EA Sports celebrated the 10 years of the popular Madden Mobile series with the latest season Madden NFL 24 Mobile. Of course, this is an incredible feat, where you deliver a solid game and keep the audience engaged for a decade. To know more about the the team behind the same, GamingonPhone sat down with Ryan Ferwerda, Head of Mobile, EA Tiburon for an Interview to discuss the behind-the-scenes of the Madden Mobile team, be it celebrating their anniversary, the evolution of the game over the years, future plans and possibilities, and more. So, let us head over and see what insights are in this Madden Mobile interview.
Congratulations on celebrating your 10th anniversary. Tell us how you feel about achieving this milestone.
The team is incredibly proud of the achievement. From Day 1, we set out to create an unparalleled NFL gaming experience on Mobile, giving players authentic access to their favorite league, teams, players, and events available on-the-go.
Year after year, we’ve challenged our team to up the ante, delivering improved gameplay, updated features, and world-class live service experiences delighting legions of Mobile gamers. Our staying power is a true testament to our dedicated development team and committed player base.
How did the Madden Mobile team celebrate hitting 10 years?
As we approached this monumental milestone, the team took a walk down memory lane, unearthing the unforgettable players, live service programs, and moments that captured our players hearts over the past decade. In partnership with teams across the Madden ecosystem including Development, Product, Marketing, and Community, we hatched a plan to celebrate the past 10 years all season long.
Each month, players have and will be treated to a unique Field Pass as we revive vintage programs, explore historic artwork, and feature unforgettable players who’ve made an indelible mark on our game. From Halloween-themed Ray Lewis to Madden Mobile legend Tim Fugger, this celebration represents an incredible opportunity to showcase our history and legacy.
What inspired the creation of Madden Mobile a decade ago, and how has the game evolved since then?
The Madden brand has been synonymous with authentic, immersive, and interactive NFL experiences for the last 35 years. With the advent of Mobile technology and connectivity, the team seized on an opportunity to extend the Madden brand beyond the traditional confines of PC and Console, giving players the latitude to play their favorite game on the go.
Since then, the game has evolved in so many ways. From visual improvements including UI and graphics, to implementing the Madden Ultimate Team mechanic, to executing one of the most robust Live Service calendars in Gaming (close to 40 unique programs per year), there’s plenty to celebrate.
Madden Mobile has been consistent in delivering updates every year, during the month of August. Tell us about the behind-the-scenes to achieve such consistency.
As an annualized title, we’re always looking to improve all facets of the game on a yearly basis. From a feature and content standpoint, we’re constantly evaluating new and innovative ways to deliver engaging Live Service programming, allowing our players to immerse themselves in the game, teams, and NFL superstars they love.
From a visual perspective, we’re continuing to up the ante, reinvigorating our UX/UI approach, game presentation, and graphics capabilities. This is all made possible by a dedicated and passionate development, content, and art team of NFL superfans, striving daily to deliver unparalleled experiences for our players.
What role has player feedback played in shaping the game’s features and updates over the past decade?
We love hearing from our players, and their feedback plays a substantial and important role in how we deliver features and content to them. Since the launch of Madden NFL Mobile over a decade ago, we’ve implemented numerous programs and tactics to help intake, process, and execute direct player feedback.
These include our Game Changer and Design Council programs, where we empower our most engaged and experienced players to advise on upcoming content and features. We’ve also leveraged various platforms such as Discord and Twitch to offer additional opportunities for players to express their feedback and engage with developers.
Bugs are part and parcel of the game, but sometimes they can be so bad and funny at the same time. Can you share a funny or quirky glitch or bug that happened during development that made the team share a laugh?
While bugs are certainly part of the game, our development team has done an incredible job limiting their exposure publicly. One particularly memorable bug occurred during the 2019/20 season when former Oakland Raiders/Philadelphia Eagles Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha was released at 7’ tall. This gave everyone a laugh and was able to be fixed relatively quickly after the content was deployed.
Do you feel something was missed out on/or could have been done from the time of development till today?
We’re continually evaluating new opportunities and emerging technologies to deliver world-class experiences for our players. Our team is extremely passionate about the game and we always feel like there’s more we can do, but we’re proud of our journey so far and we’re excited to continually deliver on our goal to create an unparalleled NFL gaming experience on Mobile.
A commonly asked question: What’s next? What exciting possibilities or innovations are you hoping to explore?
Our team is continually invigorated by the ever-present opportunity to push the bounds of possibility and technology. We have grand plans to create additional social experiences for our players outside the confines of the game in addition to connecting shared experiences across the Madden Franchise.
Any message you would like to convey to the community that has supported the game for a decade?
Thank you! Our core players are truly the lifeblood of our game in every way and we wouldn’t be here today without them. Their commitment over the past decade has been transformative and our Northstar continues to center around their positive play experience.
That’s all for our Madden Mobile interview! Did you feel we missed out on any query in this Madden Mobile Interview? Let us know in the comment section below!
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