Madden NFL is one of the most popular annual sports titles around, with a history that dates back to the 1980s. Starting life as a college project, the Madden series was designed as a stat-based computer game, used more for experimenting and predicting results than any real-time, life-like football simulation. In the early 1990s, the Madden series would start to look a little more like its modern-day counterpart with a more action-focused, arcade-y title heading to the Sega Genesis. By 1996, Madden NFL had become the best-selling sports video game franchise of the time.
As is the case with every annual sports video game, Madden NFL is releasing a brand-new title this year. However, unlike some other popular sports franchises, the Madden series has tried to shake things up a little from year to year, and Madden NFL 23 is promised to be no different. While fans shouldn't expect too much innovation, EA has already revealed that a number of gameplay improvements are coming with Madden NFL 23, along with a few graphical and technical advancements. All of this looks to make Madden NFL 23 a better experience than its predecessor, Madden NFL 22.
Comparing Madden NFL 23's Gameplay to Madden NFL 22's
Madden NFL 23 is making one big improvement to Madden NFL 22's gameplay. Called "FieldSENSE," this new physics system will purportedly change the entire Madden experience for good. Detailed in the recent Madden NFL 23 reveal trailer, FieldSENSE is the blanket term EA is using to describe all the tweaks being made to this entry's gameplay, ranging from how the players move to how passing works, as well as how hit detection will function.
Underneath this FieldSENSE definition comes a subsystem called "Hit Everything." This new physics-based adjustment will track the specific movements of a player, and will identify the exact location on the body that has been hit during a collision. This will apparently lead to more realistic character animations following a collision, with the player reacting a way that's natural for how it might appear in a real-life game of football. For instance, if the player gets knocked in the shoulder, they'll likely tumble sideways and roll in a specific way determined by the point of impact.
A "Skill-Based Passing" system will also come under the new FieldSENSE mechanic. According to EA, this passing system will utilize the new physics system to make throwing and catching animations appear more realistic as well. With Skill-Based Passing turned on, players will use a new accuracy reticle and power meter to aim precise and powerful throws. On top of this, the new system will also give players more control of their movement when possessing the ball. Players will now be able to make 360 cuts, turning on the spot to dodge oncoming tackles. Alternatively, players can keep the classic version of passing on, where just a single button needs to be pressed to launch an automatic pass toward one's teammate.
While FieldSENSE is certainly the biggest change coming to Madden NFL 23, it will only be available for next-gen versions, and this year's entry is also bringing some technical improvements. A good portion of Madden NFL 23's players are getting re-scanned to ensure that their character models are up-to-date, alongside a handful of popular coaches. The camera angles for the end-zone are also being tweaked, making gameplay in this zone more cinematic. Beyond that, fans will have to wait and see what the upcoming title has in store at launch.
Madden NFL 23 launches August 19 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.