News & Updates
  • NBA 2K15 Ratings Changes Have Tilted Player Field Heavily Upwards
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    Posted February 18th, 2015 at 12:15 pm 12 Comments »

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    2K Sports has done a great job with NBA 2K15 of improving on post-release support – one of the series’ long-time weaknesses. The frequency, accuracy, consistency, and relevance of roster updates this year are immeasurably better than years’ past. However the more ratings are changed the more a problem created by the process behind it has become apparent. Read more

  • Opinions Split on MLB 15: The Show Legends
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    Posted February 17th, 2015 at 5:30 pm 4 Comments »

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    Though the reaction was tepid when the addition of “Legends” for MLB 15: The Show was originally announced in December, having the list of representatives revealed recently brought them back into the conversation. A poll posted last week was intended to gauge general perception towards, and any influence offering legends might have considering they’ll be in as an option for Franchise mode and part of the card-collecting Diamond Dynasty.

    The results suggest there are a fair number of consumers who anticipate taking advantage of the legends but just about as many that have no plans to utilize them at all. Of the over 2600 voters only 13% anticipate they’ll be actively using or trying to obtain them while 29% expect to use them in some capacity but don’t view them as a selling point of the game.

    In total those 42% of respondents have some level of interest in legends while 39% stated they have no interest in them. Of those with no interest the majority (27%) expressed a complete lack of care about them while the remaining 12% were disappointed in the choices and and being limited to just 30 players.

    Though it doesn’t appear that legends will draw new consumers to the product – the hardcore baseball fans excited by them are likely already buying the game – they can prove valuable for SCEA now and in the future. As with Universal Rewards, which in part are intended to drive awareness of Diamond Dynasty, legends could lead some to the revenue-generating mode for the first time or get them invested more in it than they would have been otherwise.

  • NBA Live 15 Available for $9 on Xbox One
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    Posted February 17th, 2015 at 10:00 am 9 Comments »

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    Last week it became apparent that NBA Live 15 would soon be added the EA Access “Vault”. EA has still yet to confirm when that will happen but a coinciding Xbox One deal on the game is more evidence that it could be making its way in later this week.

    Xbox Live Gold members can now purchase NBA Live 15 outright digitally for $9. For those without an EA Access subscription that’s an unprecedented offering. The NBA season has only just reached All-Star break and considering the length of the playoffs there’s still four months of in-season relevance to the product. Even years’ old sports games never fall to a price that low.

    Unfortunately because Sony rejected the EA Access program for PlayStation 4, claiming they did so because it wasn’t a good value, consumers won’t receive similar deals there. They’re still selling NBA Live 15 for $60.

    Those who do subscribe to EA Access on Xbox One will be getting NBA Live 15 for free along with the other games in the “Vault”:  Need for Speed Rivals, PvZ Garden Warfare, Battlefield 4, Peggle 2, Madden NFL 25, FIFA 14, and the most recently added EA Sports UFC.

    [Update] NBA Live 15 is expected to be added to the EA Access Vault the week of February 23.

  • NBA 2K15 Ratings Changes into All-Star Break
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    Posted February 16th, 2015 at 1:15 pm No Comments »

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    Though the frequency has fallen off since early in the season 2K Sports has done an admirable job with roster updates and ratings adjustments in NBA 2K15. A huge weakness of the series in past years has been eliminated due to the dedication to keep the game up-to-date and not just in terms of ratings but transactions, rotations, and accessories.

    There are some issues to consider with the process behind the ratings changes and analysis on that, and the biggest movers this season, will go up later this week. Check out all the ratings changes that have been made since the last collection was posted in late January by viewing the spreadsheet here.

    Notables on the rise include LeBron James (+1 to 97), LaMarcus Aldridge (+1 to 90), Klay Thompson (+2 to 89), Kyrie Irving (+2 to 88), DeAndre Jordan (+2 to 85), Brandon Knight (+2 to 84), Jared Dudley (+3 to 79), and Hassan Whiteside (+2 to 79).

    Among those falling are Kevin Durant (-1 to 95), Anthony Davis (-1 to 94), Kevin Love (-3 to 83), Rajon Rondo (-2 to 83), and Larry Sanders (-2 to 77).

  • The Line Drive for February 15
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    Posted February 15th, 2015 at 1:15 pm 5 Comments »

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    The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.

    ♦Put together the full list of legends in MLB 15: The Show for Sporting News.
    ♦ThatSportsGamer and Owen Good discussed the MLB 15 legend choices in a podcast.
    ♦MLB 15: The Show can now be pre-ordered digitally through the PlayStation Store.
    ♦The PC version of NBA 2K15 is discounted to $30 until Monday at 1PM ET.
    ♦All-Star content has been updated in NBA Live 15 with release of a new roster.
    ♦New big Ultimate Team content update has rolled out in Madden NFL 15.
    ♦Joe Greene and Dan Dierdorf are new legends just added to Madden Ultimate Team.
    ♦Red Sox owner John Henry wrote about his love for Out of the Park Baseball.
    ♦Today is the last opportunity to pre-order OOTP 16 and receive $5 off the retail price.
    ♦Wrote about the return of RBI Baseball for another year for Sporting News.
    ♦EA has pulled down the web and companion apps for FIFA 15 without explanation.
    ♦New tutorial video goes over how to score on penalty kicks in FIFA 15.
    ♦New developer blog goes over the latest considerations being made for The Golf Club.
    ♦New downloadable content will be released this coming week for WWE 2K15.
    ♦Details on the new content update coming out next week for Driveclub.
    ♦This week’s Blu-rays include Game of Thrones S4, Dumb and Dumber To and Birdman.

  • Press Row Podcast: New Marketing Strategies and MLB 15: The Show
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    Posted February 14th, 2015 at 1:30 pm 3 Comments »

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    SCEA has followed the lead of EA Sports and 2K Sports in producing straight-to-consumer live streams and extremely detailed breakdowns of features with MLB 15: The Show. In the latest Press Row Podcast we discuss this new marketing trend, and how it applies to MLB 15, before moving on to break down the feature news as of late and what it means for the game.

    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 in the streaming player below.

  • New Trailer for MLB 15: The Show
    by
    Posted February 13th, 2015 at 1:15 pm 11 Comments »

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    SCEA today released a brand new teaser trailer for MLB 15: The Show. There isn’t anything new to learn about MLB 15 from the trailer with the intention instead to portray the ambiance of the game in its attempt to replicate the sport and some of the emotion within.

    For those that missed any recent coverage of the game make sure to check out
    ♦Complete list of features
    ♦Live stream on gameplay
    ♦Anniversary Edition announced and pre-order incentives
    ♦Video and additional info on legends, licensed equipment, and Universal Rewards
    ♦Live stream on licensed equipment, rewards, and Diamond Dynasty

  • NBA Live 15 Appears Headed to the EA Access Vault Soon
    by
    Posted February 13th, 2015 at 11:15 am 16 Comments »

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    In December EA Sports UFC was added to the Vault within the EA Access subscription service. Based on an image hosted on Xbox.com advertising “featured games” it looks as though NBA Live 15 will be next.

    EA Access is the subscription service that is currently exclusive to Xbox One as Sony opted not to allow it for the PS4. It’s $30 for a full year or $5 month-to-month. Members get unlimited access to the Vault which contains older EA games. Right now that includes 2013’s slate of sports titles, Need for Speed Rivals, PvZ Garden Warfare, Battlefield 4, Peggle 2, and the most recently added UFC. Also there’s 10% savings on all digital purchases and five days of limited (six hours) early play before each EA game releases.

    Despite what the image states NBA Live 15 is not yet available for free through EA Access. Past games have been added on Thursdays, so February 19 might be the date it appears.

    This is a smart move by EA to get Live some exposure. Though they could have benefited more by adding it earlier considering it wasn’t selling even at dramatically discounted prices, by getting it in around the All-Star break there’s still significant relevance to the product. With the future of the series very much in question getting anyone new on board and potentially interested in another edition, whether that be as a traditional game or something more experimental, acts as a win for the company.