Interview on The 4 Verts Podcast
I recently appeared on The 4 Verts Podcast for an interview to discuss the journey of Pastapadre.com, creation of Hit The Pass, and writing for Sporting News. The conversation then turns to Madden and the differences between the development team now and in the past, the impact of Ultimate Team, areas in which the series has struggled the most, and what needs to be done for it to join the elite class of sports games in a shrinking marketplace....
Press Row Podcast: Track and Field
The current state of sports games - on console, PC, and mobile devices - is ever-changing and evolving at a rapid pace. Former creative director of the Madden NFL series Ian Cummings returns to the Press Row Podcast joining me and friend of the show Rich Grisham to discuss his own mobile game as well as the "bigger picture."
For starters, Ian describes his mobile game Photo Finish Horse Racing that is gaining steam on iOS and Android, the evolution of it from a one-man side project to a f...
Press Row Podcast: NBA Live in for another shake-up
EA Sports has been unable to recover from the attempted reboot of NBA Live as NBA Elite while at the same time seeing their competition flourish to become a juggernaut. It's been six years but the company has yet to produce a compelling quality product since that fiasco and in the process consumers have lost all confidence in the Live brand. The series can't escape its past.
Knowing that a shake-up was necessary EA yesterday confirmed the first report of Live being pushed back to 2017. ...
Press Row Podcast: Spring Cleaning
There’s been a heavy focus with recent episodes of the Press Row Podcast on the two big games that released in March, but now attention turns to some news relating to titles that are still off in the future and a favorite that has just been updated. The trio this week discuss the first features to have been revealed for NHL 17, how EA Sports is considering adding Virtual Reality to the next UFC game and what that might mean for others out before then, and how a basketball mode is t...
Press Row Podcast: Diamond Dealing
Team-building modes in sports games are intended to be played for months on end, if not year-round, making them initially tough to assess when in the early days following their respective releases. With over three weeks now having been spent playing Diamond Dynasty in MLB The Show 16 there’s a lot more that has been evaluated following the coverage in the review roundtable episode. Bryan Wiedey and T.J. Lauerman discuss everything there is to do with the popular mode in an all-new ...
Press Row Podcast: Opening Day
With the release of several sports games this month the start to the 2016 campaign is here! Former host Rich Grisham returns in this episode of the Press Row Podcast for an early impressions discussion on MLB The Show 16 that covers new features in Diamond Dynasty, Road to the Show, Franchise and more!
It’s also the start of something potentially big with the shipping of Virtual Reality headsets getting underway. The conversation transitions into thoughts on VR, whether sports game...
Press Row Podcast: EA Sports UFC 2 Review Roundtable
EA Sports UFC 2 is undeniably a stronger product than the company’s first two efforts at the sport of MMA that released in 2010 and 2014. From the Knockout Physics System and KO Mode to new controls for transitions and the introduction of Ultimate Team there’s a lot there to be evaluated. While much of what has been done is positive there’s also submissions proving to be a non-factor and a disappointing Career Mode to consider.
How does the product stand on its own, a...
Press Row Podcast: Legends of the Past and Present
The latest episode of the Press Row Podcast welcomes in some guests from two of the most prestigious sports video games franchises being made today.
First up it's an interview with gameplay director Mike Wang and gameplay producer Scott O'Gallagher from NBA 2K to discuss the challenge of fitting Stephen Curry into the simulation basketball franchise. How does shooting system currently in place in NBA 2K16 work, what are its limitations, and are there plans being made to give him add...