One of the biggest criticisms of the Nintendo Switch was its inability to properly run the latest sports video games. With the more powerful Nintendo Switch 2, that should hopefully no longer be an issue. Numerous publishers and developers have not only voiced their support for the system, but backed it by announced Switch 2 versions of their previously released games.
For Electronic Arts, the publisher will be bringing one of its biggest sports titles to the Nintendo Switch 2. EA Sports announced Madden 26 this week, confirming the game's August release date and platforms.
The official Madden 26 website confirms that the game will be released on the Nintendo Switch 2, marking the franchise's debut on Nintendo's new console which launches this June. There's already a Nintendo Switch 2 product page for Madden 26, revealing a $69.99 price for the Digital Standard Edition of the game.
Dominate the league in EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL 26. Years of NFL game data powers next-level coaching, QB authenticity, and explosive gameplay. Every game is a new challenge on your path to becoming an NFL legend.
It seems like only the Standard edition of Madden 26 will be available for the Switch 2, and not the Deluxe Edition which, for $99.99, comes with a ton of additional digital goodies. You'l still get some free items for pre-ordering though, including:
- MUT Cover Athlete Elite Player Item
- Franchise Coach Ability Points
- Super Star Legendary XP Boost
While Madden 26 may be making the leap to the Switch 2, it appears to be finally ditching last-gen consoles. There's no mention of or pre-order availability of the game for the Xbox One or PlayStation 4. EA had long-supported both last-gen consoles which have been around since 2013. But as more features and improvements are made to the game, it becomes harder for these older consoles to support it. Rather than waste the time and resources trying to get Madden to run on them, EA seems to be focuses entirely on current-gen. Hopefully, it makes for a better overall product at the end of the day.
The big question, though, is how will Madden 26 run on the Nintendo Switch 2. We've seen EA release watered down versions of its sports games, particularly the FIFA franchise, on the Nintendo Switch in the past; but again, that system was far less powerful than the Switch 2. The Nintendo Switch 2 should be powerful enough to run Madden 26 without any sacrifices, but we'll have to wait to see gameplay before we get too excited. It's still a little unclear why the Deluxe Edition is not available for the Switch 2.