There are few things in this world that are as dependable as death, taxes, and an annual installment of Madden NFL football. Unfortunately, it seems like the only thing more dependable than a release of the next year's installment in the Madden NFL franchise these days is that the fans who are keeping the franchise going are going to be more than a little disappointed with what's available in each yearly release. That's why it might be time for the series to sit a year out.
In fact, it seems as if there might not be a better time for the franchise to take some time away. Maybe there shouldn't even be a Madden NFL 24, and instead, Electronic Arts can regroup, take all the complaints (and the positive feedback, too) about Madden NFL 23 and the games that came before it to really go gangbusters on Madden NFL 25.
Why Madden Taking a Break Could Be Helpful
It seems extremely unlikely that EA would ever lose the revenue that comes from this particular franchise. Even while people are pointing out all the fixes that are needed in the latest Madden NFL game, people are still playing it in very impressive numbers. At the same time, while money is still being made, it could be better for the long-run health of one of the most popular series in the history of video games to take some time off.
Game-breaking bugs that EA doesn't seem to fully stomp out are just one of several reasons why it would seem like production should slow down quite a bit. Every year, there's usually more than a few people who feel as though Madden NFL 23 is really just a slightly repackaged roster update from Madden NFL 22. Likewise, Madden NFL 22 was often called little more than a roster update with a few bells and whistles added here and there from Madden NFL 21. Taking a year off would at the very least allow Electronic Arts to duck this narrative.
Taking a year off would also allow EA to add some more Madden NFL features. The franchise often touts a tweak here and a tweak there, but taking a step back might allow the developers to come up with some truly innovative new additions. Maybe EA could even figure out a way to make something like an expansion team and franchise work the way other sports games have done in recent years. It feels as though the developers have some good ideas for minor improvements, so more time to work on major changes could only be a good thing.
There is also the argument that there hasn't been a better opportunity to give Madden NFL a rest than there will be next summer and fall. If the reports are accurate and EA is able to stick to its purported timetable, then the company is going to have its hands full with the newest, long-awaited addition to the NCAA Football franchise. Fans of both game series are not wanting the developers to split time between one title or another, so taking into consideration how excited people are for the college game's return could be wise.
Assuming the NCAA Football franchise is back for good and isn't a one-off, EA will have to split time, effort, and resources eventually, but 2023 isn't the time to do it. The company needs to get the return of the much-beloved franchise right or risk alienating people who have been rooting for it so long. Being able to have more time to get the next installment of Madden correct would be an added bonus.
Madden NFL 23 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.