Over the years, the Madden franchise has remained a staple not only amongst sports gamers, but also in American sports culture. Despite being held back year after year by nagging gameplay issues, Madden has continued to succeed in large part due to exclusiveness. However, that same exclusiveness is a big reason why football gaming as a whole has yet to reach the heights of other major sports games.

I’m not interested in debating which football games would be superior in an open NFL-gaming market, but I find myself dreaming of a gaming landscape where competition exists and thus drove innovation in all football games.

Here are four things that I am almost certain would exist in this alternate universe of games on the gridiron if the exclusivity of Madden were to vanish.

Real signature moves

We’ve seen more signature gestures from Madden in recent years, like pregame introductions, antics and some celebrations. But outside of quarterback releases, none have made their way onto the field. Seeing Ray Rice get first downs in the unique way he moves makes me believe his jump-cuts and galloping running style when in an open field would surely be in football games.

Sticking with running backs, LeSean McCoy -- whom I think is the most elusive runner in the league -- has his unique set of gliding moves that make opposing linebackers just look plain silly. In a competitive world for game developers, football games would certainly tap into the vast variety of player signature moves.

Refined passing mechanics

Getting the ball to receivers in football games has been dominated by icon passing through the years. But in this world, you need to do more than hit a X to hit that seam route to your slot receiver. Now you need a combination of button presses to pull off the more complicated throws just like how soccer and basketball gaming have adopted, such as step-overs or crossovers.

Playing the QB position should be as unique as Tebow's playing style

If you want to hit a bullet right down the middle to your tight end, there’s a button combination for that Mr. Tom Brady. You want to connect on a deep shoulder fade to your wide receiver down the sidelines? Just hit these buttons right here A-Rod. Oh, you want to run around outside the pocket and then throw a 5-yard side-arm pass to your RB? Sure, go ahead, Tebow. And oh, while we’re at it, the shovel pass is an option too so quarterbacks like Blaine Gabbert can get their “touchdowns” too.

More intuitive ratings

Football comes with eleven positions on both sides of the ball, so naturally games have a ton player attributes. A more concise and intuitive rating system without having to search through the archives of OS forums is definitely a welcome sight. Ratings also mean more especially for wide receivers who are graded on their range. The attributes should reflect why wide receivers like Wes Welker are assassins underneath and why Torrey Smith is a designated threat down the field. Also, Calvin Johnson and any Green Bay wideout is a bet to win one-on-one matchups.

The Return Game

My last entry to the “features that would exist in an open-field football gaming market” was inspired from watching Cardinals rookie Patrick Peterson. If you don’t know, the former LSU Tiger tied the NFL record for punt returns in a season, already tallying four in his rookie campaign. But what caught my eye were his eyes on a punt return this past weekend in the Cardinals’ win over Big Steve’s Cowboys (sorry Steve). He only managed a 1-yard return, but watching the replay angle of him switching his eye sight from the punted football to the defenders running his way and vice versa, really put being a great return man in perspective ... first-person perspective.

P2 makes returning kicks look easy, but they're really not.

The Backbreaker series has already introduced football from this angle before, but the novelty for most ran off because no one really wants to play a whole game of football through such a narrow prism. But by inputting first-person football only for special occasions, like say, special teams worked just swell in this bizzaro world of football gaming. As we all know, some innovations blossom while some implode like the Eagles’ season, but there’s no denying competition would improve football games for us sports gamers.


What features do you think are missing from the virtual gridiron?