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The Line Drive for October 13
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦Amazon has NHL 14 for $50, FIFA 14 on 360 for $50, and NCAA 14 for $40.
♦Xbox Wire has a Q&A regarding the CoachGlass feature for Madden NFL 25.
♦EA Sports posted a bogus gameplay teaser trailer for Madden NFL 25.
♦First announced song for the NBA Live 14 soundtrack is Pusha T “Numbers on the Boards”.
♦A couple new screenshots can be found in the FB gallery for NBA Live 14.
♦Wins and losses should now be recorded for NBA 2K14 online games when users quit.
♦The “Hollywood Nights” jerseys for the Lakers will be added to NBA 2K14 soon.
♦Special Press Row Podcast discusses hands-on impressions of Madden and FIFA next-gen.
♦Details on new features within Creation mode in WWE 2K14 have been revealed.
♦Check out the new basketball court for San Jose State.
♦Check out the new uniforms that will be worn in the revamped Pro Bowl.News and content that may have been missed from the last week around the site.
♦DVD/Blu-ray Releases This Week. Headlined by Pacific Rim and The Heat.
♦Trailer for I, Frankenstein. The action thriller is set to open in January.
♦New Trailer for The Monuments Men. The based-on-a-true story film out 12/18. -
Madden NFL 25 Roster Update #7 Out Now
The latest roster update for Madden NFL 25 following week five of the season arrived on Thursday for both the Xbox 360 and PS3. EA Sports did not provide the usual list of changes made in the update however. Get the roster update by starting up an online game or going to the roster update tile on the main home menu screen.
Glancing through the new roster some of the notable movement includes Alshon Jeffery up 3 to 80, Terrelle Pryor up 2 to 79, Geno Smith up 2 to 76, Tony Romo up 1 to 91, Cam Newton down 2 to 87, and Matt Schaub plummeting 4 points to 83. Eli Manning dropped a point to 86, leaving him as an above average QB despite his #29 total QBR, though after the Thursday night performance he’ll surely be dropping further next week.
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NBA 2K14 Patch Addresses VC Exploits
The first patch was released today for NBA 2K14 and introduces a fix for at least one issue that had been discovered since the game released early this month. Essentially saving a game late in the fourth quarter allowed for users to load up the save and take the VC winnings only to come right back and be able to do so from the same late-game situation over and over. Another exploit utilizing Paypal and fake accounts to get VC also appears to now be blocked.
The VC system was introduced last year and infected the whole game making the overall experience less enjoyable and it’s no surprise that users have sought out ways to get currency for free to improve their MyPlayer or stack their MyTeam. EA has faced similar trouble at times with Ultimate Team modes in the past. With revenue on the line 2K Sports accelerated fixes through the system while other pressing issues with the game will have to wait.
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Press Row Podcast: Episode 48
The latest episode of the Press Row Podcast features discussion centered on the announcement of the CoachGlass feature for Madden NFL 25, initial impressions of next-gen Madden and FIFA and where sports games go from here, and EA being sued by THQ over the UFC license.
Check out the podcast through iTunes, on Android with the Stitcher app, or in the streaming player below. As always leave any feedback on the show or topics to discuss for future podcasts and hangouts in the comments!
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Ultimate Team Confirmed for NBA Live 14
In news that should surprise no one NBA Live 14 will feature its own Ultimate Team mode. The retailer pre-order bonus for Live is the same as it is for Madden NFL 25. Seven Ultimate Team packs (which is said to be worth over $10) will be included with purchase from the major retailers including Amazon and Gamestop.
NBA LIVE Ultimate Team delivers a complete fantasy basketball experience to your console. Build your dream team by collecting the best players in the NBA, and then take your squad into competition online against other Ultimate Team gamers. Fans can also compete in solo single-player Fantasy Showdown challenges, and truly prove your worth as a NBA fantasy owner.
The team-building mode has become a huge revenue generator for all of the titles from EA Sports however basketball may be the worst fit of the bunch. With the limited number of players that are used in each game it doesn’t offer the same challenges in crafting a team and improving it beyond a certain point so it’ll be interesting to see how they tailor it to make it more intriguing. Knowing that legends will be involved in Live though this is probably where we’ll see them appear.
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With Next-Gen Nearing What Are Your Current Plans Regarding Sports Games?
With only five weeks until the launch of next-gen the four sports titles on-hand for release have shown and described very little of substance to convince consumers that they should be considered for purchase. Outside of FIFA 14, which by appearing at various conferences resulted in lengthy gameplay videos making it to the public, they’ve either barely been seen and disappointed (Madden NFL 25) or have been kept hidden (NBA 2K14, NBA Live 14).
Back in early August the polls showed a significant number of respondents planned to wait for the Xbox One and PS4 versions of the sports games. Sales numbers have shown that is a factor with Madden, FIFA, and NBA 2K14 on current-gen all dropping from last year’s numbers. While these five weeks will provide ample opportunity for EA Sports and 2K Sports to put their games on full display lets find out where people stand right now. Vote in the polls below and leave your thoughts in the comments! Read more
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THQ Sues EA Over Transfer of UFC License
Legal troubles continue for Electronic Arts despite settling cases regarding player likenesses in college games and pricing tactics after receiving exclusivity for Madden. The latest is the now defunct THQ filing suit against EA and Zuffa (parent company of UFC) regarding the transfer of the UFC license that took place last summer.
THQ is asking for the deal to be nullified and rights returned to them with any profits from the upcoming EA Sports UFC theirs to keep. The company claims that EA provided Zuffa with confidential information regarding the financial state of THQ during negotiations. That resulted in the parties conspiring to make the acquisition to the best of their interests by using the info to their advantage and offering less than they may have otherwise. According to the filing they believe the $10 million settlement for Zuffa to get out of their agreement would have been something more like $20 million had EA not interfered.
The problem for THQ here will be that no one needed internal numbers to recognize that the company was a sinking ship and it was public knowledge that sales of the UFC franchise dropped off 70% from the first to third release while under their control. UFC had every reason to move to a more stable situation and EA to look for a deal to acquire the property. EA Sports UFC is currently slated for release next spring.
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Madden NFL 25 Next-Gen Gameplay Found in Video Centered on CoachGlass Feature
A video from tech site Engadget, reporting on the CoachGlass feature that was revealed yesterday, provides the first glimpse of next-gen Madden NFL 25 in action. The footage shows a game that isn’t straying from the way the current-gen version looks in terms of presentation or even much in how it plays on the field. Read more
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