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The Line Drive for December 31
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦These were the 12 biggest stories in sports gaming for 2017.
♦Awards voting: Presentation – Team Building Mode – Story Mode – Franchise – Gameplay.
♦Don’t miss the CFP previews with NCAA Football 14: Rose Bowl – Sugar Bowl.
♦MLB The Show 17 is on digital sale for just $10 to PS Plus members for a few more days.
♦Details on the Zero Chill program which is live now in Madden NFL 18 Ultimate Team.
♦Allen Iverson and NBA Street’s Strech have been added to NBA Live 18 Ultimate Team.
♦Iverson is also part of the new Fire and Ice Program in NBA Live Mobile.
♦Looking at the top 5 new Ultimate Team features for EA Sports UFC 3.
♦EA Sports explained the faceoff recoveries and desyncs in a blog for NHL 18.
♦Out of the Park Baseball 18 is still on sale for 50% off making it $10.
♦Sociable Soccer is on sale on Steam for 25% off making it $15.
♦Blu-ray releases this week headlined by American Made. -
NCAA Football 14 sims the 2017-18 College Football Playoff games
Over four years have passed since NCAA Football 14 released and yet returning to it reminds me how incredibly well it holds up in how it looks, plays, differentiates styles and even projects outcomes. With updated rosters NCAA went 5-1 last year predicting the crucial Conference Championship games and the three College Football Playoff games.
Once again I turned to NCAA 14 for insight on the upcoming CFP games. Included are game summaries, statistics, key takeaways, and video highlights. Both games were compelling and went down to the wire, with one filled with big plays and the other a defensive battle. Check it all out at Sporting News: Oklahoma vs Georgia – Alabama vs Clemson.
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Nike City Edition jerseys added to NBA 2K18
The NBA revealed the new Nike City Edition jerseys on Wednesday, NBA Live 18 got them in yesterday, and now NBA 2K18 has added most of the City jerseys to the game through a roster update. Four teams – the Heat, Knicks, Raptors and Rockets – are missing from the group however. In mid-December 2K18 mistakenly leaked all 30 of the new uniforms before quickly removing them until the teams could reveal them officially. Read more
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End of Year Community Awards: Best Presentation of 2017
With 2017 coming to a close it’s time to look back on the developments that have taken place and acknowledge the various efforts in sports gaming. The next category in the annual Community Awards is open for voting. You can check out the winners from previous years here.
Best Gameplay, Best Career/Story Mode, Best Franchise Mode and Best Team-Building Mode can already be voted on! Categories still to come include Sports Game of the Year, Best New or Non-Yearly Sports Game, Best Mobile Game, Best Racing Game, Best Online Play, Best Post-Release Support, and Best New Feature. All winners will be announced in early January.
Best Presentation is a category simply owned by NBA 2K. The series goes for its eighth win in eight years with NBA 2K18 which featured the addition of Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett to the rotating pool of commentators. FIFA 18 offered new broadcast packages for multiple leagues and MLB The Show 17 introduced MLB Network for one of three different game packages.
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Nike City Edition jerseys added to NBA Live 18
Given that NBA 2K18 mistakenly leaked all the Nike ‘City Edition’ jerseys two weeks ago it’s ironic that NBA Live 18 is the first of the two games to roll them out officially. The new jerseys were revealed by NBA teams yesterday and in an update out now for Live 18 those new designs are fully available for use. Read more
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The biggest sports gaming stories of 2017
2017 featured a solid slate of sports video games that surprisingly lacked a true standout. Nearly every major sports game offered something great, but also had detrimental flaws or deficiencies that were difficult to ignore.
Much of the press this year related to the business side of the genre, with late 2017 dominated by publisher-led attempts to further monetize games now facing a real challenge from reviewers, consumers and even lawmakers.
Check out the full piece at Sporting News which includes summaries of MLB The Show 17’s server struggles, Madden NFL 18’s new story mode, growing pains in eSports, the Xbox One X and Nintendo Switch coming onto the scene and more!
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End of Year Community Awards: Best Team-Building Mode of 2017
With 2017 coming to a close it’s time to look back on the developments that have taken place and acknowledge the various efforts in sports gaming. The next category in the annual Community Awards is open for voting. You can check out the winners from previous years here.
Best Gameplay, Best Career/Story Mode and Best Franchise Mode can already be voted on! Categories still to come include Sports Game of the Year, Best New or Non-Yearly Sports Game, Best Mobile Game, Best Racing Game, Best Online Play, Best Presentation, Best Post-Release Support, and Best New Feature. All winners will be announced in early January.
What was the tightest race last year (winner topping runner-up by only .4%) returns the same nominees. MLB The Show 17’s Diamond Dynasty goes for a three-peat as arguably the most accessible of the card-collection modes but also troubled by inconsistent server reliability. Madden NFL 18’s Ultimate Team and FIFA 18’s Ultimate Team feature a great deal new content throughout the year with obtainable, worthwhile and creative rewards.
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The Line Drive for December 24
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦Still need gifts? Amazon gift cards or digital game/sub codes are quick and easy.
♦Vote for open awards categories: Gameplay – Career/Story – Franchise.
♦NBA Live 18 is still available for $10 on PS4 and now $12 on Xbox One.
♦Check out the ratings changes in the latest roster update for Madden NFL 18.
♦Exclusive digital fourth kits have been revealed for four big clubs in FIFA 18.
♦Added to NBA 2K18 classic teams: Rashard Lewis, Kevin Martin, Donyell Marshall.
♦SCEA running a closed alpha for those selected to try out MLB The Show 18.
♦ICYMI check out the Sports Game of the Year Press Row Podcast episode.
♦Details on the holiday Ultimate Team content available in NHL 18.
♦New tuner update has adjusted the ability of goalies in NHL 18.
♦Over 38 million people/two billion matches played of Rocket League.
♦Details on the December DLC content available now for NASCAR Heat 2.
♦Deal on Out of the Park Baseball 18 for just $10 with the Steam Winter Sale.
♦Interesting development as Apple now requires posted odds for loot boxes/packs.
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