Worst Madden launch of all-time?

[Jono078]

Firstly - I don't want to be one of those people that comes across a completely negative, I obviously get enjoyment out of Madden and have done so for many years now, but I do wish it was a better quality product.

Now that's out of the way, let's get into it. Also I do have the latest 1.003.000 update.

20 August 2021 - Madden 22 Launch day - How exciting... or not?

I can't really remember the Madden 21 launch, but I recall it not being the smoothest either?

This has to be the worst launch I can remember.. There are an abundance of issues right throughout the game;

1. Online franchise has a lot of rookies missing faces - UNLESS you import the downloaded roster
2. I get kicked out of online franchise / disconnected from EA with each new season, it's like clockwork.
3. The draft blinding light - wtf is this?
4. Slow loading and menus are so clunky and slow. Madden seems to like refresh or something before showing the actual menu, it's really bizarre.

Gameplay im ok with for now, haven't run into anything crazy yet, but I'm sure those that know the ins and outs of gridiron will find things there.

Sorry - I just needed to vent, after paying $100 for the game I can't believe the silly issues from the trial have carried over to the full game. There better be a super patch ASAP for this.

I know it's hard to resist getting the latest football game but if you can avoid it, it's the only way EA will really learn. I know this comes off as hypocritical as I've done the exact opposite.

So back to the original question, is this the worst Madden launch of all-time? There's no hype, there's no killer feature, barely any upgrades (I don't even consider the menu or franchise layout as upgrades at this point).

[Hooe]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

Speaking to recent history - Madden 21 was a bug-riddled mess at launch on PS4. There hasn’t yet been a modern Madden game that came out as unpolished and unfinished as last year’s COVID-hampered effort.

All-time? Though not as buggy, Madden 06 on the Xbox 360 was so poor a final product and endured such a troubled development cycle that Rolling Stone wrote about how bad it was ten years later. Madden 96 for the Sony PlayStation was so bad it didn’t even launch.

Madden 22 has some annoying warts to work through, and certainly I’d have preferred it come out without the few annoying bugs it has, but on the relative scale? It’s launched just fine.

[Armor and Sword]

Worst Madden launch of all-time?

Madden 13

I shelved that game within 2-3 weeks….was easily the worst Madden I had ever played (I was on PS2 thru Madden 09 so I missed the joy of Madden 06 on the PS3). The launch was filled with downright outrage and dismay.


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[Richie71]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

Was it the first PS3 version where they didn't even include commentary? There have been worse launches.

[tyler28]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

I dont think its the worst all time but its up there with the last few years.

I will say our expectations are a lot higher now that we are going into next gen and madden made very little progress on ps4.

This leads to a bigger let downs when madden keeps dropping the ball year after year because there is always that hope things will be fixed by next year and then its not and a new set of issues arise. Its like clockwork at this point.

its on us. EA has proven what kind of product they deliver at launch year after year. Fool me once Ea, but fool me twice, well then its a me problem.

With that said i hated 21 at launch but came back to it and enjoyed it the most on ps4. It just got stale in cfm. Hopefully, this year with the scounting update we will have a better instalment. You could honestly see madden on sale by then and wait it out and get it cheaper. Last year I paid $30 for it a month after launch because of the dissapointment. No way will i pre order a $100 version of madden, plus i dont play Mut so all that junk is irrelevant to me as a consumer. You have to play the long game with madden.

Seeing people rant about dissapointment at launch is a little frustrating because at this point isnt that what we are expecting? Did you expect it to be better? I didnt. Ive played since madden was created. My excitement for madden on launch day was lost years ago. I used to be one of those guys waiting at gamestop when they started midnight releases to get my copy. Now its a wait and see approach.

Im sure these issues will be addressed but ya if i dropped $100 on a pre order I would be uspet and never do it again.

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[Jono078]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

I dont think its the worst all time but its up there with the last few years.

I will say our expectations are a lot higher now that we are going into next gen and madden made very little progress on ps4.

This leads to a bigger let downs when madden keeps dropping the ball year after year because there is always that hope things will be fixed by next year and then its not and a new set of issues arise. Its like clockwork at this point.

its on us. EA has proven what kind of product they deliver at launch year after year. Fool me once Ea, but fool me twice, well then its a me problem.

With that said i hated 21 at launch but came back to it and enjoyed it the most on ps4. It just got stale in cfm. Hopefully, this year with the scounting update we will have a better instalment. You could honestly see madden on sale by then and wait it out and get it cheaper. Last year I paid $30 for it a month after launch because of the dissapointment. No way will i pre order a $100 version of madden, plus i dont play Mut so all that junk is irrelevant to me as a consumer. You have to play the long game with madden.

Seeing people rant about dissapointment at launch is a little frustrating because at this point isnt that what we are expecting? Did you expect it to be better? I didnt. Ive played since madden was created. My excitement for madden on launch day was lost years ago. I used to be one of those guys waiting at gamestop when they started midnight releases to get my copy. Now its a wait and see approach.

Im sure these issues will be addressed but ya if i dropped $100 on a pre order I would be uspet and never do it again.

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Excellent post mate!

I should clarify I meant AUD 100. I could have waited a week to pay $79 but I thought it’d be good to play over the weekend whilst in lockdown.

And I guess that’s where disappoint comes from - expectation.

I played my 10 hours of the trial via EA Play and saw the issues there and thought ok they’ll have a day 1 patch to correct all this, no way a product can launch like that.

Well two updates since and I’m not sure exactly what improved.

[ChicagoChris]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

Why is this in a separate thread?


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[lemarflacco]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

Maybe not worst ever, but really bad to say the least. Putting this game down until they patch out these things.

[ForUntoOblivionSoar∞]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

"Worst" has variable meanings. Buggiest might be more accurate. Unless it's so buggy it's actually the worst. Wouldn't know, as I am not under any circumstances going to buy it until the scouting update arrives.

[Retropyro]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

I skipped last year (first time I've not bought Madden since the very first). Barely played 20.

This year though I was feeling the itch. I'm actually enjoying playing the game, when I can. But I keep getting dashboarded if I use the "sim". The menus are a mess and slow.

This was not ready for release, hopefully a patch in the next few weeks can fix this.

[GridironGreat]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

Madden 21 was far, far worse.

[Jagsfan24]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

Like with what others have said I dont know if i would call this the worst madden launch BUT yes they are negatives with it.

I agree with you about the menu stuff. It is kind of annoying for the 5 second wait when going from one page to the next. The new franchise screen is a nice concept but will take awhile getting used to. And it does kind of suck that we have to wait a few weeks before the new scouting comes in, so it's already annoying doing the old 3 step process to scout a player for now

[mstromley]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

I have played every year since it was just Madden Football, back when Tecmo III was still the Gold standard. Madden 22 is not just the worst Madden of all time. It is tied with Axis Football for the worst football game of all time. I played the 10 hour trial and never finished a complete game due to crashes (Series X). After the first patch and NOTHING changed, I simply uninstalled and collected my refund from Microsoft. Madden 21 will have to do for another year.

[OJsakila]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

I hate to say it but it's the WORST launch for me, personally. I'm on a series X and purchased the standard game from the store and I'm having crashes that shut my console off ONLY during games. Menus work fine.. But when I start a franchise game (the only mode I play) I'll have a crash that shuts it all down maybe once a quarter. Grr...
When I fire the console back up and sign back in the game is saved and asking me to continue.. I do and all fine and then it shuts down again.. Lol

I just completely reset my Xbox and reinstalled the game and it's happening.. I could maybe deal with that other than I'm afraid of the consequences of the off- on - off - on is slowly killing my Series x.

I am very disappointed and have to agree this launch is a pitiful display of prioritizing some ridiculous "launch date" made up a year ago over actually doing a good job. I've NEVER had this problem in over 30 years of Madden and who knows how many different consoles..

[Cubfan]

Re: Worst Madden launch of all-time?

Madden 06 was far the worst launch for Madden.