Madden NFL Mobile 21 Gridiron Notes

Hello, Madden Mobile Community!

Welcome back to Madden NFL Mobile Gridiron Notes. Today we will discuss gameplay inside the brand-new mode to Madden NFL 21 Mobile, The Yard: Underground.

Producer (and my boss) Double D joined the stream to discuss the 5v5 Gameplay in The Yard: Underground. However, he did also bring some nuggets about some other standard gameplay changes.

Double D began with the biggest gameplay change, the shift to “fast to fun.” With that in mind, we have increased game speed for The Yard: Underground by 13 percent and 11v11 by five percent. The team then removed post-play transitions and simultaneously limited the number of beauty shots. These changes have netted us with more plays being called per game in certain modes or a reduction of time spent to complete games.

Double D then explained the fast to fun shift mentioned above was the motivation for small-sided gameplay. What is small-sided football? Any non-11v11 traditional game rules football. When Madden NFL 21 Mobile launches, we are supporting 5v5 with plans to bring other different configurations at a later date. Not only is it 5v5, it also contains smaller 60-yard fields with a smaller width. This is where The Yard: Underground is played.

With the overarching gameplay changes discussed, Double D then focused on The Yard: Underground specifically. It is a 5v5 mode with the following positions: Offense- QB, RB, C, TE, WR / Defense- DT, MLB, CB1, CB2, S. You have the ability to play with your Avatar in each offensive skill position (QB, WR, TE, RB). There is no game/play clock or special teams.

So, how do you win? The first team to a pre-determined amount of points wins. Scoring is as follows: TD’s are worth six points. PAT offers a choice to go for one point at the five-yard line, or two points from the 10-yard line. Safeties are two points. The first possession is determined by a coin flip.

This innovative gameplay will be brought to life in new The Yard: Underground live events where you will have the ability to play with full control over each skill position. There will also be trick play practice where you can hone your skills, and narrative driven The Yard: Underground Scenarios. Check out the previous The Yard: Underground Gridiron Notes for more details on your journey.

Playbooks have been built from the ground-up. Double D expanded on the new offensive and defensive plays tailored around 5v5. Trickery and laterals are going to be a huge part of The Yard: Underground. HB Passes, Option plays, and for the first time in mobile, the double pass. A double pass enables a user to throw to a receiver behind the line of scrimmage, where they can then throw the ball again to a different receiver. This includes the QB as a potential receiver. These new techniques will be prevalent in The Yard: Underground. There is also now a lateral button, so always be looking for your teammates to try and keep the play alive. The CPU will also use this trick against you.

To keep the gameplay quick and fast to fun, the user is given a play at the line of scrimmage. You then have the option to choose from three additional plays if you’d like to audible. These additional plays will all be from an alternative play type (PA, Short Pass, Long Pass, Run) of the original call. This provides the user with a variety of options to choose from every time they line up to snap the ball. 

Double D couldn’t elaborate too much on the future but, did slightly expand on the potential of The Yard: Underground moving forward. There may be optional rules for each location (win conditions, down and distance, etc.) as more are released throughout the year. He also mentioned the possibilities around different numbers of player configurations and what that could lead to. Finally, there may be new environments with different field configurations as well.

Link your EA Account with your current Madden Mobile account to be notified when the new app is available. From now until August 6, 2020, connecting your EA and Madden Mobile accounts will award a Madden Mobile 4^th Quarter 100 OVR Pack and a Madden Max Stamp. Once linked, you can claim the pack in the store.

Want the latest information on Madden NFL 21? Stay up to and find out everything happening around Madden NFL 21 by visiting their Gridiron Notes. See the Pre-Order Details and discover what’s coming to you on August 28^th, 2020. 

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