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MLB 15: The Show Week One Roster Update
The first in-season roster update for MLB 15: The Show arrived today. It represents the first opportunity for SCEA to add players to the game who made their Major League debuts over the course of the season’s opening week.
Among the players added in the update are White Sox 2B Micah Johnson, Pirates SS Jung-ho Kang, Blue Jays 2B Devon Travis, Blue Jays RP Miguel Castro, Mariners RP Tyler Olson, and Reds SP Raisel Iglesias. The update also executes the trade that sent Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton to the Padres with the Braves getting Carlos Quentin, Cameron Maybin, and a couple minor leaguers in return.
With Kris Bryant expected to make his first appearance in the majors this week, next Monday’s roster update will include him and because of that it’ll be one of the most anticipated of the year. For those who’d like a roster with fully named minors to use Operation Sports had their OSFM set completed over the weekend. It can’t be used for online games but is available to import within other areas of the game including Franchise. Read more
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Checking in on The Show Live Mode in MLB 15: The Show
The Show Live in MLB 15 is not a new mode – it was introduced in MLB 13 – but it’s something that changes by the day. The concept is to offer up the current day’s slate of games (and those from earlier in the season) to play utilizing accurate lineups. There are also meant to be lines from the announcers during the games referencing their place in the season.
The mode has worked fairly well in the past outside of a few quirks and inaccuracies and that’s the case again this year. I monitored the mode over a three day stretch and observed what was functioning properly and where improvement needs to be made. Read more
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The Line Drive for April 12
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦Check out this week’s articles written for Sporting News:
   •MLB 15: The Show Review
   •NHL 15 Added to EA Access
♦Reminder that the $11.49 sale on The Golf Club for XB1 ends today.
♦Polygon profiles the course designed after Augusta in The Golf Club.
♦Latest developer blog discusses framerate vs resolution for The Golf Club on XB1.
♦Interesting look at how different sports games rate players from Game Informer.
♦Captured video of the disruptive walk/HBP freeze in MLB 15 online.
♦Poll at Operation Sports shows MLB 15’s online isn’t greatly improved.
♦There are some new packs available for purchase in MLB 15: The Show.
♦EA Sports released details on the latest roster update for NBA Live 15.
♦Another update is out with details on changes made to Out of the Park Baseball 15.
♦Possible look at fan models that will be featured in Joe Montana Football 16.
♦New screenshots have been added to the FB album for Rory McIlroy PGA Tour.
♦The Fast & Furious cars are making their way over to Forza Horizon 2 for $5.
♦Info on the Xbox One over-the-air TV tuner and April system update. -
XB1 Sale on The Golf Club for $11.55
Among the spring weekend offers for Xbox One is The Golf Club at a steal of a price. Available only through tomorrow The Golf Club can be had by Xbox Live Gold members for $11.55. It’s the first time a significant discount on the game has been offered by Microsoft. There was a deal on the PS4 for $21 back in December.
With The Golf Club Collector’s Edition due out just over two weeks from now this represents a great opportunity for those interested on XB1 to get the full package at a significant discount. The Season (Career) Mode will be included in that $40 retail package and then offered for an expected $10 as downloadable content to those who own the digital version in May.
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Press Row Podcast – MLB 15: The Show Review Roundtable
This week’s Press Row Podcast features expansive panel discussion on MLB 15: The Show with the game having been out for over a week. This is one of the rare shows I’m absent from, but for my thoughts on the game don’t miss the Hits & Misses Review and the podcast from last week which included both live impression hangouts. The new podcast is a great listen to get additional perspectives on all aspects of MLB 15 and the game as a whole.
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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Tap Sports Football In The Works
The second edition of the mobile game Tap Sports Baseball just released and an Easter egg in the game has revealed a football version is on the way. On the outfield wall in Tap Sports Baseball 2015 is an advertisement for Tap Sports Football.
Before turning to TSB the developers behind the game made Your Turn Football in 2013. It was a great game, particularly for a first attempt, with the design principles that made it so good being carried over to the baseball efforts. Areas in which it was lacking were addressed making them more well rounded and enjoyable long-term than the original football game. With all that in mind it’s exciting that a new one benefitting from the lessons since then is on the horizon.
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NHL 15 Now Available in EA Access Vault
NHL 15 is now available in the EA Access “Vault” bringing the total number of titles now to 10. It’s surprising only in its timing, as the most reasonable expectation was for it to go in once the season concluded. NHL joins Madden NFL 15, NBA Live 15, and EA Sports UFC as games added to Access in the last four months. FIFA 15 then it would reason could be coming as early as next month. The value of Access just keeps on rising.
The EA Access service is currently exclusive to Xbox One as Sony opted not to allow it for the PS4 claiming, of all things, “lack of value” for consumers. It’s $30 for a full year or $5 month-to-month. Members get unlimited access to the Vault which contains older EA games. That includes 2013’s slate of sports titles, Need for Speed Rivals, PvZ Garden Warfare, Battlefield 4, Peggle 2, EA Sports UFC, NBA Live 15, and Madden 15. Also there’s 10% savings on all digital purchases and five days of limited (six hours) early play before each EA game releases.
Once again it makes some sense to put these sports games in the Vault relatively early. That’s especially the case with those that are in trouble like NHL and Live. It introduces people to the game who would not have played it otherwise – and that could get them spending money in Ultimate Team or even could hook them into buying the next edition in the series.
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MLB Manager 2015 Review
by Brendan Wilhide
MLB Manager 2015 is the latest version of the popular iOOTP series of text-based manangement sims. The new name reflects the fact that the series has an official full MLB license for the first time in the game’s history. The new license is a welcome addition to what has become a solid portable version of its more illustrious desktop counterpart, Out of the Park Baseball, and fans will welcome the new license atop an already familiar and strong feature set.Longtime fans of the series will find themselves pleased with the same key gameplay elements from previous seasons: plenty of stats and ratings, an improved upon trade and free agency engine, and the general ins-and-outs that come with managing a baseball team from game to game and season to season. Read more
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