Madden NFL 11 News Post

Gus Johnson Confirmed Play-By-Play Commentator For Madden NFL 11 w/ Gameplay Video

09:33 AM - May 21, 2010 by Steve_OS

Way back in late April some of our keen readers noticed Gus Johnson would probably make his way into Madden NFL 11.

Today, Kotaku has confirmed Gus Johnson has the play-by-play gig.

Quote:


	"Today, Johnson, the exciting and excitable CBS sportscaster, officially became the fourth play-by-play man to hold sports gaming's top booth job. Teased at the end of this video a month ago, Johnson's hiring is hardly a shocker, and neither are EA Sports' reasons for grabbing him. After nearly 20 years of often sedate, always straightforward calls by the likes of Pat Summerall and Al Michaels, Madden badly needed the kind of high-five-yourself enthusiasm Johnson imposes on a game."

You can also check out the newest video with Gus Johnson and Kotaku's Owen Good featured in Madden NFL 11 here.

Game: Madden NFL 11Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
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Madden NFL 11 Videos

Member Comments

# 81 ESPOMAN @ 05/23/10 09:38 AM

This game is going to rock.

# 82 taqiyya @ 05/23/10 11:23 AM

Smelling something yummy. LoL classic ..

# 83 splff3000 @ 05/23/10 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIM RULES


	I initially watched the video first and was shocked. I was ready to praise EA for the best commentary ever heard in a video game. Sadly enough, I read the article a few moments later. Why, tease us with that video, if the actual game will not be like that? That video sounds more like what I hear on Sundays. Man, that would be sweet if I could play a football game with great commentary like that. Even that Owens guy did a great job, IMO. They actually draw you into the game, and take the focus off of game play issues.

Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing after watching the vid in the IGN preview thread lol. I noticed Gus saying Alex Smith drops back to pass and then I remembered the watcher saying one of the devs said that it would not be possible to have the announcer say that in the game. That's when I starting wondering why is EA showing us this anyway? Is it just to tease? It's almost certain that the commentary in game will not be as good. I mean, if the announcer can't even say **insert QB name here** drops back to pass, then how great can it be? It also makes me wonder what else the announcer can't do.

# 84 Bgamer90 @ 05/23/10 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splff3000


	Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing after watching the vid in the IGN preview thread lol. I noticed Gus saying Alex Smith drops back to pass and then I remembered the watcher saying one of the devs said that it would not be possible to have the announcer say that in the game. That's when I starting wondering why is EA showing us this anyway? Is it just to tease? It's almost certain that the commentary in game will not be as good. I mean, if the announcer can't even say insert QB name here drops back to pass, then how great can it be? It also makes me wonder what else the announcer can't do.

Where/when did TheWacther say that?

Anyways, I think the reason that they have these vids is because they are still doing work to the commentary and therefore them showing a vid of the game now with the commentary wouldn't be as good as how the commentary will be in the final game.

# 85 XtremeDunkz @ 05/23/10 09:30 PM

yeah there was an article that said Johnson commentary was only about 70% implemented. I forget what article it was though.

# 86 roadman @ 05/24/10 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splff3000;2041089673

What's changed in 2 yrs? Nothing. It doesn't matter if they resurrect Howard Cosell, get John Madden back in the booth, and throw in a dash of Brent Musburger and Al Michaels (the top 4 of the 50 greatest sports announcers of all time [url


	http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ys-top50announcers013009[/url] ), the commentary will be bad if they are putting in a lackluster effort with it, like they have been doing the last 2 years. Tom Hammond was/is the scapegoat for poor commentary programming. Now I'm no programmer so I have no idea how easy or hard it is, but I do know one of 2 things has been happening the last 2 years. Either the programmers working on commentary lack the effort to fix it or they lack the talent to fix it. I would tend to think it was more of the former than the latter. It sounds harsh, but it is the truth. Anytime Hammond can pronounce Nnamdi Asomugha's(arguably the best CB in the game today) name wrong for 2 years in a row, you know something is wrong. I can't imagine how many people sent letters, emails, tweets, texts, etc to EA after Madden 09 saying that Nnamdi's last name is pronounced a-so-mu-wa not a-so-moo-gah, yet it made it into 10 the same way. That tells me something was really wrong with the effort put forth into commentary. Now Tom Hammond is not completely off the hook. He was the one who said asomoogah in the first place, but I put more of the blame on the EA team. I've seen Hammond call games and he sounds nothing like he does in Madden. That's because the team has noticeable pauses before obvious spliced statements ie "Today's game is between pause the Oakland Raiders and pause the Denver Broncos. Tom Hammond doesn't talk like that. That's how the game is programmed. You may say, well he sounds dull and bland like a robot. That's EA's job to tell him to put a little more excitement in his voice. They're supposed to be there to direct him. That's just more evidence of a lack of effort. If you ever watch a game that he announces, it's like night and day when compared to Madden. The first time I heard him call a game I was like who the hell is this? lol This isn't the same guy from Madden. While he may not be as exciting as Gus, he is definitely nowhere near as bad as he sounds on Madden. I know a lot of you all are happy about Gus Johnson joining the Madden booth, but, like all those other guys said about Madden 09, it's not necessarily about the announcer, but about how the commentary is programmed to integrate into the game. If the team puts forth the same effort that they have been for the last 2 years, Gus Johnson may quickly become the new Tom Hammond.

I'm taking a wait and hear attitude before I jump up and down or crucify it without hearing any commentary or sounds in the game.

If I recall correctly, there is a new sound guy on board, as he made a post on here after 10 dropped, so, that's why I'm taking a wait and hear attitude.

# 87 splff3000 @ 05/24/10 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	I'm taking a wait and hear attitude before I jump up and down or crucify it without hearing any commentary or sounds in the game. If I recall correctly, there is a new sound guy on board, as he made a post on here after 10 dropped, so, that's why I'm taking a wait and hear attitude.

If there is a new sound guy then that's a good thing. I guess EA realize it wasn't just the announcer as well.

On a sidenote, what is going on with your post? It's all crazy looking.

# 88 roadman @ 05/24/10 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splff3000


	If there is a new sound guy then that's a good thing. I guess EA realize it wasn't just the announcer as well. On a sidenote, what is going on with your post? It's all crazy looking.

That's your Malt Liquor kicking in, isn't it? haha, j/k.

I don't know what happened, really.

# 89 43Chargers4Now @ 05/24/10 07:23 PM

That was great!!!

# 90 Moegames @ 05/25/10 04:15 AM

Amazing what a total revamp of the audio play by play has done for M11. Its just one of those things that is vital to a fun exciting game of football..i been saying this for many years in here that this is what madden needed and its now a reality..thank god.

Yeah..im really glad to see the turn EA has doing with the madden franchise..its now looking like a complete package. Presentation including audio is so crucial to a football videogame.. and this example of the new play by play clearly proves that.

Keep up the good work guys and im impressed with this new play by play..it will make this game a hell of alot more fun to play.

# 91 HealyMonster @ 05/25/10 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moegames


	Amazing what a total revamp of the audio play by play has done for M11. Its just one of those things that is vital to a fun exciting game of football..i been saying this for many years in here that this is what madden needed and its now a reality..thank god. Yeah..im really glad to see the turn EA has doing with the madden franchise..its now looking like a complete package. Presentation including audio is so crucial to a football videogame.. and this example of the new play by play clearly proves that. Keep up the good work guys and im impressed with this new play by play..it will make this game a hell of alot more fun to play.

where did you hear the play by play? Your say your impressed with it, yet they haven't released any clips of it....?

# 92 CardsFan52 @ 05/25/10 04:32 PM

Its crazy with all the times someone has said that video was not in game commentary,and still people just ***-u-me it was in game without Chris C.

# 93 ForUntoOblivionSoar∞ @ 05/25/10 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exonerated


	Just a journalist.

That's too bad because he sounded good with him.

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