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The first trailer for Madden NFL 15 has come out of the locker room, and fans of the series should be able to tell this one was directly made for next-generation (or current generation) consoles. Though Madden NFL 15 is the successor to the awkwardly-numbered Madden NFL 25, this year is set to be one of the biggest for the NFL series as a whole.

Despite a lack of any in-game footage, a high definition portrayal of Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly urges gamers to prepare themselves for the transition to next-generation consoles. Moreover, the trailer hints that we'll see the full 'transformation' of the accolade-winning linebacker in a trailer this June - likely as part of EA Sports' presence at E3 2014.

The trailer may be a little heavy on Predator-Vision and JARVIS Holograms, but the point Madden is making is pretty clear - the series is poised to make some big changes this year, and EA Sports certainly isn't shying away from calling it 'the best Madden yet.' In fact, they specifically mention that this year's iteration has 'the most immersive defensive gameplay control in franchise history.'

As well, the game is set to feature a complete overhaul for their broadcast presentation, including new camera angles combined with fresh pre-game and half-time features to keep gamers entertained. EA Sports has teamed up with ESPN again, so players can expect an immersive and realistic portrayal of football broadcasts.

Madden NFL 15 Trailer

That being said, this isn't the first time EA Sports has touted an annual release with hopeful enthusiasm only to underdeliver with the end product. Madden NFL 25 (read our review) was certainly not the next-gen experience fans were promised, despite a general polish to the presentation.

Luke Kuechly may have stolen the spot for the initial trailer, but the Madden NFL Cover Athlete is still to be decided via a fan vote starting on May 8th. The line-up for the vote hasn't been revealed, but interested gamers can check back here after that date to get the link to the competition and vote for themselves.

Madden NFL 15 will blitz into stores on August 26th for North America and August 29th for Europe. It'll be playable on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

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Follow John on Twitter @Makelevi.

Source: EA Sports