Madden NFL 25 will not release on Nintendo's struggling Wii U this year, EA Sports says.
"We will not be releasing a Wii U version of Madden NFL in 2013. However, we have a strong partnership with Nintendo and will continue to evaluate opportunities for delivering additional Madden NFL products for Nintendo fans in the future," EA Sports says in a statement provided to Nintendo World Report.
It should be noted that this would be the first time since 1991 that the Madden NFL franchise missing out a Nintendo console. Although EA Sports' statement does not mean it ends all its ties with Nintendo, the move raises further questions on Wii U's ability to attract third-party developers.
The news is the latest blow to the console following falling sales numbers, Satoru Iwata replacing Tatsumi Kimishima as global president for Nintendo and Nintendo deciding not to have a traditional press conference at this year's E3 in June.
The previous version of the game, Madden NFL 13, was released on both Wii and Wii U in 2012. The next title in the long-running franchise is set to launch on Aug. 27 and is currently only announced for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms.
