Which Madden NFL game was the first to introduce Madden Ultimate Team?

Madden NFL 10 was the first Madden NFL game to introduce Madden Ultimate Team. The card-collecting team-building mode was announced for the game in 2009 and became available as a free download in January 2010.

Madden Ultimate Team, commonly abbreviated MUT, lets players assemble a custom roster by collecting virtual cards representing players, coaches, stadiums, and other football assets. Users could earn coins through gameplay, buy packs, use an auction system, and build a stronger lineup over time. The mode was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Madden NFL 10.

Madden NFL 10 itself launched in August 2009 and was the first Madden title to place two players on its cover: Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald. MUT was added shortly afterward, so it is sometimes mistakenly associated with Madden NFL 11 or later games because those editions expanded the mode substantially.

The concept became one of the franchise's defining long-term features, combining sports simulation with collectible-card and online team-management mechanics.