In Madden NFL 18 EA introduced Longshot, a narrative game mode featuring full voice acting, choice-based dialogue options, and a branching storyline that followed Devin Wade (QB, player-controlled) and his best friend Colt Cruise (WR) on their journey from small town high school stars to NFL hopefuls. I’d even go so far as to say that Madden NFL 20 is arguably the best franchise mode the series has seen since Madden NFL 12, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that it’s still very, very bad in comparison. That added some much-needed realism and immersion, but it still fell flat in the face of years of neglect. ![]() In Madden NFL 20, as stated in IGN’s review last year, the biggest improvement to the mode was more aggressive contract negotiations from players. It feels like in order to dedicate a team large enough to build out Madden Ultimate Team to be the behemoth that it is today, the classic Franchise mode experience had to be put on life support, and that’s a damn shame. The entire game mode is like a living, breathing loot box. When you’re playing other modes that are entirely unrelated, pop ups often interrupt the game flow to advertise a new limited edition card, or ask you to go open a new card pack, or try and persuade you to create an Ultimate Team and play a game online, where it can then try and sell you in-game currency and card packs and so on. But over the years it has just grown to embody some of the worst parts of the AAA gaming industry. The gimmick of opening card packs is addictive as well and taps into that same sense of excitement found in Pokemon cards and even gacha mobile games. It’s really, really cool to think about building your own fantasy squad inside Madden and competing online against others. The infamous mode first debuted in Madden NFL 10 and, on paper, it’s a great idea. ![]() For example, there’s the microtransaction-laden Madden Ultimate Team. On top of the lack of features from years past are the revolving carousel of mistakes and fumbled ideas. Allowing fans to pick up a controller and literally create their own team inside their favorite sport is incredibly exciting, and it’s been baffling me for years why EA ever decided to remove it. It’s natural to feel that way and it’s why sports are such a powerful (and lucrative) business. Partially, you start to identify yourself alongside the brand you love. When you develop a love for a sports team, whether it be due to a location connection in your city or deep-rooted familial tradition, it comes with a sense of ownership and pride. Sports fans are rabid and passionate, sometimes even more so than gamers. It’s been a real sore spot ever since and is a big factor in the distaste hardcore fans have been feeling with each passing year. Making your own team and filling it with players named after your friends and family was a unique kind of thrill that’s been missing from the series for literally almost an entire decade now. It offered real ownership over things and that just isn’t in the series anymore. Back then you were able to not only create a player, but you could also make an entire team with a custom name and pick from a list of pre-made logos, uniform styles, stadiums, etc. ![]() Since EA first inked its exclusivity deal with the NFL we’ve seen marginal changes with each iteration, the deprecating of fan-favorite features, and the introduction of modes designed to continually charge players after they've already purchased their new annual copy.The last time Madden truly offered anything special in its traditional Franchise mode, in which you take over a team or organization and control it over the course of multiple seasons, was back in Madden NFL 12. There is no greater example of why competition is the best way to breed innovation than the state of Madden.
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