Conan O’Brien took his late night show on the road to Dallas, Texas last week, and while he was there he paid a visit to AT&T Stadium, also commonly called “Jerry’s World” by sports commentators. But instead of getting into shenanigans with the Dallas Cowboys or perving out on the team’s cheerleaders, Conan did the first thing any of us would do if given the opportunity. That’s right, he hooked a PlayStation 4 up to the enormous DiamondVision scoreboard to play some video games for the latest installment of Clueless Gamer.

Watch along as Conan plays Madden NFL 25, Flower, Need for Speed: Rivals and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix on a 72’x160′ 1.2 million pound screen. His final recommendation: Go rent an NFL stadium to play games on, or at the very least a basketball arena. Thanks for the advice, Coco.

Clueless Gamer: AT&T Stadium Edition [Team Coco]

Not to be upstaged by 2K Sports, EA Sports has taken to the internets to show off what its next-gen installments of Madden NFL 25 and NBA Live 14 look like on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Unfortunately, neither game looks nearly as impressive as NBA 2K14, and Madden NFL 25 in particular doesn’t look anywhere close to as photo-realistic as the “actual game footage” first shown at E3. I don’t see any of the same high quality skin texturing or jersey detail and wear and tear that was shown back in June. What happened?

For Madden, I will at least say that the animations look much improved. The true step locomotion looks like it has grounded the players to the field, opposed to the player models in current Maddens which always feel kind of floaty and slippery like they are sliding in the air just above the ground. NBA Live‘s animations on the other hand look pretty stiff, and the characters still have that slight cartoony video game appearance that just looks a bit off to me.

Both games look solid overall, but going by these new gameplay trailers neither one shows vast superiority over current-gen sports games, or leaves a lasting impression. What say you, video game sports fans?

No shock here: the next-gen edition of Madden NFL 25 will be a launch title for both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Adrian Peterson, runner-up to Barry Sanders in the cover athlete fan vote tournament, will even star on the cover for these versions, upstaging Mr. Sanders’ appearance on the PS3 and Xbox 360 covers. Who won that cover vote again?

What next-gen features can you expect from Madden NFL 25? From EA Sports:

10X THE DETAIL

Next Definition Visuals: Madden NFL has never looked so real. See every nuance of a player’s face, equipment, and clothing as the line blurs between the players in the game and their real-life counterparts. Up to 4x the texture resolution breathes new life into stadiums, crowds, the field, and even the ball itself. Combined with high-fidelity animations that deliver the smoothest, most authentic looking player interactions ever, Madden NFL 25 delivers Next Definition visuals.

2X THE CONTROL

Every Step Is Calculated: The all-new True Step player motion system calculates every step, delivering unprecedented control. Players now have the ability to foot-plant, cut, and shift momentum in an authentic way, unlocking the agility and explosiveness of the NFL athlete. EA SPORTS IGNITE run-time physics calculate at twice the rate allowing for the most organic, user-driven outcomes in franchise history. Combined with the precision modifier’s vast combination of ball carrier moves, Madden NFL has never felt this good.

PLAYERS THINK

Brains & Brawn: All-new Player Sense unlocks the human element in Madden NFL. For the first time, players scan the field, anticipate situations before they happen, and maneuver with instincts and awareness. The ability to make up to 50x as many contextual decisions brings intelligent ball-carriers and defenders to life, as they sense obstacles and react on the fly. Ball-carriers leap over fallen players, blitzing linebackers slide past teammates on their way to the QB and so much more, combining the physical aspects of football with the mental.

War in the Trenches: Offensive and defensive line play is at the heart of football, and now it’s the foundation of Madden NFL 25. Lineman are more than just physical, they are intelligent. Coupled with the ability to make 4x more decisions per second, 300 new blocking interactions create the most realistic running lanes for the ball-carrier and passing pockets for the QB. Offensive lineman will dynamically sort and shift assignments based on threats and angles, starting with intelligently identifying the center of the defense, the “Mike” linebacker. The defensive side of the ball features over 3x more new defensive line moves, as well as the latest blitz packages. Authentic double teams, blitz pick-ups, and line shifts showcase units working together as one, highlighting the most physical and intense battles in the NFL. Welcome to the War in the Trenches.

THE GAME IS ALIVE

Madden Living World: The NFL is so much more than just what happens between the lines. It’s the crowds, sidelines, and commentary that truly bring the emotion of Sunday to life. In Madden NFL 25, feel the anxiety of the crowd as you step up to the line on 4th and goal. Watch your teammates and coaches erupt with excitement as you blaze down the sideline for a game-changing score. Hear the most intelligent commentary in franchise history, as Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and our new sideline reporter Danielle Bellini follow everything about your career. From injuries to accolades they’ll bring your career to life like never before.

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Ignite is the new game engine EA Sports has crafted to usher in the next generation of sports video games on Xbox One as well as PlayStation 4. For Xbox One in particular, EA and Microsoft have entered into a “strategic partnership” to bring four sports franchises to the console within the next 12 months, including Madden NFL 25, FIFA 14, NBA Live 14 (yes, it does exist!) and UFC. Exactly what the strategic partnership with Microsoft means for the Xbox One versions of these games compared to PS4 is not clear at this time.

Human Intelligence, True Player Motion and Living Worlds are the cornerstones of the Ignite engine, as showcased in the following series of trailers. Ignite promises to deliver 10 times more animation detail, uncanny human AI and immersive stadium atmosphere on a level far above and beyond what has previously been possible. Sure looks and sounds impressive, but I’m not quite believing what’s on display in the trailer is truly representative of what the engine will be able to produce during live gameplay. But I’d be happy to be proven wrong.