Colin Kaepernick Added to Madden NFL 21 - Overall Rating 81, Free Nike Kaepernick Icon Jersey 2.0 Available in The Yard

[The Chef]

Quote: Originally Posted by thescoop

With all that is wrong with the game EA should have focused on any of that instead of a deep dive into political waters that will only divide everyone further.

You're assuming division isn't the exact reason they did this in the first place. I hate to be that guy and don't pretend to know all the inner workings of what led to him being added but I can't help but think they could have done this at any point in the last 4 years and didn't bother. The very year they are getting destroyed on social media for the lack of franchise updates, being review bombed worse then Last of Us 2 even was and having not just consumers but athletes coming out and negatively talking about the game just happens to be the year they put Kap back in seems a little disingenuous. I feel like they're hoping this will create division amongst the most vocal critics while hoping they split, turn on each other and eat their own or in other words Kap is being used as a trojan horse by EA.

[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by ehh

I am curious how the license agreement works between EA and the NFL. Did the NFL have to approve this addition? Not that they would have rejected it nowadays.

I assume the NFL had to approve this, yes. We know that they were meticulous enough to approve / reject tackling animations in the past, so I have to imagine player celebrations, custom uniforms, and graphics go through the same process.

The NFL itself recently is doing everything it can to embrace social justice causes without actually saying "Black Lives Matter", so it wouldn't surprise me if they signed off on this even while acknowledging how politically charged the gesture is.

A small number of very loud mean-spirited people are going to be very angry at EA that this animation is in the game at all. Those people can kick rocks. And it's not like people aren't already mad at Madden for all sorts of reasons anyway, so... lol.

[TarHeelPhenom]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

To reiterate why we can't entirely separate politics from Colin Kaepernick, EA very clearly isn't either (via @BleacherReport): I also find it notable that Kaepernick's player portrait in free agency doesn't have an NFL shield behind it - rather just a block 7 - and also while a free agent in Franchise his uniform in the player card view is entirely blacked out.

I'm going to stop short of going in regarding the politics of the move; but I will say that I believe this move was to target a certain audience in hopes that, that audience not only buys more games but also to boost reviews based on things other than the game itself. I honestly think they are desperate man. This was a desperate move IMO.

[bscott14]

Can we get Tony Romo and Dez Bryant added back to free agency?

[stinkubus]

If you want to play as Romo he's in MUT this year.

[Therebelyell626]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

To reiterate why we can't entirely separate politics from Colin Kaepernick, EA very clearly isn't either (via @BleacherReport):.

This was my only point. I have no problem putting him back in. After all he is a free agent. But to put in him in the game and make statements like “Colin kaepernick is a starting caliber QB”, or “Colin kaepernick is one of the best quarter backs in the NFL and we feel his 81 overall reflects that” actual statements from their press release. They are making this political. They sure we’re quick to bail on Kaepernick a few years ago when you went as far as removing his name from the soundtrack. This just doesn’t feel natural. It just feels so calculated on the part of EA and that’s what bothers me

[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by TarHeelPhenom

I'm going to stop short of going in regarding the politics of the move; but I will say that I believe this move was to target a certain audience in hopes that, that audience not only buys more games but also to boost reviews based on things other than the game itself. I honestly think they are desperate man. This was a desperate move IMO.

Two thoughts:

1 - Didn't EA boast last week about record sales and player engagement numbers? I don't think they are desperate whatsoever.

2 - Even allowing that they might be desperate for good PR, why would a desperate company embrace any person who is remotely political, let alone a lighting rod who has drawn the ire not only a vocal minority of fans but also certain elected officials (at a time where politics are as divisive as they've been at any point in my life)?

[Dagan]

If they fix the game glitches, we could have just created him on our own.