Madden NFL 21 Introduces Next Generation Gameplay

EA has unveiled a preview of how Madden NFL 21 will look and play on next-gen consoles.

While you might expect the two-minute trailer to showcase more sophisticated graphical techniques - and it does - the most interesting aspect of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X / S versions is actually something else.

Real NFL players have RFID chips embedded in their shoulder pads, allowing advanced analysis of their movements. The next generation Madden NFL 21 will use this data to make players accelerate, change direction, and generally move just like their real counterparts. These changes will affect a completely new animation, so everything should look a little smoother and less artificial in motion.

You can see a few examples of this updated player movement - which EA says you'll be able to feel both offensively and defensively - in the trailer below.

Madden NFL 21 will be released on next-gen consoles on December 4th. The game is currently available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. By purchasing the current generation console version, you can upgrade to a newer version of the same console family for free.