Maximum Football aims to make every play feel realistic

digitaltrends.com:

Next month, Madden NFL 25 is about to get some competition. Maximum Entertainment will release Maximum Football, a free-to-play simulation sports game. It might not have the official NFL branding, but Maximum Football emphasizes a physics-based approach to gameplay that should make everything from hits to throws feel more realistic than Madden, which often relies on more pre-baked animations. Speaking to Digital Trends ahead of Maximum Football’s early access release, game director Micha Brown stressed that the game will stand out by emphasizing honing in on physics-based gameplay and emergent moments that feel more true-to-life for a football simulator.

My discussion with Brown explains why Maximum Entertainment is taking this physics-based approach to Maximum Football’s gameplay, the challenges associated with doing so, the “physics mode” option that will be in its settings, and how Unreal Engine 5 supports all of that. We also touched on how the game has evolved since its beta over the summer and why it will be free to play when it comes out. It’s an insightful conversation that indicates that Maximum Football may be the breakout rookie that the veteran Madden series will need to account for the next time it’s on the field.

Digital Trends: What aspects of previous Maximum Football games did the development team want to improve on with this entry?

Micha Brown: Pretty much everything. The original Maximum Football was a great game, especially considering it was mostly created by a single developer. With a larger development team now, we have improved on every aspect. Customization, Dynasty mode, gameplay, online play, graphics, physics, commentary, stadiums — and everything else. While our aims remain the same, it’s an entirely new game.

How does Maximum Football’s physics-based approach to gameplay differ from other football video games on the market, like Madden NFL 25?

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