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Hilarious EA Sports UFC Glitch Video
Despite all the issues with EA Sports UFC it is a fairly well polished product from a technical standpoint. However the game does have plenty of awkward situations where animations conflict and also some rare cases where really bizarre stuff can happen. There are a number of videos out there featuring visual oddities, but this one stands out for the variety of them and how the added commentary contributes to it being so funny.
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Patrice Bergeron Named NHL 15 Cover Athlete
Announced last night at the NHL Awards Show, Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins has been selected for the cover of NHL 15. Whether that selection was made by the fans or EA Sports who noted in the terms they could override results and choose who they wanted anyway, he beat out the Canadians’ P.K. Subban in the finals of the competition.
NHL 15 is due out September 9 and will feature a new commentary team, NBC presentation, enhanced physics, and next-gen visuals on Xbox One and PS4. Pre-orders will receive $15 worth of Ultimate Team packs as a bonus. An “Ultimate Edition” of the game will also be available for $10 more that will include $40 in Ultimate Team content.
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Details on More of the Visual Improvements for NBA Live 15
EA Sports today released a new developer blog and video detailing enhancements to graphics that have been made for NBA Live 15. Prior to E3 the company released the first image which showcased six player faces that had been dramatically improved due to the head scanning process.
Areas that have received significant work besides the player likenesses include arena lighting, jerseys, shot clock, shoes, and LED boards.
The poor visuals were far from the only thing wrong with NBA Live 14 but certainly presented a barrier to many that they were unable to get past – particularly as the series was built solely for the new systems where consumers were already being dazzled by other games including Live’s direct competitor. While EA has a lot of convincing to do with other areas this had to be the first step yet the wait will stretch on as first gameplay details aren’t being discussed until August.
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LeBron and Carmelo Taking Their Talents to Free Agency
While Carmelo Anthony was fully expected to opt-out of his contract with the New York Knicks, there was some uncertainty about whether LeBron James would do so. Reports today are that he in fact will. The two could still choose to go back to their respective teams but a number of suitors will be hoping to give them reason to leave. Add to the mix the possibility of Kevin Love being traded and there could be some massive shifts in power this offseason in the NBA and the respective video games.
While NY and Miami can offer the most money to them, contracts for the big name players in the NBA end up being just a fraction of what those players can earn. With endorsements and other avenues for earnings (LeBron made over three times as much last year off the court than on it) the potential that players will take less to go to a winning team or come together with friends is made even more plausible.
Possible destinations the two will consider include the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks. A few other teams could also clear space to get in the mix. Where do you see LeBron and Carmelo ending up once free agency opens on July 1?
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EA Sports UFC: Hits and Misses
Hope for the future of UFC games were high when EA Sports announced the acquisition of the license just over two years ago. There was to be significant development time and investment made prior to release of the first entry in the series, it would launch on the new systems and have an opportunity similar to how Fight Night Round 3 stood out early in the previous generation, and the company was coming off a good first effort in the sport with 2010’s EA Sports MMA.
It’s especially disappointing then that EA Sports UFC’s release has been met with a critical reception that places it well behind the efforts of recent years. THQ’s Undisputed series and even EA Sports MMA all received much higher review scores. Dedicated fans of the sport have been even harsher in regards to how well it reflects what they love.
Designed by the same team behind the Fight Night series it should come as no surprise the company never intended to produce a true simulation. They’ve said as much publicly that they believe simulations wouldn’t have wide enough appeal.
The result with EA UFC is something that really won’t have a defined target audience. It’s naturally too complicated for casuals and not realistic enough for the hardcore crowd. Continue on for a summary of what was executed well and what was handled poorly with EA Sports UFC in this Hits and Misses review. Read more
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The Line Drive for June 22
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦A few new arena screenshots from NHL 15 have been added to the FB album.
♦The last roster update for NBA 2K14 went out and returns all injured players to active status.
♦NFL.com posted new video from E3 featuring some off-screen gameplay of Madden 15.
♦Some serious defensive AI issues are already being spotted from E3 Madden 15 footage.
♦The “All-22” camera angle in Madden NFL 15 will be identical to NCAA 14’s Coordinator cam.
♦EA Sports posted some user stats from the first two days of UFC’s release.
♦Here are the full details on the soundtrack for EA Sports UFC.
♦A series of video tutorials have been posted for EA Sports UFC.
♦EA Sports did not allow reviewers to use their own videos or screenshots in UFC reviews.
♦New video tuturial demonstrates how to set up a Custom Tours in The Golf Club.
♦NBA Live 15’s executive producer answered some fan submitted questions following E3.
♦Latest Press Row Podcast discusses hands-on impressions with some E3 media attendees.
♦Boxes of Topps baseball cards include $5 worth of “Stubs” currency for MLB 14: The Show.
♦Here are the details on the July system update that’ll be coming for Xbox One.
♦The pre-downloading of digital games on PS4 will now start with this week’s Transformers.
♦Check out the beautiful Super Bowl rings the Seahawks received a few days ago.
♦Check out the Batman-themed uniforms recently worn by the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
♦Check out the uniforms that were unveiled for the Charlotte Hornets.
♦The NBA has moved its logo to the back of uniforms to open up space for future ads.
♦The price of The Last of Us Remastered for PS4 has been lowered to $50.
♦300: Rise of an Empire is the only major Blu-ray/DVD release this coming week. -
Press Row Hangout: Reviewing EA UFC
The launch of the EA Sports UFC franchise was highly anticipated but has been met with disappointing reviews and fairly poor consumer word of mouth. Check out the 74 minute segment from last night’s live Press Row Hangout where I’m joined by Rich Grisham and T.J. Lauerman to break down our experiences with and assessments of the game!
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Madden NFL 15 Cover Prominently Features Equipment Not in the Game
The official cover art for Madden NFL 15 made its way to retailers yesterday. Putting aside that the cover art is awful – hopefully the petition and lobbying from Sherman to get the entire LOB on the cover will lead to a change – it features front and center Vapor Jet gloves and shoes that still have not been added to the series. Nike took over the license two years ago yet those items have yet to replace the old Reebok equipment. Screenshots and videos have shown that they aren’t included this year and EA Sports has refused comment on why that is the case.
It’s one thing for the latest equipment to not to be included in the game even after two years. While that affects authenticity the majority of consumers may not notice or really care. However one would think Nike and the NFL would be on EA about taking care of it, especially when they’ve been placed on the cover in a manner which attracts attention to them. While not as embarrassing as having an intro video that features a crucial surprise onside kick in a Super Bowl, and not having surprise onside kicks in the game, it certainly still reflects poorly on them.
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