I started the MUT 25 cycle believing there was virtue in being NMS. After listening to a bunch of arguments for and against, my view that the game is pay-to-play hasn't changed, but my view regarding NMS has been moderated. In the end, you can spend vast amounts of time and attention on the Auction House and consequently field an overpowering lineup against a user that spends a few thousand points over the life of one MUT cycle. In fact, I imagine that my Auction House skills were refined throughout the year, and that I'll be able to develop a coin stack far more quickly this year than I have in years past.
What I first hated about Madden 25 was coming into the game on Thursday against lineups that already had several champions after running through the three-day early access afforded by Deluxe Edition. I thought this was patently unfair, and felt that Deluxe Edition was more than merely a money-spent option. It was a Head Start of colossal proportion. Now I'm staring at Madden 26 Deluxe Edition's seven-day early access, and I am infuriated. I know what's coming this time around, and I know that Electronic Arts will pocket many extra millions at the expense of the enjoyment of users that will choose the budget-conscious option. Could I afford an extra thirty bucks for seven days and a competitive head-start? Yes, but it goes completely against my philosophy that I should be able to enjoy MUT without spending a dime extra. The value here from thirty bucks is tremendous when it comes to anticipated competitive advantage. Not only this, but the Auction House markets will have largely been fixed by the time the Standard Edition users arrive. We'll have to pay through the nose for "budget beast" players that the Deluxe Edition users bought for fewer coins.
On top of all this, by the time Madden 26 Standard Edition releases, it will have been three weeks since EA will have introduced new MUT content. I feel like I've been robbed twice: EA stopped putting effort into Madden more than a month ago when I paid for a twelve-months-less-three-days subscription to MUT 25, and now I'm about to be robbed of seven more days of Madden experience, only to suffer through a persistent competitive disadvantage that will take weeks to overcome.
Game on.
