Halftime Panel, Sideline Reporting, and Real Dialogue – Like NBA 2K25 Does It
Hi Madden Dev Team,
Thanks for all your continued work on Madden NFL 26. I wanted to respectfully bring up a few major presentation and immersion features that I think would take the game to the next level—especially in comparison to what we see in NBA 2K25.
In NBA 2K, there’s a full halftime show with Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith (yes, Kenny “The Jet” Smith). They sit at a desk, react to the gameplay, show replays, and bring entertainment and realism. Madden could benefit greatly from a similar treatment—a studio crew halftime panel. Maybe Scott Hanson or real-life NFL analysts? Something immersive, something real.
Also, in NBA 2K, there are sideline check-ins with Allie LaForce and David Aldridge—it adds so much to the experience. In Madden, there’s currently nothing that truly feels “live from the sidelines.” Imagine a reporter walking the sideline, checking in with a quick injury update, coach quote, or just crowd atmosphere. It could even be someone like Holly Rowe, Laura Rutledge, or another known sideline reporter for football.
Additionally, in Superstar Mode, the lack of real voice acting makes the experience feel flat. NBA 2K has real conversations, cutscenes, and dynamic in-game chatter. Madden’s current approach of silent dialogue boxes just doesn’t compete. We want:
Mic’d up moments
On-field player chatter
Real voice acting in Superstar career stories
Emotion, trash talk, and celebrations
This is what players expect in a next-gen sports game in 2025.
I know this would take time and licensing—but even starting small with a few of these enhancements would be a major W.
Thanks again for listening to the fans. Madden NFL 26 has great potential to level up.
All the best,
Juan