The chatty brothers of Madden

Andrew Belton makes a living playing Madden which is a game that he doesn't really like.

When he uploads his video, he takes on "trash-talkers" who post angry Instagram messages, arguing with vibrant language that they can punch him in the game. That's why Belton will be fighting against randosand sometimes a pro athlete -- while taunting and teasing the people back to madden 22 coins his YouTube followers. This is what that he enjoys winning, particularly when it's against people who are rude. He entices them to make reckless passes and urges them to play the game in the fourth quarter, when the sensible decision would be the punt.

If you're watching Belton's channel ABGotGame The only thing Belton is more roasted than his opponents? Madden itself. A common refrain is "This game is garbage" and "this game is so awful." In every video, Belton is cursing the game's developer, EA Sports, like it is some kind of villainous god. A throw that isn't quite right? "EA!" Taking a sack? "EA! !" Missing an easy interception?

In January 2022, he shared a video titled "I've ever seen that before...You will win EA...I'm not playing Madden again ..." But just a few days further on, Belton posted another Madden video. If you'd been following his channel for some time, as I had, you knew the man was not going to give up.

What's interesting regarding Madden which is the only NFL licensee of a videogame franchise 34 years going -- is that, despite its colossal popularity, there is nothing you hear about is complaints from people who are against it.

The primary complaint, which is reechoed time and time again, is that each season's latest version is a slight upgrade over the last. Since EA Sports has the exclusive license, it is only one company that can develop a "simulation-style" NFL game. It is a reason to believe that the developer is under no pressure to improve the game each year. In 2020, a viral Twitter campaign urged the league to sign EA as its partner - #NFLDropEA. But even with the outrage on social media that included coordinated review-bombing of games' Metacritic webpage, Madden 21 sales were way up. This year's Madden 22 did well, too, and the series is still the highest-selling sports franchise of all time.

The critics are the minority that is vocal, but the job of a minority is to be extraordinarily vocal. I'm talking about YouTubers, who earn a living by stream and record themselves while playing a game they say they dislike.

The diversity of YouTubers' focus areas reveals how big the game these days. There are YouTubers like Belton who post footage of themselves playing; there's a wide selection of YouTubers uploading strategies and tips; and then there are those who are dedicated to the game of Madden.

Last fall, one channel named SOFTDRINKTV published a 14-minute clip titled "The Madden with the Worst Madden of All Time," Then, a few days later, they released by a video that lasted 19 minutes, titled "Madden NFL 22 is not Good - A Review." They came back to a similar well recently with a new video entitled "Everything Wrong with Madden NFL 22 (in 16 minutes)." The narration of this video starts memorably or even a bit dramatically: "This is the kind of game that can make you want to put a an eyeball in your thumb. When you play Madden 22 and you're a victim, the great gift of life becomes something of a curse. You'll no longer want to live. It causes existential dread."

As with any subculture, Madden also has its unique expressions of slang. Precise throws have the meaning of "lasers" (self-explanatory). Most throws are one that is a "dot" and you'll be "dotted up" that has somehow mutated from "dart" (less explicit). Also, defensive coverage that is strong was once "bagged," though recently, I've heard YouTubers calling themselves "booked." However, the only one that is logical for me to understand is "mossing" somebody as in when you see a player leap over a corner to catch the ball from the air, influenced by Randy Moss.

However, the hatred for Madden seems to be just an integral part of the popular culture, even though it does appear to be a bit performative at times. The subreddit r/Madden almost completely "rants" about the reasons why the game doesn't work. It's usually is a video of a glitch or bug. The tag #Madden22 on TikTok is a mix of highlights, as well as calling for the busted plays EA ought to fix.

But, of course, if you dislike a video game this much, why keep playing it, all year long?

For Andrew Belton, Madden earns him his keep. He's been playing since 2005 Madden but, most importantly streaming on madden 22 coins cheap YouTub since the 2018 Madden. His channel has been growing to the point that the channel earns money from it -- enough to move out of the house of his parents and into an apartment in Brooklyn. (He also sells ebooks containing Madden tips via his Patreon estimated accounts for about a third of his income.)