The 2020-2021 NFL season is quickly wrapping up. Despite the setbacks and restrictions caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the National Football League has managed to have a (mostly) successful season. With the contenders set for Super Bowl 55, the interim weekend is usually occupied by the Pro Bowl, an exhibition game that pits the best of the league against each other. While the 2021 Pro Bowl is still happening this year, things will look a lot different, as the game is taking place in Madden NFL 21.
Madden NFL 21 was initially met with lackluster reviews after its August 2020 launch. Various bugs, player model glitches, physics issues, and an overall lack of polish led fans to give the sports title the lowest user score ever on Metacritic, despite it becoming the best-selling title of its launch month. However, it appears developer EA Sports is making an effort to remedy player's complaints, providing a free update that makes changes to Franchise Mode based on player feedback.
Presented by Verizon, the Madden NFL 21 Pro Bowl event will feature New York Giants legend Michael Strahan as host. The livestream will broadcast on Twitch beginning at 5 PM ET on January 31. This isn't the first time Twitch and the NFL have worked together, with Twitch having hosted the NFL playoff games in recent weeks. While it would certainly be a sight to see having the actual full Pro Bowl rosters playing in the game simultaneously, the technology just isn't there. Instead, the NFL has recruited a total of eight Madden NFL 21 players, with four representing the AFC, and four the NFC.
The structure of the game will be that each player will play for a single quarter, rotating out at the end of each. The Houston Texans' DeShaun Watson, Tennessee Titans' Derrick Henry, NFL legend Keyshawn Johnson, and rapper Snoop Dogg will represent the AFC. The NFC team consists of Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray, Seattle Seahawks' Jamal Johnson and Marshawn Lynch, and NASCAR's Bubba Wallace. While only a handful of players will technically be playing Madden NFL 21, the game is using the roster of this season's Pro Bowl selections.
The NFL appears to be making efforts to tap into younger demographics. In addition to continuing its relationship with games like Fortnite and Rocket League, Madden NFL 21's recent SpongeBob SquarePants crossover came in tandem with the NFL's first-ever Nickelodeon broadcast. The Saints-Bears playoff game broadcasted on Nickelodeon went over particularly well with fans, who praised its zany visuals and upbeat sportscasters.
Event organizers are promising the 2021 Pro Bowl to be a "new innovative experience for our players and fans" with supportive backing from both EA Sports and the NFL. However, there are bound to be NFL fans out there who've already concluded it won't be as good as the real thing. There's a theory that a GTA 6 announcement is happening at the Super Bowl, so fans may want to keep an eye out for the long, long-awaited game.
Madden NFL 21 is available now on Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: PushSquare