Madden 21 Franchise mode had a tough 2020.
Many fans expected this edition of the game to be a leap forward in the evolution of the game and it's most criticized game mode.
EA Sports have taken it on the chin and outlined some changes coming soon, but does this cover everything that fans want?
Updates Coming In January
Some updates have already been implemented, like the playoff bracket view. Although even this was the subject of updates due to it not showing the teams in the right order.
READ MORE: Madden 21 Zero Chill out of position sets revealed
The rest of the updates, focus around commissioner controls and playcall limits - which is something long overdue.
These will be welcomed, but there's a bigger wishlist of remaining content that we think EA need to make happen to get Madden back to the level of its peers.
Franchise Wishlist
Scouting
This is probably the number one area that could show the most improvement.
Improved depth would be straight forward to implement.
Introducing scouting staff with varying abilities to scout players and predict abilities before the draft would go a long way to improving the experience.
They should also drastically increase the number of draft stories and the implications of them.
Contracts
This is another seemingly obvious improvement that shouldn’t be too difficult for EA to remedy.
READ MORE: 9 tips for how to pass the ball in Madden 21
In the NFL, contracts have gotten more complex and evolved in terms of how much comes upfront, how much is backloaded, and how much is guaranteed.
None of this is present in Madden. Adding a 5th-year option for Rookie players has been screamed about for many years and has already been added as a quick win.
Cap management has been far too easy and whilst some players won’t like it to be too difficult, the players who are deep into CFM and want to see a realistic representation of the NFL will welcome it getting harder.
Game Data
At the moment, Daddyleagues is filling a void that EA should be able to handle for themselves.
This gives you a lot of visibility of your franchise when you aren’t near your console – something that’s invaluable in a big-league when you can’t be on all the time but you find yourself with 20 minutes on your commute to make some roster plans.
If EA brought this functionality in-house, there would be scope to make the ability to edit more meaningful.
If you could do this remotely, it would unlock a lot of connectivity with the game that transcends just sitting on your console. There is a supporting app, but again, functionality is limited.
Training
Training has improved over recent years, but it hasn’t gone far enough. Currently, you can select a few players and some position groups to focus on each week.
NFL teams practice multiple times a week, and sometimes conduct different types – sometimes full practice with pads, sometimes walkthroughs without a ball.
It would be a fantastic development to be able to adjust by player the types and regularity of training in a way that balances XP growth with injury risk and stamina concerns.
Backroom Staff
Expanding the existing element of backroom staff would be a relatively easy way to improve the experience of Madden.
READ MORE: How to lateral pass the ball in Madden 21
Having the ability to hire different offensive and defensive coordinators – with benefits coming to players that match their schemes – would be a fantastic evolution for the game.
In the NFL we have seen the growth of recognition for these coordinators, often getting head coaching jobs on the back of the celebrity status.
It would be amazing to see this in Madden. The ability to poach an opponent’s OC to become your new HC and getting a boost to your QB as a result of their expertise would be great to see.