Helping EA Madden’s creative agency score more points

With more than $4 billion in net revenue in fiscal 2012 – over a billion of those dollars coming from digital – Electronic Arts (EA) is one of the biggest players in the video game industry. The root of EA’s expertise is in console-based platforms, so the match with Fi was perfect as we brought the full force of our web expertise to bear.

Bringing a deeply rich console game experience to the web in a meaningful way was no small challenge, but our digital ballers tackled it full-force. Despite being on a different device – desktop vs. TV – the design would have to look and feel familiar to console gamers, while maintaining an intuitive interface that offered cool new features and functionality.

Our UX challenge revolved around elegantly intertwining and smoothly integrating many varied sections of content, often disparate and only marginally related. From card packs to a storefront and auction block; data visualizations to help screens; all had to peacefully co-exist within a unified interface.

At the heart of the Madden Ultimate Team (MUT) experience is the ability to acquire, trade or auction to your heart’s content until your roster is just right. The visual metaphor for managing your team is old-school trading cards, and we took aim at designing a real gamechanger for the online space.

The plays have been scripted, the gameplan is clear, now it’s time to hit the field and make it happen… With design.

The ultimate NFL video game franchise couldn’t be contained to just one platform… It had to hit the web in a meaningful way, set to thrill and delight gamers and fans alike. With Madden NFL Ultimate Team, EA delivered a groundbreaking gaming experience, and a major contribution to the franchise and its future. Time to hit the digital gridiron.

CASE STUDY

EA Madden

EA approached Fi to help them extend the billion-dollar Madden NFL franchise to the web, and this is a behind the scenes look at the process and outcome.

This was only the second case study I wrote and produced for Fi, but the narrative structure implemented with the prior CS launch seemed to be holding strong.

My Role

I wrote, edited and produced the Case Study you see here. Some copy suggestions made it into the actual product.

CASE STUDY

EA Madden

My Role

Let’s network

Expertise

Process

Experience

Results

Quick Answers