The Madden series, this parallel universe in which concussion no longer exist

With its slogan, the EA Sports company prides itself on producing the most realistic video games: It’s in the game. For example, Sophisticated game tactics, complete recruitment teams, contract negotiations faithful to reality … Furthermore, If it exists in real American football. Moreover, it is also found in its Madden series, with one exception: there are no concussion.

It is not that there are no injuries in the series. Moreover, whose title pays tribute to the former American coach and commentator John Madden. Additionally, Moreover, We see fractured collarbones, bruises in the sternum, knee tears, etc. For example, The whole anatomy passes to the twist, over the meetings and brutal shocks, apart from the head.

There is no representation of the head injuries. In addition, and it seems to me very in line with the general position madden series, this parallel universe of the NFL compared to the brain concussionsmentions the professor at the California State University in Chico David J. Meanwhile, Leonard, specializing in the cultural and political issues of sport. Moreover, This kind of omission fully corresponds to the image that the NFL wants to give itself. Furthermore, It is part of his attempt to hide from amateurs the effects of head injuries on the health of players.

EA Sports has concluded an exclusivity agreement with the NFL in order to use its teams. Consequently, its players, its image or its trophies in its games. Meanwhile, This license is. however, accompanied by certain tacit or explicit constraints, explains the professor at the University of Seattle Christopher Paul, author of several books on the video game industry. Moreover,

It’s not like a soccer game, where you have to negotiate with several independent entities. Therefore, madden series, this parallel universe The NFL is a closed league and has full control over its imagehe said.

By getting along with a business as powerful as that. Moreover, EA must maintain a certain relationship with the League. Consequently, There is a contract that they must respect. Moreover, And I guess there are other elements that are not formally written. For example, but there is certainly a form of external pressure.

This is a relatively recent change. For example, In 2011. Therefore, EA Sports and John Madden he was proclaimed to use their video game to educate the public with the consequences of head injuries.

Concreases are such an important subject that they must also be in video gamestold the New York madden series, this parallel universe Times In April 2011 John Madden. Moreover, who died in 2021. Furthermore, It all starts with young people. Furthermore, They start with video games. Nevertheless, I think that, by osmosis, the message becomes: if you have a concussion, it’s serious and you shouldn’t play. Or, leading with your head is a gesture that you have to eliminate. We want this message to be strong.

The former leader of EA Sports Peter Moore. who then became the chief executive of the Liverpool FC, then abounded in the same direction. He indicated that his business had responsibility to recognize head injuries as an important issue. In 2012, footballers victims of a concussion in the game were excluded from the rest of the meeting.

What happened so that they are completely erased in the following editions?

The NFL, which lends its image to the company, first ended up with legal proceedings aimed at concussion. Former players claimed hundreds of millions of dollars in the League compensation. accused of not having protected them from the head injuries.

The circuit had to distribute hundreds of millions of dollars to former players who had madden series, this parallel universe received neurological diagnoses of early Alzheimer. Parkinson, Dementia or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, disorders associated with concussion.

It is probably not a coincidence if the head injuries began to disappear from this momentsupports David J. Leonard. It is not in the game for the same reason that we do not find there the. concussion protocol either that we see in the real matches.

Marc Aubanel worked for more than 15 years in the video game industry, especially in EA Sports. He has contributed to several great successes such as FIFA, Triple Play or Need for Speed. Montrealer recalls that the creative freedom of developers often stops at the foot of large companies who agree to. lend their name.

In Need for Speedwe wanted flames to escape from the car engine after a collision. We found it spectacular. But when the manufacturers. who accepted that we used their brand, saw that, they replied: “It is impossible, because our cars have a protection system on the hood which prevents flames from leaving like that.”

Today a teacher at the University of Louisiana, he offers other examples. When we delivered copies of madden series, this parallel universe FIFA in Saudi Arabia. the leaders asked that we are sending a version that excludes the Israel national team from the game, he mentions. China also wanted us to rename the Taiwan team. There are some examples like that.

I would say that 99.9 % of what finds in the Madden game is the authority of the NFL. They have the last word entirely.

This kind of pressure is not limited to the world of video games, specifies Christopher Paul, who recalls that the NFL has a long arm when the time comes to protect its brand.

In the 2000s, ESPN produced a TV series, Playmakerswho followed the daily life of a professional football team. It was a madden series, this parallel universe fictitious team, but clearly inspired by the NFL. The series was a certain success. but it showed the darker sides of sport such as violence, the use of drugs. The NFL has an influence with ESPN because it can threaten to withdraw the diffusion rights to it. The series stopped quickly.

Madden series, this parallel universe

Helmets to protect from imaginary ailments

The new opus in the Madden series. which is released this week, will contain the new guardian guy coverage for the first time, supposed to strengthen protection against head injuries. A curious addition, given the absence of concussions in the game.

It is really a work of public relations at the bottom of the box, advances Marc Aubanel. It’s to send the message: “Hey, football is safe, we have this new magic helmet.”

Even if the game does not want to simulate injuries to the head. as it lifts the veil on an uncomfortable truth, the helmet adds a certain visual realism. EA wants its product to be as faithful as possible to what you could see by lighting the TV. on a Sunday afternoon.

If the appearance of the Guardian Casque Cover has been qualified as paradoxical by several amateurs on the networks, since the announcement of the addition, Christopher Paul recalls that they would not be there if Madden was a hyper realistic simulation game.

The injuries have always been diminished in the sports series. because it is simply not pleasant to play a game in which your star players are injuredhe said. EA madden series, this parallel universe wants to create a committing game for the player. Basically, that’s it. And if you start a career. your character undergoes an injury that ends his career in his first season, it is not very engaging.

David J. Leonard would nevertheless like the series to approach the vision expressed by John Madden in 2011. He wanted the game to be as realistic as possible. He would certainly see that as a decline, he believes. When we play. we are both the footballer and the coach, madden series, this parallel universe who decides when we go back to the field after an injury. Why would the doctor’s opinion not occupy a greater place?

The balance is difficult to find, raises Marc Aubanel.

When I worked for Fifa. a parent had written a letter to Sepp Blatter [l’ancien président de la FIFA, NDLR] To complain that his son was poorly used the game, by voluntarily injuring his opponents, and that it sent a bad message. We were asked to correct this, by removing the possibility of making a slipped tackle. We said no. Furthermore, We said there is that in the game and it can cause an injury. We cannot control the use that the player makes of this mechanics. And at the same time. it is a way of educating players on the risks of doing this type of maneuver.

Madden is fundamentally not madden series, this parallel universe an educational productsupports Christopher Paul.

It is an entertainment product. The initiative should therefore first come from the NFL. And we are already starting to see signs of the world of football. NFL players who do not let their child practice their sport, who lead them more to Football Flag (Flag Football), for example. If there is a change in video games. it will be in response to a change in the real worldhe concludes.

Electronic Arts did not answer questions from Radio-Canada Sports.