Madden 23 Development Traits Explained

In Madden 23, development is the name of the game. Even if you currently have an elite quarterback leading the offense, eventually, you’re going to need to find their replacement. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to trade away all of your assets for a young superstar or high draft pick, though it certainly helps. However, it does mean that you’ll need to develop the players you have and see who shines the brightest.

In this guide, we will break down everything you need to know about the Madden 23 development traits.

Madden 23 Development Traits, Explained

In Madden 23, every player will have one of four possible development traits; Normal, Star, Superstar, and Superstar X-Factor. These traits will help to guide and determine how quickly a player can develop their skills and their potential over the course of their career. A higher development trait also means that the player will require fewer XP points to earn a skill upgrade.

Related: Madden 23 – The Best Young Players to Trade for in Franchise Mode

As a result, learning what the different development traits mean and how they impact a certain player’s outlook is the first step to constructing a winning franchise in Madden 23. Simply put, if you can successfully scout, draft, sign, and trade for players with high development traits, you’re guaranteed to win a lot of games.

Without further ado, here’s a full breakdown of all the development traits in Madden 23;

• Normal Development Trait – This is the most common development trait in Madden 23, and the default for most players. It will be signified with a bronze color on both development trait symbols. A player with a normal development trait will not be affected by the number of XP points required to move up a skill point.
• Star Development Trait – The star development trait is the next level up from normal and the tier players will begin to receive advantages in skill progression. It will be signified with a silver color on both development trait symbols. A player with a star development trait will need 25% fewer XP points to earn a skill point upgrade compared to a normal development player.
• Superstar Development Trait – The superstar development trait is a level up from the star and is the first tier that will provide players access to certain abilities. It will be signified with gold color on both development trait symbols. A player with a superstar development trait will need 35% fewer XP points to earn a skill point upgrade compared to a normal development player.
• Superstar X-Factor Development Trait – The superstar X-Factor development trait is the highest level and tier a player can have. It’s also the only development trait that gives players access to zone abilities. It will be signified with red color on both development trait symbols. A player with a superstar X-Factor development trait will need 50% fewer XP points to earn a skill point upgrade compared to a normal development player.
• Hidden Development Trait – If you draft a rookie with a star development trait of or higher, then it will appear as a hidden development trait. It will be signified with a blue color on both development trait symbols. However, it will continue to show as a hidden development trait until they’ve played at least 500 snaps, at which point their true value will be revealed. A player with a hidden development trait will be treated as a superstar in regard to skill progression. This means they will only need 35% fewer XP points to earn a skill point upgrade compared to a normal development player.

That’s everything you need to know about the Madden 23 development traits. If you’re interested in more Madden 23 content, be sure to check out our guides section here at Gamer Journalist. Where you can find loads of helpful information like how to beat each cover defense in Madden 23 or how to enter the zone in Madden 23.