Electronic Arts (EA) recently conducted a closed beta for the highly anticipated Madden NFL 24, providing players with a sneak peek into the latest installment of the beloved football video game franchise. The closed beta not only allowed eager gamers to experience the game’s new features but also presented an opportunity for the Madden community to provide valuable feedback. In response to the valuable insights received, EA has made a series of improvements to enhance the gameplay experience in Madden NFL 24. Let’s take a closer look at the top issues addressed and the improvements made: Top Issue: Input Latency One of the major concerns expressed by players was input latency, where actions were occasionally missed or delayed, particularly during rapid pre-snap adjustments. EA took this issue seriously and made it their top priority to fix it. They went to great lengths, even reopening the closed beta environment for additional testing, to address input latency. The result is a significant improvement, ensuring smoother and more responsive gameplay. PC players, who often confused this issue with general lag or hitching, also benefited from separate addressing. Gameplay Improvements EA focused on refining the gameplay experience based on community feedback. Several key areas were targeted:
- Pass Blocking Improvements: Offensive Line’s ability to pick up Edge heat vs. pre-snap adjustments like ‘Pinch’ DLine and user-defender stacking has been improved.
- Man Coverage Win Chance Tuning: Receiver cut-move win-chances have been increased to balance passing game vs. man.
- Man Press Win Chance Tuning: Beat-press chances and Super Win animation chances have been increased to better reflect Receiver’s ability to beat the press.
- Pass Rush Disengage Tuning: Issues where Pass Rushers would disengage off of a block then re-engage instead of pursuing the QB escaping the pocket have been addressed.
- Match Coverage Fixes: Deep Zone Defenders now appropriately cover deep routes instead of letting them go free to pick up shallow out-breaking routes.
- Catch Tackle Knockout Tuning: Trailing defender knockout chances have been decreased, allowing more receivers to hold on to the ball during catches.
- HB Screen Coverage Fix: Man Coverage behavior on HB Screen plays has been adjusted to prevent defenders from charging into the offensive backfield to cover the screen back.
- Improved QB Animation: An issue where the QB would get stuck when snapping the ball during certain animations has been fixed.
- AI Team Field Goal Attempt Logic: AI teams now attempt long field goals only in more appropriate last resort situations, reducing excessive attempts.
- AI Clock Management & Field Goal Decisions: Offensive teams show more decisive timeout usage in both halves.
Franchise Mode Enhancements Franchise mode received several notable improvements:
- Trade Tuning: The value of older players in trades has been adjusted, along with the value of players at certain positions and CPU team assets.
- XP for Mini-Games: Increased XP gained for completing mini-game drills for Focus Players during Weekly Strategy.
- QB Injuries: Increased the frequency of QB injuries during Franchise games.
- Relocation UI & Flow: Enhanced the relocation flow with a preview of each team’s helmet, home uniform, and logo, making it easier to choose a new team.
Superstar Mode Enhancements Based on community feedback, Superstar Mode has been refined:
- Dynamic Gameday Momentum/Home Field Advantage: A new league setting allows toggling this feature on/off.
- Mini-Game Drills: Practice drills are now exclusive to mini-games within Side Activities.
- Avatar Creation Tuning: Starting ratings during avatar creation have been increased per archetype.
- 40-Yard Dash Mechanic: The 40-yard dash now has a more responsive ‘Dig Deep’ mechanic.
- Player Grading & Podcast Video: Issues with player grading and opening podcast video have been resolved.
Madden Ultimate Team and Presentation Enhancements EA addressed various bugs and issues surrounding Madden Ultimate Team and improved the game’s presentation, including improvements in pregame and touchdown shots, crowd and commentary enhancements, and fine-tuning of music and on-field sound effects. In conclusion, the Madden NFL 24 closed beta provided EA with invaluable feedback from the dedicated Madden community. Thanks to this feedback, significant improvements were made across gameplay, franchise mode, Superstar mode, Madden Ultimate Team, presentation, and more. The upcoming Madden NFL 24 promises to deliver an unparalleled gaming experience that caters to the desires of the Madden community. With EA’s commitment to listening and responding to player feedback, the future of Madden NFL 24 looks bright, and fans can eagerly anticipate the game’s official release. Disclaimer: All information provided in this article is based on the closed beta feedback from players and EA’s official announcements. Changes may still occur before the final release of Madden NFL 24.