Madden NFL 23 - September Title Update

Today’s Title Update primarily addresses feedback from players prior to the world wide launch, such as during Early Access. Since launch, our team has been focused on new feedback coming in, and while some of that is in today's update, the majority of feedback received during the launch-window will be featured in our next update.

DEV Note: Last season, the cadence of updates led to more thoughtful and proactive title updates and live content. We are targeting a similar update strategy for Madden NFL 23 and always ensure game balance is a priority in making changes. Thank you for sharing your feedback and we look forward to a full season of Madden NFL 23 updates!
Key Highlights:

• Gameplay - General Blocking Updates (Both Run & Pass Blocking)
• Franchise - Fix for User to User Trades in Online Franchise
• Authenticity - New Alternate Helmets + Rookie Likeness Updates
• General Stability Fixes across Modes. (MUT, FOTF, Franchise)

Gameplay Updates:

• Tuning to pass-block ‘handoff’ logic to allow pass blockers to handoff rushers to adjacent pass blockers during a defensive shed move attempt when targeting a separate rusher
• Fixed an issue allowing a specific shed-move to be too powerful and too frequent by user-controlled pass rushers
• Fixed a run-block targeting issue where the right tackle wouldn’t block the defensive end on Gun Spread Y-Slot Wk HB Base vs. specific defensive alignments
• Fixed a run-block targeting issue leaving the DE unblocked on Singleback Bunch Quick Pitch vs. specific defensive alignments
• Tuning to run-blocker pursuit to improve the blocking path against user-controlled defenders to better pick up user-LB’s stacking behind DL’s and shooting gaps
• Tuning to pass-block movement to make pass blockers commit sooner to rushers moving near the line of scrimmage at the snap
  
  • DEV Note: This tuning should reduce lineman from taking themselves out of position to block blitzers and provide better prediction for the movement direction of the rushers.
  
  
• Tuning to improve pass-block prediction to better anticipate the direction of the rusher when coming out of their stance and/or moving very slowly
• Fixed an issue allowing the TE to be assigned incorrect hot-routes after using specific pre-snap motions in Bunch formations
• Tuning to reduce match-distance on ‘Blow-Up Blocker’ interactions for user-controlled defenders
• Tuning to Ball Carrier skill-moves to reduce drastic changes in speed
• Tuning to reduce fumble chance for WR’s playing in the HB position
  
  • DEV Note: In playbook packages where a WR is intentionally placed at the HB position, such as those found in the 49ers and Rams playbooks, the risk of fumbling was too high. Playing out of position will still carry a higher fumble chance than not, but it will no longer be as significant of a risk based on these real-life playbook packages utilizing players like 49ers WR Deebo Samuel.
  
  
• Fixed a rare issue causing a player to warp off the ground after a sideline catch
• Tuning to Cover 4 Quarter CB’s to better cover outside streak routes in Trips formations
• Fixed an issue causing receivers to sometimes step out of the back of the end zone while running their routes, leading to illegal touching penalties
• Tuning to give elite receivers more separation vs. defensive backs in man-press
• Tuning to better conserve momentum of WRs during mid-air collisions with defensive backs
• Fixed an issue allowing HB wheel routes to beat Cover 1/Man Coverage too frequently
• Tuning to reduce the catch-chance on tipped passes
• Tuning to make the AI QB’s target user-controlled CB’s & LB’s more often in Face of the Franchise player-locked gameplay
• Variety of animation updates for first-down celebrations pointing in incorrect directions
• Updated nickel alignment position in Nickel and Dime Cover 2 Man plays vs. bunch formations
• Updated the Detroit Lions NFL Live Playbook to be a 4-3 Defense book, and added three 4-3 formations to the Lions default defense book.

Franchise Updates:

• Fixed an issue where user-to-user trades in online leagues were not working
• Fixed an issue where CPU teams were not correctly using the franchise tag
  
  • DEV Note: While significantly improved, there will be rare instances where players right below what is perceived as “Elite” will be tagged.
  
  
• Tuned QB Simulation Stats to reduce the number of plays run in games to lower overall player and team stats league wide
• Tuned QB Regression
  
  • DEV Note: We noticed that as seasons progressed, there would be far too many highly rated QB’s across the league when compared to the base rosters. To combat this we slightly increased QB regression as they get older. This paired with the QB Sim Stats tuning should result in a distribution similar to base rosters as you get deeper into Franchise.
  
  
• Tuned Contract Acceptance Factors/Rates
  
  • DEV Note: This tune was to address some edge case exploits; this should not have a major impact on Re-Sign or Free Agency in general.
  
  
• Fixed an issue where the Free Agency offer bars were displaying out of order
• Fixed an issue where sections of the Free Agency offer bars would sometimes appear white
• Fixed an issue where the Free Agency offer bars would sometimes not display after offering a contract
• Fixed an issue where the front-end difficulty wasn’t carrying over into Franchise
• Fixed an issue where news stories were incorrectly referencing injuries suffered during practice as season-ending injuries
• Fixed an issue where injured players were sometimes being included in trade packages
• Fixed an issue where completed goals were appearing as incomplete
• Fixed an issue where the reorder pop-up would stay on screen after reordering prospects on your favorites list
• Fixed a crash when attempting to withdraw an offer during Re-Sign
• Fixed an issue where the background would turn gray when navigating menus, rather than the team color
• Fixed an issue where long user names were overlapping in the score ticker
• Added text to player card for player’s with no tags
• Fixed an issue with Snapshots where it would default to Week 1 rather than the current week
• Fixed an issue where users were unable to sim past the 2051 Pro Bowl
• Fixed an issue where if a commissioner advanced the week at the same time as a user joined, the commissioner would be locked out and the newly joined user would be able to advance the league
• Fixed an issue causing Kansas City Chiefs assets to appear in the ‘QB Check In’ scenario after a Fantasy Draft.

Face of the Franchise Updates:

• Fixed an issue causing duplicate versions of a coach to appear in a practice drill via Side Activities.
• Fixed an issue causing duplicate helmets to appear in practice drills via Side Activities.
• Fixed an issue sometimes preventing text message scenarios from appearing in the ‘Leadership’ Side Activity scenario.
• Fixed a rare issue causing the apartment environment to appear inside of the team facility scenario.
• Fixed an issue sometimes preventing the Level Up animation from showing the correct level in the flow when exiting a game.
• Fixed an issue showing weekly goals under the incorrect difficulty tag for the Wide Receiver position.
• Fixed a rare issue causing the avatar to reset to default visual settings after starting a second save file.
• Fixed an issue preventing REP from updating on the Level widget after exiting Side Activities.
• Fixed an issue causing the FOTF League menu to appear over the Main Menu after a long soak.
• Fixed an issue sometimes causing drive goals to not appear in the correct state in the Super Sim screen.
• General Stability improvements

Madden Ultimate Team Updates:

• Rewards earned from completed Objectives in a Field Pass will now continue to appear in the UI rather than disappearing.
• Addressed issue where the wrong art would visually display in the Field Pass rewards track.
• Background art for Ultimate Challenges should now be displayed.
• Numerous fixes when trying to Compare items.
• Using “Reset all Filters” will now clear out “Search by Name”
• Addressed issue where the focus state inside the Field Pass would show incorrectly when tabbing through categories.
• Numerous alignment, scaling, font, and other misc. UI fixes.
• Numerous improvements to overall stability.

The Yard Updates:

• Fixed a rare issue causing users to be removed from online games for excessive delay incorrectly in Yard games

NFL Authenticity Updates:

Lots of new content here for the start of the season and happy to share the following updates!

• Uniform degradation improvements for Xbox Series X|S & PlayStation 5
• Fixed an issue causing the Bengals field art to be flipped
• Updated Bears field art
• Updated colors on both Lions pants
• Updated logos and art for Patriots Current Alternate Classic uniform set

• Added the following new Alternate Helmets:
  
  • Texans
  • Saints
  • Bears
  • Cardinals
  • Bengals
  • Panthers
  • Giants
    
    • DEV Note: The 3 remaining teams that have new alternate helmets, the Cowboys, Jets and Eagles, will be included in an upcoming Title Update.
  
  
• Vicis Zero 2 and Vicis Trench helmets and Facemasks added
• Added the following player likeness heads/faces:
  
  • Travon Walker | Jacksonville Jaguars - OLB
  • Derek Stingley Jr | Houston Texans - CB
  • Ahmad Gardner | New York Jets - CB
  • Kayvon Thibodeaux | New York Giants - OLB
  • Ikem Ekwonu | Carolina Panthers - OT
  • Evan Neal | New York Giants - RT
  • Drake London | Atlanta Falcons - WR
  • Charles Cross | Seattle Seahawks - LT
  • Chris Olave | New Orleans Saints - WR
  • Quay Walker | Green Bay Packers - MLB
  • Kaiir Elam | Buffalo Bills - CB
  • Tyler Smith | Dallas Cowboys - OT
  • Tyler Linderbaum | Baltimore Ravens - C
  • Jermaine Johnson | New York Jets - DE
  • Devin Lloyd | Jacksonville Jaguars - MLB
  • Devonte Wyatt | Green Bay Packers - DE
  • Cole Strange | New England Patriots - G
  • George Karlaftis | Kansas City Chiefs - DE
  • Daxton Hill | Cincinnati Bengals - S
  • Lewis Cine | Minnesota Vikings - S
  • Christian Watson | Green Bay Packers - WR
  • Zion Johnson | Los Angeles Chargers - G
  • Kyle Hamilton | Baltimore Ravens - S
  • Jameson Williams | Detroit Lions - WR
  • Jordan Davis | Philadelphia Eagles - DT
  
  

Music:

• 2 new music tracks dropped!
  
  • Cordae & Hit-Boy - CHECKMATE
  • Money Man, Babyface Ray, Key Glock feat. BLEU - NO LIMIT

Presentation and UI Updates:

• Fixed an issue where end of game highlights were starting halfway into the play
• Fixed an issue where players were wearing helmets in Super Bowl trophy celebration shots
• Fixed an issue with broken camera during crowd shot in John Madden Legacy Game
• Fixed an issue where kickoff camera could be obstructed by edge wall at Hard Rock Stadium
• Fixed an issue where defensive player on-field was appearing in sideline celebration shot
• Fixed an issue where the road team would do tunnel runout through the Cardinals’ props in pregame
• Fixed an issue where player’s hand was clipping through teammate’s torso during Super Bowl celebration shot
• Fixed an issue where coach’s chin would clip through chest in sideline shot
• Fixed an issue where crowd member’s hand would clip through jacket in crowd shot
• Fixed an issue where trainer wasn’t properly holding Gatorade bottle in injury shot
• Fixed an issue where broadcast wipe was missing after the conclusion of a turnover replay
• Fixed an issue where broadcast wipe was moving in slow motion after certain replays
• Tuned frequency of player-specific walkback shots
• Added functionality for jumbotrons at international stadiums to authentically show home team’s content
• Fixed issue preventing users from seeing player stamina when going in and out of Formation Subs UI
• Fixed issue where users cannot change play call tempo when VoIP is active
• Gen4 - Fixed issue where VoIP window is blocked during first kickoff in MUT Squads or MUT Draft
• Various stability fixes