Concussions in football games are taken more seriously than ever before. And going forward, that will hold true in the next edition of the "Madden" football video game franchise when concussed players won't be allowed to return to the field in the game they are injured.

"Concussions are such a big thing, it has to be a big thing in the video game," Madden told The New York Times in a telephone interview. "It starts with young kids -- they start in video games. I think the osmosis is if you get a concussion, that's a serious thing and you shouldn't play. Or leading with the head that you want to eliminate. We want that message to be strong."

EA Sports president Peter Moore said last week at the World Congress of Sports in Miami that it was "wrong" when the company's "Madden" game would allow concussed players to return to the field in the following quarter. That is no longer the case, Moore said Wednesday at the two-day summit in Miami.