‘Madden’ Creative Director Leaves EA, Hints at New Direction For Series

Rex Dickson, creative director for Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL video game franchise for the last six years, has left the company. He announced his departure Wednesday on Twitter.

“Time to confirm the rumors,” he wrote. “I have left EA Tiburon and the ‘Madden’ team.”

Dickson said he made his decision to leave after numerous talks with other leaders on the team. “We collectively agreed this was the best path forward for everyone involved,” he said. “This is as much for me and my family as it is about giving the team, the community and the ‘Madden’ franchise a chance for a new direction.”

The last entry in the “Madden” franchise, “Madden NFL 18,” came out in August 2017 and received generally favorable reviews from critics. It’s the first title in the series to use EA’s Frostbite game engine. It’s also notable for introducing a new story mode called “Longshot,” which was nominated for outstanding achievement in video game writing at last year’s Writers Guild of America Awards. It was one of the best-selling games of 2017, according to the NPD Group via GameSpot.

“Madden 19” hasn’t been officially announced yet, though more news could be announced at EA Play during E3 in June.

Although Dickson didn’t give a specific reason for leaving, he said there is no drama or deeper story. “I have spent more than a decade of my career at EA (12 years total between ‘Medal of Honor’ and ‘Madden’) and I have nothing but gratitude for all of the opportunities they created for me,” he said.

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