Unpopular Opinion: Abilities are the worst thing to happen to madden.

i agree and disagree I don’t think the abilities necessarily ruined the game it’s mostly the x-factor the abilities are ok the x-factors have definitely ruined the game tho the fact that all you need to do is have flash or quadfather makes me sick it takes absolutely no skill to run HB stretch and HB dive the entire game

TLDR: EA is a piece of sh*t company, their game is completely played and made the wrong way, abilities suck and have to go, and attributes and card stats have to matter more.

I completely agree. Back pre M20 it mattered more about cards stats and actual physical attributes. Now it doesn't matter what the card stats looks like, they're all the same, just abilities matter. It completely ruins the game where it takes no skill to run a defense, just call a man play with tons of KOs and shades and no one can catch a pass. You also require abilities to get a good pass rush and any online blocking. And apparently it requires abilities for NFL receivers to create separation. All of this should be standard. M20 was ok, with three superstar players, but now when everyone on your team gets at least one, most two or more abilities it's not fun. I think abilities ruin the game to where it takes no skill to play. M24 should just remove all abilities and let the game be how it was. Where cards are very good based on route running, coverage stats, speed, and physical attributes. Not a running back being good even if he has dogsh*t stats but one cheesy x-factor.

No other sports game has that factor. In MLB the Show, attributes actually matter for everything. The position attributes like contact/power/Hper9/Kper9 actually change how the cards play, not just stats like speed or strength. The quirks also matter in how that cards play, which leads me to say I think traits should matter more. QB releases have to change too. I think there should be a few QBs with Slinger 1/3, but not giving everyone the same release. Releases also shouldn't make a huge difference to make or break a QB. I don't play enough NBA2K to know which stats impact the most, but I do know that they don't have any abilites that are active all game, just takeovers which I think are fine. Linebackers are another huge problem. They shouldn't need abilities to play normal. It completely ruins using some of the best players on the field and a crucial part of any defense.

I have no problem with just keeping normal X-Factors for elite players who have to achieve something to get a gamechanging ability for a short amount of time, just like the current ones. But the X-Factors starting on is too much, it's complete unrealistic bullsh*t. I think all abilities have to  go, and maybe normal X-Factors can stay if done properly, which may be to much to ask from EA. M24 has to have a lot of changing into how players play. Positional stats have to matter more, abilities have to go, traits have to matter more, and speed can't be the only thing that makes a skill position guy good. I emphasize this for things like route running, coverage, pass rush moves, and blocking. There can't just be thresholds which make cards fine, and cards with lower RR and coverage have to be punished in that quality during gameplay. Same for blocking/passrushing.

Anyway, that's my take on abilities, cards and attributes, now and for the future. EA's got a sh*t ton of work to do. Thanks for reading.

the aka ones are for sure stupid. starting with an x factor is like starting with five free plays sometimes

Been playing since Madden 2000 and i can honestly ssy the introduction of abilities and AKA xfactors ruin the game like everyone else is saying. Personally to me they havent had madden give me a "damn i gotta get this irregardless" vibe since 07 and 08....in all aspects of the game its dog shit NOW because all they care about is the flow of cash they know people will drop 1000s of dollars on MUT so they could give 2 shits about anything else as long as we keep lining their pockets

I think abilities should be in the game they make the game more fun and interesting without them there wouldn't be any variety between players. I do think they should keep them but make a major change to them so they aren't what people rely on when buying cards.

Coach16 said:

Noo,,,,,,dumbasses buying packs with real money ruined madden...

Game was trash way before the abilities cheesed it up more...

Can you explain how people buying packs with real money ruined this game?

This isn't unpopular at all. Atleast go back to Mut 20 where there's 3 x factors on offense and defense, and those are the only players to have abilities equipped

Bro, abilities do help but they should add a thing where you can only have a certain amount of players that can have abilities. But they should not remove them at all.

MrAgentSochi said:

Can you explain how people buying packs with real money ruined this game?

I have to agree, the game has been built around monetization and they have invested more into that than into improving the game itself.  Ultimate mode is a collector game that resets itself every year because they want more money.  There could be more game modes and more of a continuous collection side of it.

I somewhat agree with you. While I do think that it has gotten out of hand, I don't think that abilities need to be completely removed. I started in MUT19, right before Xfactors and abilities, and I think that MUT20 was incredible. However, now, EA has gotten completely ridiculous. I have been a watcher of MMG for this entire MUT season, and I completely support his take on this. In his words, "Abilities are good, but are too much now. Players should have maybe on discounted ability and that's it." While I refrain from putting the rest of the quote in as this is a website with teens on it, he has a point. Abilities shouldn't be taken away, they should just be toned down.

In a perfect world and the game was balanced traits should manage all the 50/50 situations. Brokens tackles, jump balls, etc. but where the game is today there needs to be counters to every ability which there is not. Defense KOs only counter is free forming which gets complicated. max security from calvin johnson has been my only saving grace

SebSeb88 said:

TLDR: EA is a piece of sh*t company, their game is completely played and made the wrong way, abilities suck and have to go, and attributes and card stats have to matter more.

I completely agree. Back pre M20 it mattered more about cards stats and actual physical attributes. Now it doesn't matter what the card stats looks like, they're all the same, just abilities matter. It completely ruins the game where it takes no skill to run a defense, just call a man play with tons of KOs and shades and no one can catch a pass. You also require abilities to get a good pass rush and any online blocking. And apparently it requires abilities for NFL receivers to create separation. All of this should be standard. M20 was ok, with three superstar players, but now when everyone on your team gets at least one, most two or more abilities it's not fun. I think abilities ruin the game to where it takes no skill to play. M24 should just remove all abilities and let the game be how it was. Where cards are very good based on route running, coverage stats, speed, and physical attributes. Not a running back being good even if he has dogsh*t stats but one cheesy x-factor.

No other sports game has that factor. In MLB the Show, attributes actually matter for everything. The position attributes like contact/power/Hper9/Kper9 actually change how the cards play, not just stats like speed or strength. The quirks also matter in how that cards play, which leads me to say I think traits should matter more. QB releases have to change too. I think there should be a few QBs with Slinger 1/3, but not giving everyone the same release. Releases also shouldn't make a huge difference to make or break a QB. I don't play enough NBA2K to know which stats impact the most, but I do know that they don't have any abilites that are active all game, just takeovers which I think are fine. Linebackers are another huge problem. They shouldn't need abilities to play normal. It completely ruins using some of the best players on the field and a crucial part of any defense.

I have no problem with just keeping normal X-Factors for elite players who have to achieve something to get a gamechanging ability for a short amount of time, just like the current ones. But the X-Factors starting on is too much, it's complete unrealistic bullsh*t. I think all abilities have to  go, and maybe normal X-Factors can stay if done properly, which may be to much to ask from EA. M24 has to have a lot of changing into how players play. Positional stats have to matter more, abilities have to go, traits have to matter more, and speed can't be the only thing that makes a skill position guy good. I emphasize this for things like route running, coverage, pass rush moves, and blocking. There can't just be thresholds which make cards fine, and cards with lower RR and coverage have to be punished in that quality during gameplay. Same for blocking/passrushing.

Anyway, that's my take on abilities, cards and attributes, now and for the future. EA's got a sh*t ton of work to do. Thanks for reading.

Im always in legend in madden but suck at the show and I have more fun with the show. I don’t think we realize how much quick ea could flip the script of the game and make it better. Remove abilities, fix gameplay, remove glitches, hire new employees, really anything.

SauceWithCheeseSauce said:

Im always in legend in madden but suck at the show and I have more fun with the show. I don’t think we realize how much quick ea could flip the script of the game and make it better. Remove abilities, fix gameplay, remove glitches, hire new employees, really anything.

your asking ea to care which they don't as long as they get their money they are happy

I think abilities should be like perks from cod they aren't game changing they aren't required but they are a nice little bonus that you can have.