Ultimate Team has become an extremely lucrative mode within EA Sports' crop of league-licensed games. The mode, which combines team-building with card-collecting, generates hundreds of millions of dollars each year for EA.
That success, combined with the popularity of fantasy football, has inspired a brand new mode that's coming to Madden NFL 16: Draft Champions.
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The new mode, announced Monday, is inspired by fantasy football, primarily the satisfaction that comes on draft night. Gamers must first select a coach (there are three options), which will help craft the team's "style." That's followed by owners being given a base team made up of mediocre players. Improving that team — by filling positions with dynamic players — is based on the next stage.
The hook to Draft Champions is the draft itself. Unlike Ultimate Team, where players are acquired through packs or in the Auction House, the new mode involves selecting players.
Owners have to select one player from three options in each of the draft's 15 rounds. That means the draft isn't just about getting the best players — owners have to decide between them and shape how they'll all fit together. As with Ultimate Team, "legends" are also in the mix in the draft.
Once the entire team is formed, it can be taken online to play other people or it can be used offline against the CPU. The goal is to win three straight against the CPU or four straight online. Get knocked off and a new team can be created to take on the challenge again.
Madden NFL 16 is slated for release on Aug. 25, with Draft Champions available in the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions.
Bryan Wiedey posts sports gaming news and analysis daily at Pastapadre.com, has co-founded the new site HitThePass.com, is a regular participant in the Press Row Podcast and Hangout shows, and can be reached on Twitter @Pastapadre.