EA Sports has finally acknowledged the ongoing issue surrounding Live Weeks not updating in Madden 26 Franchise mode. But for many players, the response feels too little, too late.
In a post made by EA Sports community manager EA_Kent on the official Madden forums, the company addressed the frustration that has been building for weeks over Live Weeks failing to update properly in Franchise saves. While the post recognizes player concerns, it stops short of offering any concrete timeline — or even confirmation — that the issue will be resolved in the future.
“I can definitely understand the frustration that this is still an ongoing issue,” Kent wrote. “I’m afraid right now we don’t have any updates to share, but as soon as we’ve got more news we will follow up and let you know.”
Operation Sports App
Your ultimate companion for sports gaming. Access in-depth coverage, thoughtful discussion, and a community built around the games—and sports—you love.
Your ultimate sports gaming companion.
Thanks For Nothing, EA
This lack of clarity has been of no help to Madden‘s small-but-passionate group of Franchise mode loyalists. Live Weeks were marketed as a meaningful step forward for Franchise Mode, allowing real-world NFL developments — stats, injuries, depth chart changes — to dynamically impact offline saves. Instead, the feature has been largely unreliable (if not outright broken) for a majority of extended stretches, undermining one of Madden‘s most useful simulation tools.
EA_Kent’s response came only after weeks of increasingly frustrated posts from Franchise players, many of which pointed directly to the timing of the NFL Playoffs as the breaking point. Users repeatedly questioned why Live Weeks had not been updated for Wild Card Weekend, then the Divisional Round, and eventually Championship Weekend, with some noting that immersion is at its most important during the postseason. As days passed without communication, the tone shifted from impatience to anger, with several commenters accusing EA of neglecting Franchise mode in favor of other, more frequently updated game modes.
A recurring theme throughout the thread was the belief that Live Weeks failures were not an isolated issue, but part of a broader pattern. Players cited long-standing Franchise complaints such as broken tiebreakers, missing or inaccurate stat tracking, limited player body customization, stagnant archetypes and schemes, and gameplay issues that have persisted for multiple yearly releases.
This sentiment was widely shared across social media, including Reddit. After all, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that, in the grand scheme of things, a mode like Franchise is never going to drive margins as much as Madden Ultimate Team. And considering the NFL season has almost reached its pinnacle, actions (or inactions) such as these aren’t likely to convince Franchise diehards to fork out the $70 next year.
