One of the questions people always ask about the latest iteration of EA’s Madden franchise is how EA is improving the game. Sometimes, the changes can be minor. Others, less so. This year is bringing a few substantial changes, so we thought we’d go ahead and run through what exactly is changing with Madden 17.
EA has been on a roll announcing improvements since the cover athlete was revealed to be Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. While we’re not going to touch on each and every aspect of the new improvements, you can check out the posts below to find out more information. Let’s get started!
- Ball Carrier Special Moves – Running the ball should be a lot more interesting this year, as EA has added a number of new special moves and animations based on player rating. Fake outs will also be improved to allow for plenty of outcomes, and the ball carrier mechanics are also getting a bit of an update.
- Defensive Gaps and Run Fits – The defensive AI is getting a complete reboot for Madden 17, and defense will have a defensive gap control system to make running that much closer to the NFL.
- A new commentary team with post-launch commentary updates – Madden 17 will introduce a new commentary team in the form of Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis, but that isn’t the only aspect of the commentary that’s changing. EA will continue to update commentary across the season post-launch, something that has never done before.
- Zone Coverage – Not only is the artificial intelligence getting a reboot this year, but zone coverage is also getting a much needed revamp. This year we’ll get 10 new coverage options.
- Special Teams, Catch Outcomes, & Ball Physics – This one’s a mouthful, but it covers a rather significant improvement happening this year, which is the change to kicking. There’s a new kick meter, and the increased ability to block kicks. The aggressive catch will also become less of a threat. On the ball side, you’ll see that the ability to aim onside kicks has returned, along with the addition of loose ball recovery.
- Competitive Changes – One of the big goals EA had for Madden 17 was to make the game much more competitive. To that end, they’re changing up man coverage and zone coverage. A number of strategies that were used previously should now be less effective, forcing different types of play.
- Presentation Improvements – Stadiums are getting an improvement to make the game more immersive, bringing you closer to the feel of the real game. New cameras will also make an appearance this year, including pylon cameras.
- Accessibility – EA is improving the accessibility of Madden in a big way with Madden 17. Changes include the addition of colorblind support, and a number of brightness and contrast options.
- Connected Franchise Mode – One of the areas a lot of people have been asking about is Connected Franchise Mode, and players will no doubt be excited to learn that CFM is getting a number of big updates. Play The Moments will allow you to simulate the majority of your games, only taking control during crucial moments, while gameplanning allows for increased strategy. You’ll also be able to edit players, among other things.
- Equipment – People have been clamoring for some gear updates for a while now, and Madden 17 will deliver by updating a number of existing equipment pieces as well as introducing new ones. New facemasks, gloves, and cleats will be available in addition to more gear for coaches.
That’s everything we’ve seen so far about how Madden 17 is changing. We’ll be sure to update this post as more information is revealed, but for now you should have a good idea as to where the improvements are happening this year.
If you want to check out videos instead of reading the individual articles, I recommend checking out Madden 17 on our YouTube, where we discuss a number of these improvements and more.
As always, stay tuned to SGO for more Madden 17 news and information.