Madden 23 is just weeks away, and it's looking like this year's release is likely to hinge on three major factors for most fans.
While the pressure is definitely on, these Madden 23 game modes and new features have the potential to payoff if the gamble works.
Madden 23 is taking three big risks, but they could payoff huge
With the release date for Madden 23 now less than a month away, we've gotten a pretty good picture of what to expect from this year's game.
All the major new features have been revealed and highlighted, though we could still get some additional details with other deep dive videos.
As of now, it looks like there are three big pieces of the puzzle that will make or break the success of Madden 23.
FieldSENSE gameplay engine must work as intended
We've seen some fantastic glimpses of the new FieldSENSE gameplay in Madden 23 via the trailers released so far, but that doesn't guarantee things go as smoothly at launch.
Promising trailers for games that become bug-filled nightmares upon launch are just a fact of life in the gaming industry now, and FieldSENSE needs to deliver.
PRE ORDER NOW: Secure your copy of Madden 23 before it arrives
They've basically reworked the entire animations and physics system, and any major widespread issues with that engine at launch could quickly turn opinion on this year's release.
In addition, FieldSENSE is next gen exclusive, so EA is betting that impressing PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players will be enough to set the tone for their series moving forward.
Franchise Mode new features with updated Free Agency
While some of the features fans had clamored for like Create A Team remain absent, there are clear improvements set for Franchise Mode at launch.
Last year's release put most of the Franchise hype on the Scouting update which didn't even land until two months after launch, but they've already made big promises for this year.
Contracts received a major rework, and the Free Agency hub in Franchise Mode is completely new with detailed stages and new challenges as you attempt to sign major players.
Dedicated Franchise players could be won back with a success here, but continued logic issues and bugs in the Free Agency system would quickly ruin any goodwill here.
Face of the Franchise: The League reworks Career Mode
The final piece of the puzzle is Career Mode, or Face of the Franchise: The League as it'll be dubbed in Madden 23.
Last year's Face of the Franchise struggled with lackluster writing and an NCAA-fueled opening, but they've changed things entirely this year.
Face of the Franchise: The League instead drops you in at year five with a player just getting off their rookie contract and ready to prove themselves with any team.
The pros and cons of team choices at the start of your save feel more meaningful, and new mid-week activities give the mode far more depth than just playing each game.
This move is probably the least risky, as the lackluster nature of Face of the Franchise last year leaves plenty of room for improvement.
However, another failure may leave them back at the drawing board on how to structure Career Mode in the Madden series entirely.