the NES.

 

[katanaD]

Who the hell cares??


seriously.. why is it nowadays that EVERYTHING has to be making a statement of some sort or another???



its a game, not my type, but its still just a game. if you enjoy playing it.. thats ALL that should matter

 

[NoOther]

Madden back to the PC, life may become whole again. The only real reason I bought a console back in the day was when they stopped making Madden for the PC. I might never go back to console again if Madden is moving back to PC.

 

[cjcox]

On the Xbox with Kinect, you can choose which players will play "well" after they see you kneel at the beginning for the National Athem. Likewise you can throw (various) items from the audience at players that don't kneel... or just at white players in general.

 

[Motley]

This entire NFL kneeling crap needs to stop already. I quit watching last year because of it. And I really like to watch football game on the weekends.

The black players aren't doing themselves any favors, they look like a bunch of winney ass millionaires. Its fucking downright STUPID!

 

[Dekoth-E-]

Not that I care about Madden but they are doing the right thing by ignoring it. Honestly the whole thing could have been avoided had teams had the balls to just suspend anyone doing it and be done with it. Don't want to honor those that fought and died so you could make millions playing a game? Go fucking home then.

 

[NoOther]

This entire NFL kneeling crap needs to stop already. I quit watching last year because of it. And I really like to watch football game on the weekends.

The black players aren't doing themselves any favors, they look like a bunch of winney ass millionaires. Its fucking downright STUPID!

They look about as whiny as someone who stops watching football because of a few people kneeling for a few minutes before the game even starts...

 

[Jagger100]

They look about as whiny as someone who stops watching football because of a few people kneeling for a few minutes before the game even starts...

Someone saying they don't respect my agency when it comes to my vote and using a captured audience opportunity provided by a government fostered monopoly situation to do it that I'm denied, I should take lightly. Two words for you and they're not Happy birthday.

 

[pentiumiiislota]

Im glad they didn't include that stuff in the game. Im not sure how kneeling during the anthem changed anything.

 

[NoOther]

Someone saying they don't respect my agency when it comes to my vote and using a captured audience opportunity provided by a government fostered monopoly situation to do it that I'm denied, I should take lightly. Two words for you and they're not Happy birthday.

I am confused about what you are trying to say here? My point was the hypocrisy of his statement especially with publicly whining about it.

 

[Draax]

This entire NFL kneeling crap needs to stop already. I quit watching last year because of it. And I really like to watch football game on the weekends.

The black players aren't doing themselves any favors, they look like a bunch of winney ass millionaires. Its fucking downright STUPID!

No, no, nope. I have had enough of people saying they are football fans and they stopped watching because of players kneeling (which has rarely if ever televised). Stop playing, if you stopped watching the NFL because players knelt you were never a fan anyway.
The anthem wasn't even a thing in the NFL until 2009 when the DOJ gave the NFL millions for paid patriotism and the NFL then turned around and forced players to stand for the anthem. And here I thought football field sized flags and military aircraft flyovers are enough patriotism .. but nope apparently that's not enough, the NFL is not patriotic enough unless players are forced to stand for the anthem.

 

[NoOther]

No, no, nope. I have had enough of people saying they are football fans and they stopped watching because of players kneeling (which has rarely if ever televised). Stop playing, if you stopped watching the NFL because players knelt you were never a fan anyway.
The anthem wasn't even a thing in the NFL until 2009 when the DOJ gave the NFL millions for paid patriotism and the NFL then turned around and forced players to stand for the anthem. And here I thought football field sized flags and military aircraft flyovers are enough patriotism .. but nope apparently that's not enough, the NFL is not patriotic enough unless players are forced to stand for the anthem.

I agree in part with how people view "patriotism" with the NFL. The NFL has gone above and beyond for patriotism. I also see no problem with patriotism, I think voluntary patriotism is admirable. Compelled patriotism on the other hand is not.

However, the anthem has been played long before 2009. The only difference was that in 2009 NFL teams started coming out of the locker room to stand for the anthem along with the rest of the crowd. To be clear, it is expected that all citizens stand for the national anthem when it is played. I don't agree with the notion that if you don't stand you are not patriotic though. There could be many reasons for that which have nothing to do with patriotism.

I still don't agree with players that choose to make a demonstration out of the anthem during sporting events which are their occupations. But I also don't agree that they should be forced to stand or even need to be on the field for the anthem as part of their occupation either. Ultimately to me this situation comes down to a poor choice by all parties involved. I also think its appropriate to keep all of it out of Madden which is a video game. Honestly I usually skip all the pregame and halttime bs in Madden.