EA says FIFA mode with loot boxes is the ‘cornerstone’ of the franchise in leaked doc

[Cory Levy]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

We just enjoyed a full year of free post-launch franchise updates adding various features and knick-knacks to the mode in Madden 21.

Cool, after over half a decade of the mode being virtually untouched and a social media storm that rightfully pointed out that fact, we got to 'enjoy'... a Playoff screen, a team column in statistics (something that should have never even been removed), a league history screen and a few 'tuning updates' that have either barely registered a change or not changed anything at all.


I'm not giving EA any passes or credits for not touching a mode that was literally supremely in-depth, detailed and more enjoyable two decades ago on lesser technology.



It just boggles my mind that the mode was pretty much exactly the same for an entire console generation. That's ridiculous.

[Broncos86]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cory Levy

Cool, after over half a decade of the mode being virtually untouched and a social media storm that rightfully pointed out that fact, we got to 'enjoy'... a Playoff screen, a team column in statistics (something that should have never even been removed), a league history screen and a few 'tuning updates' that have either barely registered a change or not changed anything at all. I'm not giving EA any passes or credits for not touching a mode that was literally supremely in-depth, detailed and more enjoyable two decades ago on lesser technology. It just boggles my mind that the mode was pretty much exactly the same for an entire console generation. That's ridiculous.

Imagine going to a restaurant where the cook keeps spitting in your food, and you know he is doing it. So why keep going there and giving him money? That’s us. EA is doing what the player base told them to do, because they kept making MUT the focus and we (the gamers at large) kept paying for the game. It shouldn’t boggle anyone.

Yeah, I want EA to give a damn about franchise mode. They don’t. They care about what sells.

[SmashMan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Americas Team

Yes it should be if they are purposely neglecting game modes because they are conspiring to funnel people into UT modes where they are likely to spend more money on the game.

…then I wish you well in your lawsuit.

[Cory Levy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Broncos86

Imagine going to a restaurant where the cook keeps spitting in your food, and you know he is doing it. So why keep going there and giving him money? That’s us. EA is doing what the player base told them to do, because they kept making MUT the focus and we (the gamers at large) kept paying for the game. It shouldn’t boggle anyone. Yeah, I want EA to give a damn about franchise mode. They don’t. They care about what sells.

Eh, I would say it's like living in a town that only has one restaurant in it at all and that restaurant is just extremely mediocre and hasn't changed their menu in a decade.


It's the only NFL franchise mode on the market. I love franchise mode so it's literally my only option if I want to build an NFL team up.

[4thQtrStre5S]

Quote: Originally Posted by SmashMan

…then I wish you well in your lawsuit.

Depends, A lawsuit filed in florida would see EA winning. A lawsuit filed in California would not be so cut and dry for EA. It would have to be a class-action suit in the case of loot boxes and gambling.

[SmashMan]

Quote: Originally Posted by 4thQtrStre5S

Depends, A lawsuit filed in florida would see EA winning. A lawsuit filed in California would not be so cut and dry for EA. It would have to be a class-action suit in the case of loot boxes and gambling.

A loot box/gambling case is an entirely different idea than a hypothetical “they don’t make the franchise mode I want and I’m sad and that should be illegal” case.

[Broncos86]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cory Levy

Eh, I would say it's like living in a town that only has one restaurant in it at all and that restaurant is just extremely mediocre and hasn't changed their menu in a decade. It's the only NFL franchise mode on the market. I love franchise mode so it's literally my only option if I want to build an NFL team up.

That being said, Franchise hasn't really changed in how many years? So, no need to buy the newest copy of Madden. :P

But I get it. And I bought Madden 21 as well, being a franchise mode guy. The gameplay was enough for me, but scouting etc is just so rote at this point. Preaching to the choir, of course, but I need to see some solid improvements to Madden 22 franchise mode for me to buy. Otherwise, I'll just play Madden 21.

[Thunderhorse]

There needs to be some acceptance that the community here is not representative of the general Madden consumer. MUT is actually a pretty good product, objectively speaking, without getting into the specific ethics of what some argue is "gambling". It literally speaks to gamers of all ages. Kids can pull their hair out trying to get contemporary players and "old heads" can have fun picking up old school players they grew up watching themselves. Conceptually MUT has always been pretty cool.

I've been reading OS pine for franchise improvement for years and every year its the same. The money isn't there, the general population doesn't care, and economically speaking the opportunity costs of investing more resources in a game mode that is no longer the cornerstone of the franchise is literally a waste of time and money. It's not 2005 anymore fellas, this is what Madden is about. Its a Fantasy football video game centered around users earning/winning/trading/competing with the current and historically premier players of the league.

Honestly, EA should be trying to contract with more apparel companies and perfect a virtual currency like 2K has done to drive consumers to spend more money on aesthetics in addition to the P2W foundations, enablement of more creative personalization of user's MUT teams, etc.

It's the right business move.