A Steep Discount and a Freebie: Madden NFL 26’s Rapid Price Drop Raises Eyebrows

The latest installment of EA Sports’ long-running football franchise, Madden NFL 26, has been on the market for barely a month, but it is already seeing a significant price drop. The game, which launched at a standard price of $69.99, is now available for just $50 at major retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy. As a further incentive, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S owners who purchase the physical edition at Walmart will also receive an exclusive steelbook case for free. This is a highly unusual move for a blockbuster AAA title so early in its lifecycle, and it points to a troubled commercial performance and a game that is struggling to find its footing with a cynical and demanding audience.

A Rapid Price Drop: A Sign of Trouble?

The markdown on Madden NFL 26 is a powerful indicator of a number of underlying issues. The game, which was released on August 14, 2025, received a mixed critical reception. While some critics praised the game for its revamped Franchise Mode and its improved on-field presentation, others criticized it for its persistent bugs and a lack of significant innovation. The game’s Metacritic score is a respectable 77 for the PlayStation 5 version, but its user score, a more accurate reflection of the community’s sentiment, is a “Generally Unfavorable” 4.1. The game has also struggled to find a foothold in the market, with a report from VGChartz showing that the game debuted in a disappointing 16th place on the UK retail charts, a far cry from the first-place finishes of previous titles. This suggests that the game is failing to meet EA’s sales expectations, forcing the company and its retail partners to resort to deep discounts to move copies.

The free steelbook case, while a nice collectible for hardcore fans, is a clear tactic to add perceived value to a physical product that is not selling well. The steelbook itself is not a new design; it uses the same key art from the standard and deluxe editions, so for many, it is simply a way for retailers to clear out their stock. This is a classic move in the retail world: when a product is not selling, you bundle it with a desirable item to make it more appealing to consumers. The fact that a game like Madden, which has a captive audience as the only officially licensed NFL simulation, has to resort to this strategy so early in its life cycle is a major red flag.

The Competition and the Curse of a Monopolized Market

The situation with Madden NFL 26 is even more striking when you consider its competition. The return of EA Sports College Football 26, which was released a month earlier, has provided a new option for football fans, and it has been a major commercial and critical success. The college game’s success has put even more pressure on Madden to perform. As one critic noted, the presence of a “homegrown competition” from its own publisher “should drive development to improve.” However, the rapid price drop on Madden 26 suggests that it is failing to keep pace with its sibling title. This is a familiar problem for a franchise that has a history of resting on its laurels due to its lack of a direct competitor. As one user on Metacritic put it, “It’s the only game in town for the NFL, so there’s sadly nowhere else to go.”

For now, the deep discount and the free steelbook are a win for consumers who were waiting for a price drop. But for EA and its developers, it’s a sobering reality check. It’s a clear sign that even a well-established franchise with a monopolized market can no longer rely on its brand name alone. In an increasingly competitive landscape, with player expectations at an all-time high, the company is being forced to make a painful choice: cut prices to boost sales or face a complete collapse in consumer trust. The future of Madden is now in a precarious position, and the free steelbook is not a celebration of its success, but a grim reminder of its current struggles.