-
Rocket League gets DC superhero content with new DLC pack
The latest vehicle additions through premium downloadable content arrive today in Rocket League. The Tumbler from The Dark Knight Rises and the Batmobile from 1989’s Batman join other licensed cars in the game from the likes of Back to the Future and Fast & Furious. The DC Super Heroes DLC pack is sold for $4 and also includes:
♦Aquaman — Decal (Breakout), and Player Banner
♦Batman — Decal (Paladin), and Player Banner
♦Cyborg — Decal (Roadhog), and Player Banner
♦Flash — Speed Force Boost, Wheels, Decal (Venom), and Player Banner
♦Green Arrow — Decal (Hotshot), and Player Banner
♦Green Lantern — Decal (Merc), and Player Banner
♦Superman — Decal (Octane), and Player Banner
♦Wonder Woman — Wheels, Decal (X-Devil), and Player Banner
♦DC — Player BannerAn accompanying patch for the game has also added the ability for match spectators to chat and made a few bug fixes as well.
-
The Line Drive for March 4
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦Looking at the league’s biggest risers and fallers in NBA 2K18 so far this season.
♦Another stadium screenshot has been released for Super Mega Baseball 2.
♦EA Sports UFC 3 is still on sale down to $39 just for a few more days.
♦Archived developer stream on the Diamond Dynasty features in MLB The Show 18.
♦New video goes over many new bat flips that’ll be found in MLB The Show 18.
♦New video highlights legends revealing a few new ones for MLB The Show 18.
♦Patch was released fixing the broken Franchise trade meter in Madden NFL 18.3
♦Details on the NFL Combine Program active now in Madden NFL 18 Ultimate Team.
♦Many NBA 2K League hopefuls aren’t happy with how the selection process played out.
♦Details on the latest patch that has now gone out on all platforms for FIFA 18.
♦Burnout Paradise Remastered gets 10 hours play time through EA Access this week.
♦Yet another patch has released adding some features to the troubled AO Tennis.
♦Details on the spring console update for Xbox One that will be rolling out to all soon.
♦This week blu-rays headlined by Lady Bird and digital the new Jumanji. -
Online Franchise has been cut from MLB The Show 18
As Ultimate Team and Diamond Dynasty modes exploded in popularity and their ability to generate digital revenue soared, Online Franchise in games not named Madden began to be seen as fringe by developers. They’ve been left lacking core features, rarely been updated, and issues with them have often been ignored in post-release support. NHL for one decided to just dump it for good after struggling to get it to run properly.
Now MLB The Show is also going away from the mode completely. The mode, introduced to the series in 2014, will not be in MLB The Show 18 as announced by Sony San Diego. Read more
-
Press Row Podcast: The march towards upcoming games
2018 is shaping up to be a strong one for the sports gaming genre due in large part to independent developers. The latest game to be announced is The Golf Club 2019 which will act as the third entry in the well-regarded series that began in 2014, but concern is raised whether it will be able to sustain much less grow its consumer base in a graveyard of once annualized sports franchises. Also on this episode discussion regarding the new features revealed for MLB The Show 18’s Diamond Dynasty mode and the panelists theorize why there still has been no official FIFA World Cup game announcement from EA Sports.
Check out the podcast through iTunes for iOS, on Android with the Stitcher app, or with Pocket Casts on iOS, Android, and Windows. The show can also now be found on the recently launched Google Play Music for podcasts. Subscribe and review to help support the show! You can also listen with the streaming player below.
-
First big price drop for EA Sports UFC 3
UFC exploded onto the video game scene in 2009 with the birth of THQ’s UFC Undisputed series. However ever since then with each subsequent release representing the fight promotion sales numbers have steadily dropped. Though specific numbers on EA Sports UFC 3’s sales are not known the placement at #13 in January NPD is an alarming indication that popularity and interest has hit another all-time low. That brings into real question whether the series has a future ahead of it or if the two companies will choose to part ways.
Sales on video games soon after release are no longer alone necessarily a sign of trouble – they’ve become fairly common especially with heavily front-loaded ones like sports games – but when a game lacks any sort of buzz it becomes more evidence of it. Less than a full month into release and EA Sports UFC 3 is down to $39 in both physical and digital form.
EA Sports UFC 3 on PlayStation 4 (Amazon)
EA Sports UFC 3 on PlayStation Store
EA Sports UFC 3 on Xbox One (Amazon)
EA Sports UFC 3 on Xbox Live Marketplace -
Third entry in The Golf Club series to release later this year
The Golf Club is a two-time winner of the PCA for Best Non-Yearly Sports Game (2014, 2017) but with the announcement today that the next edition in the series will release in the July-September quarter of 2018 it’ll be losing its eligibility in that category to the probably delight of fans.
Golf games, and unlicensed games or those that don’t have significant roster turnover in general, have really struggled in recent years selling themselves to the marketplace without extended layoffs between releases. The Golf Club 2019 will then be seeing the strength of its brand tested in whether the support will continue if any growth will be achieved.
Developer HB Studios revealed some of the features and improvements being worked on for the game. Those include online Skins Matches with virtual currency on the line, a new single player Career Mode, “SpeedTree Technology” for improved visuals, more character customization options, and enhancements to the Course Creator.
-
Out of the Park Baseball 19 partners with EA for Origin distribution
Out of the Park Developments today announced that the upcoming OOTP Baseball 19 will be distributed through Origin on PC, joining both Steam and direct download from its own website as ways to purchase and play the game. Not only will OOTP now be available on Origin but due to the partnership with Electronic Arts the game will be included as part of the Origin Access subscription service which goes for $30 a year or $5 month-to-month.
This team-up appears to be beneficial to both parties. OOTP Baseball can use the exposure, and being included for what many perceive as free through a subscription service they may already be a member of will provide it a big boost in that area. EA Access on Xbox One tends to get all the publicity and has a deeper lineup of games and in particular sports games given that only FIFA releases for PC. Adding OOTP will give Origin Access something exclusive of its own and a taste of MLB that fans may have been missing for over a decade.
Out of the Park Baseball 19 releases on March 19 for those who pre-order at $36 and March 22 otherwise for $40. The game this year features improved 3D presentation, new tournament modes, a new scouting system and updated rosters along with an addition of a mode coming in summer known as Perfect Team.
-
New Diamond Dynasty features for MLB The Show 18
It’s Diamond Dynasty week for MLB The Show 18 and the news begins with the primary features and improvements being laid out in a new video. Earlier promotional weeks centered on gameplay, features, and presentation.
New this year is a flexible Program system, attributes ratings that can well exceed 100, collectible souvenirs, created player progression tied to position specific programs, and 30 new legends. Maybe somewhat surprising though is there’s no mention of anything to do with making the creation process for logos and uniforms more intuitive, or for providing the “vs. left” and “vs. right” lineups that everyone has long been asking for. More on Diamond Dynasty will be run through in the developer live stream on Thursday.
by