Madden NFL 13 by EA Sports

This entry comes from a conversation we had over drinks about art and life and art. As father’s and inventors we naturally look at what else is on the market, how people interact with it and what it says about our society.

In the beta release version of Madden NFL ’13, an option for concussion mode exists. In this mode, players are prone to head injury, which can result in players being removed from the game for days or weeks. In addition, the more severe hits are attended to on the sideline by athletic trainers with a sideline assessment. This can be seen in the following video, where RGIII of the Redskins sustains a concussion and is subjected to sideline assessment:

Madden NFL 13 removed concussion mode as NFL donates $30M to concussion research

However, the concussion mode is not available in the full release version of Madden NFL 13. Simultaneously with the start of the 2013 NFL season and the release of EA Sports Madden NFL 13, the NFL donated $30 million to support concussion research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). However, the underlying reason for this generosity is not provided. Hmmm…Is it assumed that the NFL is taking responsibility for their players’ lives on and off the field?

As the neuroscientist, in our inventor partnership, researching concussion, these dollars are critical to advance projects that will impact the lives of players. However, one article from the San Diego Reader suggested that the donation may have been coerced. It is not too far-fetched for EA Sports to have willingly removed the concussion mode in exchange for a donation towards research. If this is the case, then these dollars serve as hush money. At the same time the NFL is supporting concussion awareness, they could be removing evidence from social awareness.

It is true that these events may be coincidental. However, what is the harm in enabling a concussion mode on Madden NFL 13? Perhaps awareness to the ongoing concussion debate is elevated. Is this so bad for football fanatics – real, fantasy or game? And perhaps it isn’t and our kids get injured in the mean time. Just food for thought.

However, the question I really have is, “Does John Madden know about any of this”?