The reception ofMadden NFL 21has not been positive. In fact, it currently has the lowest user score on Metacritic of any game. EA is trying to rectify this with fixes in the next-gen version asshown off in a recent trailer.
These will certainly be welcome, as some of the biggest problems inMadden NFL 21are technical. Players are hoping that the next-gen version ofMadden NFL 21will eventually see the game rise to a respectable level of polish. However, while the next-gen version has launched a day early, it seems to have come with a serious bug, at least on the PS5.
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The bug on the PS5 version ofMadden NFL 21prevents online play. Specifically, the bug creates a technical issue when the PS5 version ofMadden NFL 21connects to the EA servers. To prevent this from happening, EA has temporarily disabled the ability of PS5 copies to access those servers. While this will no doubt be resolved quickly, it is no doubt a disappointment to anyone whopaid $70 to playMadden NFL 21on the PS5.
Many players are not fond of several of the single player modes inMadden NFL 21, including the lackluster Career and Franchise modes. While there are problems with the multiplayer options, including both technical and design trouble, for many players, it is the reason they own the game. Keep in mind,Madden NFL 21was the best selling game of August, so there is a large playerbase dedicated to the football sim. Without multiplayer, many players have no reason to return to the game. Unless EA acts quickly, many PS5 users may drift away.
In all likelihood this will be a non-issue before long. Almost all testing forMadden NFL 21’s next-gen releases seems to have gone well, at least according to EA, with this being the major fly in the ointment. That likely doesn’t mean the other problems with the game will be fixed however. By all accounts,Madden NFL 21’s next-gen version has not fixed existing issues, so even without the online problem, it’s debatable how good a purchase the game is at $70.
There may be more meaningful changes for the game on the horizon however. Aclass action lawsuit was filed against EA in Octoberover the loot boxes inMadden NFL 21’s Ultimate Team mode. If EA is forced to change how these loot boxes are monetized, perhaps the rest of the game will be rebalanced, similar toMiddle-earth: Shadow of War. Only time will tell.
Madden NFL 21is available for Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
