With the release of Madden NFL 23 just a few months away, trailers have begun to release detailing the various new features the latest iteration of the annually released American football title has to offer. Arguably the biggest change this year is Madden NFL 23's new FieldSENSE system, which aims to give players a better sense of control and realism.
Developer Electronic Arts delivered the first Madden NFL 23 trailer last week, revealing the highly anticipated sports title's release date to be August 19. The initial trailer touches on the titular John Madden, who is also the cover star this year, and FieldSENSE, though the new trailer fully explains the new gameplay system's different mechanics.
Madden NFL 23's new system gives much more fluid motion, dynamically branching over 3,500 new player animations. The FieldSENSE deep dive trailer breaks its new system down into four major categories: Hit Everything, Skill-Based Passing, 360° Cuts, and WR vs DB Battles.
- Hit Everything - a new defensive mechanic, Hit Everything allows players to make stops from any position during any play, with the type of player impacting the outcome. A new mid-air tackle system lets defense disrupt passes in dynamic ways, as well as the stand-up tackle feature giving players more control over two-man tackles.
- Skill-Based Passing - this new mechanic is designed to give passers much more precise control over where the ball is thrown, emulating the high-stakes decision-making of real top-rated NFL QBs.
- 360° Cuts - giving players more responsive control of the ball carrier, 360° Cuts utilizes both the left stick and LT/L2 to allow for more freedom to make precise cuts and gain extra yardage.
- WR vs DB Battles - aiming to make the classic position battle much more realistic, receivers now have a variety release moves and open-field cuts at their disposal, while defensive backs have new press mechanics to employ.
The new system appears to be making major improvements to gameplay versus last year's title, but it comes with one major caveat. Madden NFL 23's FieldSENSE system is exclusive to next-gen consoles. Towards the beginning of the trailer, a brief line of text appears on the screen stating the system is exclusive to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. While the news will surely be disappointing for some fans, other new features will still be included.
Addressing numerous fan complaints from years prior, Madden NFL 23 is changing its Franchise Mode. In addition to creating a more simplified user interface, the long-running Franchise Mode will reportedly see improvements on weekly game planning, scouting, and staff management. Free agency tools and trade logic are said to be improved as well. Whether these or the new FieldSENSE system are substantial enough to shake up the Madden franchise's formula will be seen in August, but fans remain hopeful.
Madden NFL 23 launches August 19 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.