Though the NFL's ownership is expected to lock players out, following a breakdown in negotiations with the players' union, EA Sports repeated reassurances that will have no impact on Madden NFL 12's release or its rosters.
While the NFLPA has decertified, evidently its agreement with EA Sports still provides for the use of the group license that allows EA Sports to use real players on the teams. Team and league symbols are licensed separately and also not threatened by the labor unrest.
"Madden NFL 12 will be released in August as always," EA Sports spokesman Rob Semsey tweeted earlier today. "All the NFL teams, all the NFL players, all Madden."
Answering a gamer's question, Semsey said that rookie players will also be included on the rosters of teams who select them in April's NFL Draft.