While it's not a 100 percent certainty, it's almost a given that Madden NFL 22 is on the way. The fact that rumors have already started about who is going to be on the cover and what will be in the game isn't necessarily a good thing for Electronic Arts. After all, the recent backlash from fans when it came to Madden NFL 21 is no secret; even the company itself acknowledged people weren't happy with the finished product when it launched. If EA wants to avoid a similar backlash this year, it's going to need to make real, tangible improvements to several different aspects.
It's not a surprise that a franchise that's been around as long as Madden NFL is a bit stale these days. However, there are other sports games out there that have been around almost as long that don't get the same kind of response when new installments release. Fans need something to get excited about, and real improvements could do the job.
Face of the Franchise Needs A Facelift
When the Face of the Franchise mode first arrived in Madden NFL 20, it was actually a pretty inventive addition. Similar to what the NBA 2K franchise has offered for a little while, the mode allowed players to "live the life" of an up-and-coming prospect turned NFL star. Yes, there was the ability to play actual games or least parts of some, but the focus was more on the cinematic aspects. Having said all that, the second installment of that mode lost quite a bit of its luster. The story wasn't as good and the newness wore off quickly.
It's likely a given that EA will try and tweak the mode, though it might be better served to just get rid of it altogether. Even if it is better, fans are going to be focused quite a bit more on what other modes in Madden NFL 22 has to offer. If Electronic Arts do bring it back for a third straight year, there need to be some improvements, specifically in the writing. One of the biggest complaints about Madden 21's version was that the underlying story seemed both unrealistic and like something that forced players to root for a protagonist that was kind of a jerk. If EA is going to bring the mode back, quite a bit more attention needs to be paid to making a story that's compelling.
Make Madden NFL 22 Truly Next-Gen
Electronic Arts was in a bit of a difficult position in 2020. The company knew the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S were arriving but also knew that Madden NFL 21 was going to launch months before the new consoles came out. That meant that the devs had to focus quite a bit of their attention on the Xbox One and PS4. Despite very solid sales numbers for Madden NFL 21, there was quite a bit of public outcry. EA attempted to respond to the fans as best they could by offering several updates.
One of those updates was specifically geared towards an upgrade for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The patch souped-up the graphics and the dev team claimed the gameplay was also improved. A big aspect to the patch was that the game was said to be leaning more on statistical analysis. It's hard to say just how much the update really upgraded the game. There were certainly some improvements but it wasn't as though it felt like a whole new game. In 2021, Electronic Arts would be well served to focus first and foremost on the new consoles. Better graphics, better gameplay, and obviously taking advantage of more power under the hood will go a long way towards showing users the company wants to win back those that threw up their hands in frustration last fall.
Better Franchise Mode
The absolute biggest complaint about the Madden NFL series the last few years has been the feeling as though the franchise mode is little more than a $60 roster update. There was a time when this mode was the cream of the crop among sports games. When it came to running a franchise, there was very little the player didn't have control over. The level of detail allows players to really feel as though they were in the front office of an NFL franchise. For whatever, reason since the mode hit its peak, EA has seemingly done little more than take features out.
The franchise mode in Madden NFL 21 felt almost as though it was a skeleton of what the development team intended. There are still features in there like hiring and firing coaches, training and scouting players, and drafting the next generation of stars, but it all feels like it's more a wink and a nod than a fully immersive mode. Taking a look at what the franchise had to offer a decade ago honestly wouldn't be a bad idea. Then add some of the tweaks that were mode over the years. A combination of old and new could make a better franchise mode for this fall.
The grim reality is that if EA wants to make Madden NFL 22 a game that is welcomed by its fanbase, going the route of Assassin's Creed or WWE 2K wouldn't be a bad idea. This franchise could use a year off. It would allow the developers to really take stock of where they are and where they need to go. Considering the team is updating the existing installment all the way through December or January and while also preparing for an August release of the next one, it makes sense why there haven't been a ton of improvements over the years.
With recent rumors that Madden NFL 22 might be coming to the Nintendo Switch, a year off seems extremely unlikely. Even if it wasn't landing on a new platform there's likely a very small chance there'd be a year's break. With that in mind, the community will have to hope there are enough tweaks and changes to make this year's installment better and offer hope for continued improvement moving forward.
Madden NFL 22 has not been announced yet.