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Madden Creative Director Departs
Rex Dickson, creative director for the Madden NFL series at internal studio EA Tiburon, has left the company after six years in that position and over a decade with the company.
In a tweet, Dickson says:
This decision was made after many discussions with other leaders on the team. We collectively agreed this was the best path forward for everyone involved. This is as much for me and my family as it is about giving the team, the community, and the Madden franchise a chance for a new direction.
Dickson later follows up saying, "There is no drama or deeper story here ... I am filled with hope when I think about the passion of those who will pick up the flag and fight on for the future of the Madden franchise."
Dickson joined EA in 2003 working on the Medal of Honor franchise, including the reboot in 2010, and became the Madden creative director in 2012 for Madden NFL 25. During his tenure the series solidified its gameplay, started the Connected Franchise structure, continued the lucrative Ultimate Team mode, and introduced the Longshot story mode last year.
We've reached out to EA for further comment, and we will update this story if we hear anything significant.
[Source: Rex Dickson]
Our Take
Given that Dickson says his departure is, in part, about giving the series "a chance for a new direction" and references fighting for the future of the franchise, it sounds like he didn't agree with some aspect of where it is heading. The feature set for Madden 19 is already locked and the game is expected to be playable at E3 in June, so Dickson's departure won't change anything for this year's title. There will no doubt be, however, a guessing game with Madden 19 and future titles to try and figure out what Dickson may or may not have agreed with, but that's all speculation.
I've had the pleasure of talking and meeting with Dickson several times, including a profile interview we did on him in issue #283, and his love and commitment for the franchise and video games was always evident. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors, and hope that if he chooses to stay in video game development, we hear from him soon.
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