The much-requested update to Madden 22's take on scouting has been delayed to mid-October, after it was initially slated to release during September.
EA shared details about the upcoming scouting update as part of a deep dive on the Madden website, stating that it needed more time to ensure that the feature was fully ready for fans to experience.
"It is important to our team that we deliver what you request at quality," says EA. "We are taking the time to ensure scouting is polished with some additional testing and scouting will be available to all players as part of a Title Update coming in mid-October."
This may come as a blow to fans who have been waiting for the feature since the game's launch back in August. Unlike many updates that integrate seamlessly, EA's scouting feature will require fans to restart their franchise from scratch after the update is applied. Without this restart, the new scouting features will not be available. Fans currently playing Madden 22 can still begin a new franchise with the game's present legacy scouting feature enabled.
When it does release, the new scouting model will look to deliver on a number of community requests. Scouting will begin in week one where players will be introduced to the current draft class and can start to plan out their scouting approach for the season.
During scouting, players will have control over their scouting department and will be able to hire, fire, and re-assign scouts to get the most out of their team. Scouts can then be directed toward different regions of the game's scouting map so that fans can get the most out of their scouting experience. EA gives an example of how this might look in-game to show how players can best use their scouts to their advantage.
"For example, if one of the strengths of the Southeast region is cornerbacks, make sure you assign the scout that has the expertise in scouting cornerbacks to reap the most benefits," explains EA. "You’re in charge of optimizing your five scouts to help you find those draft gems."
The publisher also acknowledged in the post that micromanaging a scouting team might not necessarily be to everyone's tastes. For those not interested in scouting to the same degree, players will be able to opt into a "set it and forget it" style experience that allows players to move forward with their franchise without penalty if they choose not to interact with the scouting feature.
In addition to giving fans control over a full scouting department, the new update will also include in-depth scouting reports, news content that will impact players' positions on an in-game media board, and mock drafts providing a snapshot of who teams are interested in throughout the season. Focusing on players during a scouting window will allow fans to unlock more about their profile and give a further indication over whether the player is worth signing.
For more on the latest instalment of Madden, make sure to check out our review of the game. Alternatively, you can check out the game's Face of the Franchise: All Access trailer below.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.