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Press Row Podcast: Return to Form
In this episode of the Press Row Podcast: Bryan Wiedey and Rich Grisham reunite to discuss recent news including what to expect from MLB The Show 19 as well as its exclusion of an Online Franchise and Take Two and the NBA extending their licensing agreement for $1.1 billion. Additionally there’s discussion on the new Alliance of American Football League, Out of the Park Baseball 19 analysis on Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, the 2018 PCA winners and more!
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 now also be found on Spotify! Subscribe and give the podcast five star reviews to help support the show. You can also listen with the streaming player found below.
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NBA Live 19 has now dropped to $6
It has become the norm for dramatic discounts to be offered on NBA Live given that the series has failed to gain traction in recent years even despite marginal improvement in quality and a few slip-ups from the competition. However it is still wild to see the price of an in-season, and actually in this case mid-season, annual sports title drop this low. NBA Live 19 is available now and for the next week for just $6 digitally on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
While NBA Live 19 lacks the immense depth of the NBA 2K series it is definitely the more approachable title in how it is easier to just pick up and play and doesn’t add a layer of pressure through aggressive monetization. At such a low price it could be enticing for those looking for an NBA game as the season starts to heat up and head into the playoffs that don’t want to invest a lot of time and money simply to compete and have some fun with the game.
The plummeting prices mirror what happened with NBA Live 18 when that game last January hit a low of $7.50. Those on Xbox One with an EA Access subscription however may want to consider passing even on this deal, as the game will likely be added to the Vault later this month.
NBA 2K19 is also on sale but for $20 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
The future of the NBA Live series remains in serious question as the licensing agreement for EA Sports nears its end. The recent contract extension for $1.1 billion between the NBA and Take Two will lead to even greater scrutiny. EA Sports has been losing money on the franchise for a decade now. While they would like to keep the NBA in their portfolio to help fill out a subscription service and hope to eventually see digital revenue grow from Ultimate Team it’s a difficult thing to justify to investors who see nothing but losses and little reason for optimism.
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Details on MLB The Show 19 defense and hitting improvements
While disappointment abounds over the state of Franchise Mode in MLB The Show 19, with the confirmed absence of Online Franchise and the apparent lack of anything substantial being done for core (offline) Franchise, SCEA has rolled out details on something positive with a breakdown of gameplay improvements.
The focus here is on defensive abilities and balancing the hitting engine, which last year in MLB 18 were the gameplay areas that created the most frustration for players. Read more
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The Line Drive for February 10
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦Full list of all ratings changes made in the latest NBA 2K19 roster update.
♦Details on an All-Star update that has gone out for NBA 2K Playgrounds 2.
♦Decent sale NBA 2K19 for XB1/PS4/Switch currently through Amazon.
♦Sale is ending soon on the PC version through Steam of NBA 2K19 for $20.
♦Madden NFL 19 and FIFA 19 were the sports games in PS4 store top 10 sellers for Jan.
♦538 looks at Bryce Harper and Manny Machado free agency with OOTP Baseball 19.
♦Sale ending soon on Out of the Park Baseball 19 through Steam going for just $5.
♦Now confirmed there will not be an Online Franchise mode in MLB The Show 19.
♦Big MLB rules changes could mean a hurried patch ready for opening day of The Show.
♦Sale ending soon on Xbox One and PC (Steam) Super Mega Baseball 2 for just $15.
♦Details on the latest content update to have gone out for NBA Live 19.
♦Infographic displays Champions League-related play info through FIFA 19.
♦Details on the latest patch to have gone out for Pro Evolution Soccer 2019.
♦Details on this month’s event for Ultimate Team in NHL 19 that is underway.
♦EA Sports added two new server locations to help online performance in NHL 19.
♦NASCAR Heat 3 will roll out its official 2019 update this Tuesday.
♦Blu-ray releases this week Bohemian Rhapsody and digital Ralph Breaks the Internet. -
NBA 2K19 roster updated with trade deadline deals and ratings changes
Rosters have now been updated in NBA 2K19 to reflect both the passing of the much-hyped trade deadline this season and ratings adjustments based on recent performance heading as next weekend’s All-Star Game approaches.
While Anthony Davis ended up staying put in New Orleans leaving the Lakers with little to show for their efforts, the 76ers, Raptors, Bucks, and Magic all made significant acquisitions in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia added All-Star snub Tobias Harris (86 Overall) to give them a formidable starting lineup, Marc Gasol (84) was sent to Toronto, East-leading Milwaukee added Nikola Mirotic (81), and Markelle Fultz (74) will get a fresh start with the Magic. Those moves and several others from this week have been made in the latest update.
Additionally, the All-Star Game rosters have been made accurate to reflect the draft selections for Team Lebron and Team Giannis.
Notable ratings movement includes James Harden (+1 to 97) putting him now just a point behind LeBron James, Nikola Jokic (+2 to 93), Paul George (+1 to 92), LaMarcus Aldridge (+2 to 88), Ben Simmons (+1 to 88), Kemba Walker (-1 to 88), Jimmy Butler (-1 to 88), Donovan Mitchell (+1 to 87), Nikola Vucevic: (+1 to 87), Luka Doncic (+1 to 87), D’Angelo Russell (+2 to 86), DeMar DeRozan (-3 to 86), Eric Bledsoe (+2 to 85), and Kyle Lowry (-2 to 85).
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Trailer for MLB The Show 19 arrives along with info release schedule
Today SCEA released the first trailer for MLB The Show 19. As is generally the case with these trailers it’s more flash than substance, so good then that it’s accompanied by an upcoming promotional schedule that includes having listed potential improvements to the game and a few new features to speculate about ahead of their reveals.
The streams begin on Thursday, Feb. 14 with a look at gameplay-specific improvements in the area of overhauled defensive intelligence and hitting advancements. Also coming down the line are streams/blogs focused on Road to the Show, Diamond Dynasty, and new modes called “Moments” and “March to October.” Franchise Mode has been relegated to a single bullet point regarding contract extensions, which will certainly be discouraging for those who had hoped this would finally be the year where it would get more attention.
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The Line Drive for February 3
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦Madden NFL 19 gives the Rams a 72% chance of winning Super Bowl 53.
♦Rams win 93% of the time scoring 30+ and when under 30 the Patriots win 64%.
♦Companion app update added MUT Auction House access for Madden NFL 19.
♦The first trailer for MLB The Show 19 will release on Tuesday Feb. 5th.
♦Details on the ratings changes from a new roster update in NBA 2K19.
♦Decent sale NBA 2K19 for XB1/PS4/Switch currently through Amazon.
♦NBA Live 19 is being offered for $10 digital Xbox One and $10 with PS+ on PS4.
♦The most recent patch made to FIFA 19 has now also reached the consoles.
♦Details on the latest patch to have gone out for NHL 19.
♦The tuner update based on feedback from the rollback went live late in NHL 19.
♦Spike Volleyball is set to release on Tuesday and put out two mocap videos.
♦NASCAR Heat 3 will roll out its official 2019 update on Tuesday Feb. 12th.
♦Blu-ray this week The Grinch and Widows – on digital Overlord and Robin Hood. -
Madden NFL 19 added to the EA Access Vault
The second EA Sports game from 2018 has reached the Vault in EA Access. Madden NFL 19 was added today making it available in full to all subscribers just in time for Super Bowl LIII.
EA Access is currently exclusive to Xbox One with Sony declining to offer the service on PS4 despite its remarkable value. EA executives have hinted that could change possibly this year however. For $30 a year or $5 month-to-month, members get unlimited access to the back library of EA games on the console which in addition to Madden NFL 19 now includes EA Sports UFC 3 and all pre-2018 EA Sports games plus the likes of Star Wars Battlefront II, Need for Speed Payback, Battlefield 1, Titanfall 2, Skate 3, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst and many others. There’s also the 10 hour trials with every EA game that begin five days before release and 10% savings on all digital purchases whether it be the actual games or microtransactions within them.
The arrival of Madden to the Vault comes two weeks earlier than it did last year. In addition to potential new subs and hoping to pull in some new fans to buy Madden NFL 20, those introduced to the game for the first time without having to pay for it may be more inclined to invest in its Ultimate Team mode. NBA Live 19 is likely to follow with it getting added to the Vault later this month while FIFA 19 and NHL 19 could land in April.
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