SALEM, OR — EA Sports has dropped its latest Madden NFL 25 title update, and it’s packed with exciting additions, game fixes, and authenticity improvements. The highlight of this update is the jaw-dropping addition of Saquon Barkley’s iconic spin hurdle, alongside updates to Superstar X-Factors, defensive alignments, and Franchise mode stability.

Fans can now pull off Saquon’s electrifying backwards spin hurdle in-game, provided they master the timing and setup. Additionally, Superstar players and X-Factor abilities have been refreshed, bringing new faces to the forefront while dialing back some underperformers. Franchise and Superstar modes also get some love, fixing key issues and improving player experiences.


Beyond the gameplay updates, the Madden development team has introduced new playbooks, added NFL-authentic gear, and sprinkled in some festive vanity items for good measure.

Below is the full set of features in this latest update:

Saquon’s Spin Hurdle

The second quarter of the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars Week Nine game just started. It’s third and six for the Eagles on the Jaguars’ half of the field. Eagles’ Quarterback Jalen Hurts takes the shotgun snap and scans for an open receiver. He can’t find one, and instead dumps the football off to his Pro Bowl Halfback Saquon Barkley.

Barkley, after slipping a tackle in front of the line of scrimmage and another at the first down line to gain, busts out perhaps the most creatively extraterrestrial move Spade, Madden Game Designer, has ever seen – a backwards hurdle.

Saying Spade’s watched a lot of football would be an understatement.

“It’s rare, this day and age, to see something that’s never been done before. That’s when we knew we wanted it in-game,” said Spade.

As soon as he saw Saquon’s move, Spade knew it belonged in Madden NFL 25.

That’s where the process of replicating a once-in-a-lifetime move began. The next step was to pore through hours of real-life motion capture and figure out which animations could be combined, adjusted and tweaked to give us Saquon’s surrealism. Spade said the genesis of the animation came from old Superstar Mode motion capture, and with a little “animator magic,” what they concocted conjured the spectacle that is Saquon Barkley.

From there, Spade and the development team had to nail down exactly when, why and how this animation can trigger. We’ll outline those triggers for you right now.

Saquon Barkley’s backwards hurdle … It’s In The Game! See you on the field.

Gameplay

  • Triggering the Saquon Spin Hurdle – To trigger the spin hurdle the ball-carrier must be Saquon Barkley, the defender must be incoming from a 45 degree angle in front of the ball carrier, the defender must be within a close proximity to the ball carrier, and the user must press the hurdle button with the right timing.
  • Addressed an issue where users were able to create illegal formations by motioning the tight end after an audible
    • DEV NOTE: This tactic was most effective when having the offense audible into formations like Trips TE or Bunch TE. Users could motion the tight end over to the same side as the trips receivers and create offensive overloads. The formations created were not legal formations and this functionality has been removed.
  • Fixed the QB walking through the center on QB Kneel plays. The QB now is in the correct position to start and walks into the correct position behind the center
  • Fixed the defensive end lining up in the same spot as the defensive tackle in the 4-3 Over Solid formation
  • Addressed an issue where no power kicks would land at spots in the front of the landing zone that were difficult for the kicking team to recover
    • DEV NOTE: There has been a change made to kick power and ball placement so no power kicks will now fall short of the landing zone. There will need to be at 25% power for the ball to make it to the landing zone
  • Fixed an issue with outside deep fourth defenders biting down on return routes instead of staying deep
  • Fixed an issue where deep zone defenders would not keep depth when they had no receiving threat in their zone and would allow Post Routes from the other side of the formation to get behind them
  • Fixed an issue where deep third defenders in Prevent defense were not all staying deeper than the deepest across the field
  • Fixed an issue where the inside deep fourth safety would leave the slot receiver unguarded, going vertical in the Empty Bunch Verticals play
  • Fixed an issue where the inside deep fourth safety allowed the slot receiver in bunch formations on a streak to run past him for a TD
  • Fixed an issue where Seam Flat defenders in the Dime 1-4 FS Zone Blitz play were not covering the correct sides of the field against the Gun Bunch Str Nasty: MTN Curls play
  • Alignment improvements in Cover 4 Quarters, Palms, and Cover 6 where the outside Deep Fourth, Quarter Flat, and 3 Rec Hook triangulate their positioning against Bunch Receivers to handle first inside, and first to flat, and deep threat
  • Fixed an alignment issue where defenders were lining up in the wrong position on Nickel 3-3 Odd Pinch 0 allowing the middle slot receiver to be left unguarded in Empty sets
  • Fixed an issue where outside cornerbacks and inside cornerbacks would align side by side against a nub-set tight end (TE aligned next to the OT with no WRs outside of the TE)

  • Superstar X-Factor Updates:
    • New X-Factor Players
      • C.J. Stroud
      • Nico Collins
      • Aidan Hutchinson
      • Antoine Winfield Jr.
      • Quinnen Williams

  • New Superstar Players
    • Jayden Daniels
    • Baker Mayfield
    • Alvin Kamara
    • Malik Nabers
    • Xavier McKinney
    • Chris Olave
    • Nnamdi Maduibike
    • Jaylon Johnson
    • L’Jarius Sneed
    • Christian Darrisaw
    • Joe Thuney
    • Alex Highsmith
    • Chavarius Ward
    • Rashawn Slater
    • Trey Smith
    • C.J. Mosley
    • Jordan Mailata
    • Trent McDuffie
    • Brandon Aubrey
    • Garrett Wilson
    • Tariq Woolen
  • Downgraded Players
    • Tre’Davious White
    • Jalen Hurts
    • Darius Slay
    • Mark Andrews
    • Keenan Allen
    • Mike Williams
    • Jordan Poyer
    • Trevor Lawrence
    • Za’Darius Smith
    • D’Andre Swift
    • Kyren Williams
    • Raheem Mostert
    • Aaron Rodgers
    • Josh Jacobs
    • Tyron Smith
    • Chase Young
    • Stephon Gilmore
    • Austin Ekeler

  • New Face Scans
    • Charvarius Ward
    • Rhamondre Stevenson
    • Jake Ferguson
    • Tyson Campbell
    • Paulson Adebo
    • Martin Emerson Jr.
    • Nick Bellore
    • Jaylen Warren
    • Tee Higgins
    • Joey Porter Sr.
    • Quinnen Williams
    • Charles Woodson
    • Ryan Kelly

Playbooks

  • Added plays to Nickel Over in the following playbooks:  4-3, 46, Cover 2, Multiple D, 49ers, Bears, Bengals, Browns, Chiefs, Colts, Commanders, Jaguars, Jets, Packers, Saints, and Texans
    • Nickel Over – Edge Blitz 0
    • Nickel Over – Edge Blitz 3
    • Nickel Over – FS Will Blitz 0
    • Nickel Over – Cover 3 Buzz Mable
    • Nickel Over – Sim Pressure 3
  • Added plays to Nickel 2-4 in the following playbooks: 3-4, Broncos, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Chargers, Dolphins, Falcons, Giants, Lions, Patriots, Raiders, Rams, Ravens, Seahawks, Titans, and Vikings
    • Nickel 2-4 – Edge Blitz 0
    • Nickel 2-4 – Edge Blitz 3
    • Nickel 2-4 – FS Will Blitz 0
    • Nickel 2-4 – Cover 3 Buzz Mable
    • Nickel 2-4 – Sim Pressure 3
    • Nickel 2-4 – Double Bracket
    • Nickel 2-4 – 1 Double WR1
    • Nickel 2-4 – 1 Double WR2
  • DEV NOTE: We unintentionally omitted some new plays from the previous gridiron notes; these plays were added to Nickel 3-3 Odd in the previous update.
    • Hot Blitz Bail
    • Double Bracket
    • Cover 6 Willie
    • 1 Double WR1
    • Cover 4 Palms
    • 1 Double WR2
    • Tampa Sim Pressure
    • Tampa 2 Drop
    • Cover 9
  • Added New plays to the Run & Shoot playbook
    • Pistol Spread – Speed Option, Wide Zone, Wide Zone Wk
    • Pistol Trips Open – Houston, Houston Mesh
    • Gun Spread – 90 Cube, RPO Alert WR Screens, RPO Alert Bubble
    • Gun Trips Slots Close  – Blast, Georgia, Georgia Mesh, Speed Option
    • Gun Trips – Blast, Georgia, Georgia Mesh

Franchise Mode

  • Addressed a crash when users are creating a new offline league using the Active Roster entry point
  • Fixed an issue where the Hub Timeline doesn’t display final scores during the Playoffs
  • Resolved mismatches between Player Traits on the Player Card and Edit Player screen
  • Corrected commentary errors and presentation issues when using a Teambuilder team that referred to an incorrect Bears vs Bears matchup
  • Addressed Franchise settings issues with the Draft Timer and Adjusting Depth Charts when both settings were set to “OFF”/“Manual.”

Superstar Mode (PS5, Xbox Series X|S & PC only)

  • Fixed an issue where the CAP would not be present in some plays.
  • Updated default difficulty settings
  • Vanity
    • Snowman Helmets (3)
    • Candy Cane Capsule

NFL Authenticity

  • Gear
    • Xenith Orbit Helmet and Masks
    • Light Gladiator Helmet and Masks
    • Vapor Edge 360 Untouchable Cleat
    • Nike Vapor Knit 4 gloves
    • Jordan Vapor Knit 4 gloves
    • Nike DTack FG gloves
    • C Patch updates for multiple teams

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