SCEA has released this week’s roster update for MLB 13: The Show. Some player ratings are being adjusted in the updates however the changes are not being detailed. It’s still a fairly small sample size to expect any significant shifts in ratings to have been made. Continue on for a look at the primary moves executed this week. Read more
The latest edition of the Press Row Podcast features discussion on the first news for FIFA 14, NHL 14, and NCAA Football 14 – along with thoughts on the rapidly dissipating third party support for the Wii U and Vita and how the rollout of next-gen info on Madden, FIFA, and NBA 2K may come in the months ahead.
Check it out through iTunes or with the embedded player at Operation Sports. Feel free to leave any feedback and suggestions on topics for future podcasts as well as the seventh show of the Press Row Hangout airing live later this week!
EA Sports today unveiled the upcoming “playbook” structure for news on Madden NFL 25. The first scheduled for Thursday, “Run Free”, is expected to be similar to the running game enhancements already announced for NCAA Football 14. That it comes along with the cover announcement and the start of the NFL Draft suggests it won’t be much more than that.
A few weeks later talk on advancements to Connected Careers will begin – though interestingly it’s being referred to as “Connected Franchise” here with a name change likely in response to considerable consumer confusion regarding the transition from Franchise to Connected Careers last year. Too many people thought Franchise mode had just been removed.
There is also a distinct gap surrounding E3 which begins June 11 with the EA press conference likely falling on Monday the 10th. That could mean either something being kept under the wraps for the event, or that the focus there will be on next-gen with the 360/PS3 versions taking the backseat for that period. Read more
Because it wouldn’t be an EA Sports game without a prolonged vote for the cover athlete the process begins today for NHL 14. The first round features two players from each team head-to-head with the winner advancing to a bracket of 30 representatives. The cover campaign for NHL 13 lasted nearly three months – this one ends June 2 making it somewhat more tolerable.
Voting is completed through the official site where an unlimited number can be cast. The first round runs through April 28 with the second round beginning the next day. Up to 10 entries per day will qualify for a sweepstakes to win a trip to a Stanley Cup Finals game this summer.
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
•PC download versions of FIFA 13 and FIFA Manager 13 are just $10 for limited time.
•A new set of screenshots have been added to the FB album for NCAA Football 14.
•Kotaku with a takedown of the defendant’s argument in the player likeness lawsuit.
•The Daily Show with a take on the NCAA as related to the player likeness lawsuit.
•Seven new shoes were recently added to NBA 2K13.
•Survey to complete for a chance to playtest FIFA 14 at the Guildford, UK location.
•Some facts three weeks into MLB 2K13’s Perfect Game Challenge.
•Microsoft’s Xbox team is working on a smartwatch to interact with the new console.
•MLS is introducing an intra-league loan system involving young players.
•The Big Ten is realigning and renaming divisions in 2014 when Maryland/Rutgers arrive.
•Check out the new helmets UConn football will be wearing this upcoming season.
•Check out the new football uniforms for North Carolina this upcoming season.
•Amazon is offering an extra $20 promo credit with video game trade-in of over $20.
News and content that may have been missed from the last week around the site.
•DVD/Blu-ray Releases This Week. Headlined by Gangster Squad and Jurassic Park 3D.
•Amazon Launches 14 Original Pilots. Free for Prime members includes Zombieland show.
•Breaking Bad Return Date Set. Final run begins on August 11.
•Hemlock Grove Releases on Netflix. 13 episode horror series with instant streaming.
•New Trailer for Man of Steel. The Superman reboot releases on June 14.
•Michael Rooker Cast in Guardians of the Galaxy. Will play Yondu.
•Teaser Trailer for Catching Fire. Second in The Hunger Games trilogy.
In preparation for the NBA playoffs beginning today 2K Sports has released another roster update for NBA 2K13. This one adds Tracy McGrady (rated 72) to the Spurs and Quentin Richardson (rated 70) to the Knicks. In addition it adjusts some player ratings after having gone over a month with only one update that enacted any ratings changes. Players who ended the season injured will not be returned to active status until the last update for 2K13 comes after the NBA Finals.
Ratings Up: Nate Robinson (+4 to 82), Carmelo Anthony (+3 to 93), Evan Fournier (+8 to 66), Roy Hibbert (+3 to 79), Stephen Curry (+2 to 87)
Ratings Down: Aaron Brooks (-2 to 76), Shannon Brown (-2 to 74)
Injury Status: Pablo Prigioni (-7 to 56), Kenyon Martin (returns to 76), Steve Nash (returns to 82), Manu Ginobli (returns to 86)
EA Sports today released a trailer which follows-up the information from Thursday regarding presentation enhancements made in NCAA Football 14. The trailer doesn’t reveal anything additional to the earlier news on aspects such as the attempt at broadcast-style presentation, halftime show, neutral site games, increased storyline discussion in commentary, streamlined menus, or the new playable camera angles – instead it’s an opportunity to view them briefly within the context of playing the game and how that implementation is shaping up. Read more
Though having multiple options in terms of playable camera angles has not been something perceived by many as mattering to the mainstream consumer base, the lack of such has brought criticism to the NCAA Football series in recent years. With just one standard camera it stood out as yet another area in which the series lacked initiative in appeasing a crowd that happened to be passionate about the desire for options – particularly as the Madden franchise has offered several of them making the omission from NCAA even more puzzling.
NCAA Football 14 will bring at least this one specific criticism to a close. The game will offer four playable camera angles to choose from. The standard legacy camera will be joined by “Zoomed”, “Wide”, and “Broadcast”. By name they are the same as what Madden NFL 13 offered but I’m told the “Broadcast” view won’t be from the traditional sideline perspective so hopefully EA will provide a look at what that entails in the weeks ahead.