EA's Madden NFL 25 Receives Fresh Update

Electronic Arts has released a fresh update for Madden NFL 25, aiming to resolve several gameplay issues and address player feedback. This latest patch primarily targets defensive players, marking the second update for the game in September, a sign that Madden NFL 25 still has some lingering problems to address.

As the 36th installment in the long-running American football series, Madden NFL 25 debuted on August 16, 2024, but its launch wasn't particularly well-received. Reviews on Steam have been mixed, with many players voicing concerns about controller functionality on PC and issues with gameplay mechanics. One of the most common complaints involves players' lack of situational awareness, causing key plays to fail, while the overcomplicated playbook has left many players frustrated.

Since its release, EA has been steadily rolling out updates in response to these criticisms. The latest patch tackles recurring gameplay issues, including two adjustments to the Speed Boost mechanic. The first update of September had already made changes to Speed Boost, but EA warned that more tweaks were coming—and this patch delivers on that promise.

Another key issue addressed in the patch involves Curl Flat zone depth, which impacts defensive players in a Cover 3 zone defense. When the zone depth was set at less than 15 yards, coach adjustments weren’t functioning properly, and defenders were drifting away from nearby threats. The update corrects these issues, refining gameplay for defensive positions. However, EA has acknowledged that other problems persist, and more fixes are still on the way.

Despite these updates, Madden NFL 25 continues to receive mixed feedback on Steam, signaling that more improvements are needed to satisfy players. In an effort to win over fans, EA offered a free trial of the game from September 5th through September 8th, coinciding with the kickoff of the 2024 NFL season.

Comparatively, Madden NFL 25 has struggled to capture the same enthusiasm as EA’s College Football 2025, which has been more favorably received. However, College Football 25 isn’t available on PC, leaving football simulation fans with limited options and many sticking with Madden.

Highlights of the Madden NFL 25 September 10th Update:

- Fixed the issue with Smart Routed Custom Stems triggering a Speed Boost at the snap

- Adjusted to reduce the effectiveness of a QB-rollout Speed Boost exploit

- Corrected an issue with Curl Flat zone depth coach adjustments not working correctly at less than 15 yards

- Fixed Curl Flat defenders drifting away from eligible receiving threats in close proximity

- Resolved an issue with outside Deep Third defenders losing position when covering corner routes

- Fixed an issue in Squads mode where QB control would unintentionally switch to a teammate at the snap

With ongoing updates and patches, Madden NFL 25 is gradually improving, but EA still has work to do in order to fully meet player expectations.