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The winners and losers out of the NFL Draft for Madden NFL 17
The effectiveness and usefulness of rookies in the Madden NFL franchise is not necessarily linked directly to their draft positioning or even their Overall Rating. The position they play, specific attributes which carry more importance than others, whether they are user or CPU controlled, and the opportunity they’ll have in the NFL to perform and earn ratings upgrades over the course of the season all play a huge role in whether they’ll have a major impact or none at all in the upcoming video game.
With a look ahead to Madden NFL 17, what teams did the most in the NFL Draft to enhance their status in both one-off games and for Franchise Mode? Which teams did the least to improve? Among the 12 teams profiled on one side or the other are the Jaguars, Eagles, Redskins, Cowboys, and Patriots. Check out all the teams considered as the big winners and losers for the upcoming video game in the piece put together on Sporting News.
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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 the latest success from Rocket League.
Check out the podcast through iTunes for iOS, on Android with the Stitcher app, or with Pocket Casts on iOS, Android, and Windows. The show can also now be found on the just launched Google Play Music for podcasts. Subscribe and review to help support the show! You can also listen with the streaming player below.
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Rory McIlroy PGA Tour going into the EA Access Vault next week
There’s no better time to be a subscriber to the EA Access service on Xbox One than right now. The back library of titles in the EA Access Vault is always building but this is the point in the year in which nearly all of the relevant sports titles can be found through the service.
With post-release support apparently wrapped up following the latest free DLC course Rory McIlroy PGA Tour will go into the Vault on May 10. Madden NFL 16 was added to the Vault in early February. NHL 16 went in back in late March. FIFA 16 followed in mid-April. The only sports game from last year remaining now is NBA Live 16 which, unless EA just forgot about it, will likely be added later this month or next month.
EA Access is $30 for a year or $5 month-to-month and in addition to the Vault subscribers receive 10 free hours with each new game and 10% off all digital transactions.
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NBA 2K16 patch addresses exploitative gameplay tactics
The fifth post-release patch for NBA 2K16 went out today on PS4 and is expected to follow soon on Xbox One. It does not appear this is the possible “Steph Curry Patch” first discussed back in March based on the provided notes, however instead it will heavily affect the sketchy ongoing “Road to the Finals” competition by addressing heavily utilized gameplay exploits.
♦Updated player portraits for a number of players.
♦Tuned the effectiveness of long outlet passes for players with the Break Starter badge.
♦Delay branching from Kobe Bryant Back size-up.
♦Re-worked size-up dribble launches to prevent unnaturally explosive first steps.
♦Tune miss chances for deep downcourt and cherry picking.
♦Dock vertical and rebounding when you go behind the basket. Don’t reset 3-in-the-key offense timer in baseline behind paint for human controlled blacktop players. -
Latest MLB The Show 16 patch fixes some issues while creating new ones
The third patch for MLB The Show 16 has just gone out and is the update many have been waiting for as it deals with some of the community feedback received on the game since releasing in late March. While most notably auto-baserunning should supposedly work properly now, there has been no mention made regarding check swings or the lethargic animations into throws seen on occasion from both infielders and outfielders.
Unfortunately the patch has seemingly reintroduced some problems related to online play, with freezes and “Challenge Failed” errors being seen at an alarming rate. It also has broken pitch speeds, swing analysis, and other aspects of baserunning. Read more
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MLB The Show 16 week four roster update includes first big ratings movement of the year
The fourth in-season roster update has gone out for MLB The Show 16 and for the first time this year it contains some significant ratings movement.
Bryce Harper has moved up to a 99 Overall after a fantastic April in which he hit .286 with 9 home runs and 24 RBI. Zack Greinke has gone the opposite direction, dropping down to 91 after going 2-2 in 6 starts with a 5.50 ERA. Read more
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The Line Drive for May 1
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦Grades handed out for all the first round NFL Draft selections with Madden 17 in mind.
♦Check out the ratings for all 31 first round picks now found in Madden 16 Ultimate Team.
♦The new basketball mode has made for yet another great addition to Rocket League.
♦Repping NHL and World Cup teams are eight players in a battle for the cover of NHL 17.
♦Franchise Hockey Manager 2 has simulated the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
♦MLB The Show 16 server update resolved an exploit to avoid losses in Battle Royale.
♦Details on the fourth patch to have gone out for Out of the Park Baseball 17.
♦Complete details on the latest patch to have gone out for Rocket League.
♦TecmoBowlers looks at why 1996’s Tecmo Super Bowl ended up killing the franchise.
♦An open beta is coming May 5th for the PC racer Forza Motorsport: Apex.
♦New features including competitive multiplayer have been added to Need for Speed.
♦EA Sports UFC 2 remains at $40 for both Xbox One and PS4 through Amazon.
♦Amazon Prime members can still pre-order either edition of NBA 2K17 for 20% off.
♦Blu-ray releases this week led by The 5th Wave and Independence Day 20th Aniv Ed. -
Five players added to MLB The Show 16 Diamond Dynasty through special card pack
For the second time since the season began a special limited time card pack has been introduced to MLB The Show 16. With the pack are five new cards that enter the Diamond Dynasty pool of players, joining the 10 that made their debut last week.
The smart move may be to avoid buying this “Developer’s Choice” pack. The odds are not increased to an extent that makes it better than going with three regular packs. It does provide the opportunity to pull one of the new cards, however three of the five are “rookies” so they won’t be especially valuable, and the safer play might just to be buy any that are desired outright through the marketplace rather than taking a gamble with 3,000 Coins. Read more
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