Madden 22 has finally been announced, and along with a release date has come news of exciting next gen additions like Dynamic Gameday.
We'll see some upgrades to modes in current gen too like Franchise, but so far the next gen exclusives look like they'll blow the current gen Madden 22 experience out of the water.
Multiple next gen exclusives promised for Madden 22
It's finally official! Madden 22 is returning on August 20, 2021, and this year's game looks like another big step forward for the series.
Next gen is taking center stage, as Xbox Series X|S and PS5 players will have a plethora of exciting new features to experience.
Dynamic Gameday is taking center stage for next gen, and it's made up of Gameday Atmosphere, Gameday Momentum, and Next Gen Stats Star-Driven AI.
Unfortunately, anyone who purchases Madden 22 for Xbox One, PS4, PC, or Stadia won't get to enjoy these new additions.
On top of all of today's exciting reveals, we got an early glimpse at Madden 22 and learned a lot about what's coming this year.
Current gen still gets upgrades to Franchise and more
The good news for current gen gamers is that there are still upgrades coming, with a big focus going towards Franchise Mode.
EA Sports have listened to the #FixMaddenFranchise movement, and we're seeing the addition of offensive and defensive coordinators along with new skill tree progression systems, more strategy and gameplan options, and even the return of press conferences.
Face of the Franchise returns with "United We Rise," and the single player career mode will include a new class system and customization options along with allowing players to be a linebacker for the first time.
Ultimate Team, The Yard, and Superstar KO are also set to return with some new upgrades, including a ranked mode and new items in The Yard.
Dynamic Gameday lets players feel the energy
The most exciting new addition to Madden 22 will be Dynamic Gameday, and this multi-faceted feature will improve the gameplay experience all across the game.
Dynamic Gameday will let the crowds become a part of the Madden experience like never before, and we actually got to ask Madden 22 Producer Reggie Sami whether the lack of crowds during the pandemic affected their call to make the crowd so crucial this year.
"For crowd noise, we used crowd recordings from previous seasons, working directly with the teams’ stadium presentation directors to deliver a closer experience to what each NFL stadiums sounds like in real life during a normal year. Plans for crowds and atmosphere In Madden NFL 22 were underway before the Pandemic, but as fans of Football, we missed being there and watching live games ourselves," Sami said.
"The absence of fans really made us all appreciate how much impact fans have on the game. Simply put, the crowd is a real factor in NFL games and in a year where Dynamic Gameday is introducing momentum, Home Field Advantage and Gameday Atmosphere, having an authentically representative crowd in Madden NFL 22 that players can really feel was a must to bring these features to life," he said.
The three components of Dynamic Gameday are Gameday Atmosphere, Gameday Momentum, and Next Gen Stats Star-Driven AI.
Gameday Atmosphere will crank up the environments and presentation of an NFL stadium to better replicate the actual feel and energy of a real-world NFL game.
Gameday Momentum is perhaps the most exciting part of the equation from a gameplay perspective, as it introduces a new Home Field Advantage M-Factor ability that is different for every stadium.
These new M-Factor abilities will give a unique special advantage, such as scrambling the way passing routes appear pre-play for an opposing offense due to the massive crowd noise.
Activating these new stadium exclusive powers won't be easy, as players will have to build momentum throughout a game to earn the chance to use those perks for an edge.
There will also be boosts for teams playing an away game that manage to earn enough momentum to take the crowd out of the game and seize control of the atmosphere.
Next Gen Stats return with new Star-Driven AI
We saw Next Gen Stats show up last year with Madden 21 as the first foray into their addition of next gen exclusives features.
This year, it's getting a major upgrade as Star-Driven AI aims to utilize the unique personalities of both teams and NFL athletes and their real-world performance to adjust how AI operates in Madden 22.
Next Gen Stats will provide information about opponent's tendencies to boost the strategic options you have in a game, and that now includes the ability to make halftime adjustments to your gameplan.
We'll have to wait and see how much of an impact Next Gen Stats: Star-Driven AI will have on the game and how much those adjustments will be felt throughout the season, but the prospect is definitely exciting.
Core Gameplay upgrades and Halftime Adjustments arriving for all
The ability to make halftime adjustments to a gameplan will not just be specific to next gen players, as this addition will arrive for everyone throughout Madden 22.
On top of that, core gameplay is getting some exciting upgrades as well, particularly when it comes to the physics of the game.
New upgrades to the engine for Madden 22 will better take into account the physical momentum created by players on field, and that includes factoring in their physical height, weight, and overall size.
When tackling, players in-game should now be more likely to make the kind of tackle that fits their size when compared to the player they're trying to take down.
Similarly, rushers with more weight are more likely to be able to push their way to an extra few yard while being brought down, where finesse backs will struggle to grind them out.
We'll know more about these core gameplay adjustments once players can finally get their hands on the game, but for now Madden 22 looks like an exciting next step for the series.