The bugs, soft freezes and crashes are a real thing this year. But it's not just Madden. I play sports games across the board, and it's everywhere. NBA 2K is a notable exception, but they make enough money off micro transactions they have the resources to get out front.
I think the real issue may be a lot of game developers are still figuring out how to write software compatible with next-gen consoles, and the pandemic isn't helping that.
I'm not giving these guys a pass. If you say your game can do X, Y and Z you shouldn't release it until it can. And you CERTAINLY should not brush aside thousands of people complaining about the same problems by telling them to "power cycle their consoles" or "unplug extra accessories." I mean, c'mon.
But yeah, this is a real problem because people who had their lives or wallets disrupted in the past 18 months still dig in to buy these games, so they shouldn't have to deal with this extra frustration.
I would prefer EA consolidate or eliminate certain features/modes (staring at you, FoTF) to get more quality than throw stuff at the wall and see what stick.
#ignoretheroots, and the tree dies ... Guys who can offer constructive opinions like this are the roots
@DyeusVita, @Masher_Smasher, I am also guilty of toxic culture when it comes to Madden, it is very difficult to keep a calm head with the blatant cut and paste that has been done over the years and very good content being removed. I play Madden for Franchise mode and would be very happy to see MUT, The Yard, FOTF, and anything else not related to Franchise mode removed completely or make them their own games and sell them that way, when you have so many different pieces you are going to take away from others and it has been showing more and more every year.
I for one cannot fathom how anyone associated with the development and programming of Madden can be proud to say they do.
In this day and age gaming companies are releasing games in Pre-Alpha or not even complete and have the actual customers pay to be their testers instead of having it done before launch or release. Their does not seem to be accountability or anyone taking pride in their work or games anymore, I mean why should they, they are getting paid and got their money.
Constructively, all anyone who works at EA, developers or programmers or anyone has to do is just launch and play the game and they will definitely see what they can do to make the game better.
@rweiss13 @DyeusVita There are some bigger issues here.
EA is not worried about people who threaten lawsuits and demand refunds because of the user agreement everyone accepts before playing the game. The language of the agreement is slanted toward the maker (as many legally binding agreements are) so clicking "I Agree" means we literally give up our right to hold the producers accountable for a poor product.
If someone wants to hold the company's feet to the fire, they need to be willing to put up some money for a broad legal battle, because ultimately, all major game producers have a similar user-end agreement. But there's grounds for it because very few other industries force you to accept an inferior product for a premium price. It's similar to the way cell phone companies used to force people to remain exclusive to them until someone sued for the right to unlock phones and pick whatever carrier you choose.
The other thing I think is strange is pro athletes who are active in the community and the top-ranked amateur players EA uses to promote the game don't seem very vocal about the technical issues. They're probably spending most of their time in modes that are cash cows for EA, so it may be a moot point. Also, it's hard to keep track of all these folks on social media, so I could be missing something. But it makes me wonder why the people who have an audience with EA aren't as unhappy.
Bottom line, it's a business. EA has stockholders and quarterly goals to achieve, so they go where the money is and they cater to their VIPs - like every other mega corporation in the world. People who prefer an offline experience don't help them make their numbers.
I don't think any of us wants a perfect experience, we just want something that works. I get where you guys are coming from, and I'm right there with you. It's just unfortunate we don't have any power other than venting in a message board.
I agree 100%. Well said.
