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Press Row Podcast: The Trouble with FIFA
This week’s Press Row Podcast hones in on the news surrounding the FIFA organization and the video game that has the license to use its name. How should EA Sports react to the corruption charges against FIFA executives and the use of slave labor (and extraordinary number of deaths) in Qatar? Discussion then turns to the inclusion of Women’s National Teams in FIFA 16. Did EA do enough to make represent them well and what took them so long in the first place?
Check out the podcast through iTunes for iOS and the Stitcher app for Android – subscribe while there to help support the show! You can also listen with the streaming player below.
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Reaction Has Been Mixed to Madden NFL 16 Connected Franchise News
EA Sports recently revealed a wide range of improvements and additions on the way for Connected Franchise mode in Madden NFL 16. Initial response to the news seemed to be decidedly mixed within the community, with some looking forward to consumer-requests being met, while others find themselves lamenting features still absent or questionable ones that EA seems to have doubled-down on. Read more
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The NBA 2K15 Finals Sim Was Eerily Close to Having an Identical Game One Ending
Earlier this week I posted a comprehensive simulation of the NBA Finals with NBA 2K15 at Hit the Pass. It included game summaries with highlight clips, stats, and analysis.
When publishers complete and hype their own simulations they typically just hit a button and provide the result. Actually watching the games leads to the emergence of storylines and the ability to identify drama that takes place within them.
As Game One played out last night – the Warriors outlasting the Cavaliers in overtime 108-100 – it was stunning just how close the sim was to ending in an identical manner. Read more
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Madden NFL 16 To Have a Proper Soundtrack; New Spotify Music Channel Features Songs From Past Games
In late April on Twitter, EA Sports let it be known that Madden NFL 16 would have a real soundtrack rather than utilize NFL Films music again. EA had gone away from soundtracks with the last three editions in the series but now EA Trax will return. The songs featured in the game will not be revealed however until this summer.
The company also announced that they have teamed up with Spotify to offer a new Madden NFL channel on the streaming service. You can check it out here.
The channel launches today, and currently features some of the greatest songs from the previous editions of the Madden NFL franchise, letting fans relive their favorite songs of games gone by.
When Madden NFL 16 launches on August 25 the Spotify Playlist will be updated with the full game soundtrack, and throughout the NFL season music-lovers can come back every week on “Madden Music Mondays” for fresh songs and artists, as well as special themed playlists.
Soundtracks return to the series but at a time where they’re less relevant than ever. With the launch of Spotify on PlayStation 4 and other options for listening to music during games no one is stuck listening to the one’s that are built-in whether they’re good or, more often it seems, mind-numbingly bad. That probably explains why the Madden Spotify channel was created as more people begin to adapt to listening to what they want instead of what they’re given.
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Spike Lee’s NBA 2K16 MyCareer Mode is More Story-Focused and Less About You
We’ve known about Spike Lee’s involvement with NBA 2K16 since April but today 2K Sports finally confirmed his presence with the game and explained the role he’s had in shaping the popular story mode first introduced in 2K14.
Lee has written and directed the mode for NBA 2K16 and it appears it’ll no longer feature your created MyPlayer, at the very least in name. Instead the story focuses on a player named Frequency Vibrations – and no that’s not a joke – whose “personal exploits off the court are just as chaotic as the game on it”.
“It’s about the trials and tribulations of life on a big stage with the money, fame, temptations, family members, the press, fans, all that stuff,” Lee said.
Those hoping for a grittier, more realistic storytelling will be disappointed to know the game still carries with it an “E” rating from the ESRB. It’s still possible it could be more grounded and better acted than those in the past, even with the main character having the name Frequency Vibrations, but for those who’ve struggled to relate to how their guy has acted in MyCareer the first two stories it’s not a good sign that’s going to change. NBA 2K16 is set to release on September 25 for those who pre-order.
(Update) 2K has since issued a statement, clarifying the vague initial information they provided about playing as a character named Frequency Vibrations, that MyCareer will remain similar to that of 2K14 and 2K15 with created players being used. They’ll just be stuck with the “Frequency Vibrations” nickname this time.
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First News on PES 2016 Coming Next Week
Even though Konami is largely moving out of the console gaming market one of the few properties of theirs that will continue on is Pro Evolution Soccer. A “full reveal” for PES 2016 is being planned for Friday, June 12.
There’s significance to that date as it comes just days before E3 begins. As always the FIFA series, PES’ direct competitor, will have a big presence at the event – from any announcements and/or trailer at EA’s press conference that following Monday to the game being out on the show floor from Tuesday-Thursday. Konami will get a jump on them this way, even though one big announcement has already been made for FIFA 16.
PES 2015 was generally regarded as having a superior gameplay experience to FIFA 15 but trailed it in terms of feature set, presentation, and licensing.
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Detailed Breakdown of the 2015 NBA Finals as Simulated by NBA 2K15
After a week’s wait for the 2015 NBA Finals to begin, they’ll finally tip-off tomorrow night. The Golden State Warriors take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in a series heavily favored to go the Warriors’ way.
Over at Hit The Pass, the new website headed by myself and Rich Grisham that launched today, is a run-through of the entire series as simulated in NBA 2K15. Every single minute of every game was watched and noted and then highlights were pulled along with statistics and analysis. Rosters, rotations, and minutes were all made to be as accurate as possible. The two of us discussed the intricate process behind creating the simulation in this video.
You won’t find a more extensive and detailed simulation of a sporting event, probably ever – and the series turns out to be very compelling with some dramatic endings.
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Amid Corruption and Criticism The King of Sports Franchises Faces New Challenges
The last week has been eventful to say the least in the world of FIFA. Not only were top executives in the organization arrested on corruption charges, and the video game associated with the governing body of the sport having announced that women would be in the product with FIFA 16 for the first time, but today FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced his resignation after just being reelected to the position on Friday.
On one front EA Sports finds themselves in a situation where they have the biggest selling video game in the world but now, more than ever, their brand is tied to the organization that has the worst reputation of any major sport. One which is in the news every day for the wrong reasons. EA has refused to comment on any matter, whether it be the slave labor and deaths in Qatar to the criminal actions in question, even as many sponsors distance themselves or go as far as voiding deals that were in place. While all of this is unlikely to affect sales numbers of the video game it’s undoubtedly a distraction and disrupts the marketing plan. Read more
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