Microsoft and EA's CoachGlass Madden app for Xbox One lets you act as a defensive coordinator (video)
At this year's E3, EA briefly mentioned that we would see a Madden 25 integration of sorts with SmartGlass in the near future, but that's as much as the gaming developer was willing to share back then. Now, some four months after the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2013 took place, EA Sports and Microsoft are finally prepared to show off what they've been working on. Meet CoachGlass. The aptly named companion app, which is an Xbox One exclusive, uses SmartGlass to connect with Madden 25 and allow users to control defensive plays during a game via smartphone or tablet. Essentially, CoachGlass lets players take over the role of a defensive coordinator, allowing them to handle all the play-calling and recommending formations it believes will be successful against the rival offense.
Obviously, it's easy to see how this took a cue from the renowned "Ask Madden" feature. However, CoachGlass differentiates itself by resorting to data collected from the Madden community, as well as recently used plays, to make its suggestions. Better yet, it also pinpoints who the opposing team's biggest offensive threats are, while "Track Tendencies" displays whether the squad you're up against prefers to throw or pass the football in most situations. EA tells us that as more people get to playing its popular NFL title, the recommended plays will become more efficient, since it'll show ones which have been successful for other gamers around the world.
Is it easier to use the sticks? Perhaps. But CoachGlass is all about the experience, really -- think about it, you can have a friend calling the plays on defense while you take care of business on offense. Just don't forget the popular saying: "Offense wins games, defense wins championships." When the Xbox One arrives next month, CoachGlass is set to be compatible with SmartGlass-friendly platforms such as iOS, Android and, naturally, Windows 8. For now, check out our video below to see the Madden 25 application in action.
