EA is taking fan input for Madden NFL 13 to a whole new level. What was once a casual vote to let fans decide who should be on the cover has now turned into a circus that allows fans to take part in a poll that decides certain attributes for players.
Over the course of four weeks, EA will slowly unveil the top 10 players at each position. During this time, on the Madden NFL 13 Facebook page, fans will be able to vote on certain attributes for that position. While the overalls for each player have already been decided, fans can cast their votes on who they think epitomizes attributes like speed, throwing power, throwing accuracy, etc. The player who receives the most votes will be the highest-rated player for that attribute at their position in Madden NFL 13.
For instance, this week is Quarterbacks. EA has already revealed the top 10 overall quarterbacks, but fans can currently vote on four specific categories for QBs: Speed, Throwing Power, Throwing Accuracy, and Awareness.
The following weeks will focus on running backs, wide receivers, and defenders, with the winners in each category announced every Friday. At the end of the week, the overall of all players at that position will be revealed.
To be clear, EA isn't completely throwing away the integrity of player ratings with this voting. EA rating czar, Donny Moore, has specifically chosen the three players who they believe are the best for each category. But seeing as how there can always be a debate about the top two or three, they are deciding to allow fans to decide make the final decision. So don't expect biased fans to totally throw the polls and vote in someone who doesn't belong; there is still some control, but with added fan voice to have some input in the ratings process.
Below is a breakdown of the voting schedule:
- July 30 – Aug 3: Quarterbacks – Speed, Throw Power, Throw Accuracy, Awareness
- Aug 6 – 10: Running Backs – Speed, Acceleration, Trucking, Elusiveness
- Aug 13 – 17: Wide Receivers – Speed, Spectacular Catch, Route Running, Agility
- Aug 20 – 24: Defense – Speed, Hit Power, Tackling, Man Coverage
The winners for each category will receive a boost in their attributes in Madden NFL 13, as well as a special card in Madden Ultimate Team. Fans who collect the cards of every winning player will be able to add them to a collection which will unlock a special Madden Ultimate Team reward in Madden NFL 13.
Voting has already started on which NFL quarterback is fastest: Robert Griffin III, Terrelle Pryor, or Michael Vick?
