Madden NFL '20

This game/console's online features are no longer supported. While this game/console's online features were once accessible, they are (as of April 15, 2024) no longer officially supported and online-exclusive features may be documented as now-unseen content.

Madden NFL 20 is yet another installment in the long-running annual series, once again updating the team rosters, re-introducing the Pro Bowl and adding Superstar X-Factors but otherwise making only slight changes compared to the previous year's game.

And let’s not forget that infamous NFL 100 Eric Dickerson card with its game breaking Freight Train 100 Superstar X-Factor.

Scrapped/Cancelled/Unreleased Content#

Several promos/programs had some of their assets found in the game files, such as pack animations, however, despite EA Tiburon having planned most of their content roadmap before the game launched, the time and resources they would put on Madden '20's content after April 2020 was reduced despite also developing Madden NFL '21, since the development team had to move to a work-from-home setup starting in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to limited time and resources being put on Madden NFL '20's late-game content, with most of the development team being moved to '21's development, as the NFL contract required EA to release the game before the start of the following NFL season.

As a result, a lot of cards and promos ended up never getting released, leaving many of the top players (such as the 95 OVR NFL Playoff Heroes or the 96 OVR Team of the Year players) with in-season cards instead of ending with a 99 OVR card. This would lead to complaints from Snoop Dogg on the game's lack of content.

This was also evident by the release of a 99 OVR Jan Stenerud and Ray Guy in the Ultimate Legends program instead of the 99 OVR special teams players being in the Position Heroes or Summer Blockbusters program, in which a 99 overall kicker and punter are usually the last cards released as part of an endgame promo, since those positions have become mandatory to get a 99 OVR team since Madden NFL '18, however, due to the aforementioned circumstances, the promos were scrapped and the Stenerud and Guy Ultimate Legends were released instead for the 99 OVR special teams positions.

Rookie Premiere, which is usually the last promo of MUT every year and released in the first week of July, was released on June 12, which is a few weeks earlier than usual. This promo is an end-game promo where players collect tokens to obtain a 99 OVR card of a recently drafted player. Also, the Rookie Premiere cards re-used a modified Core Elite Pack Animation (which was also used for lower-rated Free Agency cards) when you pull them from a pack, and cannot get any physical chemistries.

In place of the scrapped content below was Power Up Expansions, which allows one to upgrade a player to a higher overall using training points without needing to add a new card for the said player. However, due to the limited time and resources, EA decided to randomly pick 6 upgrades for each week, focusing on Theme Diamond players, or players with a lower overall card, with the upgrades originally being at 98 overall, before increasing it to a 99 overall from June 2, 2020 until the final Power Up Expansion release on July 7, 2020.

Unused Pack Animations#

Lighting Pack Animation#

An unused pack animation, with the code name Lighting was found in the game's files before the game's launch, however the pack animation was never used.

It is unknown which promo this pack animation would have been used for.

Movers#

In Madden NFL 19, a limited-time Movers promo where two limited-time 99 OVR cards of then-recently traded wide receivers and previous Madden cover athletes Odell Beckham Jr. and Antonio Brown were released as a separate program from the Free Agency program.

Its pack animation was found in the game files, but the promo was scrapped due to EA being focused on developing Madden NFL 21 while working remotely from home and the lack of resources/time as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions that closed EA Tiburon’s office.

Had the aforementioned content been released, the promo would have featured a limited edition card for wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Stefon Diggs, who were traded during the 2020 offseason.

Position Heroes#

A promo in MUT where players trade in several cards through specific OVR ranges from each specific position to earn a 99 OVR card of a current-day player who is the best player in their position.

Its pack animations were leaked (Tier 1, which would likely be used for lower-rated Position Hero cards, while Tier 2 would be used for the full Position Hero cards) on April 1, 2020, but the promo did not happen for the first time since Madden NFL 25 due to time constraints as EA Tiburon employees had to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused their office to be closed, putting more pressure on Madden NFL '21's development, the release of a 99 overall kicker and punter via the Ultimate Legends program (in which a they would usually be the last cards released as they are required as part of getting a 99 OVR team), and the early release of Rookie Premiere.

The Position Hero sets in 20 would have probably required 6x 90-94 OVR players, 10x 85-89 OVRs and a 95+ OVR player from the player' position that would have rewarded the Position Hero Player along with his power up item.

Summer Blockbusters#

An endgame promo in MUT which gives 99 OVR cards to many Pro Bowl/All-Pro players that last appeared in Madden NFL 18, in which the player can trade in certain players or collectible items to earn Movie Tickets. Once the player earns 10 Movie Tickets, they can redeem those to get a 99 OVR version of a top-tiered present-day superstar. This promo usually happens in the mid-late part of June/early part of July and is usually the endgame promo of MUT 17 and 18.

Aside from having 99 overall versions of top tiered present-day players, there is also a head coach card with a boost that gives 2 speed to their entire lineup. This card would have likely been Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

Its pack animations were leaked (Tier 1, Tier 2) on April 1, 2020, with a jersey being leaked on April 13, 2020, but the promo was scrapped due to the lack of time/resources as a result of having to work from home due to the pandemic, the release of a 99 overall kicker and punter in the Ultimate Legends program (Jan Stenerud and Ray Guy), and the early release of Rookie Premiere. Similarly, a Blockbusters jersey set (both white and color) was leaked, but the jerseys themselves were not made available due to the cancellation of said promo.

There were also a bunch of Blockbuster jerseys that were supposed to be released, however, the jerseys eventually were never released due to the said circumstances.

Had Blockbusters or Position Heroes been released, the following players would have gotten a 99 OVR card from the said promo.

Revisional Differences#

Intro differences#

The game intro was altered to replace certain players who struggled during the 2019 season and lost their Superstar X-Factor ability, being replaced by players who gained a Superstar X-Factor. The loading screens were blacked out for players who originally had an X-Factor ability, but lost it during the season.

Also, cornerback Jalen Ramsey's art was altered to feature him in a Los Angeles Rams uniform instead of a Jacksonville Jaguars uniform following his mid-season trade in October 2019.

Patched methods#

Several sets/quicksells were changed, due to said method being used as coin making methods.

Gingerbread Sets#

Due to being abused as a loophole during the Team of the Year program, the Gingerbread sets for Adrian Peterson, Amari Cooper and Ted Hendricks were changed from being repeatable indefinitely to a one-time completable set.

Color Smash Set#

For the same above reasons, the Color Smash master sets for Barry Sanders and Ed Reed were changed to be only completable three times each.

Alternate Playbook Quicksell#

Originally, these playbooks costing 150 training quicksold for 500 coins, but after the release of the Charles Tillman/Edgerrin James Power Up Expansion set, the quicksell of the playbooks was reduced to 125 training.

Changed Card Arts#

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this. Specifically: Find a photo of Odell Beckham Jr.'s revised MUT Superstar card art.

Some time in August 2019, Odell Beckham Jr.'s MUT Superstars card art was updated to change his photo from his photo in a New York Giants uniform to a Cleveland Browns uniform.

Original	Revised

Legend Pack prices#

The prices for the Legends Fantasy Pack (90,000 coins or 1,200 points) and the Ultimate Legends Fantasy Packs (180,000 coins or 2,000 points) were reduced to 50% of the said prices after the release of the final Ultimate Legends cards (Bo Jackson, Bobby Bell and Joe Klecko)