Choose Madden NFL 21
Choose Madden NFL 21 if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 3,324 Steam reviews back the pick.
Madden NFL 21 vs Madden NFL 22
Madden NFL 21 and Madden NFL 22 both land in Sports, Strategy, Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Sports, Strategy, Simulation on Steam. Madden NFL 21 (2020) is 1 year older than Madden NFL 22 (2021). Madden NFL 22 scores higher on Steam reviews (57.8% positive) than Madden NFL 21 (54.7% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Madden NFL 22
Choose Madden NFL 22 if you want a Casual game with Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, and Co-op. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 57.8% positive across 5,129 reviews.
Both Madden NFL 21 and Madden NFL 22 sit in Sports, Strategy, and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Madden NFL 21 |  Madden NFL 22 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Genres | Sports, Strategy, Simulation | Sports, Strategy, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | Price unknown | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 54.7% positive (3,324 reviews) | 57.8% positive (5,129 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op |
| Developers | Electronic Arts | Tiburon |
Side by side
- Both share Sports, Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Madden NFL 21 (2020) is 1 year older than Madden NFL 22 (2021).
- Madden NFL 22 scores higher on Steam reviews (57.8% positive) than Madden NFL 21 (54.7% positive).
- Madden NFL 22 has co-op; Madden NFL 21 does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Madden NFL 21 vs Madden NFL 22 — FAQ
- Which is better, Madden NFL 21 or Madden NFL 22?
- On Steam reviews Madden NFL 22 scores higher (57.8% positive) than Madden NFL 21 (54.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Madden NFL 22 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Madden NFL 21 or Madden NFL 22 first?
- If you want chronology, Madden NFL 21 (2020) came out before Madden NFL 22 (2021). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Madden NFL 21 and Madden NFL 22 similar?
- They overlap on Sports, Strategy, Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.