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The Line Drive for September 13
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦Patch details with some minor fixes and content adds for Madden NFL 21.
♦Patch details fixing some uniform and stat issues for Madden NFL 21.
♦First roster update primarily handling transactions went live in Madden 21.
♦Amazon selling the deluxe edition of Madden NFL 21 for $17 off launch price.
♦Gameplay patch addressing community feedback in the works for NBA 2K21.
♦NBA 2K21’s Metacritic score is 15 points worse than previous series low.
♦The 2K Share feature has not worked at all since the release of NBA 2K21.
♦EA Sports unveiled the top 100 rated players for the upcoming FIFA 21.
♦The EASFC catalogue has been removed with FIFA 21 redistributing items.
♦Promised update adding Custom Pennant Race to Super Mega Baseball 3 is near.
♦Details on latest roster update with ratings changes for MLB The Show 20.
♦New content for Diamond Dynasty mode this week in MLB The Show 20.
♦Microsoft announced the price and release date for Xbox Series S and X.
♦Additionally Microsoft revealed EA Play will be included in Game Pass subs.
♦Games optimized for new Xbox consoles include Madden, FIFA, NBA 2K. -
Press Row Podcast: NBA 2K21 Shooting Woes and Madden NFL 21 News
Despite the current NBA season still ongoing and the next one several months away from tipping off NBA 2K21 has just released and to the lowest review scores in series’ history. But it’s the changes that have been made to shooting that have caused the biggest disruption. What’s been done, why it was messed with in the first place, and how it can be fixed are all discussed on this episode of the Press Row Podcast.
Rich, Pastapadre, and Mills also go over the latest patch news for Madden NFL 21 and go into the surprising announcement of Colin Kaepernick being added to the game in an unprecedented and controversial fashion.
Check out the podcast through Apple Podcasts for iOS, on Android with the Stitcher app, or with Pocket Casts on iOS, Android, and Windows. The show can now also be found on Spotify! Subscribe and give the podcast five star reviews to help support the show. You can also listen with the streaming player found below.
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The Line Drive for September 7
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦NBA 2K21 is now the lowest rated in series’ history with a current 67 Metacritic score.
♦Adjustments are being made to shooting in NBA 2K21 after changes led to poor results.
♦Even the cover athlete has been confounded by the shooting as it stands in NBA 2K21.
♦The mobile companion app is out for iOS and Android devices for NBA 2K21.
♦The first patch for Franchise in Madden NFL 21 has been laid out and will arrive mid-Nov.
♦Despite headlines EA Sports did not actually claim Madden NFL 21 sales are up 20%.
♦The metric they used allowed them to spin it as a sales win but is a meaningless one.
♦A look at some of the player data statistics from the first week playing Madden NFL 21.
♦New lawsuit against EA over lootboxes as gambling joins others faced by various pubs.
♦Details on a patch that addressed some early issues with PGA Tour 2K21.
♦EA Sports has removed pop-up ads from UFC 4 after widespread backlash.
♦Details on the latest patch affecting gameplay and more in EA Sports UFC 4.
♦EA Sports laid out what to expect from World of Chel in the upcoming NHL 21.
♦Rewards are being offered for NHL 20 players that will appear in NHL 21.
♦Full schedule of when to expect news drops on other features for NHL 21.
♦Details on latest roster update with ratings changes made for MLB The Show 20.
♦Details on a minor audio update that has gone out for MLB The Show 20. -
Details on a third patch coming down the line for Madden NFL 21
With the chatter around Madden NFL 21 the most negative in series’ history EA Sports has provided details on an upcoming patch a full week and a half in advance of its targeted Sept. 10 release, with some intent likely about altering the discussion taking place.
A pair of patches already tackled some of the early technical issues but much still remains on the table to be handled. This next one will not deliver promised new Franchise Mode features with the publisher now teasing info on plans to come in the near future. Read more
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Madden NFL 21 Review
Between the ongoing pandemic and impending transition to new consoles Madden NFL 21 and other sports games this fall will have faced unprecedented challenges. Some of what that could mean has already been demonstrated with the release of Madden 21 which has stumbled out of the gate to the worst reviews in the 32 year history of the series. Read more
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Early issues with Madden NFL 21 already being addressed
EA Sports has already released one update for Madden NFL 21 with another patch scheduled to arrive by the end of the week. The fixes implemented are for things that severely impacted player’s first impressions and made it appear obvious that the game was not quite ready for release. Those range from slowdown in the Ultimate Team menus, to missing players making The Yard quite literally unplayable, fields missing yard and slideline markings, and even the Seahawks being misspelled as the ‘Seahacks’ in the graphics package.
#MaddenNFL21 in its current state is the worst Madden in 15 years.
Excessive visual bugs and sloppiness
Face of the Franchise: Atrocious. Total nonsense
Franchise: Unchanged
MUT: Unbearable menu slowdown
The Yard: Great potential but at times can also be broken/unplayable— Bryan Wiedey (@pastapadre) August 25, 2020
As discussed on the latest Press Row Podcast, Madden NFL 21 is likely to be a very different game just a matter of weeks from now. These first patches attack some of the technical issues that have plagued its first days. Read more
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Press Row Podcast: Madden NFL 21 and PGA Tour 2K21 Release Reaction
In the midst of a pandemic two major sports games have just released. One seems to have handled the challenges to produce a possible Sports Game of the Year candidate while the other may have been better off delayed. Pastapadre, MillsTwitch, and Rich discuss first impressions of Madden NFL 21 and PGA Tour 2K21.
Check out the podcast through Apple Podcasts for iOS, on Android with the Stitcher app, or with Pocket Casts on iOS, Android, and Windows. The show can now also be found on Spotify! Subscribe and give the podcast five star reviews to help support the show. You can also listen with the streaming player found below.
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Demo for NBA 2K21 now available
The demo for NBA 2K21 has gone live on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. It should later today for PC as well. The download is a massive 31GB which is slightly smaller than it was with NBA 2K20 but 2-3 times larger than years prior.
Included is the ability to play exhibition games with the Bucks, Clippers, All-Time Lakers and All-Time Celtics. The MyPlayer Builder is also featured in the demo. Unfortunately there is a limit of five games that can be played. After that the 2KU options and MyPlayer Builder are all that can be accessed.
Up until last year the opportunity to try out the NBA 2K games was referred to as “The Prologue” given that the popular story mode played a role and progress that was made there carried over to the full game when purchased. With NBA 2K20 publisher 2K Sports went back to referring to it simply as a demo considering it only included two teams for an exhibition game, the character builder and shootaround.
2K Sports has stuck with the release date of September 4th even though the current NBA season will still be in the midst of the playoffs and the next season looks to start likely in late December. This gives them an opportunity to sell 2K21 on numerous occasions, both from current to next-gen and from original date to a relaunch when the new season tips off. Keep in mind that only the $100 edition of NBA 2K21 will get those who purchase the game for free on the next-gen console and the price has been bumped up to $70 otherwise on the new systems.
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