With Madden NFL 21 being one of the biggest game releases of August, there has been an enormous amount of backlash from fans due to the game being riddled with bugs and micro-transactions, and EA not updating game modes.
With the game’s tendency to crash almost every time players try loading a new online match, it’s given them a lot of spare time. And with that time, players have created some of the funniest memes relating to the frustrating aspects of Madden 21, which has encouraged creativity amongst fans of the franchise.
10 A Decade of Disappointment
Madden ‘06 was one of the best Xbox launch titles ever. Despite not having any competition and being pretty much the only football game on the market, it still strived to be as great as it could possibly be. It was a simpler time, a time when there were no microtransactions and a new game meant new modes and better gameplay. But it was all down hill from there, and it reached new lows when the current generation of consoles kicked off.
9 I’m Good, Coach
Madden NFL 21 is glitches galore, and with the sport being one of the roughest going, full of dodgy tackles that can lead to injuries that will last a lifetime, having players’ heads twisted 180 degrees might just be one of the worst on the field injuries to have ever happened. This player is walking perfectly and doesn’t seem to have a problem in the world, but the glitch is too perfect not to put the connection together.
8 In Game Decisions
If there’s one thing EA made a massive deal about before the release of the new game, it was the story mode in which players had the ability to make decisions that would impact the end result of the story.
Well, low and behold that wasn’t remotely true, and this meme goes to show what EA believes is a tough and impactful choice. Should the player go with Philip Lindsay or... Philip Lindsay. Though there are games that have extremely important choices to be made, Madden NFL 21 ain’t one of them.
7 Redesigning Jerseys
As hard as it is to believe, there must be some fashionistas over at EA. This is unprecedented, even for EA, as the developer has taken it upon itself to “improve” some team jerseys, as if they thought the current jersey didn’t look eye catching enough. It has not only added designs, but also changed the colors! If there’s one thing for sure, it’s that this jersey won’t be making it on to the list of the 20 best jerseys in the game.
6 Little To No Content
Dating back 14 years, the content in the Madden series was almost unlimited, and that was before there was such a thing as downloadable content. But 14 years later, players are rifling through the game just trying to find something new. Besides the new The Yard mode, which is fun until the novelty wears off, there is almost no new content in the game, and modes without microtransactions haven’t even been updated, making it one of the worst games in the series.
5 Toby Is Madden
Everyone who watches The Office (US) knows that Michael hates Toby with a raging passion, and as soon as the two come into sight of one another or cross paths, Michael starts yelling.
The only thing wrong with this is that Toby is actually pretty good at his job, and all things considered, he hasn’t really done anything wrong, unlike Madden 21. However, Toby is completely depressed, has lost all hope, is completely devoid of fun, and doesn’t impress anybody, so maybe he is a little like Madden after all.
4 R.I.P. Franchise Mode
Unfortunately, Franchise mode hasn’t changed much, in fact, it hasn’t been changed one iota. Even the layout of the mode remains exactly the same as the previous entry in the series, and even then, that hadn’t changed much from Madden ‘19. As EA puts all their effort in to other game modes that are filled with microtransactions, a lot of fans are left hard done by when their favorite part of the game bears no improvements. Releasing a game with a mode that remains uninspired is what makes several EA sports games so disappointing.
3 Terrible Servers
Despite what all the memes say about the game and though the merits of the NFL 21 are in no way proportionate to what the game fails at so badly, there are actually some vast improvements in the gameplay on the field. And it would be great if EA allowed players to use these new techniques, but unfortunately, the EA severs never work. Even in the rare event that it does work, the glitches and lagging come in copious amounts.
2 Chin Strap Carr
Though the character models are one of the few great things Madden 21 has got going for it, as the teams are given some great detailed designs, EA still manages to botch it up in some areas. Derek Carr’s chin strap seemingly dissolves in to his chin. The reason this happened isn’t because Derek Carr’s chin is long and sharp, but because the model is completely butchered, and it’s just another problem to add to the pile.
1 Adding Kaepernick
In Madden NFL 21, Colin Kaepernick has been put back on the field for the first time in five years, with his last appearance being in Madden ‘16. Though Kaepernick hasn’t been playing football professionally since getting sandbagged by the NFL for standing up against racism in the league. The player wasn’t available with the game’s release, but was added the following month and surely enough, EA was the first one to give themselves a pat on the back.