Draft Champions Mode Announced for Madden NFL 16

EA Sports today announced a brand new mode coming with Madden NFL 16. Known as “Draft Champions” the mode is being described as fantasy football meets Madden. It’s another opportunity to build a fantasy team that can be used online or against the CPU. Of course EA didn’t detail what way they’ll be monetizing the mode today, if at all, but given its relation to Ultimate Team it wouldn’t be surprising if money or “coins” played some role. 

THE GOAL
Having identified the challenges, we asked ourselves “What is the core fun of Fantasy Football that will work for Madden?” It is pretty obvious: Making the pick. Choosing the player that is going to carry your team. Draft night is the best part of Fantasy Football. The goal of Draft Champions was giving players draft night over and over again.

Draft Champions adds to the Fantasy Football experience by paying off draft night immediately. As soon as the draft is over, players can take the new squad onto the field. The result? A very tight draft experience that distills the best parts of Fantasy Football, and combining it with an exciting Madden event that can be completed in an evening.

Anyone who gets through a H2H gauntlet will truly be worthy of the title “Draft Champion.”

DRAFT NIGHT REIMAGINED
The team had four goals with the creation of Madden NFL 16 Draft Champions: Always on the Clock. Every Pick Matters. Keep it Tight. Replayable.

Draft Champions begins by picking from one of three coaches, which helps ensures each draft will be different and the pace remains high. Coaches determine a team’s offensive and defensive playbooks, and also defines two default “Styles,” typically one offensive and one defensive. Your team’s uniform is determined by your favorite team. Simply update the team choice to change uniforms.

A base team is then generated, which is playable but relatively low-rated. There is a group of players that are available for base team rosters. While OVR ratings are similar, there will be some variety in the types of players that show up. Over time, Draft Champion players realize which players should stay, and which should be upgraded.

UPGRADING YOUR TEAM
Now comes the heart of the experience, drafting players to upgrade your team. Players have the choice of three players in each round, and with a limited number of rounds, each pick matters.

Every draft will be different; there may be a number of highly-rated wide receivers and half backs in one draft, and a number of safeties or linebackers in another. Every pick will be an upgrade over the base team, and Draft Champions will give players tough decisions in every round.

Unlike a typical draft, the quality of players to choose from rises and falls from round to round. One draft may create a defensive juggernaut, while another could create a power running game behind a dominant offensive line.

A typical draft consists of 15 player rounds; the limited number of rounds mean that you are always on the clock and every pick is crucial. Experienced players will be able to move through the draft quickly, but Draft Champions includes tools to take a deeper look at players before making a selection.

The limited number of rounds and players per round also mean that every draft will be different. Players competing in Draft Champions can play repeatedly without ever building and/or facing the same team.

YOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
After the draft, it’s time to take the new squad onto the field. Choosing a Solo Draft gives players up to three games against AI opponents. With each victory, the quality of the competition will increase until the championship game in the brand new Draft Champions Stadium.

Players looking for a real challenge can jump into a Head-to-Head draft. While drafts happen independently, taking on the best players in Madden NFL 16 will provide the ultimate test for your drafting skills. Win four games in a row to become a true Draft Champion!

The number of games in each event are relatively low in order to preserve the “Madden Fantasy in a Night” feel for Draft Champions. Even if you get knocked out, you get to jump right back in and draft another team. Your Draft. Your Team. Your Championship.