The Gridiron Notes we've all been waiting for were released by EA today and of course, I'm referring to Madden Ultimate Team! At first glance, it looks like EA targeted a lot of the pain points that existed in MUT 22 with the changes included in today's notes. I usually try to stick to the facts and let you be the judge, but I must say, all of these changes sound like W's to me. Now, let's walk through each change together and you let me know in the comments at the end if you agree:
To view the Gridiron Notes used for this article, Click Here.
Field Passes
A new feature in MUT 23 will be the addition of Field Passes. If you've ever played a game like Fortnite, Call of Duty, or Rocket League, then you're probably familiar with a Battle Pass. Consider the Field Pass to be Madden's version of a Battle Pass. As you earn XP and make progress on your Field Pass, you will earn rewards. All Field Passes in MUT 23 will be FREE. Check out all 3 different types of Field Passes below:
Season Pass
Seasons in MUT 23 will last approximately 60 days and with each new season comes a new Season Field Pass. Each Season Pass will contain 60 levels of rewards including coins, packs, uniforms, and player items. Complete the objectives outlined by the Season Pass to make progress and unlock your rewards. New objectives will be added to the Pass periodically throughout the season.
Competitive Pass
The second type of Field Pass in MUT 23 will be the "Competitive Pass", which contains objectives that can be completed in competitive modes such as Solo Battles, H2H Seasons, Squads Seasons, and MUT Champions. Rewards will include coins, packs, and a new featured player reward every 2 weeks.
Program Pass
Major programs in MUT 23 will come with a program-specific Field Pass that includes even more rewards to earn as you engage with the latest MUT program. At launch, Headliners will be the first program-specific Field Pass of the year.
MUT Champions
Weekend League is now called "MUT Champions" in Madden Ultimate Team 23 and it comes with a few changes as well. Check out some of the key changes below:
- No more time constraints, play up to 25 games any day of the week
- Champs Entry Tokens grant access to MUT Champions and can be earned by making progress on the Competitive Field Pass
- Rewards for MUT Champions will appear instantly after your games in MUT 23, no more waiting until Tuesday
Sets 2.0
Sets in MUT 23 have been streamlined compared to sets in previous years. Sets can now be accessed from directly inside of your item binder, allowing you to complete them much easier and take advantage of filters when looking for specific items. While completing sets, your lowest cost, unused, and non-favorited items can be highlighted to help you add the right items as well. Some items used in sets will now return directly back into your item binder as "BND" or account bound, meaning they can no longer be collected, auctioned, or traded, but can still be used on the field or quicksold for reduced Training. Be sure to check set descriptions to see if your items will be returned as "BND" or not.
Competitive Play
The following changes have been made to competitive game modes:
Solo Battles
- Games refresh daily (4 per day, 28 per week)
- Rewards will be earned instantly from the Competitive Field Pass
- Objectives on the Competitive Pass give rewards based on your number of wins and game difficulty
H2H Seasons
- Rewards will be earned instantly from the Competitive Field Pass
- The number of games in a season will be 8 and there will be a total of 6 divisions
- There will be an All-Madden Seasons mode
MUT Draft
- Ranked mode has been removed to create healthier matchmaking pools
- More regular updates to the draft pool throughout the year
- Salary Cap has been removed
Player Items
- Starter team OVRs have been raised compared to previous years
- The number of Power Ups in MUT 23 has been significantly reduced
- Lower OVR Elite players will receive ability buckets pertaining to their archetype
- Higher OVR Elite players will receive custom ability buckets with unique features like discounted AP or abilities from a different archetype
- Most Elite players will have a Team Chemistry bucket that allows you to equip Team Chemistry for any team the player has played for during a regular season or playoff game
- Player art can still be swapped where applicable
- Traditional purple Power Ups are gone but some programs, such as Legends, will feature design elements reminiscent of Power Ups
Strategy Items
A pain point for many players in MUT 22, especially early on, was getting the right Strategy Items. In an effort to improve the system, the following improvements have been made to Strategy Items in MUT 23:
- No SPD boosts appear on any Core Strategy Item in MUT 23
- Three total Strategy Item slots: Offense, Defense, and a new Team Affinity Strategy slot
- New ways to acquire Strategy Items include earning them from the Field Pass, pack offers in the Store, and most importantly, Strategy Items in MUT 23 will be auctionable (Huge W!)
What are you most excited about in MUT 23? Share your thoughts on today's news in the comments below.
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