A series of Madden 21 Franchise mode improvements are on their way

News
By published

Rejoice, Madden 21 is getting some much-needed updates

(Image credit: EA)

EA has listened to feedback and will improve Madden 21 Franchise mode starting this November, according to an official Gridiron Notes blog post.

The first of three major Franchise mode updates is targeted for mid-November and will address community requests such as:

  • X-Factor/Superstar Ability Customization - This will allow commissioners to assign X-Factors to any player via the edit player feature. Once a player has met the criteria to unlock an X-Factor ability, commissioners will be able to edit their Superstar abilities and Superstar X-Factor ability by selecting from those available within the player's position group. Players can control this in both offline and online Franchises.
  • Player Card Career Stats UI - The statistics on the player cards will be revamped to include more context in season stats (like week, opponent, and outcome), while also providing what team the player was on for every year of their career. This was a "top community request for several years." 
  • Dev Trait Regression Tuning - EA will tun player development traits in Franchise mode to ensure a proper balance of Superstar and X-Factor players when progressing multiple years.
  • Playoff Bracket - A visual playoff bracket will be added into Madden 21 that reflects the new Wild Card format - this will allow players to see the complete playoff picture. 

While the EA team is currently working on tuning and implementing these features, the company notes that the list may change and will share more information on a concrete release date when the date in question is established. 

Will these changes make Madden 21 better? We'll have to wait and see.

Madden 21 will come to PS5 and Xbox Series X this holiday when the consoles are released, and previous owners will be able to upgrade for free.  

Madden 21 is coming to Steam for the first time in the franchise's history. 

Alyssa Mercante
Alyssa Mercante
Former Features Writer

Alyssa Mercante used to be a features writer at GamesRadar+ and is now a freelance writer and editor. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.