EA Sports has detailed some of the new gameplay features headed to Madden NFL 24 in August 23. These changes include some brand-new technology that allows for thousands of new animations on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC versions (older versions won’t have this tech).
What’s new in Madden NFL 24?
In the most recent version of EA Sports’ Gridiron Notes, the studio detailed some of the many new features coming to Madden NFL 24’s gameplay. Most notable are some big changes to Fieldsense, a system that was introduced in Madden NFL 23 and aimed to enhance the game’s realism and presentation.
This year, the introduction of what EA Sports’ “Sapien Technology” will allow for the inclusion of upwards of a thousand animations, all of which are aimed to increase player immersion.
According to EA Sports, the Sapien technology essentially acts as a skeleton for players, built from the ground up to deliver new animations that look and feel like players are watching a real football game. The Sapien skeleton allows for all NFL athlete data — including player models and stats — to be much more fluid while updated. This should result in a variety of new animations, especially with players in motion. Things like a running back attacking a gap or a wide receiver trying to create separation are examples EA Sports said to look out for.
Alongside the overhaul in animations, EA Sports has also updated its Skill-Based Passing system, which was introduced last year and tweaked how players throw the football. With Skill-Based Passing 2.0, EA Sports has included some iconic animations into the game, including things like Patrick Mahomes’ diving pass or a quarterback completing a no-look pass. On top of that, accuracy tweaks have also been made to better simulate the feel of the NFL.
Other changes to the game also include improvements to other systems introduced last year, with actions like mid-air catch tackles, tackling control, and blocking all getting a bit of an update thanks to the game’s new AI system.
