Though hype is building for Madden 22, Madden 21 has continued to improve the content for the game, and that's kept rolling with news of the March Title Update that will make big changes to Franchise Mode with improvements to Trade Logic, league history, gameplay changes, and more.
Here we've got all the details about the Madden 21 March Title Update straight from EA.
Latest - Madden 22 Franchise Mode Leaks Show Coaching Improvements
EA have included a video in their new Madden 21 March Title Update Patch Notes which gives some big potential leaks for Madden 22 Franchise Mode.
The screen in the background seems to show offensive and defensive coordinators in Franchise Mode, even equipped with individual talent trees and focuses.
This has been a long requested Franchise Mode feature, and from the looks, it may be coming in Madden 22.
Madden 21 March Title Update Patch Notes
Without further adieu, let's dive right into this month's Madden 21 Title Update.
Trade Logic & Player Value Improvements
Developers explained that they'd taken into account several reported community issues with trade value in order to make these changes to Madden 21.
Here's an overview of the changes and updates made in this Madden 21 Title Update here:
- Aligned the trade system to always use a player’s best OVR rather than using a team’s OVR.
- Fixed issue where high OVR/Dev players inexplicably did not have value due to player archetype differences (in situations where a team valued a Receiving Back but had a Power Back, the Power Back would previously crater in value for no reason otherwise. Value is now more consistent as a result.
- Addressed legacy bug around offensive lineman (OL) value in general. Elite OL will now be valued at more authentic cost to acquire, like Colts guard Quenton Nelson.
- Added logic for CPU teams to be able to recognize context around when a player is actually an upgrade when acquiring a player that is not a starter on their current team but would be for the new team. Allows CPU teams to better recognize when a lower quality caliber player is circumstantially starting. Rather than a 73 OVR getting the same base value for being CB1 as a player like Stephon Gilmore would.
- Addressed issues where players would be evaluated at the incorrect depth chart position on the acquiring team. This caused inconsistencies in player values for CPU teams acquiring players.
- Addressed trading for same-position value issues. When a user or CPU team trades a starter for another player at the same position who would start, we were not valuing the player as a starter for their new team, which caused players to be valued less than they should be.
Additional updates were also made to:
- Base values of every position at each depth chart slot for all 32 NFL teams including Franchise-specific Schemes to address isolated value issues and authenticity improvements.
- Allow both teams to access the premium value associated to trades, which gives each team a better picture of the player’s actual value.
- Addressed multiple instances of issues where lower OVR players would be overvalued due to team need at a position.
- Added check to value any OL with a Superstar Dev Trait at the equivalent of a Superstar X-Factor value.
- Made Dev Trait a full factor in the player’s value calculation, rather than a modifier for a boost.
- Based on whether your team runs a 4-3 or 3-4, certain defensive positions will be valued differently, like a 4-3 team needing a second starting DT (or a 3-4 needing a second starting MLB). Similarly, the value a 3-4 OLB and 4-3 DE share as edge rushers on their defensive fronts warrant differences in value teams now consider differently than 4-3 OLB/3-4 DE.
Draft Pick values
- Completely realigned the base value of Draft picks to work with new Player Value changes and more closely align with NFL benchmark trade values.
- Previously, the second and third draft pick in an offer would have slightly decremented values. We didn’t feel this was authentic, so we removed it.
- Impacts both pick for pick trades as well as picks for players, or any mixture of the two.
Team Philosophy Value Differences
- Teams will have more nuanced perspectives of valuing players and draft picks from their own and opponents.
- This creates a situational concept in Franchise that we see all the time in the NFL. Just because a team is more open with trading a draft pick in a championship contention window doesn’t mean that the team should or does not still value draft picks at all as a core philosophy.
READ MORE: Madden 21 is now available on EA Play
Player Value Modifiers
- Retuned value increase modifiers for players in the first year of their contracts and players who are rookies.
- Added logic to no longer apply bonus “first year of contract” value to players who are only signed to one year contracts. Previously, all players on one year contracts were receiving a value bonus that was only intended for players on long term contracts.
- Age Value tuning - Every player position received a new customized age value curve that keeps player value authentically updated as players get older in Franchise. As players age, the more the age impacts their value on the market.
- This allows us to replicate the impact of trade value declining for aging veteran players and provide CPU teams a way to “devalue” these players at scale. Each position is tuned differently.
QB-Specific Value Improvements
- Added new Premium value modifier to raise QB value compared to same-skill positions. This allows QBs to receive similar compensation as in real life while also reflective of our ratings scales.
- For example, an 86 OVR QB is a franchise-level talent. We wanted to make sure that trading away or for a player at that level is recognized for being a more valuable and rare commodity than possibly a 90-93 at other positions.
- All positions have a high age value percentage for players in their early twenties, but just like in real life, QBs are generally more valuable than players of equivalent skill at other positions at any age!
- Combined with the base value tuning mentioned earlier, this makes young high-OVR starting QBs exceptionally valuable and a significant investment of draft capital to acquire a top player based on OVR, age, Development Trait, and other factors.
Madden 21 League History
- Revisit the history of your franchise through our new running log of key award winners, conference, and Super Bowl champions on a yearly basis.
- These records will be located in a single hub with a year filter to see the champions and award winners from previous seasons.
Madden 21 Xbox Series X|S & PS5 Updates
More details were released later about console-specific fixes in the Madden 21 March Title Update. Each of these Next Gen updates also apply to Current Gen consoles.
Key Highlights:
- Fix for QB freezing in certain play formations
- Fix for missing Pro Bowl active abilities
- Various MUT UI fixes
- Franchise updates to trade logic and player value
- “League History” addition to Franchise
Gameplay Updates:
- Fixed an issue causing the QB to freeze after flipping Gun Split Close Play Action plays while also hot routing the HB.
- Fixed an issue causing some QB’s to repeat their pre-play walk-to-line, getting set in the formation animation twice.
- Fixed an issue preventing some abilities from being equipped for players on the Pro Bowl roster.
- Fixed an incorrect route shown in the play-art for the play Gun Tight Doubles Zig Under.
- Fixed an issue sometimes causing the receiver to run back toward the line instead of breaking out when running a zig route.
- Fixed an issue with Hit Sticks not tracking properly for Abilities using Hit Stick accumulation for In the Zone criteria (e.g. Avalanche)
Madden Ultimate Team Updates:
- Various UI Fixes
Franchise Updates:
- NEW: Improvements to Trade Logic and Player Value
- NEW: League History
- Fixed issue where “Backlash” ability was called “Pass Lead Elite”
- Fixed naming of Seahawks stadium to Lumen Field (for new Franchises)
Madden 21 Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Stadia Updates
The following fixes were made specifically for Current Gen consoles.
Key Highlights:
- Fix for QB freezing in certain play formations
- Fix for missing Pro Bowl active abilities
- Fixed rusher logic in certain punting situations
Gameplay Updates:
- Fixed an issue allowing punts to frequently get blocked by an AI-controlled rusher when lined up inside the 5-yard line.
- Fixed an issue causing the QB to freeze after flipping Gun Split Close Play Action plays while also hot routing the HB.
- Fixed an issue causing some QB’s to repeat their pre-play walk-to-line, getting set in the formation animation twice.
- Fixed an issue preventing some abilities from being equipped for players on the Pro Bowl roster.
- Fixed an issue with Hit Sticks not tracking properly for Abilities using Hit Stick accumulation for In the Zone criteria (e.g. Avalanche)