Madden 22 is still expected to get a highly anticipated Scouting Update to bring new features to Franchise, but that update just keeps getting delayed.
After more and more waiting, the Scouting Update is going to be too late to save Franchise players in Madden 22.
Scouting Update continues to face delayed release date
There was a lot of focus on Franchise Mode for Madden 22, and that began with the #FixMaddenFranchise campaign which EA responded to even as Madden 21 was launching.
In the time since then, we saw a lot of positive steps by EA Sports that emphasized some of the things they were working on and their commitment to Franchise Mode.
Unfortunately, the big addition of improved Scouting just hasn't arrived yet, with the update being delayed again after failing to arrive at launch.
Improved Scouting was one of the features EA put a lot of attention on heading into the release of Madden 22, dedicating an entire EA Play Spotlight Series episode to this one addition.
Not only did it fail to arrive at launch, but the originally promised September window was missed, and now the Scouting update has a vague "mid-October" window.
The lack of an official release date is testing the patience of both those who considered waiting to get Madden 22 and those already playing it.
Franchise players are building out saves they'll be forced to abandon
If you've already bought in and gotten Madden 22 and are spending that time in Franchise Mode, you're likely doing it with the knowledge that none of your hard work will last if you want to try the new Scouting update content.
Every last bit of effort you pour into your current Franchise save is going to be rendered meaningless in short order if you do want these new features in your game.
Even before the Scouting update had been delayed, EA made it clear that players would have to start new Franchise saves to have access to the new Scouting system.
That means any existing saves wouldn't have the new Scouting system, if they even continue to be usable after the update has deployed.
While EA hasn't said old saves will be unplayable after the update, the flurry of issues and bugs the game has faced this year makes that a very real possibility, whether intentional or not.
Players will either have to start from scratch or continue playing without a feature they most likely were very excited to see in Madden 22.
Launch hype has all but evaporated for Madden 22
Of course, the addition of Scouting to Madden 22 Franchise isn't just about the players already playing it, but it also is a selling point for new players.
Had the Scouting update arrived in early or mid-September, as was initially expected, it would've been perfectly timed.
While arriving at launch would've been the best-case scenario, a release in the first half of September would've also landed after some of the game's most horrendous bugs had been remedied.
It would've been very simple for the pitch after the update to be "the launch bugs are gone and now it has a reworked Scouting system."
Unfortunately, now that we're in October, the launch hype for Madden 22 has all but evaporated, and the likelihood anyone who doesn't already have Madden 22 will buy it this month is minuscule compared to what it would've been three or four weeks ago.
While the Scouting Update will ultimately be a boon for Franchise Mode, it's one that may be felt more in Madden 23 than in Madden 22.