In our review of Madden 21, we confirmed what EA Sports had been hinting at for quite some time, Franchise Mode has gone unimproved and is unimpressive. A myriad of hashtags are continuously trending on Twitter from fans outraged at the publishers’ inability to create any change to the mode. In response, Electronic Arts is starting to detail when and what to expect from Madden 21 updates that will hopefully revitalize Franchise mode. 

What to expect in upcoming Madden 21 updates

The mega-publisher said in the summer that changes to Franchise Mode will be made from now to far into the life of Madden 22, which looks to be getting the crux of the improvements. You can take that as good news, but this year’s game will only be getting the smallest impactful changes. One of their most recent press releases states that the following will be seen soon:

  • X-Factor/Superstar Ability Customization: The biggest change expected is the ability to alter what X-Factor each footballer has. It’s a wacky feature, as running backs will now be able to obtain QB or defensive abilities, but it’s a welcomed one, nonetheless. Player Card Stats UI: Like every other current sports games, Madden 21 will soon feature baseball card-esque stat sheets for every player. This will include weekly stats and outcomes, along with what teams each person has played on yearly. Dev Trait Regression Tuning: With so many recently-drafted players quickly obtaining X-Factors, EA has promised to give “proper balance of Superstar and X-Factor players when progressing multiple years.” Playoff Bracket: This one is a major shock. Expected in the launch-day update, the mode will eventually get a visual displaying when and what teams make the playoffs.

Keep in mind, developers stated back in early August that players will also see fixes to trade logic, the Super Bowl presentation, and AI personnel management. As they haven’t been addressed since, these promised improvements probably won’t be seen until after the first major update.

Be ready for the mid-season

Even though fans expected these features to make their way close to launch, the wait will have to continue a bit longer. Electronic Arts’ September Gridiron Notes claims the first of three updates is targeted for release in November. It’s highly likely that the playoff bracket feature will come in this first round of fixes, as the NFL’s actual playoff typically begins late December to early January.

For those frantic about starting a Franchise without these updates, rest assured as every new change will automatically be implemented to all in-progress Franchise saves.