The upcoming Madden NFL 21 game will be tweaked to eliminate the logos and team name of the Washington Washington Football Team, game developer Electronic Arts confirmed to ESPN on Friday.
The popular pro football simulation game, which is set to be released Aug. 25, will use generic jerseys and apparel, while removing the team name from audio and commentary, graphics, stadium art and signage, according to Bleacher Report.
The change was first reported by Kotaku.
“We are pleased to see Washington’s decision to change their team name and visual identity,” an EA representative said in a statement. “We are quickly working to update Madden NFL 21 to feature a generic Washington team, while we await final word on the updated team name and logo design.”
In early July, officials with Washington’s NFL franchise, which has been located in the nation’s capital area since 1937, issued a statement saying they would “undergo a thorough review of the team’s name.” The team on Monday agreed to retire its nickname and logo, which has been criticized for decades because of its portrayal of Native Americans.
Washington’s logo, depicting an American Indian chief, was designed by a Native American in 1971, ESPN reported. The team said it wants to keep its burgundy and gold color scheme.
There is no timeline for a new nickname in Washington, according to Bleacher Report.
Buyers who purchase a physical copy of the game will notice it will still feature Washington’s old name and logo because discs are already in production, ESPN reported. Those will be eliminated if a user connects the system to the internet, the sports network said.
“The first changes will be available to our EA Access players and will include audio/commentary updates; motion graphics and presentation updates; stadium art, environments, crowd gear and signage updates; and uniform updates,” EA said in its statement. “Players may continue to see some outdated Washington references in other areas of the game at launch, but we are committed to removing all of those from the game in additional title updates coming shortly after launch.”
Madden 21 will feature Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on its cover.
