Following the announcement that this year’s NFL Pro Bowl will be held inside of Madden NFL 21 on Twitch, Madden NFL 21 is free-to-play this weekend.
The decision to make the Pro Bowl digital this year is due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Traditionally, the Pro Bowl is a special annual all-star game held in Orlando, Florida where the best players from the league represent the two conferences of the National Football League, the AFC, and the NFC.
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To encourage everyone to be a part of the new Pro Bowl festivities this year, Madden NFL 21 is free-to-play on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and X from now through January 31. The game is also free-to-play on Google Stadia, which Madden just arrived on this week. Players can play their own version of the Pro Bowl anytime this weekend and can unlock players from it to add to their Ultimate Team.
One interesting wrinkle that could make this year’s Pro Bowl better than most is that this one will actually feature the NFL’s best players. Due to American football being such an injury-prone sport, many of the league’s star players will often sit out the optional game to avoid an injury that could last into the following NFL season. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and other Super Bowl LV contenders would have not played this year’s Pro Bowl had it been in real life, so although it is digital, this game has a chance to be one of the most competitive Pro Bowls ever.
The Pro Bowl serves as the culmination of the ongoing partnership between the NFL and Twitch, as Twitch streamed several of this year’s playoff games. The NFL has been trying to branch out to new markets this year, having also partnered with Nickelodeon to air a game on that network in an effort to get younger audience members interested in the NFL.
The 2021 Pro Bowl will take place tomorrow (Sunday) at 3 PM EST and will be broadcast on Twitch. The broadcast will be hosted by NFL announcer Michael Stahan and will feature 4 players on each team consisting of past and present NFL stars and Snoop Dogg. Super Bowl LV takes place next weekend on Sunday, February 6.
Madden NFL 21 is available now on Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.