-
Press Row Podcast: EA Play 2018 Recap
Electronic Arts held its annual EA Play press briefing on Saturday, including a first look at Madden NFL 19, FIFA 19 and NBA Live 19. Following the show additional details were provided on features for each of the respective games.
This special edition of the Press Row Podcast covers all the news from the event which includes Madden making a return to the PC after an absence of over a decade, the return of Longshot story mode for a second season, how the Madden trailer seemed awfully familiar, confirmation of FIFA securing the UEFA Champions League license, NBA Live 19 doubling down on The One career mode, and much more. We also debut the segment “Rich’s Fashion Corner” for critiques of how presenters were dressed this year.
Check out the podcast through iTunes for iOS, on Android with the Stitcher app, or with Pocket Casts on iOS, Android, and Windows. Subscribe and give the podcast five star reviews to help support the show! You can also listen with the streaming player below.
-
The Line Drive for June 10
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 will feature an accurately-modeled Shaquem Griffin as seen in the trailer.
♦First trailer for NBA Live 19 focuses on its most popular mode from last year The One.
♦Details on some of the gameplay improvements to expect from NBA Live 19.
♦Grab a 6 month subscription to Xbox Game Pass for just $30 for a limited time.
♦The Windows PC version of Madden NFL 19 is already up for pre-order through Origin.
♦Special Press Row Podcast episode covering everything out of EA Play is now live.
♦Microsoft debuted the first trailer for Forza Horizon 4 due out on October 2nd.
♦Terrell Owens causes problems for EA by skipping out on HOF Enshrinement Ceremony.
♦The next mobile Madden game has been revealed with a new name Madden Overdrive.
♦The $100 edition of NBA 2K19 for XB1/PS4/Switch can be pre-ordered through Amazon.
♦Details on the latest MLB The Show 18 roster update which includes one new Diamond.
♦Latest Diamond Dynasty content for MLB The Show 18 with monthly awards and programs.
♦Details on some of the gameplay improvements to expect from FIFA 19.
♦2018 FIFA World Cup content has also made its way to FIFA Mobile.
♦Looking at LeBron James in NBA 2K18 with possible teams he could join this offseason.
♦Blu-ray releases this week are headlined by Tomb Raider and Love, Simon. -
Story Mode returns for Madden NFL 19 with Longshot: Homecoming
Given that the debut of Longshot in Madden NFL 18 was so well-received it should come as little surprise that a second season of the mode will be featured in Madden NFL 19. Being called ‘Longshot: Homecoming” the mode begins with lead-character Devin Wade now beginning training camp with the Dallas Cowboys and fighting to prove he belongs in the NFL.
Based on feedback EA is increasing the gameplay elements and related-interactions within the mode which were few and far between last year.
One of the common requests was that gamers wanted to feel more involved with Longshot from a gaming perspective. With that, this season players will be taken through four times the gameplay and be thrown into even more on-field action.
While the characters were featured in Ultimate Team last year when the cards were given out following completion of the story, this year they’ll also be made playable in Franchise Mode.
Don’t miss the other news that broke on Madden NFL 19 today with the series making a long-awaited return to PC and all the gameplay improvements accompanied by the first trailer.
-
Madden NFL 19 gets its first trailer and all the details on gameplay improvements
The presence of Madden NFL 19 at the EA Play event was limited to a trailer, which had the intention of demonstrating the new Real Player Motion technology. Thankfully EA Sports has followed with more than just that as extensive details have been revealed on all the anticipated gameplay improvements for the game. Read more
-
Madden NFL 19 will release on PC
For the first time since 2007 an edition of the Madden series will be coming to PC. At EA Play today it was announced that Madden NFL 19 will release on Windows PC through Origin this August. Over the years there have been rumors and even retailer listing errors that have gotten fans’ hopes up for a return but this time it is for real.
Low sales and piracy concerns were cited as reasons for ending the series on PC over a decade ago. The move to a more digital world where subscriptions and revenue-driven modes are the primary measurements for success and EA having their own distribution platform certainly played a big role in reversing that decision now.
The game will be available on Origin Access just as it will on EA Access with Xbox One and receive the same perks of early play time and eventually making its way to the Vault alongside FIFA and other EA titles. There will also be a new tier of Origin Access called Premier that will include new games being fully playable not just limiting it to Vault games, similar to what Microsoft has done with the Xbox Game Pass.
Madden will join FIFA, NBA 2K, and Pro Evolution Soccer as the major traditional licensed sports franchises available on PC.
-
First FIFA 19 trailer and Champions League licensing made official
The EA Play press briefing today featured the FIFA 19 reveal with the debut of its teaser trailer. EA Sports made the inclusion of Champions League official but that’s not exactly news given that it was obvious the series would be getting it when competitor Pro Evolution Soccer announced they lost that license nearly two months ago. The game will release September 28.
-
Press Row Podcast: First NBA 2K19 news and Super Mega Baseball 2 interview
Before the avalanche of news comes from EA Play and E3 the latest developments in the sports gaming world are discussed in this episode of the Press Row Podcast. Among those topics are NBA 2K19’s reveal of the 20th Anniversary Edition (strangely for its 19th year) and who will find the $100 package worth buying, plus Terrell Owens, cover athlete for the Hall of Fame Edition of Madden NFL 19, has decided not to attend the enshrinement ceremony and how that could affect EA Sports’ marketing plans.
Then Rich Grisham has a fascinating hour long talk with Metalhead Software’s Scott Drader on the fantastic Super Mega Baseball 2, going through everything from the development behind the series to decisions on how to initially sell the game which included giving it away as part of the Games with Gold program on Xbox One.
Check out the podcast through iTunes for iOS, on Android with the Stitcher app, or with Pocket Casts on iOS, Android, and Windows. Subscribe and give the podcast five star reviews to help support the show! You can also listen with the streaming player below.
-
Hitting concerns addressed yet again with latest MLB The Show 18 patch
The problems with the hitting system in MLB The Show 18 have not been solved despite five patches directly attempting to fix them and now another has arrived today that makes changes intended to provide more consistent results. Whether it be a PCI that has randomly moved during swings or poor contact off good timing and good placement it has been a frustrating year at the plate, with online games especially affected from the last update resulting in agonizingly low scoring games often stretching many extra innings.
This new patch attempts to better reward good timing/placement for both offline and online games and makes a few improvements to problematic fielding issues. Read more
by