NFL Rivals Returns for Second Season

New season marks the second year of the NFL, NFLPA and Mythical Games partnership

NFL Rivals named the official mobile game of Super Bowl LVIII Champion Kansas City Chiefs

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NFL Rivals, the officially licensed video game of the National Football League and the National Football League Players Association, announced today the launch of its second season, dubbed Year 2. Y2 will launch to coincide with the NFL Kickoff on September 5, 2024, and is set to be an exciting milestone in mobile sports gaming.

Following a massively successful inaugural season that saw over 5 million downloads, and more than 115 million games played, NFL Rivals is poised to elevate its success even further with a host of new features and updates. Building on the strong foundation of its first year, the game is set to offer players an enriched gaming experience and a range of innovative additions.

In Year 2, NFL Rivals promises to deliver an even more immersive experience with the introduction of new gameplay modes, distinctive pack drops and offerings and incredible partnerships, along with a community refresh providing fresh opportunities for fans to engage with their favorite sport in novel ways.

“As we enter the second year of our partnership with Mythical Games, we look back at the incredible first year of NFL Rivals and the success the game achieved worldwide,” said Ed Kiang, vice president of video gaming at the NFL. “Leveraging that momentum, Y2 will draw fans further into the realm of being a general manager of an NFL team with improved arcade-style gameplay and updates that continue to provide fans with ownership over their gaming experience.”

"The magic of NFL Rivals lies in the way it brings fans closer to the game they love, and at the heart of this journey are the NFL players themselves. It’s their skills and authenticity that make it so much fun and engaging for millions of fans around the world. This unique connection is what fuels the game’s success and drives its growth, and we’re excited to watch it evolve as more fans join in on the fun,” said Sophie Gage, VP, Business & Legal Affairs at NFL Players Inc., the marketing and licensing arm of the NFLPA.

Recently, NFL Rivals announced a new partnership with Super Bowl LVIII Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. The partnership, which will also launch at the start of the 2024 NFL season, is a part of NFL Rivals’ ongoing efforts to reach fans and further enhance the connection between the mobile game and football excitement on the field.

“Year 2 of NFL Rivals is going to be a game-changer,” said Billy Schautz, the executive producer of NFL Rivals. “With the upcoming release of our multiplayer mode, and the expansion of our Synergy System, fans have new and fun ways to play; and with the introduction of the 'Road to the Playoffs' and its season-long 'reward road,' during the 2024 NFL season, we’re raising the bar and setting a new standard for sports gaming as a whole.”

NFL Rivals is available for download in the App Store and Google Play Store.

Interested players can also visit the NFL Rivals website for more information and to join the NFL Rivals community.

About Mythical Games

Acknowledged by Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas 2021 and recently Forbes’ Best Startup Employers (2024), Mythical Games is a next-generation game company creating world-class games and empowering players to take ownership of their in-game assets through the use of blockchain technology. The team has helped develop major franchises, including Call of Duty, Call of Duty Mobile, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Magic: The Gathering, EA Madden, Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery, Marvel Strike Force, Modern Warfare 3, and Skylanders.

The Mythical Marketplace, the first in-game blockchain Marketplace on iOS and Android, provides gamers with ownership and control over the purchase and sale of digital assets, while the Mythical Platform protects gamers that may be new to blockchain through a custodial wallet for their digital items.

About the NFLPA

The National Football League Players Association (“NFLPA”) is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement (“CBA”) with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 NFL season.

About OneTeam Partners

OneTeam Partners (OneTeam) facilitated the NFL Rivals deal in collaboration with all parties involved. OneTeam is a global leader in sports licensing, marketing, sponsorship, and media, specializing in commercializing group licensing rights for both collegiate and professional athletes. Established in 2019, OneTeam is a joint venture between the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), MLB Players Association (MLBPA), Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), MLS Players Association (MLSPA), and U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association (USWNTPA), with backing from HPS, General Atlantic, and Morgan Stanley Tactical. OneTeam represents the exclusive group name, image, and likeness rights for the playing members of these associations, as well as those from the NWSL Players Association, U.S. Rugby Players Association, League of Legends Championship Series, Valorant Players Associations, and thousands of college athletes.