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The Line Drive for September 10
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦EA Sports is in the process of revealing the top 100 rated players for FIFA 18.
♦Best Buy is giving a $10 bonus towards FIFA 18 when trading in FIFA 17.
♦Reviews coming soon for NBA Live 18 and NHL 18, followed by NBA 2K18 and PES 2018.
♦First NBA 2K18 giveaway will open Monday on Twitter winner drawn Wed night.
♦The first roster update for the regular season released Friday for Madden NFL 18.
♦Details on the Team Leaders program now live in Madden 18 Ultimate Team.
♦Get an early start on the NBA 2K18 MyCareer with the free Prelude out now.
♦After four years in the series the Euroleague will not be found in NBA 2K18.
♦Patch has made various improvements and added a new character for Disc Jam.
♦Details on the latest content released in Diamond Dynasty for MLB The Show 17.
♦Ratings for top forwards, midfielders, defenders, goalkeepers in PES 2018.
♦The mobile version of PES 2017 has now been downloaded over 40 million times.
♦Demo for Forza Motorsport 7 will release on September 19 for Xbox One and W10.
♦Here is the full list of cars that will be featured within Forza Motorsport 7.
♦NASCAR Heat 2 will offer a DLC season pass for $30 with variety of new content.
♦Three month XBL subs are bundled with $10 in Madden Ultimate Team currency. -
Press Row Podcast: Trial Period
With limited-time trials available to play for NBA Live 18, NHL 18, and NBA 2K18, this episode of the Press Row Podcast covers first impressions of the three games which all have drastically different circumstances surrounding their release. Live desperately needs to recapture some credibility, NHL is stable but looking to generate new sales to casual consumers, and 2K18 is guaranteed to be a smash hit but is getting fans started early on their careers.
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.
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The Prelude for NBA 2K18 is out now
Get an early start on NBA 2K18 with The Prelude which is now available to download free on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Acting as a demo of sorts, The Prelude offers an opportunity to try out the new ‘Neighborhood’ open-world area which encompasses elements of MyCareer, MyPark, Pro-Am, and character customization.
Progress made in The Prelude will carry over to the full game if purchased. Last year with NBA 2K17 it was the collegiate portion of MyCareer mode that was playable along with what was a new tutorial mode. The Prelude for NBA 2K18 (beginning of the story mode) can only be played through once but 2KU’s tutorial is again included. Face scans from the mobile app can be transferred for creation of the MyPlayer character. There are no regular NBA games to be played.
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10 hour trial for NBA Live 18 now available through EA Access on Xbox One
NBA Live 18 can now be downloaded as a timed trial with EA Access on Xbox One. Subscribers to the service will get 10 hours of playtime after which it will expire. The timer is ticking down whenever the game is loaded regardless of whether it is being played, menus are being navigated through, or if there is any activity taking place at all. Because of that make sure to exit out and close the application from the Xbox One home screen when not in use.
The 10 hours are there to play immediately but can continue to be used past Tuesday. Saves are stored on the hard drive so progress in any of the modes and online records and stats carry over if a full copy is purchased. The complete game is available during the trial period.
EA Access launched July 2014 and is available on Xbox One along with now Origin Access on PC. Sony has declined to offer the service through PlayStation 4 saying it doesn’t offer enough value – despite being arguably the best value in all of gaming. EA Access includes the “Vault” which offers unlimited play with nearly every game from the company’s catalog this generation, 10% off all digital purchases, and the ability to play games up to five days before they release with a limited timed trial. EA Access is $30 for a full year or $5 month-to-month.
NBA Live 18 is offering a pre-order discount that makes the game just $40. Come September 15, when that offer ends, the game will be priced at the standard $60 until retailers drop it on their own in the days and weeks that follow.
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10 hour trial for NHL 18 now available through EA Access on Xbox One
NHL 18 can now be downloaded as a timed trial with EA Access on Xbox One. Subscribers to the service will get 10 hours of playtime after which it will expire. The timer is ticking down whenever the game is loaded regardless of whether it is being played, menus are being navigated through, or if there is any activity taking place at all. Because of that make sure to exit out and close the application from the Xbox One home screen when not in use.
The 10 hours are there to play immediately but can continue to be used past Tuesday. Saves are stored on the hard drive so progress in any of the modes and online records and stats carry over if a full copy is purchased. The complete game is available during the trial period.
EA Access launched July 2014 and is available on Xbox One along with now Origin Access on PC. Sony has declined to offer the service through PlayStation 4 saying it doesn’t offer enough value – despite being arguably the best value in all of gaming. EA Access includes the “Vault” which offers unlimited play with nearly every game from the company’s catalog this generation, 10% off all digital purchases, and the ability to play games up to five days before they release with a limited timed trial. EA Access is $30 for a full year or $5 month-to-month.
Features for NHL 18 include Expansion Draft for Franchise mode, the arcade mode NHL Threes, 3-on-3 in EASHL, and the addition of a Defensive Skill Stick.
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NBA 2K18 companion app available now
The MyNBA2K18 mobile app went live today for both iOS and Android devices in advance of Friday’s release of The Prologue. As has been the case in recent years, the app acts as a companion to the console game, offering an opportunity to scan faces for MyPlayer characters and earn extra VC on a daily basis. Â There’s also a card battle game contained within.
♦Facial Scanning with your mobile device to get YOU in NBA 2K18 on PS4 and Xbox One
♦Earn Virtual Currency daily
♦Shop for console items while on the go from expanded MyPLAYER Store
♦Watch 2KTV any time from your device.
♦Many ways to play with Quick Game, Playoff, and PVP game modes
♦Daily Objectives – complete each day for in-game rewards
♦Team Login Incentives – Login daily to earn team packs to distribute to teammates
♦Over 300 new cards for the NBA’s 2017-2018 season -
First patch for Madden NFL 18 adds HDR, improves zone coverage and pass rush
Two big areas of gameplay scrutinized through community feedback have been addressed in the first patch for Madden NFL 18 which went out earlier this morning. The awareness of players in zone coverage and the effectiveness of the pass rush have been worked on following concerns expressed out of early gameplay videos and the first few days of release. Additionally HDR support has been added. The update weighs in at a relatively light 636MB. Read more
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New teams added to NBA Live 18 demo
Unlike traditional demos, the one for NBA Live 18 is being kept up-to-date with changes that are being made for the actual finished retail product that’ll be ready on September 15. The demo has now been updated six times with various improvements implemented affecting gameplay and the Live Run mode having been unlocked for those with maxed out characters.
Today’s update to the demo has added two more teams for Play Now as the Rockets and Celtics have joined the Warriors and Cavaliers. Additionally, rosters have been updated with the big trade that exchanged Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder.
This new approach with the Live demo is definitely notable considering the circumstances, where EA Sports is attempting to generate some interest in the game at a time when NBA 2K18 is dominating the discussion among basketball fans. The $20 price discount for pre-orders and very early demo release got it some attention but that seems to have dissipated almost entirely since then, and the lack of any information or promotion related to Franchise and Ultimate Team has been recognized. The EA Access trial, which is only a few days away now, will be its next best chance to sway some consumers in its direction.
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