EA Sports has revealed that a planned weekly update forMadden NFL 23’s Ultimate Team mode could potentially be delayed by the arrival of Hurricane Ian. With EA Tiburon, the subsidiary responsible fortheMadden NFLfranchise, located in Florida, the sports juggernaut has taken precautions for the impending weather. The Maitland-based development studio has been in charge of the annual football franchise since first working with EA in 1995. Now, with Hurricane Ian set to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane, EA is preparing for potential delays.An update posted to theMadden NFL 23Ultimate Team Twitter account notified fans of the potential delays to weekly content for the game. WhileMadden NFL 23’s “Good Morning Madden” broadcasts are set to proceed as usual, potential new drops for in-game content could be delayed due to the effects of Hurricane Ian. EA specifically mentioned the AKA, Team of the Week, Gridiron Guardians, Team Diamonds, and Legends sets as potentially being affected by the onset of the storm. EA reassured fans that any update about delays would be posted to the official Twitter.RELATED:EA and NFL Renew Licensing Deal for MaddenEA Sports' plans for upcoming contentposted Monday currently does not list any confirmed changes to the weekly schedule, but the situation is subject to change with the progression of the hurricane. Florida governor Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency as Hurricane Ian approaches the US mainland, with flood warnings and evacuations set in place across Florida. The hurricane is currently projected to make landfall in Florida sometime on Wednesday afternoon near Tampa.
The storm hitting Florida will cause issues for aMaddengame that has already seen both significant success and criticism for EA Sports. Following its release in late August,Madden NFL 23quickly became the best-selling game of the month, beating out games like theSaints Rowreboot andSoul Hackers 2. However, fans and even some professional players have lambasted the newest entry in the annual franchise. TheKansas City Chiefs' Mecole Hardman Jr.was heavily critical ofMadden NFL 23, calling it the “worstMaddengame ever.”
While initial reception towardsMadden NFL 23from fans has been negative, despite its strong sales numbers, EA Sports has shown a commitment to improving the game. Arecent update toMadden NFL 23included several changes to blocking, as well as fine-tuning aspects of the game’s AI like pass-block logic. EA Sports has also been criticized for a lack of significant changes to the franchise, citing theMadden NFLseries' yearly schedule as a major detriment. While EA Tiburon will look to continue to improveMadden NFL 23, the arrival of Hurricane Ian will likely disrupt some of its regular content.
Madden NFL 23is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
