EA Sports’ next upcoming launch is just around the corner with its next installment of the Madden franchise, Madden 24. 

The game is scheduled to be released on August 18th 2023 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and of course, on PC as well.

Intro

It’s uncertain whether Madden 24 will be a definitive turning point for the entire Madden franchise. Personally, I believe NFL fans will persist in purchasing the latest annual edition. I also understand that even bad publicity is still good publicity for EA Sports. Nevertheless, we’ll delve into the so-called improvements to the gameplay while also addressing the resounding criticism echoing within the gaming community.

Some of these changes will involve the removal of the face of the Franchise Mode replacing it with the return of the old Superstar Mode as revealed by producer Connor Dougan. 

The new mode focuses on providing players with a more straightforward experience, featuring tiered abilities and real-time player grading while catering to the community’s desire to play as a standout performer in various positions without unnecessary narrative elements.

In addition, the Yard mode has also been removed as it didn’t resonate well with NFL fans in the Gaming Community. It will be replaced by a three-on-three arcade style game called Superstar: Showdown where players can team up with friends for a fast-paced avatar based gameplay.

EA is also to reintroduce popular mini-games of the past like, Rushing Attack, a fan favorite that brings back positive Nostalgia. 

This year’s star on the cover for the game is none other than Buffalo Bills star quarterback Josh Allen. Allen himself is coming off a strong season for the Bills with a whopping overall rating of 94. The two-time Pro Bowler finished third in the league MVP voting, all while helping lead the Bills to a 13-3 record, and their third straight AFC East title. By the way, if you want more powerful players like Josh Allen to join your team, then the prerequisite is that you must have a lot of MUT 24 Coins.

Historically controversial, Madden 24 player ratings have recently been leaked, leaving many NFL fans head scratching on how the hell they came up with these ratings.

Meanwhile, the rating of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts at an overall 88 rating, serves as a clear indication of how these ratings might not be taken seriously. Maybe think twice when you see a Madden simulation game, trying to accurately predict a future game outcome.

Gameplay 

EA has promised us a lot in Madden 24 from new game modes, cross-play functionality, as well as new tweaks to the core gameplay.

In recent years, Madden’s ratings have dipped very low and many fans of the franchise have not been happy. This has forced the developers to be proactive this year and fix things that have been a disappointment in previous years.

One of those new improvements is the newest iteration of FieldSENSE technology. This promises to give players a more immersive experience, enhanced foundations of gameplay, and greater overall control. 

Along with FieldSENSE technology, this brings in new features, such as Hit Everything 2.0 and Skill Based Passing 2.0. This brings in features like dive throws, upgrades to run blocking, and a revamped catching system that is designed to decrease the frequency of missed catches. 

Another new improvement for Madden 24 is that the game also features Sapien Technology. All the player models’ skeletons have been rebuilt from the ground up. This means that animation should be smoother and have more fluidity on them. EA promises this will upgrade gameplay experience and allow the game’s controls to feel less clunky, compared to some of the previous year’s games.

One thing many of the longtime fans of the franchise are looking forward to in Madden 24 will be the return of one of the most enjoyed game modes from the 2000s in the Madden franchise, Superstar Mode. This is an offline mode where you’ll play against the computer.

In Superstar Mode, you’ll create your avatar and start out as a draft pick. After you’ve been drafted, you’ll work your way up the league and work towards becoming an NFL star and building your own legacy. 

The very popular Franchise Mode will also be receiving improvements, such as added relocation options, modified free agent contracts, and a variety of new mini games as well.

Franchise Mode was one of the downfalls of Madden 2023 as it had a lot of game breaking issues. So, this game mode hopefully being improved is a great step in the right direction for Madden games.

EA is somewhat taking everything old is now new philosophy with Madden 24. This will also be joined with the new Superstar: Showdown, a three-on-3 game mode where you can play against your friends in online multiplayer. This game mode has been transformed from the yard that appeared in Madden 23. 

The Superstar Showdown will be a very competitive space for players. You can challenge your friends, online opponents, or the new and improved AI. You’ll be able to team up with randoms, your own friends, or have the AI on your team. 

Criticism 

The Madden franchise has taken quite a hit over the years. The franchise was a staple in gaming during the early 2000s, up until the early 2010s. 

However, over the last decade, the franchise has gone downhill and hasn’t gotten the best ratings overall. In fact, a Madden game hasn’t received an average PlayStation rating of 610 or higher since 2013. The franchise, for many, has become stale and has had many performance issues and glitches over the last few years.

One plausible explanation for this could be EA Sports lacking significant motivation to introduce groundbreaking innovations. While they may implement minor adjustments and reintroduce some missed mini-games, the question arises. What will truly distinguish a new Madden game from its stagnant predecessors? The Gaming Community seeks substantial advancements and fresh ideas that revolutionize the experience, not just incremental changes year after year. 

One of the biggest complaints so far about Madden 24 is online play. Players who played the beta submitted many responses saying that the online play had a lot of issues with server connectivity and performance issues, overall leading to online play almost being unplayable as the game is very sluggish and has delayed responses.

EA is allegedly aware of the issue and is working on it to be improved for the game’s official launch in August.

Conclusion 

Overall, Madden 24 seems promising to some fans. But many fans are still feeling concerned about the game, especially since Madden 23 was somewhat of a disappointment.

Many have elaborated how they feel the franchise is very stale and aren’t looking forward to it. Many old-time fans have written off the franchise as a whole and haven’t bought any of the games in recent years.

We continue to hear about the developers taking feedback and promising to work hard on fixing past failures and improve upon their recent issues with the franchise. 

I’m just not sure the company is organized or incentivized enough to implement the necessary innovations possible when it comes to the Madden franchise. And that is a damn shame.