In what has become an annual tradition, anticipation for the sports games at E3 is gearing up. Undoubtedly, Madden is always one of the most talked about titles at the event and while this year is no exception, some of the information released today may put a damper on the hopes of Madden fans around the globe, especially those interested in its career modes (franchise, online franchise and Superstar). Earlier today, Phil Frazier used an online blog to update fans of the series (i.e. “let them down gently”) about improvements to the career modes as well as set the time and date of a major E3 announcement which is to take place tonight at 11:00 PM eastern time.
However, the largest news from the blog was lack of improvement for franchise mode this year. In summary, the Madden team has decided that the structure of franchise and Superstar mode needs to be completely rewritten from the ground up. Since Madden 99, the team has slowly added layers of code, leading to a fairly ancient base with subtle additions throughout the years. In order to give the modes their proper due while focusing on gameplay improvements, the team is planning to use the next development cycle to entirely rewrite the aforementioned game modes, leading to only subtle improvements until Madden 12.
To cushion the blow, Frazier alluded to slight improvements to franchise which include tuned stats, enhanced presentation, better NCAA draft class integration, and game planning. Despite these improvements, it’s hard to call this year a step forward for those who enjoy offline game modes. It may also be difficult for some users to justify the sixty dollar purchase with only gameplay improvements.
Overall, the news is disheartening considering that the sports gaming community has called for a franchise makeover for the last several years. If there is some silver-lining to be found, it is that the mode should be completely overhauled for the remainder of this console generation at the very least and the development team is continuing to be transparent with the community, at least to some degree. While the book isn’t completely closed on a big year for the Madden franchise, this news may be difficult to overcome for many users.
What do you think of the news? Are you more or less likely to purchase Madden 11? Leave your comments below.
Madden 11 will be available on August 10th and is available for pre-order now at Gamestop locations across New England.
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Comments
MUCH MUCH MUCH less likely. MUCH!!!!!
I'm not buying it now.
nope no cash from me maybe in Madden 12 but they tried my patience for the last time
Way less likely. LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS! There has to be more requests for this, then for online mode improvement. If there were another company making NFL games, owner mode would have been in there, in Madden 2007.
no boy
I will still buy it, You gotta.
Interesting to see a mix on here. I, personally, will pick it up, but I don't think it'll have the longevity that NCAA will have this year. A nice franchise mode will go a long way to improve Madden as a series.
I'm still thinking about it. I was planning on getting it, but after knowing that it will not have a more in depth franchise mode, I really don't know.
screw 'em
Went from Certainly buying it to probably not. I buy Madden for the offline franchise mode, and if they didn't screw me over last year with the pre-made draft classes thing, I would definitely not bother buying it. However, I want to see a new set of draftable players, so i might get suckered into the purchase for all the wrong reasons.
Shame on you EA. You ignored the wishes of your game's fans in order to take a gamble on a gameplay option that most die-hard fans will probably just turn off. You've wasted your time, but we will not waste our money. Start listening to the fanbase if you ever want to create a truely successful game and get past the old 2k5 comparison; otherwise, you know people are only buying it for updated rosters....
all of you who whine for franchise mode improvement are pathetic. Online play is the only true representation of actual football gameplay and should be the primary (and i mean major) focus of EA. Computer AI is ridiculously easy as evidenced that any descent player can whoop the CPU's hardest setting by multiple TD's. Only online, do you get a changing game environement where you have to make adjustments and apply the strategic elements of the game. Working to solve matchup problems, set up a defense with play calling and audibles, and risk/reward calls are what the game of football is about and online is the BEST way to deliver that. Good work EA for improving this facet of the game over the years and I look forward to this year's game. All these whiner's will buy the game anyway, like they do every year, making it a top seller as always.
NOPE! Everything is the same year after year. Make a new superstar mode so that punters and kickers can play to, just plain old boring madden as usual. Its time they start making a game worth playing instead of worth throwing in the garbage
I purchase every year. Franchise mode is why I play. The changes I've read for this year are worthless to me. I will not purchase again until they overhaul the franchise mode. We all need to stop throwing $60 at them every year just to update the rosters and put a prettier bow on it!
When are thay going to listen to the people that spend thier money on their roster updates
Madden sucks i'm tired of playing the same old superstar mode they should of revamped it this year
NO WAY I WILL GET THE GAME THIS SHOULD HAVE ALL BEEN DONE THIS YEAR!!!! EA has been slacking on super star mode for too long and now they are getting lazy because they know "its madden and people will buy it".......watch your sales drop EA watch em drop lol, im about to start calling EA infinity ward with this terrible outcome
I too love the franchise mode, but to be honest nothing beats the rush of online play. I play the franchise to get my feet wet, and then go on an online binge.I miss the option to train my players.
That was my favorite. Also an addition of chemistry would be nice. EA made an NHL game where lines would have good or bad chemistry, which would slightly affect their rating. Shoe sponsors affecting ratings would be cool too. I am glad they are rebuilding it from the ground up. This year may be a repeat of 10 with better graphincs, but Madden is my favorite game of all time. I will never not buy it. I might as well sell my 360 if I did not buy it.
Online Franchise should have been a key priority in this years Madden. No offense but 3-3 vs Online Franchise? Which do you honestly think is going to have more people playing it. Who cares about a gay Co-Op mode to be honest. Madden should have focused it where it counted.. which was Online Franchise. All they had to do was take EXACTLY what they do to the PS2 format and implement it during the game. Madden Execs have probably seen 1000's of forums all year long giving them suggestions on different things they would like to see in Madden 11 and you look at none of them?
I was so excited for madden 11 because i thought they'd actually change it for the better I was definitely going to buy it but now im not. Hopefully Madden 12 will be better
Crap I already pre-orderd it.
this is very dissappointing as I only spectate in the Franchise mode. Did they at least fix the injuries when you spectate games so there are injuries?
Typical. I was expecting this. Madden 2004 seemed as if they were heading in the right direction as far as single player modes go. Once the jump was made to the Next Gen console, is was expected to see a HUGE leap backwards with single player modes. I was really hoping that this was the year for some amazing modes... but what they have boasted as amazing gameplay features... seem to be "whoop de doos" than anything amazing. But at least they are claiming that they improved on game presentation this year. For me, that pretty big. But my call, NCAA 11 is... AMAZING!!!
Bummer.. my bro and I were BOTH set to buy 11, but knowing that the franchise system is still in the crapper, we're gonna skip it and just keep playing MWII or NCAA Football. Madden sucks, and this is why. '09 was my last one.
man.. i cannot stand the franchise mode. it sucks. i keep drafting players that i think are gems...but just because they have a "C" potential it makes it pointless having that player. i will not blow 60 bucks just so i can get roster updates... and that new way of calling plays...to me they just took the ask madden feature and made it so you tell madden to what to tell to you...(if that makes any sense). rather spend my money on cod
Enough is enough, I am no buying this game until they improve the Franchise Mode and make this a real next-gen game. I am so tired of watching the same plays in the playbooks over and over, the same animations and celebrations, I am so tired that they sell this game like if it was an improvement over the previous version when they only add stuff that was integrated in previous iterations only to call it "NEW" what the hell!!!??? I am so tired of playing the Pro Bowl without teams helmets, I mean, is it really so difficult to add teams helmets instead of those God awful "A" and "N" for American and National conferences??? Bottom line I am not buying this game, not this year or next year, one by one they will lose their fan base, and trust me I was a loyal follower but one can only take so much of the same garbage and excuses and abuse we have been taking through the years. So long Madden, looking forward for EA to lose the exclusive rights.
I love Madden but the sole reason i actually play is because of the offline SuperStar Mode...Madden 06 had such a beautiful superstar mode. All you would have needed was a couple of minimum improvements but its gone straight downward in my favorite mode since 06.
I remember maaden 08 and how i would of spent about 100 hours just playing franchise mode. it was amazing. then i bought 09 and was very disapointed and i didnt even bother buying madden 10. i was hoping that they would bring back the good old days of offline play in madden 11 but not so :(. Plus i live in Australia were games cost $100 brand new so i think i might try b4 i buy which is unfortunate because ive been itching to play a good madden game for a long time :(
I remember the ps2 days when I would play franchise mode all the time.
What makes me so mad is that in the UK we only get madden, and a country whos fansbase is growing every year as proof with the game a year at wembley being sold out. I would love to get NCAA but they wont let us import it over her and it wouldnt even work on our xbox's anyway if i did. I have to buy madden to get my fix and i love the superstar mode but now....it's just worthless i find everything else in the game apart from actually playing the game better. cause of the same animations and same plays i usully play 3 games into the season then just skip to the final and go through the draft. Waste of money, but i'll be forced to buy it! so count yourself lucky guys you get a choice at least with NCAA
Not wasting my money. I can't believe another year and the lack of attention to what is most lacking in this game. Okay so it will take re-writing the code..... so re-write the darn code already. I don't want to hear excuses. We pay $60 for this game, hire a couple of developers and go. It's not like people are not looking for jobs and a good game developers is hard to come by. Your EA!!
I think its pretty unfair that they wont update franchise mode or superstar. I remember in Madden 06 when you could customize your superstar and give them haircuts and tattoos etc. This was fun and last year when I played superstar mode it wouldnt even let me retire my superstar player i used. I would go to the agent and there was no option to retire. And give me a break franchise is the same thing as it always was. We get no chance to see news and get feedback form players. This needs to be completely revamped and I am going to continue to play NFL 2k5 until they fix superstar and franchise mode.
I think I'll dig out an old version. This is sad.
how do u upload the ncaa football 11 rosters into your franchise mode
I'm content to play madden 10 if there is no real improvements to franchise mode. No madden 11 for me I can do without the roster updates
How do you clear cap penalties in offline frachise mode?
No not buying it
No way I'll buy it. After years of PC Franchise joy, I'm getting an XBox this year and and will look for a used 05 - 06 version with decent franchise.
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