EA 2014: Madden NFL 15’s broadcast improvements sound promising

Madden NFL 15 isn’t only seeing improvements with its gameplay, but with its overall presentation as well. These improvements include everything from pre-game menus, in-game camera angles, and the addition of a halftime show.

“We just wanted to make everything flow and be tight this year,” EA Sports’ Brian Murray told us. “From the very start, we didn't want to waste any time, so we have a beautiful new pre-game that takes us right after team select, right into the game and right onto the field. It's nice and tight."

There have also been “thousands of new cameras” added to the game based on AI systems that EA has built. “Cameras look and feel like broadcasts,” he said, adding that this even applies to cameras selected for the actual gameplay.

Murray, who has a background working with NFL Films, told us that one of his goals with Madden NFL 15 was to get it to look and feel like you are actually on the sidelines filming the game.

“We don’t have time warps this year,” he said. “We try to stay on the field, so for instance, in postplay when you see [Marshawn] Lynch run around for 10 yards, we’re completely on him. We’re on the tackler with great contextual cameras  with UI backing that up, talking about it, and then you’re right back in the game. So for us it’s a nice and tight presentation this year.”

For the first time in years, Madden NFL 15 will feature a full contextual halftime show. According to Murray, these halftime shows will be voiced by Larry Ripley who does stuff with the Orlando Magic as well as with other teams in Orlando.

“He’s very specific at halftime,” Murray concluded. “You see a full breakdown of what happened in the first half with full replays, custom UI banners, and Larry speaking during all of these things.

We’ve yet to go hands-on with the game to offer any sort of insight about the changes, but if they are true, then Madden NFL 15 is making some huge improvements this year. A lot of it may start with the gameplay, but I think its presentation is equally as important. It’s nice to see EA actually giving it some attention.