Madden NFL 21 Getting Backyard Football Mode

Madden NFL 21's new mode is The Yard, an homage to backyard football featuring fast-paced games with six-man teams. The mode will feature gameplay similar to the NFL Street series and other, more casual sports titles. [Update: EA Sports has now debuted the mode with more details and a new trailer.]

The Yard will offer trick plays and house rules that can be customized from match-to-match. Players will also create an avatar for the mode, which will feature progression through an XP system and a constant rotation of fresh looks, courtesy of the Style Zone. The character is also the star of a narrative experience called The Yard: Underground, which will feature 5-on-5 gameplay, available through the Madden NFL 21 Mobile app.

The main game and the mobile version will share progression, inventory, and in-game currency, so players can move between both versions of The Yard seamlessly.

"We wanted to create a new way for players to express themselves and take on small-sided football in an arcade-style experience that's completely new to Madden," Seann Graddy, executive producer for Madden NFL, said. "Players will delve into all-new gameplay on mobile and on consoles that will bring to life the backyard football that NFL players and fans grew up loving, where the rules are relaxed, and you can win with attitude."

Madden NFL 21 releases on August 28 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, with the Xbox Series X, PS5, and Stadia versions launching at a later date. You can learn about the game and its pre-order bonuses in our Madden NFL 21 pre-order guide.