Madden NFL 07 Q&A: Talking Current Gen

While most of the Madden NFL 07 media blitz is focused on the next-generation versions of the game, it's the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions that will most likely be bringing in the cash for EA Sports. After all, with a massive installed base of consoles, sales of the current-gen version of Madden 07 will likely eclipse sales of the Xbox 360 version by a wide margin. Far from forgetting the current-gen versions of Madden, the development team at EA Tiburon has been working hard to make sure that PS2 and Xbox owners have as complete an NFL experience as they've come to expect. Just a few days before Madden NFL 07 is due on store shelves, we hit up Josh Looman, associate producer for current-gen Madden NFL 07, to talk about putting together this year's game, the future of the series, and the real-life NFL.

Madden NFL 07 is set to hit stores next week.

GameSpot: Now that Madden NFL 07 is about to be released, what are your postdevelopment thoughts on this year's game?

Josh Looman: I'm excited to hear what everybody thinks about this year's Madden. I'm also really happy with how the game turned out. Now that I've had a chance to sit down and play the game, I think you guys are really going to like some of the features we added this year. Lead blocking control really makes running the ball much more fun, and the new superstar cameras and controls get superstar to where we envisioned it should be at this point.

GS: How do you feel the running and blocking features turned out this year?

JL: I think they turned out great. When I play Madden, I love to run the ball and play defense, so these features are perfect for me. They really let you take advantage of the great HB/FB combos and the running backs that run behind great lines. The other thing that became apparent throughout our development cycle this year is the strategy this brings to multiplayer games. Since you can control any blocker, we've seen a lot of battles between somebody controlling Orlando Pace or Jonathan Ogden and their opponent lining right up across from them with Julius Peppers or Dwight Freeney. It really brings a one-on-one element to Madden's running game.

GS: Can you tell us about any feature or idea that didn't make it into this year's game that was initially planned for?

JL: There's always a ton of features that never make it in each year's game because of time. I personally have a master list of all the things I really want to get into the game at some point. NFL superstar mode came from that list initially. I don't want to spill the beans right now, though. You'll just have to wait until next year.

GS: While most of the focus has been on the next-gen versions of Madden, what do you think longtime PS2 or Xbox Madden players will get from this year's game that they can't get on the Xbox 360?

JL: I think there are some current-gen-specific features that the fans are really going to like. We've got an all-new scouting system during the draft that includes a College All Star game. Believe it or not, this is a feature that people have been asking about for years. We've also got NFL network mode and player roles in franchise. Player roles is one of the largest additions we've ever added to franchise. It completely changes how teams view and manage players. We worked a lot on cut logic to make franchise more realistic, too.

Though most of the media focus has been on the Xbox 360 game, expect the PS2 and Xbox versions to go on for some time.

GS: Though superstar mode seems to be getting the lion's share of the attention, what's new with some of the "old standard" modes, such as franchise and online play?

JL: I touched on that a little bit in the previous question. Online has a cool new feature called online clubs. It allows you to form a club with your buddies and then play other clubs online. How well you do versus those other clubs is tracked, and you get credit for how well you do. Our focus this year, as it is every year, is to really make sure we add features to every area of the game that makes that area of the game feel brand new. I don't think you'd want to go back and play superstar mode, franchise mode, or the running game from Madden NFL 06 after seeing these new additions to the game.