Former Madden Game Developer Speaks Out

Rex created the Madden 16 catch system. After implementing it and determining it was trash he wanted to scrap it.

However an EA producer loved that his kid could finally play Madden because of the catch system and started shifting gameplay away from skill players to make it easier + flukier to reel in casual players. This also had to do with wanting to pull in more casual gamers.

Rex also wanted EA to take a year off from introducing new modes and game additions and work on all the kinks in the gameplay.

EA hates the idea of fixing gameplay and not introducing new modes because they believe that if they cant put something on a box to sell you the game wont move via sales

In addition once a feature has been listed EA doesnt feel the need to auto implement it because they already sold you on it once and cant capitalize on the same feature again.

EA has an allotment of money they are willing to put toward every Madden game and modes like longshot and frostbite(any new engine would) suck up a lot of it.

He said developers know there are money formations and routes that should have proper defensive counters but EA doesnt want to invest into the engine the way they would need to in order to fix it.

EA believes "their" Madden customers are bought in. So their focus is on reeling in the casual player and not retaining the core gamer.

He goes into more details. Long story short he is a lot like us and EA wouldnt let him make the game the way most of us wanted it and left.

Says what many people think but he outlines how committed EA is to their model in terms of making money and further reinforces the need to boycott the franchise if you hope to have your voice heard and have the franchise possibly make a return to football.

Rex Soundcloud Podcast