You Can Play Madden NFL 21 A Full Week Early: Here's How

Madden NFL 21 officially hits the field on August 28 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, but you can play the professional football game an entire week early--if you're willing to pay for it.

EA Sports has confirmed that Madden NFL 21's early access period begins on August 21. On that date, you can begin playing the full game through EA Play, which is EA's new name for all of its subscription services. If history is any indication, while you can play the full game early, total play time is expected to be limited to no more than 10 hours. With Madden players, that could mean only a couple days. Pace yourself and you won't have to be without Madden at all!

Subscribing to EA Play, which costs $5/month or $30/year, is not the only way to play Madden NFL 21 early. The game's $80 Deluxe edition unlocks on August 25, and there are no time limits. This version also isn't tied to any subscription, so you pay once and then keep the game forever.

All of your progress from the EA Play trial is likely to carry forward if you choose to buy the game outright. EA Play members save 10 percent on all EA digital content, which knocks down the price of Madden NFL 21's standard version from $60 to $54. Additionally, the game will support a free next-gen upgrade for both Xbox and PlayStation until the release of next year's game.

Madden NFL 21 introduces a number of updates and improvements over last year's game, while it also adds a brand-new, arcade-style backyard football mode with trick plays. For more on Madden NFL 21, check out GameSpot's video above where we speak with producer Seann Graddy and run down everything that's new.