News & Updates
  • MLB The Show 17 trade deadline roster update and Diamond Dynasty content
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    Posted August 5th, 2017 at 10:00 am No Comments »

    Player ratings took a backseat this week in MLB The Show 17 as no one over 80 was affected by a change. The roster update instead primarily focused on player movement, with transactions in the lead up to and through the trade deadline reflected such as Yu Darvish to the Dodgers and Sonny Gray to the Yankees.

    The Players of the Month cards are out in Diamond Dynasty mode and headlined by James Paxton who went 6-0 with a 1.37 ERA in July. In order to get his 96 Overall rated card all six of the other POTM (Jonathan Schoop, Aaron Nola, Michael Conforto, Chris Taylor, Tommy Pham, Felipe Rivero) must be collected and turned in.

  • Press Row Podcast: The evolving marketing of sports video games
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    Posted August 4th, 2017 at 8:30 am 1 Comment »

    In recent years video game publishers have made dramatic shifts in how they promote their upcoming products. Whether it’s holding back information longer or who it is that gets early access to spread information and media, the marketing landscape has changed as fewer games are released and they become more reliant on generating year-round digital revenue.

    In this episode of the Press Row Podcast we discuss why marketing tactics are evolving and whether any consumer concerns are justified. Madden NFL 18 is currently in the hot seat with some fans for still not having shown off any gameplay despite it being under two weeks now until it goes out through the EA Access trial. Other topics include NBA Playgrounds offering $10 DLC to unlock the entire roster, NBA 2K18 on Switch releasing digital only at first, and NBA Live 18 announcing a demo but still lacking an actual release date or the ability to pre-order.

    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.

  • The changes being made for Ultimate Team with Madden NFL 18
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    Posted August 3rd, 2017 at 11:15 am 16 Comments »

    Despite release being only a few weeks away EA Sports has until now been curiously quiet about what’s been done for Ultimate Team in Madden NFL 18. The revenue-generating mode has generally been promoted heavily in advance to get players back on board and help drive pre-orders. That tactic was seen earlier this week with FIFA’s big rollout even though that game won’t be out until the end of September.

    Many of the changes taking place for MUT this year are based off community feedback. Those include adjusting the way Overall ratings are calculated, creating more satisfying results from pack openings, and the upgrading of players.  Read more

  • WNBA to debut in NBA Live 18
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    Posted August 3rd, 2017 at 8:30 am 13 Comments »

    Back in April it was discovered that the WNBA would be included in some form within NBA Live 18. That was confirmed today as EA Sports released the first information on the upcoming game since showing off “The One” career mode at EA Play in mid-June. Read more

  • NHL 18 beta extended and open to all
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    Posted August 2nd, 2017 at 5:30 pm 3 Comments »

    As expected EA Sports has opened and extended the beta for NHL 18. Originally scheduled to come to a close yesterday the beta will now run through August 8. Codes are no longer needed as it can simply be downloaded from the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Marketplace.

    Three different modes are featured in the online beta. Play the new arcadey NHL Threes, standard head-to-head, or EASHL in traditional 6-on-6 or the new 3-on-3 format.

    Impressions from the beta have trended positive towards NHL Threes with less enthusiasm regarding regular gameplay. NHL 18 will release on September 12 for those who buy the more expensive special editions or September 15 for the standard edition.

  • Soundtrack for Madden NFL 18
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    Posted August 2nd, 2017 at 10:00 am 13 Comments »

    EA Sports today revealed the full soundtrack for Madden NFL 18, which features 32 songs and the ability for them to add more throughout the year. A Spotify playlist has been put together but it includes only 14 of them at this time. The theme is described as being “an audio experience inspired by game day and the unique features of Madden.” Read more

  • Unlock the entire roster in NBA Playgrounds with $10 DLC
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    Posted August 2nd, 2017 at 9:00 am 6 Comments »

    One of the bigger complaints with the design of NBA Playgrounds relates to the manner in which players are obtained. Playing the game leads to earning new card packs, but it’s completely luck of the draw and at a certain point duplicates end up taking over the openings and frustration sets in if seeking one or more specific players. Some people may have received the player/s they wanted most right away and others may still be waiting for them to fall into their laps.

    Saber Interactive has attempted to reduce the number of duplicates through patches but now are offering another solution. Today DLC released on Xbox One, PS4, and PC that allows for the entire roster to be unlocked for a price of $10.

    On one end this can be seen as giving people a path to the best players without having to put any effort into the game and there’s some backlash on social media already with that in mind. However locking players away in this manner was always a poor design decision. Preventing fans from playing with the individuals they most desired – and may have even purchased the game for specifically since they were promoted prominently – is not the way to keep them engaged in and satisfied with a product that stumbled out of the gate and is trying to establish itself as a franchise going forward from here.

  • The new features revealed for Ultimate Team mode in FIFA 18
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    Posted August 1st, 2017 at 12:15 pm No Comments »

    EA Sports today rolled out details on what to expect from the incredibly popular Ultimate Team mode for the upcoming FIFA 18. Included are 16 legends from the past that receive three different card versions based on specific moments in their respective careers, single-player matches against teams created by various personalities, and daily and weekly objectives. Read more