EA’s highly anticipated “Madden 26” football video game launched with a bang – but not in the way the company hoped. The annual game’s launch day was plagued by errors, leaving gamers frustrated and unable to play.
The issues began when many users reported being unable to enter the game, while others found their consoles showed no indication that they had purchased it. EA’s sever status page listed the “Madden” server as online by Thursday afternoon, but fans still struggled to access the game.
EA acknowledged the issues on Thursday, stating that some Xbox users who purchased the “MVP Bundle” were facing problems logging in. The company advised these users to perform a hard reset of their console before attempting to play.
Later in the day, EA announced plans to perform server maintenance to address the issue, which would temporarily shut down online modes for most players. The fix was reportedly completed within an hour, with all online modes restored.
Despite the technical issues, some gamers were able to get into the game and enjoy its features, including songs from Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, and Drake. However, it remains to be seen how the game’s launch will impact server usage in the coming months.
The full game for all users is set to launch on August 14, 2025. With a large player base expected, there is a risk of further server issues, which could affect the gaming experience for players.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/08/07/ea-madden-26-servers-down-launch-release