I have friends who worked on the Madden NFL, series at EA.
The process for big, AAA games like these depend almost entirely on the console generation cycles.
Once a new console is launched, the code base for that generation is locked and the brand new look of the game is prioritized because that’s what sells games to the masses more than improved game play. This is why every game in the current generation is shoehorning in Ray Tracing because this was the big new graphics feature marketed pre-Xbox Series X/S, and pre-PS5 launch back in 2020.
This is why a lot of franchises lose legacy features (to make way for shiny new graphics) because console development has a lot less RAM, VRAM and CPU budgets than a high-end PC. So, sacrifices have to be made.
This is also why the graphics presentation and even the UI don’t change much over a console generation, and especially in annualized releases like Madden, FIFA, F1, etc.
Also, many devs take the opportunity at the start of a new console generation to remove things that may be problematic under the hood, but were tied to legacy features from previous games. It’s a chance to start over and “build from the ground up”, right or wrong.
This is also why, if you notice, each annual version of a game… Like the F1 series by EA… Try and include new features for the hardcore players. But they have to chose their battles carefully because the higher ups want Ray Traced Global Illuminated race tracks while players want more realistic game play elements like better physics, or more My Team Career features, etc.
I know this seems like what everybody wants, and it’s what you want, but the realities of doing something like this aren’t as easy as it seems. Especially, if you apply what I just wrote about how console development works on big franchises.
Sacrifices have to be made in order to deliver a game that fulfills corporate requirements as well as artistic and technical goals set by the devs themselves.
Also, another thing you and many others might not want to hear, but Nostalgia is a doubled-edged sword as are the Rose Colored glasses that often come with it it.
I’m not saying FM4 was a bad game.
It’s a good game.
But it’s almost 13-years old.
Games have advanced in general, and I assume you have as well from the time when you first played it?
Meaning, what worked in the past doesn’t necessarily work in the modern day even if it seems like a sure fire bet. On top of this, many people are subconsciously trying to recapture a time in their lives when things were much simpler (due to age, and/or the world we live in) through a video game, but will quickly realize it wasn’t just the game, but the era they played it in, if they tried to play it, now.
This kind of Blind Nostalgia is what a lot of the NFS community is stuck in.
They praise Most Wanted, and the Underground games, but don’t realize a lot of their enjoyment came from the fact many of them were teenagers with a lot less life responsibilities, and the general gaming and pop-culture at the time centered around the original Fast & Furious movie before it became a ridiculous, action adventure series.
So, it was a one-two punch of both a positive time in ones life and a cultural zeitgeist that contributed to those two most beloved games being hailed as the Holy Grail of the series beyond them being good games for their times. That’s why it can never be recaptured for those desperately trying to do so by comparing every modern NFS game to those.
I hope you understand, I’m not trying to say you’re “wrong” for wanting a FM4 reboot?
I’m just trying to point out while it may seem like an easy win for T10 and MS to remake FM4… The realities surrounding that and the era (time in your life) when you played FM4 factored more heavily into your enjoyment than you might realize?
That’s why going backwards isn’t always the best strategy and often doesn’t end as well as we all hope. The success and enjoyment of a lot of things in life depends on the time it was released, and when we experienced it.
I mean come on now… If you honestly believe gamers don’t include guys like Chris Esaki when they say devs, things are far worse in the gaming industry than i thought. If however you’re just having some fun, well played! heh heh