[RogueHominid]

I'd say wait till next year.

This game got messed up really badly for offline CFM types who prefer sim game play after their first big patch.

The game started out seemingly dedicated to a more sim approach this year, but the development program this cycle has been geared more toward the MUT/tournament types than your typical OS user.

I'd wait until next year's release to see how they declare their intentions re: respecting the interests of sim offline gamers. They'll either correct the problems raised by this year's development cycle by putting in distinct sim/tournament settings, or they'll simply continue catering to tournament-style players. That decision will help you know if the game is worth your investment.

I still play the game, but I only like football and baseball enough to play in video game form. If I liked basketball at all, Madden would have been shelved a while ago.

If you have more diverse tastes game-wise, I'd say to focus on the franchises that currently outstrip Madden on features and execution.