Madden NFL 16 now available on Xbox One with EA Access

It's finally here — Madden season! You did it guys, made it through the summer. Now it's time to show that your offseason improvements paid off as you battle it out on the gridiron in Madden NFL 16.

The latest installment in Electronic Arts' annual football game doesn't officially release until next week, but Xbox One owners who are currently subscribed to EA Access — a subscription service that provides access to a catalog of games (and discounts/early access to new game) — can kickoff their run at a Super Bowl today.

EA Access members will get 10 full hours with Madden 16 before its official release on August 25th. You don't need to have pre-ordered or purchased the game to play the 10 free hours, but if you do, then all of your progress will carry over. Given that there is no demo for the game, this is also a nice way to test out the new features and systems in Madden 16.

On the field, the biggest improvement is undoubtedly the change to the passing game, as receivers and defenders will now fight for the ball in air. Additionally, new systems give you more control than ever in how you play offense and defense.

Off the field, the most notable new feature is the addition of Draft Champions, a new mode that mixes the feel of fantasy football with Madden Ultimate Team. The new mode has you participate in a 15-round mini-draft in which you are given a pool of players each round to fill your team's needs as you see fit. Once complete, you play a series of games before starting the whole process again.

We'll have a full review for Madden NFL 16 next week, but if you're an EA Access member on Xbox One you might as well check it out yourself.

For more information on EA Access, check out this post.