Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

[ChaseB]

With the emerging rumor that Madden NFL 21 won't be there right at launch for Xbox...

Written By: Chase Becotte

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[icicle22]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

Something to ponder about all of this. If they add and fix a ton on little gameplay things that could have been done on current gen is it not going to feel like a slap in the face? I mean, I can see adding things that can't be done on current gen like lighting, higher frame rates and things that require newer hardware to accomplish. But at this point if they improve the animations or blocking logic only on next gen and not current will that not feel a little disheartening? The only way this would be acceptable is if the next gen is truly a new engine that was written to fix nagging issues of the older engine that cannot be addressed as is. If it is just the same engine with shiny new graphical flourishes and logic fixes that could have been patched into current gen it will feel wrong.

I am hoping we either get an entire new engine (not likely) or the same engine with pretty new graphics. I would like the only thing that separates Madden versions be things related to hardware....not additional gameplay logic reserved for one console generation specifically. Of course you can tell that I am not on the next gen bandwagon immediately. Having said that if Next Gen Madden is the bomb I might rethink that going forward. But improving game logic on just the next gen system would still feel wrong to me if it is not an entirely new build.

Just my opinion.

[Detroit Tigers]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

EA will want to make a splash on next gen. They are potentially stopping a fairly large demographic (Madden-only gamers) from buying next gen consoles if their offering is crap. It’s in the best interest of EA, Microsoft *and* Sony that next gen Madden isn’t just a port with an upgraded lighting engine or whatever people are speculating.

For me to buy a next gen console *for madden*, it would have to be a 20-30% better product than current gen at least. Otherwise I’m waiting until baseball drops in April.

[LucianoJJ]

Usually the first release of the next gen version of an established franchise like Madden is worse, not better.  It takes a year or two for them to catch up.  It should be better, but it usually isn't. 

[Americas Team]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

Gameplay wise, the line play on both sides of the ball for running and passing needs overhauled. Line play in Madden looks nothing like real life especially pass blocking and rushing. And canned animation tackling needs to be eliminated or greatly reduced.

Presentation needs overhauled too. Madden 21 next gen needs to look, feel, and play like a whole different game.

[douevenbench]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

Unfortunately, Nex Gen is a port from current gen. You'll see a lot of advanced lighting effects but it's basically current gen madden with same gameplay/animations. I love the energy people are bringing but I'd lower the expectations.

[speedkills]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

Unfortunately, Nex Gen is a port from current gen. You'll see a lot of advanced lighting effects but it's basically current gen madden with same gameplay/animations. I love the energy people are bringing but I'd lower the expectations.

Thats what I'm expecting. I've a free Madden upgrade for XSX and PS5 anyways so the money's already spent.

[TanDax1819]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

Everything. The game needs a complete overhaul but we all know that is a pipe dream. EA is giving this "next gen" patch for free so what does that tell you? The player models should get rid of the bent knee stance, its unrealistic, unnatural and kills immersion. The sidelines and crowds must be better. The Oline/Dline interactions are atrocious, even the real life Cowboys do a slightly better job of blocking (and that is saying a helluva lot!) The clipping and animations that have players meshing body parts needs to be gone. Basically EA must clean up all of the current gen bugs before they even attempt to shove a "next gen" port down out throats.

[Hooe]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

I’m not expecting much from the first Gen-5 outing of Madden, but one thing that would be nice to see is general polish and lack of crippling bugs on day one.

I don’t expect literally zero bugs, but I also don’t think that “significantly cleaner than Gen-4 launch Madden 21” is an unreasonable expectation.

[Batistaj15]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

I've been doing a lot of digging for Madden next gen since current gen feels stale to me already ( especially since I was able to pre order a next gen console, my current console feels old already ). Madden showed us a next gen ' trailer ' which in my opinion, I doubt that's what the game really look like. A lot of ya'll remember that trailer with Mcnabb throwing that TD to T.O in the snow. Them highlighting to shoulder injury on the Eagles player that got tackled. Bogus, Til this day Madden has not lived up to that. I hope they're truly working on Franchise Mode. Before Madden is what it is now, Franchise mode was Madden's bread & butter, those players kept Madden alive back in the days. They did neglect a huge part of their audience by going heavier on MUT and not making any significant changes to the game period. Some of these things like sidelines and commentary is something we've been asking for a very long time. I wonder what do they do when they wake up and go to work because we know 2K is going hard right now. 2K racks in a sh*t load of money and probably can invest more into their game. However, Madden is the only sim football game we have and they do make their share of money. They were even boasting about their sales after Madden 21 released. I hope EA is aware of the disappointment, and the silence is due to them working hard to make changes they weren't expecting to make for this year, after the community lashed out. I don't have my hopes up for this year. However, I hope they're aware and focus on what made madden the best game back in its day.

[Jr.]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

OL/DL improvements would be great, but I'd love to see added to that, improvement to open field blocking. As it is, once a block is engaged, both parties essentially stay still. There's very little movement which makes the open field aspect of the game anticlimactic and robotic.

That would add some much needed life to the return game on special teams and as well as turnovers and big plays.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Operation Sports mobile app

[illwill10]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

AI in all aspects needs an overhaul. Gameplay in general needs a build from the ground up. They have just been adding onto a broken foundation from the start of the 7th gen. I don't want to see the same legacy issues with prettier graphics.

[TanDax1819]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

One thing that is unnatural and must be better is CPU A.I. The running backs 95% of the time run to the L.O.S clueless. It would be refreshing to see a RB bounce a run outside and take proper running angles to get yards. Its almost like they are trying to find contact. CPU QB scrambling to the outside is also a wreck. They dart straight over to the sideline and then cut up field, even if there are no immediate defenders in front of them. There are legacy tackling animations that must be removed, like the one where a defender hits a RB head on and drives him flat on his back, that animation has been around at least 6 years or more. It pains me to see a small DB blitz and hit someone like Derrick Henry and flatten him on his back like a sheet in the wind. I think we all know the REAL outcome in that situation, just ask Josh Norman what really happens! CPU play in general is easily the weakest part of Madden. EA must rework all aspects of CPU A.I

[Dagan]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

What I am expecting and really hoping for is a less is more outcome. I actually do hope this next gen game is bare bones to the core of what we only really want the game to be. I hope no time was wasted on other game modes besides just playing season after season with 1-32 football teams. I do hope that editing of players, ratings and sliders is there in full. That's it. I don't want to worry about patches every week because other modes are coded into the game and all keep ponging each other per what glitches out whenever.

At the very least wouldn't it prove to them that a game that's only the core game again is good enough?

[Bdubb]

Re: Madden 21 Next Gen: What Must Be Better Than Current Gen At Launch?

One thing I’d like to see in Franchise is lower rated players getting snaps over higher rated players based on performance or based on age or future. For instance high rated guy is 29 higher rated but the 23 year old lower rated get more snaps. Or even the Gaskin situation in Miami where the cpu would of never started him over Breida because ratings but Gaskin def outperformed him for the starting role.