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Madden NFL 19 Presentation Improvements
Having already gone through the full reveals for Franchise Mode, Gameplay, and Ultimate Team, EA Sports has now released the details on what to expect out of presentation for Madden NFL 19. Undoubtedly an area of weakness for the series, presentation is being enhanced this year with halftime shows checking in on scores of games in progress, updated stadium exteriors, 3D graphics package, two new replay cameras, and expanded ability for commentary to carry storylines throughout the games. Read more
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NHL 19 gets RPM and outdoor rinks; covers feature P.K. Subban and Wayne Gretzky
EA Sports today unveiled NHL 19 during the NHL Awards broadcast and followed it up with additional details on features. While the game doesn’t appear to be transitioning to the Frostbite Engine it will instead have outdoor rinks, Real Player Motion (all of the EA Sports titles this year feature the new animation technology), and NHL ONES (1v1v1) will join the NHL THREES arcade mode that debuted last year.
Nashville Predators star defenseman P.K. Subban, who has been the subject of trade rumors already this offseason, will appear on the cover of the standard edition. Wayne Gretzky represents the Legends Edition which will include 20 HUT packs distributed over 20 weeks. NHL 19 will release on September 14 for the standard version while those who pre-order the pricier Legends or Ultimate Editions will get it on September 11.  Read more
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The top rated players in Madden NFL 19
While EA Sports plans to reveal all the player ratings for Madden NFL 19 later in July, many of the ratings have made it out early thanks to a video coming out of EA Play. All teams are scrolled through in the video except for those that start with the letter B. It’s possible these ratings are not final and some adjustments could be made before release in early August.
Three players start the year rated 99 Overall: Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Donald, and Antonio Brown. Donald is the only of the three that ended Madden 18 rated 99 to return as a 99. Rob Gronkowski and J.J. Watt have fallen from 99 to begin the new season.
For more analysis on the early ratings check out the piece today in Sporting News which includes which teams have the most and the least ultra-elite-rated players, the ongoing battle for the top spot at QB between Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, how injuries impacted the ratings of some big name players, the top rated rookie, the obvious error that is Von Miller missing from the 90+ group, and a few notables that currently fall below the 90 threshold. Read more
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EA teases NHL 19 ahead of Wednesday reveal
As expected NHL 19 will make it’s first showing on Wednesday night during the NHL Awards which airs on NBCSN at 8ET/5PT. Included will be the cover athlete unveiling, first trailer, and pre-order details. EA Sports confirmed the upcoming appearance with the release of a teaser video that may provide insight on one of the major new features for this year.
The tease would seem to point towards the introduction of the Frostbite Engine to the series and with it the capability to produce a story mode along the lines of FIFA’s The Journey and Madden’s Longshot. That would certainly reach the magnitude of an announcement that EA would look to tout during such an event. While there could be other theories, such as the return of outdoor games, it seems likely the tease was intended to create speculation centered on a story mode.
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The Line Drive for June 17
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦FIFA 18 predicts that France to win the World Cup over Portugal.
♦A number of World Cup players have been added to Ultimate Team in FIFA 18.
♦Hans Zimmer created a special remix of the Champions League theme for FIFA 19.
♦Appeared on the latest episode of the Doddcast to share thoughts on E3’s press briefings.
♦NHL 19 is expected to get its initial reveal during the NHL Awards on Wednesday night.
♦Mario Tennis Aces can still be pre-ordered w/Amazon Prime discount taking down to $48.
♦Details on the latest Event and Program now live in MLB 18 Diamond Dynasty.
♦Voting is underway for players to be featured in an upcoming MUT 18 program.
♦PES 2019 has boosted its license with FC Schalke after losing Borussia Dortmund.
♦Skateboarding game Session debuted its trailer at E3 which began as a Kickstarter project.
♦More details on the primary features of interest announced for Forza Horizon 4.
♦The Anniversary Edition of NBA 2K18 can now be pre-ordered through Amazon for $100.
♦Countdown to the initial reveal for NASCAR Heat 3 which will happen in early July.
♦The deal for six months of Xbox Game Pass for just $30 is still available.
♦Movie releases this week include Pacific Rim: Uprising (BD) and Blockers (Digital). -
Madden NFL 19 Franchise Mode Details
EA Sports today unveiled details on Franchise Mode, going beyond just the brief mention weeks ago of a Custom Draft Class Creator and the specifics of the new specialist positions out of the Ultimate Team mode reveal. Franchise in Madden, from about M13 through M16, was considered to be among the best in the genre but recent years has led to criticism of EA for shifting resources heavily towards Ultimate Team and Longshot and doing little for Franchise.
Improvements to the mode will also include a Archetype Progression System, coaching schemes that impact player progression, 11 new ratings, and new NFL Draft presentation. Read more
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Magic moments on full display in new E3 trailer for PES 2019
Last month Konami introduced Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 with a teaser trailer and details on many of the features and improvements coming to the series. Now out of E3 the publisher has released a new trailer which puts the spotlight on enhancements made to gameplay including the 11 new skill traits which will go a long way to increasing player individuality and the new shooting mechanics, league licenses that have been acquired, and new legends for MyClub mode.
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Nintendo Switch getting a new sports game
With the exception of Pro Evolution Soccer, Konami has largely abandoned the console space. Today though out of E3 the publisher announced a new game and it’ll be coming to the Nintendo Switch which could use more sports offerings. The Switch currently has the likes of NBA 2K, FIFA, NBA Playgrounds and Golf Story but is missing some other major franchises.
The new game is called Hyper Sports R and is being framed as a simulation of various individual and team sports that include volleyball, swimming, and track and field. Details on the other sports and a release date will come down the line. Read more
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