Madden NFL 21 Adds SpongeBob Themed Arena & Gear, For Some Reason

In a weird transfer, Madden NFL 21 shall be receiving new content in a crossover with iconic Nickelodeon cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants. Madden NFL 21 is the newest sport in EA’s Madden soccer franchise, which has acquired yearly releases since 1990. SpongeBob SquarePants is equally long-lived, with its 1999 premier presently making it the fifth-longest-running cartoon in American historical past.

Releasing in August of 2020, Madden NFL 21 was met with poor reception by each informal gamers and collection followers. One main criticism was that the sport didn’t innovate on prior installments which, coupled with oversaturation as a result of annual releases, made the brand new title really feel stale. One other supply of anguish was the sport’s great amount of bugs, which created an total unpolished remaining product. Criticism even reached the purpose the place followers steered that the NFL ought to terminate their partnership with EA and discover a new developer to create a greater soccer sport expertise.

As the newest in a collection of eyebrow-raising choices, EA has teamed up with Nickelodeon to convey followers a Madden 21 and SpongeBob SquarePants crossover occasion. This themed replace brings a brand new stadium, known as SpongeBob Reef-Prime, which accommodates iconic background components akin to SpongeBob’s home, the Krusty Krab and an orange Nickelodeon blimp. A variety of new modes are additionally being added to the sport, with altered physics to mirror numerous cartoonish features of Bikini Backside and its denizens. Unique gear will enable gamers to outfit their workforce with Spongebob-themed clothes, as one picture reveals Patrick Mahomes appropriately sporting a Patrick Star again plate.

Whereas this team-up of leisure colossi is uncommon, it’s not unprecedented. CBS Sports activities and Nickelodeon recently introduced a collaboration that may convey some child-friendly enjoyable to an upcoming NFL broadcast. The NFL’s Wild Card sport on January 10 shall be broadcast on each CBS Sports activities and Nickelodeon, with the Nickelodeon broadcast that includes enjoyable additions akin to digital filters and a particular halftime celebration. SpongeBob has even skilled some current online game success of his personal, with SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Backside Rehydrated promoting over a million copies and receiving common reward because it launched in June 2020.

Madden 21 was a disappointment, with many followers feeling that the collection has grown stale after years of annual releases. By teaming up with leisure juggernaut SpongeBob SquarePants, EA could also be making an attempt to rehydrate the soccer title with a little bit of salt water. Bikini Backside’s residents as soon as carried out a mind-blowing half-time efficiency of “Candy Victory,” nevertheless it stays to be seen whether or not SpongeBob SquarePants can save this dropping sport.

Madden NFL 21 is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iOS, Android and PC.