Because of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Fifa 23 players will get a World Cup mode. With that World Cup mode we will also get a slew of new international teams to play with and one big one brought back.
Brazil has returned! In FIFA 19 and 20, Brazil only had generic players in the squad apart from Neymar. In FIFA 21 and 22, there were only generic players. For the World Cup in Qatar, the champions will be back in action with all their stars.
The World Cup will also bring some special cards in Ultimate Team, as EA has already introduced us to the FUT World Cup Heroes. Below is the list of which national teams will be in FIFA 23.
Madden 23 is not groundbreaking, but a clear step in the right direction.
Coming off two disappointing years in a row, Madden 23 developers focused on refining the game-play. Visually, Madden 23 did not take a big step forward but improvements to animations and defensive AI make it feel more polished, more enjoyable than the last few years. A respectable step forward for the series.
Game-play Improvements
Madden 23 is filled with advancements that are felt in the games play rather than seen.
A few of the improvements on offense offer a higher degree of control over your players, which in turn make things feel more smooth. On the other side of the ball, the defense is significantly smarter than before, making the experience more realistic.
Perhaps the biggest addition is Madden 23’s refined passing controls, which combine with an accuracy meter to offer more control when putting the ball in tight windows. Those offensive changes are balanced by a pass rush that shows more purpose and tighter zone coverage.
What About the Bugs?
Madden 23 is noticeably less buggy then its predecessors, at least on the field. The developers have stated that they felt Madden 23 was the most polished in recent memory.
Final Verdict
Madden fans will tell you that it hasn’t been a great few years for EA’s football simulation. Madden NFL 23 provides a glimpse of a light with a few smart enhancements to animations, AI, and passing mechanics that make meaningful improvements to the on field experience. It’s not greatness, but Madden 23 takes a meaningful step forward.
Madden 23 is finally out, here are our first impressions.
There are Noticeable Visual Improvements
Madden 23 doesn’t take a huge leap in visuals when compared to Madden 22, but it does take a noticeable one.
Zone Defense Works Much Better
Being able to trust your A.I. in a coverage you called seems like a given in a football game, that has not been the case in previous iterations of Madden. The defense in Madden 23 makes more sense and in turn, the game is simply more fun.
The New Passing Mechanics Will Benefit the More Skilled Players
The biggest offensive change in Madden 23 is the new passing mechanics. You can still use classic passing, but if you can master the new mechanics it will add another layer to your game. The system is intuitive and adds depth to the experience.
Point of Contact Has Improved
You will notice more animations and more physics-based movement in the new approach EA has chosen. It’s not perfect, there are still issues, however it feels more like real football than previous versions.
Franchise Mode is Significantly Improved
The biggest improvement appears to be to the franchise mode, in line with our observation when beta was released. It is clear EA made the mode a priority this year.
EA has confirmed it’s sticking with loot boxes for FIFA 23 Ultimate Team.
EA echoed many of its recent comments on Ultimate Team’s card packs, which have come under fire from children’s groups and researchers in recent years for their links to gambling, and from players for enabling pay-to-win in competitive modes.
“We wholeheartedly believe that Ultimate Team and FUT Packs, which have been part of the game for more than a decade, are a part of FIFA that players love – fans love that the game reflects the real-world excitement and strategy of building and managing a squad. Giving players the choice to spend if they want to is fair,” EA’s statement reads.
Instead, the government said it does not consider loot boxes to be the same as gambling, and as a result will not make changes to the Gambling Act.
While the government called for stronger protections from across the entire industry and insisted it “will not hesitate to consider legislation if companies do not bring in sufficient measures to keep players safe”, its decision on loot boxes contrasts that of a number of European countries that have brought loot boxes under gambling laws.
For the uninitiated Ultimate Team, which drives hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for EA each year(doesn’t take a lot of imagination to know why EA will be sticking with loot boxes for FIFA 23 Ultimate Team), revolves around the idea of building a squad of players, which you then use to play in matches, both offline and online.
There are a number of ways you can obtain players in the game, but one of the main methods is through packs of virtual cards. These card packs contain a random assortment of items, including players of varying potency you then use out on the pitch. Generally, the better the player, the lower your chance of obtaining them from a pack. Although they’re not described as such in-game, Ultimate Team’s card packs are loot boxes.
You can buy the card packs with either a virtual currency called FUT Coins, which is earned mostly through gameplay, or with a virtual currency called FIFA Points, which is bought with real-world money.
Get ready to relive the 15 greatest moments in MJ’s incomparable career.
2K Sports recently announced they were bringing back the popular ‘Jordan Challenge’ for this years installment of NBA 2K, and dropped a pretty great trailer as part of that announcement.
The Jordan Challenge was revolutionary in sports video gaming 12 years ago and will return this year, with an amazing level of detail and presentation.
“In the past 12 years, we have an entirely new generation of NBA fans to retell these incredible stories to,” said executive producer Erick Boenisch. “This generation didn’t get the chance, necessarily, to see Michael play live, to see him play on TV, to see him play in person. So everything that they know about this person is from YouTube, from word of mouth, or their parents. This really is a chance for us to retell the story of Michael Jordan to a whole new generation of NBA fans.
The Jordan Challenge for NBA 2K23 will begin with one of its five new moments, the 1982 NCAA National Championship game between Jordan’s North Carolina Tar Heels and the Georgetown Hoyas, starring his future and longtime rival Patrick Ewing. Tar Heel greats James Worthy and Sam Perkins will take the floor in their alma mater’s uniforms. So will Ewing and Eric “Sleepy” Floyd, under the formidable glare of the Hoyas’ coach, John Thompson.
“We’ve tried to get North Carolina for a number of years now,” Boenisch said, referring to the college portion of NBA 2K’s MyCareer mode. “They always had their reasons for not wanting to do it. Pitching them, we said, ‘Here’s our vision for the game this year, Mike’s involved, Mike wants this,’ and they said, ‘OK, great. Sounds good. Let’s do this.’ They were super enthused to work with us to help be a part of telling Michael Jordan’s story.”
Wrapping each of the 15 moments will be interviews with teammates, opponents, broadcasters, and other luminaries.
“We brought Mike Fratello in and he just started rattling off stories,” Boenisch said. “And we had done our research, we prepped the scripts, but we really hadn’t heard this stuff before. This is new. He added a vibe to The Jordan Challenge that I just was not expecting. Just incredible. He really brought the energy to the broadcast, and you will feel that when you play the game.”
“It was a labor of love,” Wang said. “We have a lot of old heads on our team, a lot of our team, a lot of people who got into this industry because of Michael Jordan. So, being able to do it was awesome fun for us, too.”
The Jordan Challenge will be available in all editions of NBA 2K23.
There’s a new group of Superstars and X-Factors in Madden 23, here’s everything we know about them.
X-Factors and Superstars are back in Madden 23. The abilities have been a popular feature since the X-Factor and Superstar systems were introduced in Madden 20.
For the newbies to the franchise, an X-Factor is a player that has a special ability that can be activated during a game while Superstars are given different passive skills to boost their overall stats. Both are valuable and can make the difference between winning and losing a game.
Below, fans can see the full lists of every X-Factor player and their ability along with all Superstars that we know of so far.
Madden 23 X-Factors
The list of X-Factors in Madden 23 is currently based on what was visible in the beta, so things may change before the official release on August 19.
Team
Player
Position
Ability
Ability Description
Bills
Stefon Diggs
WR
Rac ‘Em Up
Higher chance of winning a RAC catch vs. single coverage
Bills
Tre’Davious White
CB
Shutdown
Gets tighter in coverage + has a higher chance of securing an INT on contested balls
Bills
Von Miller
DE
Fearmonger
Higher chance of pressuring the QB while getting blocked
Bills
Josh Allen
QB
Bazooka
Maximum throw distance is increased
Broncos
Russell Wilson
QB
Blitz Radar
Able to identify blitzers at the line of scrimmage
Browns
Nick Chubb
RB
Wrecking Ball
Can pull off trucks and stiff arms with greater success
Browns
Myles Garrett
DE
Unstoppable Force
Winning a pass rush engagement yields a quicker block shed
Buccaneers
Tom Brady
QB
Pro Reads
Highlights the first open receiver and negates pressure
Buccaneers
Mike Evans
WR
Double Me
Higher chance of winning aggressive catches vs. single coverage
Buccaneers
Lavonte David
MLB
Run Stuffer
Can block shed more effectively against rushing plays
Cardinals
Kyler Murray
QB
Escape Artist
Evades pressure more effectively by increasing sprint speed while out of the pocket
Cardinals
DeAndre Hopkins
WR
Double Me
Higher chance of winning aggressive catches vs. single coverage
Chargers
Keenan Allen
WR
Max Security
Higher chance of winning possession catches
Chargers
Khalil Mack
OLB
Unstoppable Force
Winning a pass rush engagement yields a quicker block shed
Chargers
Joey Bosa
OLB
Unstoppable Force
Winning a pass rush engagement yields a quicker block shed
Chargers
Derwin James Jr.
SS
Reinforcement
Increased chance of causing a pass break-up and performing run blocks
Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes
QB
Bazooka
Maximum throw distance is increased
Chiefs
Travis Kelce
TE
Double Me
Higher chance of winning aggressive catches vs. single coverage
Chiefs
Chris Jones
DT
Momentum Shift
The player wipes all zone progress away from on-field opponents or knocks them out of the zone
Colts
DeForest Buckner
DT
Unstoppable Force
Winning a pass rush engagement yields a quicker block shed
Colts
Jonathan Taylor
HB
Freight Train
Higher chance to break the player’s next available tackle
Colts
Stephon Gilmore
CB
Shutdown
Gets tighter in coverage + has a higher chance of securing an INT on contested balls
Commanders
Terry McLaurin
WR
Ankle Breaker
Higher chance to dodge an opponent’s tackle when performing a skill move after the catch
Cowboys
Dak Prescott
QB
Blitz Radar
Able to identify blitzers at the line of scrimmage
Cowboys
Micah Parsons
OLB
Unstoppable Force
Winning a pass rush engagement yields a quicker block shed
Dolphins
Tyreek Hill
WR
Rac ‘Em Up
Higher chance of winning a RAC catch vs. single coverage
49ers
George Kittle
TE
Yac ‘Em Up
Higher chance to break the first after-catch tackle
49ers
Fred Warner
MLB
Zone Hawk
Higher chance to make an INT in zone coverage
49ers
Nick Bosa
DE
Relentless
Pass rush skill moves don’t require points
Packers
Aaron Rodgers
QB
Dots
Allows for a perfect pass on any throw
Packers
Jaire Alexander
CB
Shutdown
Gets tighter in coverage + has a higher chance of securing an INT on contested balls
Panthers
Christian McCaffrey
HB
Ankle Breaker
Higher chance to dodge an opponent’s tackle when performing a skill move after the catch
Raiders
Davante Adams
WR
Double Me
Higher chance of winning aggressive catches vs. single coverage
Raiders
Darren Waller
TE
Yac ‘Em Up
Higher chance to break the first after-catch tackle
Raiders
Chandler Jones
OLB
Fearmonger
Higher chance of pressuring the QB while getting blocked
Rams
Cooper Kupp
WR
Rac ‘Em Up
Higher chance of winning a RAC catch vs. single coverage
Rams
Aaron Donald
DE
Blitz
Blockers have their resistance bars wiped away
Rams
Jalen Ramsey
CB
Bottleneck
Higher chance at winning press attempts in man coverage
Rams
Bobby Wagner
MLB
Avalanche
Hit-sticks while running downhill cause forced fumbles
Ravens
Lamar Jackson
QB
Truzz
Tackling doesn’t cause a fumble
Saints
Alvin Kamara
HB
Satellite
Higher chance to win RAC possession catches vs. coverage
Saints
Cameron Jordan
DE
Unstoppable Force
Winning a pass rush engagement yields a quicker block shed
Saints
Tyrann Mathieu
SS
Reinforcement
Increased chance of causing a pass break-up and performing run blocks
Seahawks
D.K. Metcalf
WR
Double Me
Higher chance of winning aggressive catches vs. single coverage
Steelers
T.J. Watt
OLB
Unstoppable Force
Winning a pass rush engagement yields a quicker block shed
Steelers
Cameron Heyward
DE
Fearmonger
Higher chance of pressuring the QB while getting blocked
Titans
Derrick Henry
HB
Freight Train
Higher chance to break the player’s next available tackle
Vikings
Dalvin Cook
HB
First One Free
Increased fakeout rate on a juke, hurdle, or spin when entering the zone
Vikings
Justin Jefferson
WR
Double Me
Higher chance of winning aggressive catches vs. single coverage
Vikings
Danielle Hunter
OLB
Unstoppable Force
Winning a pass rush engagement yields a quicker block shed
Madden 23 Superstars
As of the time of writing, we don’t know each Superstar’s ability, but we do have an idea of the players that will be Superstars in Madden 23. We’ll update the list when the abilities are officially released.
The standard edition of Madden NFL 23 won’t include a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S upgrade.
If you purchase the standard version of Madden 23 on PS4 or Xbox One, for $59.99, you won’t be able to upgrade to its PS5 or Xbox Series X/S version later.
This matches what we saw last year with the release of FIFA 22. Those who bought the standard edition of EA’s flagship sports game weren’t able to upgrade to next-gen consoles, and instead had to buy the FIFA 22 Ultimate Edition to play across both generations.
In an industry seemingly trying to squeeze every penny out of players, this actually strays from the norm among video game publishers. Most next-gen upgrades are given away for free or sold at a small fee. Few publishers make players buy an entirely fresh copy of a game they already own, just to move between console generations.
Looks like you will have to pay up to play across all gens in Madden 23.
With a little more than a month to go before its official release, 2K Games has released the first official trailer for NBA 2K23, giving fans a glimpse of what’s to come. The clip showcases gameplay sequences featuring some of NBA’s biggest stars, including LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Ja Morant and Stephen Curry.
Specifics surrounding game modes and changes remain pretty scarce at the moment, but 2K will be releasing more information in the next few days.
NBA 2K23 will drop September 9, with the Standard Edition going for $60. The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions will go for $70, while the Michael Jordan Edition will sell for $100. There will also be a Championship Edition for $150 that includes a 12-month NBA League Pass.
A lot of people want to know if Madden NFL 23 is going to have crossplay.
In 2023, not only are the console wars going, but the war between current and previous generation consoles is ongoing. There are six different platforms you can play Madden 23 between PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X/S.
Does Madden NFL 23 have crossplay multiplayer?
Madden NFL 23 will not have cross-platform multiplayer or crossplay in any form.
The Madden NFL series has never had crossplay and EA Sports has made no zero mention of this changing with Madden NFL 23. With the game’s release approaching, it’s unlikely that EA Sports would have kept a change secret for this long when it would be a selling point for the game.
Madden NFL 23 crossplay is not available in any form. PlayStation, Xbox, and PC players are all segregated from one another, cross-generation play won’t be included either. This means that PlayStation 4 and 5 players, as well as Xbox One and Series X/S players, will all be prevented from playing with each other.
The deluxe editions do include “dual entitlement,” which gives players access to the game on two console generations. PS5 and Xbox Series X/S owners can have both versions of Madden NFL 23 installed on their consoles, allowing them to play multiplayer across both generations. This option unfortunately comes with a higher price tag and eats up your console’s storage.
This year’s Franchise mode finally resolved one of the series long running issues.
Earlier this month EA released details on it’s extremely popular Franchise mode and it looks to be much improved thanks to smarter scouting logic, deeper draft classes, and several other key changes. The biggest change revolving around free agency bidding looks to completely change the Franchise mode landscape.
In previous years, because free agency is broken into several phases in Madden, the league advances as a collective from one phase to the next. This allows free agents to pick their new teams based on the contract offers that are most favorable. For any well ran league, this would occur at a scheduled time of day so that all players know what to expect. But having that information also presents a huge, previously unavoidable flaw for everyone involved: If you know when a bidding war is set to end, you can treat Madden like eBay and bid as the window closes.
If you played in a franchise league prior to Madden 23 you likely have been on both sides of the problem. There hasn’t been anyone from stopping anyone from just waiting until the final few seconds to jump ahead with a better deal.
To address this you would need to take the entire free agency process out of the game and into a silent auction.
Madden 23 FINALLY resolves this problem with one long-awaited adjustment. In Madden 23’s free agency period, you can’t see other players bids, nor where yours lands in comparison. As now those who really want a player will need to offer a contract without the intel of knowing exactly what other offers are on the table. This should help Madden players recognize the value of a dollar more than ever before.
Players will still be able to know if their offer is in the range of something appealing to the player. New player motivations will provide insight into what a free agent is looking for in a team–great QB, starting spot, or even an income tax-free state have been mentioned as some examples. All authentic to the sport and, more importantly, create a much better user experience.
