Maximum Football Kicked Off F2P Early Access Today, But It Feels More Like A Beta Still

Many of us have been waiting for a REAL, viable alternative to the Madden American football series for a long time. We've had a few sports game projects come and go, but there just hasn't been any real competition for a very long time. One of the projects I've been watching for years (and through a few delays) now is Maximum Football. Not only were early videos and previews looking good (if a bit rough), but the team at Maximum Entertainment planned to make the title free-to-play (F2P).

If you've been eager to check out Maximum Football too, today's the day you get a chance. Early access has begun on Steam and yes, it is still free. There are multiple options if you want to purchase something, though. Bundles offer various modes and items, so if you're looking for the Franchise or Dynasty modes, you will have to purchase the DLC, they aren't included in the F2P offering. Yes, there's also card packs planned...some features just won't go away, huh?

If you want some exhibition play, though, you're fine with the free early access.

That said, I've played a bit and I just have to say while it looks like a nice work-in-progress, it is EXACTLY that. There are a lot of issues ranging from bugs to not supporting ultrawide monitors yet. There's also just some super janky gameplay sometimes. I intercepted passes I was nowhere near, animations are wonky in areas, and I'm still not sure why I can't seem to see the offense's formation while picking my defensive play.

The game's presentation has quirks, too. Announcers repeat themselves and not in the way that most sport game commentators eventually repeat themselves. These announcers often say the exact same thing in back-to-back sentences. It's goofy sometimes.

Honestly, I'm still hopeful about where this game goes in the future. It isn't slated to release until 2025 and that'll include a console release supporting cross play. I just wish the team wasn't asking for money and locking modes behind that money for what is still a very rough project that even includes incorrectly spelled words in the "Welcome to Early Access" message upon boot up.

Still, fingers crossed! I'm just not a fan of the current monetization on what is clearly better described as a beta test than an early access.