Madden NFL 25 News Post

Madden NFL 25 to Include Actual NFL Referees?

10:01 PM - September 26, 2012 by Steve_OS

Kotaku's Owen Good sends word that Madden NFL 25 could include actual NFL referees. If they are adding some focus on the referees, let's hope they are working on the penalties in general, pass interference being first on the list. (Although I have seen a few more this year...)

Quote:


	EA Sports plans to include real-life NFL referees in Madden NFL 14, according to two different sources close to the NFL Referees Association. One of them said the officials' facial features have been scanned into the game, with an eye toward making their calls and explanations a part of the broadcast presentation for next year's game.

What are you hoping to see come out of this?

This is just a rumor for now, so let's keep the discussion on penalties (and not "WHY ARE THEY WORKING ON REFEREES WHEN THEY HAVE SO MANY OTHER ISSUES...")

Game: Madden NFL 25Reader Score: 5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 54 - View All

Madden NFL 25 Videos

Member Comments

# 21 PVarck31 @ 09/27/12 09:43 AM

STAY ON TOPIC!

This is the last warning. There are plenty of other threads to discus what you don't like about Madden.

No more warnings, just bans.

# 22 TwoHeadedDog @ 09/27/12 09:49 AM

To me, player faces take precedence over ref's faces. And there are a ton of well known players without accurate faces in Madden.

# 23 Broncos86 @ 09/27/12 09:53 AM

I'm indifferent on such an idea. Personally, I've never said to myself "if only Madden had real referees in it." That being said, Madden has a lot of work to do with regard to penalties. With the hopeful combination of some new offensive/defensive line work, perhaps we can see some more true-to-life penalties called.

# 24 brandon27 @ 09/27/12 09:59 AM

This is rather useless to me. Id rather see them continue to implement the infinity engine like NHL has over the last few years with their physics engine and Id rather see them enhance CCM even further to get it back to what Franchise was rather than putting refs faces and voices into the game.

# 25 eF 5ive @ 09/27/12 10:09 AM

If they use real refs I am hoping they have a good number of calls per game and dont just add them to implement new audio of announcers talking about lockout and how many years theyve been in the league.

I think we wont see anything and its just smoke and mirrors so broadcast can make a comment all year about Golden Tate offensive PI and replacements making worst call in history.

# 26 crpav @ 09/27/12 10:12 AM

So new features being worked on to break the already broken game they don't seem to want to fix anymore? Sorry for being "salty" but come on, I don't care about next year and want this year fixed first. This is EXACTLY why fans are upset. They say they will support the current game more and people question that and say they will just start on next years game. Guess what, it is happening.

# 27 TMJOHNS18 @ 09/27/12 10:48 AM

The real question is, Can I fantasy draft Ed Hochuli on my team?

This seems real silly since the penalty system isn't close to being properly implemented. And if Hochuli's only has his face, without his undersized shirt and guns blazing, I really don't care if it's a real face on a generic madden body. Heck, ref's don't even face the right way as of now, have nearly 0 impact on games (other than instant holding flags every once and a while) and are hardly noticeable, they don't even spot the ball during the no huddle.

I'd rather have Ref's actually have a present before they resemble real one's on Sunday.

# 28 Find_the_Door @ 09/27/12 10:49 AM

I was under the impression that Ed Hochuli was already in this years game lol. The head ref that's on Madden 13 looks a whole lot like him.

# 29 llcmac @ 09/27/12 10:50 AM

This goes in the same idea pile as fight for the fumble and QB vision cone.

# 30 justtxyank @ 09/27/12 10:52 AM

I don't see why they would spend a dime implementing improved visuals for referees when referees are a total non-factor gameplay wise.

# 31 seanwilson160 @ 09/27/12 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandon27


	This is rather useless to me. Id rather see them continue to implement the infinity engine like NHL has over the last few years with their physics engine and Id rather see them enhance CCM even further to get it back to what Franchise was rather than putting refs faces and voices into the game.

You say that like it's an either/or. Yes, development time spent on this means time not spent elsewhere, but you act like this means they won't work on any of the other problems you have. They can do more than one thing. This seems like a harmless (at worst) feature that will add a bit more realism to the broadcast presentation (which is a consistent complaint from players).

The same goes for crpav suggesting that this means they've moved on from trying to patch the outstanding issues in this game. You do know that John Madden doesn't code the game all by himself, right? They have a development team and can work on both. In fact, if they weren't already working on 14, you'd be complaining next year when they released a disappointing product.

# 32 bobtrain @ 09/27/12 11:37 AM

OK, if there are going to be real referees I'd hope that we'd actually see a realistic amount of penalties for once. As some are saying. Don't put a feature in like Real Referees or Physics while the fundamentals of the sport are still lacking.

# 33 Lieutenant Dan @ 09/27/12 11:58 AM

If the Madden team will overhaul the actual penalty system to work in a more correct/realistic way, add all penalties to the game, and implement the real refs as a presentation aspect, I'm for it.

If the Madden team implements refs as a presentation aspect and doesn't fix the penalty system, you'll never see the refs anyway, so what was the point?

# 34 SageInfinite @ 09/27/12 01:21 PM

More smoke and mirrors from Tiburon. Hey it's what they do best. Seriously though I can totally see them adding in real refs and not touching the penalty system, or half-***ing it in some kind of way. Like you know working on a passing system and not working on line-play, or messing up sig qb throws in the process, smh. Hey it's a new team though...please. This would be cool if the game was near where I needed it to be, but sadly it's not. I'm always willing to see what they have and listen to what they have to say, but my hope is all but gone.

# 35 Majingir @ 09/27/12 01:24 PM

I find it funny how EA/Madden wants to have actual NFL referees in the game, yet EA can't even get actual coaches in NHL games.....

# 36 eF 5ive @ 09/27/12 01:41 PM

Putting real refs in Madden is like putting wings on a car. Whats the point if it cant fly. Priorities, ninja.

# 37 GlennN @ 09/27/12 01:52 PM

I truly can't imagine a feature of less importance to me. Nobody goes to a football game to watch the referees. In fact, if the refs are doing their job, the fans do not even notice them. If there will not be variability from one ref to another (and of course there could not be with an NFL license), then I just don't get the point.

# 38 MAGboyswifT27 @ 09/27/12 01:57 PM

Having the refs would be coo but they need to touch up on the penalties before worrying bout the refs..

# 39 poopoop @ 09/27/12 02:08 PM

Unless refs/ref crews call games differently.
And penalties/nfl rules are represented correctly.

Who cares?

# 40 TreyIM2 @ 09/27/12 02:33 PM

Wow, ppl on here, for one, are acting like this is the big or one and only 'feature' to be added to Madden 14. I would assume that EA already knows about the limited amount of penalties as well as how what's there doesn't work properly and will work to get them up to snuff since they're also saying the refs will give more detailed explanations in 14.

For 2, how long til Madden 14??? Settle down, ppl. I think they let this info out early in light of the whole referee debacle.

« Previous 123 4 Next »

More Links

Madden NFL 25 to Include Actual NFL Referees?