Madden 25 is free to play this weekend to celebrate the return of the NFL

NFL fans have two reasons to rejoice this weekend, with the start of a new campaign coinciding with a free-to-play period for Madden 25 on PlayStation and Xbox.

The new NFL season began on Sept. 5, with defending Super Bowl champions beating Baltimore Ravens 27-20, whetting the appetite ahead of a packed weekend of action—and Madden 25’s limited-time free-to-play offer adds to the football frenzy.

Madden 25’s free-to-play period on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S began on Sept. 5 and runs until Sept. 8, offering a taste of the latest edition in the long-running franchise—so you can decide whether you want to splash the cash to own the game outright.

There are no restrictions to game modes in the free-to-play period, giving you the choice of diving into Ultimate Team, leading your favorite side in Franchise, or taking control of a single player in Superstar mode.

Any progress made during the free-to-play weekend is saved, allowing you to continue if you decide you want to buy the full game—or even if you want to wait until another free-to-play period or the game’s arrival on EA Access, which usually happens towards the end of the lifecycle of the game.

In my Madden 25 review, I gave the title a low score of 3.5. I criticized poor commentary, the badly executed storylines, and the general lack of improvements from Madden 24, but this is the perfect time to cast your own judgment on the game.

The free-to-play weekend is particularly appealing for anyone hosting friends and family this weekend for the NFL’s return, as you can play against each other before the real-world matches kick off.