Madden NFL 26 Drops 'Franchise Deep Dive' Trailer, New Features Ahead of Release Date

Video game fans got a first look on Wednesday at the new version of the Franchise Deep Dive mode that will be available in Madden NFL 26.

EA Sports released a trailer previewing the mode's new features ahead of the game's Aug. 14 release.

EA Sports previously said that Madden NFL 26 will feature "a new AI-powered machine learning system trained by real play calls and game situations over nearly a decade."

The company offered more information about the Franchise Deep Dive in Gridiron Notes published alongside the trailer on Wednesday.

Many of the updates in the new Franchise Deep Dive mode revolve around an increased focus on coaches and coordinators.

The new franchise deep dive offers three new coach archetypes: the "Offensive Guru," compared to the Kansas City Chiefs' Andy Reid; the "Defensive Genius," comped to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Todd Bowles; and the "Development Wizard," compared to the Detroit Lions' Dan Campbell.

Each coach will have Gameday Abilities, through which they impact their team through chances like increasing pass or catching accuracy, keeping quarterbacks immune from pressure, giving defenders a wider hit window or reducing the chances of broken sacks, according to the Gridiron Notes.

Coaches will also have Season Abilities, through which they can impact the rest of the coaching staff and the team's prospect development. Each coach begins at Level 1 and can advance as far as Level 50, per EA Sports.

Offensive and defensive coordinators will also have abilities and in-game goals, per the Gridiron Notes.

Trainers will also have abilities and an increased role with what Madden describes as a new injury management decision that will add consequences to decisions regarding practice and rest day decisions.

According to the Gridiron Notes, Madden also "completely redesigned" the Weekly Strategy portion of franchise mode in order to incorporate the new Coach Abilities.

The updated mode is also introducing Playsheets, described in the Gridiron Notes as "mini playbooks you can bring into a game to expand your base offensive or defensive playbook."

The update will also increase the impact of weather on gameplay, with weather customized to match the date and season in each location, per the Gridiron Notes.

According to the Gridiron Notes: "Dense fog will reduce visibility, making it tougher to read the field and execute passes—just like it would challenge a real NFL quarterback. Slippery conditions impact every player: receivers might stumble off the line, linemen and defenders can lose footing during explosive moves, and quick cuts might not land cleanly... You'll witness more dramatic moments when catching or running the ball including fumbles, broken tackles, and sliding hits—all influenced by player ratings and how well a team can adapt to that kind of climate."

Gameplay is also shifting to emphasize how teams react to matchups rather than prioritizing the franchise playbook, according to the Gridiron Notes.

Madden NFL 26 is additionally adjusting how teams approach the draft, with more offensive and defensive lineman being drafted, more running backs taken in early rounds and teams taking multiple players at the same position of need in a single draft, per the Gridiron Notes.

The game will be available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. Early access through a preorder of the Deluxe Edition starts Aug. 11.