With the 2022 NFL regular season coming to a close Madden NFL 23 provides fans of football around the globe with hype and anticipation for the 2023 NFL season. Sure, some players prefer playing online head-to-head against others, while some enjoy the card-collecting Ultimate Team mode.
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The most hardcore Madden 23 players, though, will likely sink their teeth into the ever-improving franchise mode. It seems to add and tweak things every year, so it's important to know what one must do to get the most out of the mode. It can offer hours of enjoyment and as with most things, knowing is half the battle.
Updated January 18, 2023, by Jerrad Wyche: With the 2022 NFL regular season coming to an end, there are millions of people who will look towards Madden 23 to get their football fix until the next season comes around in the later part of 2023. Starting a franchise mode in Madden 23 may feel like a big commitment, but there are plenty of tips and tricks people can learn about that will help them cater the mode to exactly what they're looking for. Optimism can be fleeting when cheering on an NFL team in real life, but in the world of video games, any team can truly contend for a Super Bowl any given season.
12 Discover The "Why"
Now, any Chicago Bears fan may get whiplash reading this due to how former head coach Matt Nagy used the word why, but it's important in terms of the context surrounding Madden 23's franchise mode. Understanding why and how one wants to play the mode and what brings joy from doing so can create a healthier and more sustainable relationship.
Some people love management systems and enjoy seeing if they can turn around a team. Others enjoy playing the game of football and seeing what they can accomplish with the players they have. Everyone is different and once the why is known it defines a clearer path to enjoyment.
11 Online vs. Offline
Those who enjoy playing Madden 23 franchise mode with friends understand that online is the only choice. For those hopping in for a single-player experience, there comes a choice of going with an online or offline league. Each has its benefits and drawbacks, but for most people the best option is online.
Sure, accessing the mode when the internet or EA account functionality is down is only possible in offline mode, but that also means players lose access to tuning updates the game receives over time. These aren't just gameplay adjustments, as former entries in the annual NFL simulation series saw drastic changes to systems and mechanics in franchise mode such as the scouting system.
10 Know The Strengths & Holes Of The Team
Whether stacking stats or building a competitive roster is the focus of one's Madden 23 franchise mode commitment, it's important to analyze and study the roster of the chosen team in order to know what can be improved on. A major thing is understanding depth and knowing when and how to move on from players that are wanting to be overpaid, or aging veterans who are quickly declining in quality of play.
Leaning into strengths like running a pass-heavy offense with a loaded pool of receivers and an offensive line that excels in pass blocking can drastically change the trajectory of a team and doesn't take a whole ton of research and focus on the part of the player.
9 Play As Much Or As Little As You Want
The beauty of playing franchise mode is that the experience can be tailored to fit what anyone wants out of it. Some people love playing offense but get bored trying to run a defense and thankfully the game has options where players can just play one side of the ball.
Others love performing in clutch situations, and they can simulate until the fourth quarter and take the reigns of the team from that point in the game. Madden 23 franchise mode is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it does have options and it's on the player to explore and play around with the mode and find what makes their time with the mode the most happiness-inducing.
8 Pick The Right Team
People who are die-hard fans of a singular team will find this part an obvious no-brainer. Picking a team that will keep the attention of the player is important, as single-player modes in sports titles can become boring and complacent if the player isn't invested.
A good plan is to look at teams and see which ones have the superstar and young talent that most interests one's particular tastes. There's no shame in taking a contender either if the idea of competing for a Super Bowl every year is what would keep someone from giving up and abandoning a run in franchise mode.
7 Learn How Scouting Works
The scouting in Madden 23 has received a slight overhaul that builds on the system they've put in place in recent years. It's a bit obtuse and, at times, feels as if the user doesn't do much, but that can be a red herring. Setting up where scouts focus on regionally and deciding which collegiate athletes should be focused on can make or break draft boards. This whole process becomes a bit easier for fans using real draft classes, as they likely know which players they'll be targeting, provided they have enough of an interest in football at the college level.
6 Turn Off Preseason & Practice Injuries
Injuries, both in real life and in Madden, can be super frustrating. This is especially true when an injury occurs to a player that's pivotal to the team's success. Preseason games in the NFL are great for evaluating talent and building experience, but there's no reason to risk injury in Madden at this time in the offseason.
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Simply turn off the injury setting until Week 1 of the regular season to avoid these frustrations. Also, it's important to note that Madden 23 also provides a setting to turn off practice injuries, which is highly suggested considering what the possible outcomes could be if it is left on.
5 Spend Coach XP
Franchise mode in Madden 23 lets players spend experience points they earn on certain upgrades to their coaching staff. These range in terms of what they provide, but a few examples are increasing the likelihood of certain positions resigning to the team or coming via free agency, development rates for certain positions, and even ratings boosts that can impact gameday.
Far too often, players let these points accumulate at the top of their screen without ever investigating what the point of them is. These points can go a long way in building a team and retaining talent that would otherwise sign elsewhere.
4 Download Authentic Rookie Class
An exciting part about committing to franchise mode is the prospect of drafting rookies in the NFL Draft and molding them into star players. This year, Madden has done a much better part of providing generated rookie classes that feature a good crop of talent, but for those missing NCAA Football and wanting real college prospects, that's also an available option.
By heading over to the community files menu, players can download authentic and accurate rookie class files that can be uploaded and imported into franchise mode. This means that the actual rookies that will be selected in the 2023 NFL Draft can be taken in someone's draft of the given year.
3 Use Updated Accurate Rosters
Few things serve as more of a bummer than spending 15 minutes setting up a franchise only to realize that dozens of players remain on teams they're no longer with. Sure, to some, it's irrelevant, and the focus is on their roster, but NFL fans are picky, and most want franchise mode to reflect what they'll be witnessing in the current NFL season.
Making sure rosters are up to date and feature the right players is simple thanks to Madden's community files menu, where players can upload and download rosters that range from being day-to-day accurate and others providing rosters filled with all-time lineups.
2 Find The Perfect Game Length/Difficulty
There's a core part of the Madden community that believes All-Madden is the only difficulty setting worth playing at, but the reality is that players should play at whatever offers the experience they're trying to have.
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Some people like to feel an authentic competitive tone, while others simply love scoring dozens of touchdowns and running up the score on the computer. Pairing a solid difficulty with the right game length in terms of minutes is important, and those looking to produce realistic stats will likely take the most time figuring out what combination fits their specific play style and pacing.
1 Tweak Gameplay Sliders
One thing a lot of Madden players tend to forget about is the gameplay sliders that can be found in the franchise mode settings. These allow players to specifically tweak certain aspects of the game, including AI pass-rush and quarterback accuracy.
A good method is to play a game and see what's working and what feels a bit over or underpowered in the experience. Then, once back at the franchise mode hub, simply navigate to the gameplay settings menu and change the corresponding sliders. Doing this will ultimately allow users to get the most customized and perfected experience they are looking for from their time in Madden 23 franchise mode.
Madden NFL 23 is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
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