Madden Gras was Monday, but Phil Frazier wasn't there. The Madden NFL 11 senior producer was watching the telemetry as folks chugged back from the store at midnight and went online. And this morning, he was on Kotaku Talk Radio.
This year's game upgrades its cooperative multiplayer mode to "Online Team Play" of up to three on each side, everyone controlling a different personnel unit on offense and defense, with a progressive perk system similar to what you expect in combat shooters. The experience isn't that intense, though. Frazier says it's a mode where winning - cover your ears, Coach Lombardi - isn't the only thing. Cooperating, communicating and, of course, having fun are also priorities.
In our podcast today, Frazier said in the first 24 hours of play, a third of Madden's server load was taken up by online team player games, a figure EA Sports is very pleased with. We also talked about the game's new Strategy Pad commands, and why so many people are bugged out by it - but not the disappearance (sort of) of sprinting. And though you don't talk about next Christmas when there's still giftwrap under the tree, Phil also hinted that the game's singleplayer career mode will be getting attention in Madden NFL 12.
For those who don't like sports, sucks to be you! Or just listen to the first 30 minutes, where Stephen and I tackle the news of Duke Nukem Forever's rumored return (as it always is), and Borderlands' fourth downloadable content package, due in September.
Hosts: Stephen Totilo and Owen Good
Guest: Phil Frazier, Senior Producer, Madden NFL 11
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