Madden NFL 16 News Post

Donny Moore, the 'Madden Ratings Czar', Leaving EA

12:28 PM - July 2, 2015 by RaychelSnr

Donny Moore, aka the ‘Madden Ratings Czar’, is leaving Electronic Arts as he will be “pursuing other interests.”

In an official statement on Twitter, Moore said, “After much thought & consideration, I have chosen to step away from @EASports & announce my retirement as the Madden Ratings Czar as I have opted to pursue other interests. I am especially grateful of the opportunity to rate players for some of the greatest fans in video games today. After 16 years, it is finally time to hang up the czar's mouse pad! #Czartirement"

For Moore, this ends a long tenure as the guy running the ratings and updates for Madden. Moore’s tenure spanned 16 years at EA Tiburon, which means he was easily one of the most tenured at that studio. There is no word yet on who will be replacing Moore, but we do expect an announcement soon.

The ratings position occupied by Moore has been a staple of Madden’s internet presence for years. Moore’s ratings oftentimes drew criticism, but the weekly ratings updates were always hugely anticipated by fans, despite what ire they may have drawn.

The ratings this year will likely still come in the same pacing as previous years, and it will be interesting to see if any differences in how much players move up and down the scale happens without Moore at the helm. We’ll certainly be watching it going forward!

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Member Comments

# 1 dkp23 @ 07/02/15 12:32 PM

Maybe now they can kill this rating system or consolidate it.

# 2 jpdavis82 @ 07/02/15 12:43 PM

Crazy, I just sent him a message last night on Facebook asking about his plans for ratings and what they were changing about speed this year.

# 3 4thQtrStre5S @ 07/02/15 12:43 PM

Will be interesting to see what happens from here...I do not believe consolidating ratings would be good as it would just further make players the same; they need to utilize the ratings they have and give them true value, thus allowing for more diversity between players.

# 4 EricFreakingBerry @ 07/02/15 12:51 PM

Well, good luck to him and regardless of our gripes with the system, the guy obviously did the best he could do under the conditions implemented by the entire team's vision.

I do look forward to seeing if there will be some further development or nuances of how players are rated starting with next year's game. More intangible factors to ratings, more complexity/variability, or even completely reworked mechanics entirely. I agree that we don't need to consolidate or combine too many things because the goal should be to get each and every player on the field to have a unique personality and feel.

# 5 sir psycho @ 07/02/15 12:56 PM

Wish him the best of luck with whatever is next for him. That being said, I am definitely intrigued by the possibilities here. Here's hoping that the whole ratings system can be reworked and allow for more separation and variety among players.

# 6 KingV2k3 @ 07/02/15 01:11 PM

It'll prob be another release cycle or two before they overhaul, but better late(r) than never...

Hopefully EA will take a long look at Dan's system for FBG and either implement that or at least something like it...

Ratings should be based on data, as opposed to stats, conjecture, personal bias...

# 7 SolidSquid @ 07/02/15 01:11 PM

Hope he finds success in whatever he chooses to pursue but I'm glad he is gone. One guy handling the ratings for every player in the game is just ludacris. Hopefully the ratings system will improve and go from a czar to a more democratic option.

Does anyone hope to see the ratings lowered and more spread out? I'm really hoping to see decent starters be rated in the 60-70 region and not as many guys in the 90s.

# 8 Hooe @ 07/02/15 01:13 PM

Best of luck to Donny in whatever he decides to do next.

# 9 Gotmadskillzson @ 07/02/15 01:16 PM

I hope this doesn't mean they going the NBA Live route with Synergy and make ratings non editable.

# 10 charter04 @ 07/02/15 01:21 PM

Wish him luck but, hopefully this will lead to getting away from these horrible overrated ratings.

The ratings have always been part of the problem with how the game plays.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 11 l8knight1 @ 07/02/15 01:21 PM

I don't have a whole lot of emotion when it comes to ratings in the sense of who is a 98 vs an 88. I also do not have the sense that all of the many, MANY ratings of each player has much of an outcome, and if some could be consolidated. Pass-blocking strength vs footwork, for example. I bite my tongue too, because adding and removing attributes usually cements the fact that rosters are not portable from year to year. In creating modding rosters, I (and Capa when we do classic rosters) create a LOT of players. In doing so, I am a firm believer that there are hidden attributes, especially so for well known stars. I believe this because created players with the same attributes as an existing rarely play the exactly same way. I'm not clear as to whether the confidence mechanic holds tons of pull on this or if it is also due to height and weight. It has been written that height and weight matter a lot. In addition to ratings, you also have player tendencies to the side, trigger-happy, or agreesive catcher, etc. I really just want to know the real cause and affect with regard to attributes, and if they are consistent throughout rosters regardless if it is Peyton Manning or a created player.

# 12 RogueHominid @ 07/02/15 01:24 PM

Obviously you wish the guy well and hope to heck he's got something else on the table and can feed his family.

Personal stuff aside, and focusing just on the game, this is an encouraging move to me as a fan of football and football video games. The game I play the most (baseball game) has a much more extensive ratings spread that really allows you to distinguish between league average players, below average players, and elite players. I think Madden sorely needs a drastic revision in ratings philosophy, and that the game needs to utilize much more of the ratings scale than they do. I also think ratings need to be rethought from the ground up so that ratings without a clear function or ratings that are tied to too many things can be eliminated.

# 13 vannwolfhawk @ 07/02/15 01:28 PM

Not to knock the guy down but I am excited for a change here. After inputting all of the fbg ratings into the game last year and seeing what a HUGE difference it made to the game and gameplay I think it's time madden makes a change. It's amazing how different (in a extremely positive way) the game plays with different ratings.

I'm looking forward to a change and something similar to the fbg ratings where it's based off data and not the eye test and watching you tube videos. From the E3 videos I saw I stated and noticed it looked like they finally slowed the game speed down which IMO makes the game look and animate better. Then come to find out they redid speed ratings which might have been what I was noticing. I can't help but think though that maybe the devs saw the big fbg thread or roster threads for both xbox1 and ps4 and realized it was finally time for a change from all the positive comments about how the game played with fbg ratings in their game?

At least use the speed, acceleration, agility, and strength to scale from data at the very least. I think route running, coverage, and awareness is all subjective and maybe those areas you could eye test. Hopefully they take the FIFA or nba2k approach with spreading ratings out and not being so worried about what the overall rating is. Make players play like themselves so we can finally see a difference in a Jerome Bettis as opposed to a Reggie bush.

It is odd and a little worrisome this is taking place so late in the development cycle though and it will be interesting to see how this plays out throughout the year. Maybe we don't see a difference til next year?

# 14 Senator Palmer @ 07/02/15 01:31 PM

I got mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, I've felt for a while that the ratings system needed some fresh blood, or at least a new perspective, but this might not actually mean that's what's happening. You always run the risk that the replacement will be even worse.

I remember that article a while ago on the disconnect between what some developers wanted to do and what Donny wanted. As in Donny wanted to continue to expand the ratings to show greater difference between players, while others were completely at a loss as to why that was necessary.

# 15 Gman 18 @ 07/02/15 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charter04


	Wish him luck but, hopefully this will lead to getting away from these horrible overrated ratings. The ratings have always been part of the problem with how the game plays. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good luck to Donnie in whatever he does.

Exactly. If EA is truly serious about improved gameplay, they NEED an accurate ratings system. It would be nice if they take a look at FBG ratings and NFL 2k5's rating system, but in the end the suits will overrule the ratings of specific players regardless of who is hired. Its unfortunate, but there is nothing we can really do about it other than re-edit the ratings ourselves.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 16 therizing02 @ 07/02/15 01:52 PM

Wait and see...

Did he leave because he just found a better opportunity and it was time to move on after 16 years?

Did he leave because he wanted to keep the current rating system in place and everyone else wanted it overhauled? Vice versa?

Since we know marketing is somewhat involved, did he leave because they want be more involved?

Maybe the suits now want to approve rating changes or at least dictate what they should be based on popularity.

Way too easy to speculate on what this means because there isn't in any info on why he left. I'll wait and see...

# 17 GoodImmigrant @ 07/02/15 02:02 PM

His retirement statement reminds me a little of Tikki Barber's.
I wish Donny all the best.

P.S.: T.J. Houshmandzadeh still wants his speed rating up.

# 18 Gman 18 @ 07/02/15 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by therizing02


	Wait and see... Did he leave because he just found a better opportunity and it was time to move on after 16 years? Did he leave because he wanted to keep the current rating system in place and everyone else wanted it overhauled? Vice versa? Since we know marketing is somewhat involved, did he leave because they want be more involved? Maybe the suits now want to approve rating changes or at least dictate what they should be based on popularity. Way too easy to speculate on what this means because there isn't in any info on why he left. I'll wait and see...

Ratings being dictated by a player's popularity, rather than his actual skill set, is something that really diminishes immersion from the game. That is something that was somewhat acceptable back in 2001, but now in 2015 we should see a ratings system based on REAL DATA from NFL teams and scouting reports- AKA an FBG ratings-esque system. In 2015 ratings should be the smallest problem when it comes to madden, but unfortunately it continues to be one of the game's major flaws and has and possibly always will hold the game back gameplay wise

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 19 Senator Palmer @ 07/02/15 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gman 18


	Ratings being dictated by a player's popularity, rather than his actual skill set, is something that really diminishes immersion from the game. That is something that was somewhat acceptable back in 2001, but now in 2015 we should see a ratings system based on REAL DATA from NFL teams and scouting reports- AKA an FBG ratings-esque system. In 2015 ratings should be the smallest problem when it comes to madden, but unfortunately it continues to be one of the game's major flaws and has and possibly always will hold the game back gameplay wise Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This right here has been my biggest bug-a-boo with the way the ratings were applied.

I'll never forget that for the longest time when Tom Brady came on the scene his THP rating was 92. From like 2003-2006, like clockwork every year it was 92. Then he gets Randy Moss, throws 50 touchdown passes, the Patriots go 16-0 and the next year his THP gets beefed up to 99!

Really... really??? So 50 TD passes and all of sudden he's got the strongest arm in the NFL???

# 20 crenk @ 07/02/15 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vannwolfhawk


	Not to knock the guy down but I am excited for a change here. After inputting all of the fbg ratings into the game last year and seeing what a HUGE difference it made to the game and gameplay I think it's time madden makes a change. It's amazing how different (in a extremely positive way) the game plays with different ratings.

can you tell me the two second version of how it improved the gameplay? Not doubting, I just have no experience with these ratings

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Donny Moore, the 'Madden Ratings Czar', Leaving EA