A Reasonable Quick Fix By EA to Include Refs in Madden 22

[Hamburgerpimp97]

Just saw Madden's Lead Developer confirm refs will not be included in the game. From a gameplay standpoint it might not be an issue, but from an aesthetics standpoint in 2021 it is a big miss as I feel like I'm in a scrimmage versus a live game. Not to mention the fact that this game has produced 30+ annual versions and cannot figure out how to include refs when the other sports gaming companies have not seemed to have any issue for the past 2+ decades?

To me since the argument by EA is that refs interfere with player movement, why not just have the ref appear at the line of scrimmage then when the ball is hiked/play in motion they disappear? Seems like a reasonable fix to me that preserves the true simulation feel of how an NFL video game should be.

[TheBleedingRed21]

Just to get people fuss and call them lazy cause they’re not there during gameplay, I think they’d rather not bother until they can overhaul it all to include them properly.

[Reed1417]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheBleedingRed21

Just to get people fuss and call them lazy cause they’re not there during gameplay, I think they’d rather not bother until they get overhaul it all to include them properly.

Yup cause that's EXACTLY what would happen I can hear the internet now.

"Billion dollar company can't figure out how to get referees to stay on the field during gameplay. What's the point of even having them in if they just disappear?"

I'm with a lot of you in the respect that it's so weird not seeing them on the field, but in the past few years since taking them out I haven't really noticed or paid much attention to that.

But here's the kicker, if they bring them back and they do it the way they want to (example making them part of the field of play) and players run into them and that stuff....I could see people losing their MINDS over that stuff. Especially if it costs someone a game because "the ref got in my way and I tripped over him/her! EA sucks blah blah blah".

So we'll see how/when/if they bring them back.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[segarr]

How exactly would they interfere with player movement though? There have been many driving games where you can't run over the pedestrians walking around so they dodge the cars. There's no collision detection on them either just incase. They can't put animations in the game where they move out the way of the players?

[Hooe]

Madden 22 was internally feature-complete at least two months ago, has likely gone gold by now, and the post-launch support roadmap was in all likelihood already set in stone well before now as well (example: we have known what’s coming in the September update - the new scouting feature - since E3).

There is no reasonable quick fix to get referees in the game this year. Nothing in large enterprise software projects or AAA live service video games is ever built quickly. Don’t hold your breath waiting for on-field officials in Madden 22.

[Sphinx]

Yeah refs not being on the field doesn't bother me. When they first did it back in 20 or 19 whatever it was, I thought it would annoy me. However I don't even notice they're not there. I prefer it now actually.

Sent from my LE2125 using Operation Sports mobile app

[jfsolo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sphinx

Yeah refs not being on the field doesn't bother me. When they first did it back in 20 or 19 whatever it was, I thought it would annoy me. However I don't even notice they're not there. I prefer it now actually. Sent from my LE2125 using Operation Sports mobile app

Yeah, the only reason I want them back is so that there will be one less bash EA talking point that gets brought up every year.

[m1ke_nyc]

Put me in the camp that wants the refs back but it doesn’t really bother me that they are gone. What I’d really like back is the walk to the line of scrimmage.