It’s in the Game: Madden NFL is the latest docuseries to hit Prime Video. The exclusive docuseries will be available in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. The Thanksgiving week launch honors the legacy of coach John Madden, who called 20 Thanksgiving games as an announcer and created holiday traditions like the turkey leg.
It’s one of the biggest video games of all time from a studio that’s now a staple in the gaming community. Since 1988, Madden NFL (or simply “Madden”) has sold over 130 million copies, making it the longest-running sports video game in history. For the first time, EA SPORTS shares firsthand accounts from current and former employees and a large cache of archival footage to tell the story of Madden’s meteoric rise.
Back in the early 90s, my first foray into the EA world was NHL Hockey. It was 1991 and living in the Northeast came with two things: Snow and an adoration for hockey. With just a handful of games on my Sega Genesis, NHL Hockey was a welcome addition to my collection and made a believer out of me in their product. Little did I know, Madden was still a fresh-out-the-box idea from EA that would eventually grow into a global franchise.
With other football games around as a distraction (like Tecmo Bowl), EA got creative when launching their take on football. But even before that, it was an uphill battle to convince top brass on the inside to lean into console gaming. The documentary speaks to all involved in the pivotal decision to switch from computer gaming to console.
The four-episode series pulls the curtain back on a lot of questions fans have had about the storied company. The beginning of their diversity journey, the battle for licensing, and the sensitive story related to SEGA are just a few of the mind-blowing, never-before-heard stories that you’ll be privy to.
Each period came with unique challenges. In the 90s you had challenges with graphics, marketing, and licenses. In the 2000s the chase for better graphics was still relevant, but cover stars, rival games, and accurate player ratings served as a bigger challenge. In the present day, the player ratings have an official department as NFL players have taken issue with them and the quest for new features and online server capacity are among the new challenges they face. Not to mention the never-ending list of online commentary the staff has to sift through.
It’s in the Game: Madden NFL gets a 9 out of 10. The stories and drama behind the game are worth a watch. Getting a behind-the-scenes look at the early console battles in the 90s was pretty exciting as well. Watching the slow, calculated growth of the game and how they lured John Madden to be the cover star was quite interesting. I vividly remember the legendary “Madden NFL 2004” with Michael Vick on the cover and how he was a cheat code. Vick himself speaks on the matter along with a long list of current and former NFL players to chime in on their Madden memories and how the video game changed modern football as we know it.
It’s in the Game: Madden NFL premieres on Nov. 26 on Prime Video
-Jon Jones
Photos: Prime Video
Genre: Sports Documentary
Rating: NR (A handful of vulgar comments)
Runtime: 55 minutes
Series: 4 episodes
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: November 26, 2024
[…] Though a documentary, one “performance” aspect worth noting is how the people on camera convey the emotional weight of this gaming journey. Former developers speak of long nights, near bankruptcy, and the fear of failing John Madden’s name. Players like Michael Vick and Terrell Owens appear to reflect on how Madden impacted them both personally and professionally. (THE PEACH REVIEW® ›) […]