Madden 19: Release Date, Cover and Ultimate Team Details

Gamers' fingers are getting itchy as the Madden 19 release date moves so close you can almost hear the controller-rattling big hits.

Wait for the regular version, and you can get your mitts on the game August 10. Pre-order the Hall of Fame edition, and you'll get it three days earlier (plus an NFL legend and several other perks for your Ultimate Team).

No matter how you slice it, Madden season is upon us.

That means it's time to nit-pick player ratings (Alvin Kamara is only an 88?), read up on the new additions (Real Player Motion, a return to PC!) and celebrate—or cross your fingers for—the year's cover athlete (Antonio Brown for the regular, Terrell Owens on the Hall of Fame edition).

"It's extremely an honor to be a part of something so special," Brown told Bleacher Report's Tyler Conway. "As a kid, coming together with my friends playing the game, looking forward to this game. Every year, every summer, to know that I'm on the cover is such an inspiration for me, the Steelers organization, the Steelers fans. I think everyone is extremely excited—I'm just grateful."

Brown, one of seven players (and the lone receiver) with a 99 rating, might have more reasons to celebrate—his jaw-dropping production could be curse-proof. He's had five consecutive 100-catch seasons, and he leads the NFL in catches (582), receiving yards (7,848) and receiving touchdowns (52) over that stretch.

But enough about the cover athlete; let's dig into the game itself.

EA Sports promises even more control with the Real Player Motion system. The enhancements include "push the pile"—pushing lead blockers rather than running around them—and "one cut," which provides the ability to stop on a dime and change directions with an explosive cut.

Madden Ultimate Team also delivers some new twists and turns.

The player upgrade process has been streamlined and given a new currency called "training." Upgrade options are easier to access, allowing players to get the most out of their virtual ballers.

Co-op play takes another step forward with the ability to pit your Ultimate Team squads against the computer. Weekly challenges will be set up for your squad to conquer for consistent coin rewards. 

The versatility of the modern NFL is captured by the addition of seven new specialist positions:

• Rush Right/Left Defensive End
• Rush Defensive Tackle
• Slot Cornerback
• Sub Linebacker
• Power Half Back
• Slot Wide Receiver

This not only speaks to Madden's depth and realism, it also makes it easier for gamers to get their preferred personnel in place for specific formations.

This just scratches the surface of Madden 19's offerings—custom draft classes, new player rating categories, the next chapter of the Longshot story mode—but suffice it to say this looks like another winner from EA Sports and for football fans.

Unless otherwise noted, information used courtesy of EASports.com.