Gameplay
Madden NFL Mobile (MM) began as a mobile version of Madden Ultimate Team (MUT), with features like players and cards being available. To earn these, players participate in "Live Events", which can earn them card packs and coins. Another mode that is available is a season mode. In prior versions of Madden Mobile, this was called "Season" mode, which allows players to play a full 17-game season, which extends to the Super Bowl. [1] This feature was removed in MADDEN OVERDRIVE, but was reintroduced in 2020 as "seasons".
Being a freemium game, players can spend real-life money to purchase packs, in game currency, and "Bundles" that include a certain number of packs and a topper of an item. The game is also level-based, and features like bonuses for rewards that increase as one reaches higher levels. [2] There is also another mode labeled "Leagues" where players may join or create a league alongside other players that face in Tournaments against other leagues, offering a chat box, goals with rewards such as players and tokens. The ability for players to send other players within the league packs was discontinued with MM 2017.
The game itself features standard football rules, such as scoring mechanics including touchdowns, field goals, and safeties. It also features real plays categorized as "long passes", "short passes", "play action passes", and "run" plays for the offense; "man coverage", "zone coverage", and "blitz" plays for the defense. It also features multiple special plays available at any point including punts, fake punts, field goals, quarterback kneels, and fake field goals. There are also up to four different styles for kickoffs, kick returns, punt, punt returns (left, right, middle, duplicates, onside kicks, etc.) The game is connectable with Facebook to allow for more social features, though players can also create unlinked accounts.
Seasons
Seasons have been a part of a game since the start, however have been changed every year and were eviscerated in Madden Overdrive. In Madden Mobile 20, they were brought back and new features were added to make it a more realistic experience for the player. [3]
There are multiple seasons modes, including 2024 NFL season involving the realistic season and managing teams. [4]
Events
Events is a game mode in which players may participate in various challenges for rewards. Typically, there is no charge to play Events once, but replays of some events must be played using an in-game reward token called "Blitz Tokens". The use of "Stamina" to play events was eliminated with the launch of Madden Overdrive and was reintroduced in season six.
Completing these events earn the player rewards, such as card packs, coins, players, experience points, or one of the program specific currencies that were rolled out with the Madden Overdrive version of the game. There are also seasonal live events for things such as Black Friday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, Easter as well as Super Bowl and Playoff Recap events. Every day of the week, there are new live events.
Head to Head
Madden Overdrive did away with the Head to Head mode with Madden Overdrive, replacing it with the game's namesake "Overdrive" mode. Madden NFL Overdrive removed the original head-to-head format and replaced it with the Overdrive mode. This new take on Head to Head features real-time multiplayer for the first time in franchise history, in which both players try to score as many "Fantasy Points" as possible in a 3-minute game.
Blitz Tournaments
Originally implemented in MM18, Blitz Tournaments were a mode that took place every weekend that put opponents in a head-to-head match, usually with a modification to the gameplay (i.e. Only being able to call pass plays, having a limited amount of plays to score, etc.). Players had to get as many wins as possible over the course of the weekend, with the top players receiving sought after player cards as a reward. This mode was released to overwhelming success, becoming one of the most popular game modes in Madden Mobile's history.
When Madden NFL Overdrive launched, the mode was not initially included in the game, which came as both a shock and disappointment to many returning players. However, the mode was re-released in December 2018, with a few changes. Now, blitz tournaments run through the entire week, instead of just the weekends. Tournaments now use Overdrive instead of the original head-to-head mode, and have yet to include any gameplay modifiers in the tournaments thus far. Doing well in these tournaments awards players with a currency they can use for a variety of rewards, including elite and diamond players, grab bag packs, and 94 OVR Blitz Tournament Masters. While the mode is popular, it most likely will not see the success it had the year before.
Leagues
Joining a League will give the player user interaction with other players inside the game. In a league, one can play each other in a head-to-head match for bragging rights. There are League Tournaments that a league can play in as a team: all players participating in the tournament will have three drives to score as high as possible against another league. The rewards of tournaments is league XP, used to level up. Finally, there are League Championships, in which players compete against each other in a championship tournament that will rank them based on their performances in the tournament.
Auction House
The Auction House is a place where players may bid/buy cards. While since its inception, the Auction House was a place where players could buy items being sold by other players, that system was changed mid-season in MM 18 to a brokered auction house, in which a bot acts as an intermediary between players buying and selling their cards. Bidding allows the player to bid slowly against others with a slightly lower chance of winning the item. Buying the item allows the player to immediately end the bidding process and earn the item for the amount bought for. The player may not buy the item if the buy price is less than the bidding price. A common activity on the Auction House is referred to as "sniping," or buying items for low prices as soon as they are available and reselling them for profit. The Auction house shuts down a few days before a new season begins, but posting to the Auction House is disabled 3 days prior to going down. Ten percent of the coins made on the transaction are deducted as a tax. The auction house became no longer available in MM22.
Players
Players come in the form of cards or captains. Cards can vary in power, scarcity, tier, and the stats on the card. All cards feature a power, a key aspect of the player's team which determines their performance in all multiplayer game modes, such as Overdrive and Arena. Captains are exclusive to the Overdrive game mode, and give boosts to the player's team. They also give a Captain Bonus when the player completes the bonus objective, which gives the player extra points in the match. Different Captains can be unlocked in several ways, including completing a fixed amount of matches or scoring a certain number of points with a captain.
Packs
Packs are another element to the game. Prior to the launch of Madden Overdrive, it was a major element. However, most traditional packs were eliminated and were replaced by packs purchased with various tokens and currencies available in-game. However, some packs require spending of actual money, in the form of Madden Cash. There are many different packs available for different times and lengths. Some packs such as the Pro Pack are available 24/7, while others (such as Super Bowl) are available for a few days. Packs could include rare collectibles, bronze to onyx players, etc. and vary in value.
There are uniforms for all 32 teams and some special uniforms. The default uniform depends on the team being used. Some special uniforms come out for example throwback uniforms and special uniforms for the events. Uniforms may be purchased with in-game coins, cash, and gems. They may also be obtained through packs.
Declining Player Counts and Changes
In recent years, Madden Mobile, the popular mobile football game, has experienced a notable decline in player counts, attributed in part to significant changes implemented within the game. One of the pivotal alterations that sparked controversy among the player community was the removal of the auction house, a feature that facilitated player-to-player trading and the acquisition of in-game items.
The decision to eliminate the auction house marked a departure from the game's previous mechanics, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among longtime players. Many enthusiasts argued that the removal of this feature significantly diminished the game's appeal, as it limited player interaction and stifled the in-game economy.
Additionally, the declining player counts can be observed through verifiable data, which indicates a downward trend in active user numbers over time. Coupled with anecdotal evidence from online discourse, it becomes evident that Madden Mobile has faced challenges in retaining its player base amidst these changes.
While the exact reasons for the decline in player counts are multifaceted and may involve various factors beyond the removal of the auction house, the consensus among the gaming community suggests that this alteration played a significant role. As Madden Mobile continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how future updates and adjustments will shape the trajectory of the game and its player base.
