A scene from ‘Madden NFL 17.’(Photo: Electronic Arts)



For video game fans, this is the beginning of the best time of year.


The launch of a new Madden NFL video game marks the unofficial start to the fall/holiday season, which is when most of the industry’s high-profile titles hit home consoles.


It kicks off Tuesday with the arrival of Madden NFL 17 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Can we expect big changes this season, or is another glorified “roster update” packaged into a new game?


Here are five of the biggest changes I’ve seen playing Madden NFL 17.


1. Franchise Mode is streamlined.


This is the game mode where players choose a team, then serve as either a player, coach or owner. So, you can either call plays every week or go one step further and manage the franchise. Week to week, players participate in practice sessions, where they study their opponents favorite plays and learn how to exploit them. It gives the practice options in Madden some more focus. On the main Franchise screen, there’s an “Improve Your Team” option, where players can make trades and quickly evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their team. Players can also manage their Practice Squads to help round up their team’s depth.


2. It’s easier to choose how to play a game.


Granted, players could already do a lot of this in earlier Madden games, but this year’s release simplifies how players want to progress through a game. Depending on your settings, playing a football game in Madden can stretch for well over an hour, so there are more tools to speed through. The most important change is Moments, where players control the team during big moments in a game, while the rest is simulated. Players will gain control during key third downs, when inside the red zone, or for other key plays. It’s like Madden’s answer to NFL RedZone. Players can usually finish a game in about 15-20 minutes. But if you want greater control, you can also opt to work on offense or defense only. It’s much easier than picking the “super simulation” option and skipping ahead.


3. Special teams gets love.