Microsoft is kicking off a Madden 17 tournament that will see real-life NFL players competing against each other for charity. You can predict the outcome and win prizes along the way.
The action starts this Tuesday, October 18, with each round seeing two players playing a match at a Microsoft Store location. The first match will be between Seattle's Doug Baldwin and Arizona's Patrick Peterson, with another first-round match taking place each following Tuesday. If you can't make it to the store where the games are taking place, they'll also be streamed on Twitch.
You can fill out a bracket here to predict whom you think will win in addition to submitting weekly picks. Doing so gives you the chance to win prizes like Xbox accessories and autographed merchandise, and you'll also receive a shot at winning two tickets to the upcoming Super Bowl.
As for the players themselves, the winner will earn a donation for the charity of their choice. The full list of those participating follows below. Von Miller seems like the safe bet so long as he's allowed to smack the controller out of his opponent's hands.
- Von Miller (LB, Denver Broncos)
- Ndamukong Suh (DT, Miami Dolphins)
- Matt Forte (RB, New York Jets)
- Patrick Peterson (CB, Arizona Cardinals)
- Greg Olsen (TE, Carolina Panthers)
- Doug Baldwin (WR, Seattle Seahawks)
- Devin McCourty (DB, New England Patriots)
- Aaron Donald (DT, Los Angeles Rams)
Here are the first-round matches that will take place over the next month:
- Oct. 18, 6:00 PM (PT): Doug Baldwin vs. Patrick Peterson
- Oct. 25, 5:00 PM (PT): Ndamukong Suh vs. Aaron Donald
- Nov. 1, 4:30 PM (PT): Devin McCourty vs. Matt Forte
- Nov. 8, 5:00 PM (PT): Greg Olsen vs. Von Miller
Most of these have some sort of real-life rivalry to them: Peterson-Baldwin represents the Seattle-Arizona divisional rivalry and a specific matchup you'd see on the field; the same with McCourty-Forte to a lesser degree with Patriots-Jets; and Olsen-Miller is a Super Bowl rematch. Sadly, none of these four games will happen immediately after one between the two players' teams.