Though there is reason for optimism with EA Sports’ next-gen offerings considering the feature parity with the 360/PS3 versions and the introduction of the Ignite Engine, one factor that hadn’t really been considered until recently was whether the response to the current-gen games would affect at all the expectations for the Xbox One/PS4 versions. Would strong word of mouth lead to more excitement for the games that are now about two months away? What would happen if the they were to be deemed disappointments by many? Read more
With Madden NFL 25 struggling to sell, and next-gen just two months away, retailers are looking at ways to move the product. Amazon immediately added a $10 credit that also applied to preorders. Now they have an even better offer and once again it’s especially good for those who plan to upgrade to the Xbox One in November.
The “Shave and Save” deal provides a $20 discount for Madden NFL 25 when buying a Gillette Fusion Proglide razor ($6.64). Considering the original $10 promo credit remains and is credited to the account after shipping and the $50 price, that makes the total package of Madden and the razor essentially $26.64 plus tax. It’s unclear how long this promotion will run so make sure to jump in ASAP if interested. It could be over in a matter of hours.
Remember that those moving to the Xbox One will be able to trade in Madden NFL 25 by the end of the year for $50 in credit to put towards the One version of the game. Those who planned to wait can now get the 360 game and save $24 for the One which is pretty wild.
[Update] The PS3 version is already gone (at least for the time being).
[Update #2] The 360 price is fluctuating between $50 and $60 now.
[Update #3] Now the razor is out of stock. Which ends the deal. Unless it comes back!
Back when the pre-order incentive for NBA 2K14 was first listed the description revealed that there would be a new mode centered on cover athlete LeBron James called “Path to Greatness”. Even with only a few weeks until release 2K Sports has yet to detail what to expect from the mode but a preview from Games Radar lays out the framework.
“The mode will create scenarios that revolve around his ascent to become one of the all-time greats in the NBA. It’s a storyline mode. It’s a way for us to cater for people who just want to navigate through a mode. Maybe you don’t want to play a full season, do general manager stuff, or go online–this is for you.”
So while past modes like the Jordan Challenge have allowed for recreating historic events this one is about being guided through future moments in James’ career. It’ll be interesting to see whether gamers get the chance to move him to a different team in free agency since that will be a critical career decision that is just around the corner.
The demo for Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 arrived today for both the Xbox 360 (can be queued up for download here) and PlayStation 3 in advance of the originally announced dates.
Featured in the demo are games with five minute halves and adjustable difficulty. There are 11 teams to choose from: Spain, France, Italy, Germany, England, Portugal, Manchester United, FC Bayern, Santos FC, Colo-Colo, and Boca Juniors. Performance Training is also accessible to help in getting accustomed to the controls and improving skills.
Today EA Sports released a new uniform pack for NCAA Football 14. Unlike the first this one is not free and instead is offered for $1. To purchase head to the Team Management section from the main menu and then enter the Uniform Store.
Included in this pack are new unis for Miami (OH), helmets for Oklahoma State and Louisiana Tech, and gloves for Texas Tech, LSU, and South Carolina. Considering how many jerseys and helmets are still missing from the game – and even some of the schools included today got gloves but not their new unis – this release is unquestionably a weak effort from the company and hopefully another content pack will follow soon.
As often is the case week one of the NFL season provided a number of surprises as many underdogs were either able to win or keep the games dangerously close. The team that could take the hardest hit in this week’s roster update for Madden NFL 25 is the Steelers who fell at home to Tennessee and lost three players including one of their best in Maurkice Pouncey to IR.
Players likely to receive a bump after first week performances include Peyton Manning (possibly going up to 99), LeSean McCoy, A.J. Green, Robert Quinn, Star Lotulelei, Jared Cook, Julius Thomas, Reggie Bush, and Anquan Boldin. Among those likely to fall are David Wilson, Jimmy Smith, Isaac Redman, Nnamdi Asomugha, Brandon Weeden, Christian Ponder, and Levi Brown.
As always leave your thoughts in the comments as to who should get ratings attention whether up or down for the next roster update in the comments!
The demo for FIFA 14 is out now on the Xbox 360 (queue it up for download here) and has since also arrived on the PS3. It released for PC yesterday through the Origin store.
Eight Teams are included in the demo which features Camp Nou stadium: Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Boca Juniors, and New York Red Bulls. Games have three minute halves with adjustable difficulty. The Practice Arena is accessible as is the opportunity to play around with some pre-made Ultimate Team squads.
A recent special Press Row Podcast featured Rich Grisham interviewing two intriguing guests – Gus Ramsey of ESPN and former Madden NFL creative director (10-12) Ian Cummings. For anyone with interest in the inner-workings of Madden development the segment with Ian, which begins at the 49 minute mark, makes for an especially enlightening listen. Read more