EA Says Madden 22 Franchise Updates Still Happening Following Cancellation Rumors

Despite rumors that circulated social media earlier this week, EA is still planning to release two more updates for Madden 22’s franchise mode, reiterating what it says is its support for Madden as a live service game.In a new statement, EA Sports told IGN:We do not like to comment on rumors or speculation; however, we are committed to continuing to improve Franchise as a part of our ongoing Madden NFL 22 live service and beyond. This includes two upcoming Franchise updates that we’ll deliver in Madden NFL 22. We will have more details on the updates in the new year.The statement follows a report from Sports Gamers Online that EA had opted to cancel additional franchise mode updates for Madden 22. It partly cited IGN’s own interview with Madden 22 executive producer Seann Graddy, who said that this year’s content roadmap is “slightly less ambitious than years past” because the team is focusing on a few key areas rather than attempting to roll out content on the scale of Superstar KO, a well-received arcade mode introduced in Madden 20.Have you played Madden NFL 22 [Next-Gen]?YESNOEvery IGN Madden NFL Game Review Ever”I would say [the roadmap is] probably slightly less ambitious than years past because we are really focused on a few core areas of Madden 22 and also getting started up on Madden 23 in a big way,” Graddy said at the time. “So I will stand by what we’ve always said the last couple of years: we’re a live service and we’ll continue to update the game, but we’re definitely not going to be talking about a brand new mode.”The report garnered attention in part because franchise mode is a sore point with some Madden fans. Indeed, the promised roadmap originally came in response to the #fixmaddenfranchise campaign that circulated Twitter in mid-2020, which began following reports that EA wasn’t planning improvements to franchise mode that year.Since then, EA has released new commissioner tools and other improvements, including a major overhaul of its scouting systems. Madden 22 also introduced an expanded scenario engine, in-season cutscenes, and coaching skill trees. Nevertheless, fans continue to point to various areas where franchise mode can improve relative to the competition, from the relative lack of customization to the myriad bugs.While EA Sports wouldn’t provide any additional details, additional improvements are still on track for some point next year. The updates could include the franchise relocation improvements promised in the original roadmap for Madden 22. Expect more details in 2022.In the meantime, you can read IGN’s review of Madden 22, in which we explain why the series stumbles in its transition to being featured on Xbox Series X|S and PS5. Madden 22 is now available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN



Source link