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Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
E3 2013: The Racing Games Stuck
03:06 PM - June 11, 2013. Written by VisceralBishop
With each new console generation, we always get a handful of racing games. This time it’s no different, with some big franchises and even a new IP being at E3 this year. So without further ado, let’s start talking about each one.


Forza Motorsport 5:

Driveatar was the biggest news to come out of E3 for the game. A.I. is essentially a thing of the past because the cloud will deliver “real human behavior” by learning how you and your friends drive. So even when you’re not racing and are offline, your Driveatar is still out there racing and earning XP for you. This is simply fantastic since the A.I. in most racing games are the same and rarely do anything different from race to race to make them more fun or interesting. With this, you have to be sure to stay on your toes. Out of the racing games shown during the press conferences yesterday, Forza got me the most excited.

Oh, and Forza Motorsport 5 is also a really pretty game.


Need for Speed: Rivals

Hot Pursuit 2 is basically what this new Need for Speed game is. Though that is not necessarily a bad thing. With Criterion Games assisting Ghost Games on Rivals, I see a lot of potential with it. Being a next gen game on the Frostbite 3 engine, obviously it looks pretty sharp and the gameplay does look more like Hot Pursuit than last year’s Most Wanted. However, when it comes to the gameplay, one thing has always irked me about the Need for Speed franchise: the A.I. When it comes to rubberbanding A.I., NFS has always been the worst at it. Although I highly doubt that has been addressed with this iteration, one can hope. Even if that is not addressed, the highlight of this series has always been the multiplayer. I have a lot of faith in them that will stay incredibly fun.


The Crew

Visually, The Crew looked the worst out of the three racing games I’m talking about today. But looks are definitely not everything, and the ideas revolving around The Crew sound awesome. The gameplay that was shown reminded me a lot of the Fast & Furious movies, and UbiSoft claims it will “change the status quo” for driving games. A persistent, online representation of the United States means that you can go from New York to Miami in an instant, without any load times. Making a MMO racing game sounds like it could be very successful and even with the lackluster visuals, I hope it achieves that success.

If multiplayer is not your thing, fear not, there is a single player component to The Crew. And if MP is your thing, that single player can be completed with the assistance of your crew.


Driveclub

Not a whole lot of new information was revealed for Driveclub (it will be available as part of PlayStation Plus on day one), but if you want to know more about the racing game from the MotoStorm devs, you can find that here.

What were your thoughts on the racing games we saw yesterday? Let us know in the comments below.
Blog: VisceralBishop
Thoughts on FIFA 14's E3 Trailer Stuck
01:02 PM - June 11, 2013. Written by kelvinmak


EA Sports debuted the latest trailer for FIFA 14 yesterday. To answer the most pressing question: No, as far as we know, this year FIFA 14 is not being released as a feature film, though you certainly would've been forgiven for thinking that, what with all the close-ups and slo-mos and one-on-one interviews with the cast. And no (again, as far as we know), it's not being used as a Barcelona recruitment video either.

Now to be fair, this was a one-and-a-half minute sizzle reel in a much bigger EA Sports event, so it made sense for them to show something that's heavily tilted on the side of style rather than substance. But having said that, it still would have been nice to see one or two moments of gameplay that wasn't zoomed-in all the way, and played in real time, so we could get a better sense of how matches unfold . It seemed like this trailer put all its eggs in the graphics basket, and answered little else, especially in the AI department.



The visuals (pre-alpha, it should be noted), though, are certainly impressive to the eye. The initial overhead shot of the stadium is breathtaking-- probably the closest I've seen in a video game to resemble a real-life night match. If there is one visual element that stands out as being the most improved at the moment (and yes, I'm fully aware that it's quite premature to do this, but hey, column inches) it's the lighting. From the floodlights around the stadium to the reflections off the cleats, it was the one thing that jumped out at me.



On the other hand, as many have noted in the original thread, the players' faces still look a little too stiff, and without much emotion. I also don't want to make any judgments yet about the animation, just because everything in the trailer was slowed down (then sped up) for dramatic effect, and it's hard to get a true sense of how it will really look in regular play.



The other bright moment was at the one-minute mark of the trailer, when Iniesta chips a through ball over the defender. There, you can clearly see the backspin, and the ball doesn't float in the air like in previous FIFAs, so that's a good sign for the new ball physics.



This was, ultimately, a sizzle reel more than anything else, designed to pique the interest of the general public, and it did just that. For the rest of us, the good stuff comes later in the week, as our very own Steve and Glenn should have some hands on time at E3 with FIFA 14. Hopefully then, we'll have a clearer sense of the more pivotal (to some of us hardcore fans, anyway) aspects of the game-- things like player individuality, team tactics, AI defending-- so stay tuned.
Blog: kelvinmak
Madden Trailer Reaction from E3 Day Zero Stuck
11:19 AM - June 11, 2013. Written by JohnDoe8865

By now we've all seen the trailer from the EA Sports presser. Madden NFL 25 on XBox One looks outstanding in trailer form. Really impressive. It was an exciting trailer packed with nifty footwork, improved blocking, and more detail than we've ever seen in Madden.

Everyone was concerned about this being similar to the "concept" footage from Madden 06 for Xbox 360, but I think this trailer looked much more realistic to what the console is capable of doing. A lot of new buzz was created. I believe fifty times the procedural awareness was mentioned. New dynamic footwork and reaction by the AI runners. Things like this are genuinely exciting for NFL football video game fans.

Today's trailer has to be considered a success. I think it's created some really positive buzz for Madden NFL 25 next-gen, finishing off with Adrian Peterson as the cover boy.
Blog: JohnDoe8865
Monday, June 10, 2013
E3 2013: EA Sports UFC Thoughts Stuck
08:26 PM - June 10, 2013. Written by Wiggy

With EA showing yet another trailer for EA UFC today, we were able to glean a few more details about what this next-gen MMA product will be about. Disappointingly, they didn't show any true gameplay in that trailer, but there seemed to be a possibility of the game being playable on the show floor, so we'll certainly try and get our hands on it.

The new "MMAI" was setup as a game-changer for fighter intelligence, with Jon Jones on stage to talk up the feature. The basic idea appears to allow the CPU to attack in unconventional ways, even in the middle of the fight. Jon Jones used the example of his fight with Chael Sonnen, where he took the fight to the ground, an area where Sonnen was (foolishly) given the advantage by many pundits.

Frankly, it's easy to talk up a feature like this, so it's a wait-and-see approach here. Until we see actual gameplay of desperate strikers going for takedowns when they can't their shots off or jiu-jitsu fighters actually dropping to their back to give up the guard, we won't know what all of this really means.


The other feature talked about was full-body deformation, which promises unprecedented impact and damage for shots to the leg, body and face. While the trailer didn't us what this would look like in actual gameplay, it gave a sense of what to expect. EA seemed to be going for the Fight Night Round 3 "wow factor" of a face being punched and stretching like crazy, but it kind of takes the starch out of the shot when you know what you're seeing isn't representative of the final product.

As with the hitting physics in NHL or Madden, features like this have to be deployed correctly. If the developers overuse it to draw attention to the feature, then it just ends up overshadowing other nuances in the gameplay. It makes sense to talk about this in a conference, because it's a very "showy" feature, but it would've been nice to see them talk about something that truly affects gaemplay rather than next-gen fighter damage.

More to Come

It's nice to see EA getting pumped up for the new game, and I'm glad it's being given the extra time to truly come together. But we need to actually see it before we can get a feel for what all of these promises really mean.

Expect to hear more about EA UFC in the next couple of days, and we'll likely see -- and possibly play -- the game on the E3 show floor.

Follow me on Twitter @glennwigmore
Blog: Wiggy
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
NHL 14: Enforcer Engine Trailer Analysis Stuck
05:03 PM - June 5, 2013. Written by Wiggy

With the release of the new trailer and dev diary for NHL 14's "enforcer engine," EA is providing a glimpse of how fights will look and play in this year's game. I think most people would agree that fighting isn't something that holds that much sway over how a game of hockey is played, but it's nice to see that aspect of the sport represented much more accurately.

If nothing else, EA seems to be addressing the logic and timing of fights to create a more realistic scenario for them to occur. David Littman talked about how the right players would fight at the right time, and this trailer seems to make good on that promise. At the same time, the presentation and execution of the fights appears to be drastically improved, which is a welcome change from the terrible first-person fighting of the last few years.


At 0:15 of the trailer, you get a great shot of the fight presentation, with the action developing at centre ice and looking like an actual fight. The crowd has their hands in the air, and the camera angle perfectly captures the fight that's about to unfold. Also of note are the peripheral players, some of whom are leaning on sticks or hunched over. Great little details in the presentation there, and that helps make the fights fit in the flow of gameplay that much better.


At 0:22, the trailer shows how fights will end in different ways, with some players getting punched in the side of the head and slumping over and other fights being won by one fighter falling on top of another. It'll be nice to see some variance in how the fights end, as last year's game still had the same couple of knockout animations (as well as one guy turtling). The possibility of one-hit knockouts with bigger players and fighters "going for the win" by falling on another adds a much needed wrinkle to the fight strategy.


Around 0:39 of the trailer you can see how a fight will truly play out during gameplay, with a perspective similar to normal on-ice play. This is likely the solution they found to technical hurdles when presenting the fight, as this only requires them to render part of the arena in the shot. You can see the sticks and gloves strewn around the ice randomly, which is a great touch, and the fans pounding on the glass adds to the frenzy. Also visible is the control scheme for the fighting, which shows the left stick still controlling pushing and pulling of your opponent while the right stick punches. The new feature is the right trigger controlling a "dodge" function, which likely means you'll have to time it correctly to duck or evade a punch.


At about 0:48, you can Brayden Coburn going after Ference to settle the score from a hit. This looks much more accurate than anything presented in previous years, and it all happens organically right after the hit. There is no switch to a cutscene (even though it's shown cinematically in this trailer), and the fight is engaged in one fluid animation. Good stuff. Also worth noting is that the trailer (a little bit later) shows fights starting out with players punching while separated and then moving into the clinch, meaning fights don't all just start with a clinch.


Around 1:08,, EA demonstrates the difference between an actual fighter and a player who is just stepping in to defend a teammate. The massive Mike Rupp, who is 6' 5" and 243 lbs., is busy pounding away on Max Pacioretty of the Canadiens. Even though Pacioretty isn't a small player, he is easily mandhandled and rag-dolled by the much larger and more battle-hardened Rupp. This is good to see, as there seemed to be much less of a skill gap for fighters in previous games.


Finally, at 1:36, you can see an example of some of the bruising and face damage that will occur during fights. EA claims these will happen in real time and will persist for the rest of the game. As long as this feature is reigned in a bit and not overused, it should add some comedy to the fight experience.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, any changes to the fight engine of previous years would have been seen as a vast improvement, but it seems that EA actually thought about the nature of fighting within hockey and planned the upgrade accordingly. I really like the frenzy of the crowd and the "live" elements on the ice as the fight occurs, and the mechanics of actually fighting look good. EA didn't say whether winning a fight would translate into any meaningful momentum, but at least the concept of fighting looks to have more value than it did in previous games.

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Follow me on Twitter @glennwigmore
Blog: Wiggy
Reaction to PES 2014's Press Release Stuck
04:35 PM - June 5, 2013. Written by kelvinmak


I don't like the preview season. It turns into a game of predictions based on PR documents, which ultimately instigates a fight between my inner optimist and cynic. On one hand, the official release always make things sound so exciting, with paragraphs and paragraphs of ad-speak, filled with features and acronyms. But then the voice in the back of my head tries its darndest to get through and say "wait a minute, it's its job to tell you that this game is the best thing since sliced bread (or, on this particular subject, PES 6)." We've gone through that with FIFA, and now it's PES' turn.

(By the way, the exciting title for this release? "PES 2014: The Dawn of a New Era". Which of course sounds revolutionary, until you realize last year's release was titled "PES 2013: A Whole New Ball Game". On the plus side, the word "freedom"-- which we know no sports game can even get close to honestly making that claim-- only popped up three times. I suppose that's an improvement.)

So basically, let's not jump to too many conclusions until we at least see some actual gameplay videos, scheduled for tomorrow, shall we?




The Good:

- TrueBall Tech: Sounds encouraging, if it can deliver what it promises: split-second battles during the initial moments when a player receives a pass. It's crucial, especially during build-ups, to turn quickly and correctly. And if we have more options at our disposal as to what to do with the ball when we first receive it, it can open play up a lot.

By the way, friend of the blog Yeats got to this line in the release right away, and I'm in total agreement:

Quote:
The PES series has long since treated the ball as an individual entity.

Again, so not true. PES' magnet-footed players is one of the biggest programming issues with the series. They've never really fixed or advanced it in two generations now -- in fact it was less of an issue two gens ago. Really hope all this is more than just a bunch of Konami marketing spin.
- "Heart": The idea that the crowds, and certain events in a match, can affect players mentally is a good idea, but only if it's implemented properly. Too powerful or frequent, and it will be little more than an exploit, throwing the game off-balance. Too little, and, well, it might as well not be there. But if it works the way it's supposed to, then I'm all for it-- imagine your top-of-the-table team being forced to play conservatively against a minnow because of its raucous home crowd, and the fact that its players are revved up. The inclusion of addition of mental attributes is crucial, as it adds another dimension in differentiating between players.

- The expansion of PES ID: Along the same lines as the new mental attributes , any time there are elements in the game that can help distinguish players-- in this case, "bespoke animations and AI"-- it's always welcome.



The Bad (and the Unmentioned)

- Master League: There was nothing about it. Uh-oh.

- Defending: This was a very offense-oriented press release. The only mention to any sort of defensive improvement, if you can call it that, is the following line:
Quote:
Defenders will put greater pressure on the attacking player, by tussling for possession, standing back to restrict passing opportunities, or making the tackle.
The tl;dr version, I suppose, is that defenders have, erm... options... of things... to choose from.

- Giant killings: It's been talked about in previous interviews, got a mention during the intro, and the section on "heart" sort of touched on it indirectly, but nowhere in the release did it elaborate on what in the game changed, especially in terms of tactical battles, to make that more possible.

- Team Play: Or more precisely, if I read it correctly, the ability to preset runs before a match begins. It's one thing to "exploit defensive weaknesses beforehand" by emphasizing which part of the field your players will seek to attack and give them general instructions as to how to move (cut inside, stay wide, etc.), it's another to manually set up routes for your teammates beforehand, so they can make the runs once you hit a trigger point. What's the point of having an AI then?

- Too wide open?: I hope I'm reading too much into this, but it's slightly worrying to read the following passage:

Quote:
The result allows for incredibly open games, where the attributes and skills of the players come to the fore in personal feuds all over the pitch.
Sure, that may be the case for some real-life matches, but for every wide-open game filled with individual showdowns, there are probably two where teams try to grind out 1-0 wins by playing ten men behind the ball. The lack of mention of tactical variety worries me-- though again, along with the "giant-killing" stuff, it was mentioned in previous interviews. Let's hope it's in the game.



The Questions

- Controls: It sounds like there will be plenty more options as to what to do once a player receives the ball. How will this alter the control scheme? Will they be simple and intuitive? Or will we have to once again break out our copies of Street Fighter to practice combo inputs?

- M.A.S.S (off topic, but reading that instantly reminded me of this): Great that we have more tackling styles and collision outcomes (stumbling, recovering, etc.), but how will refs react to it? Can they assess the situation properly? Will what is determined underneath the hood, in the engine, be the same as what is translated onto the screen? Remember, PES' record with refereeing isn't exactly stellar.

- Realism: I know, it's that pesky word that covers way too much. But, as many OSers have already commented on in the initial release article, will it be possible to see teams playing like their real life counterparts?

- Graphics: I won't go too far into it until we get a better glimpse of the game after tomorrow's videos, but so far the screenshots have been... okay. The Bayern mosaic, and a bunch of other little details, are quite nice (plus it seems like they've punched up the color palette), but the rest look only like a mild step up from PES 2013, and not the dramatic improvement, with the FOX engine, that we've been hearing about.

However, the release does state the game is only 70% completed, so maybe visually the rough edges will be ironed out. Or maybe it fares much better when we see it in action, as opposed to a static screenshot. We should know more by tomorrow.



Current Gen vs. Next Gen

Ah, I see the interwebs are deeply divided about the news that PES 2014 won't be available for Xbox One, PS4, or PS Vita.

I hate to play the "business guy" whenever things like this pop up, talking about marketing and financial implications for the game and such, mostly because I'm as far from a business guy as possible-- hell, I can barely remember to pay my credit card bills before the end of the month. But I'm going to try anyway, this time.

As with most "controversies" on the internet, this is probably a case where it's less shocking than some claim to be, and more important than others will have you believe.

The romantic part of me applauds PES for saying they don't want to simply do a half-assed port over to the XBox One/PS4, especially given what happened the last time around. It's admirable that they want to release a quality product. Besides, does it matter to me, and a bunch of gamers who probably won't buy the consoles until the first price-drop (and you would think there's a few), or those who play the game on PC? Not really. So in that sense, no, it's not a big deal.

However, if I put myself in the shoes of somebody who would buy the consoles in December, then the scenario plays out a little differently. I'll grab a copy of FIFA 14, and if it turns out that it's good, then FIFA automatically gets an edge going forward in my purchasing decision. Now, you (hardcore soccer gamers, especially) may say that every year we get to try out demos and make our choices then, but believe me, there are folks out there whose slates aren't wiped clean every year-- that as long as the franchise of their choice release a decent enough game, they will keep on buying it even if its competition comes out with a better one. So in giving FIFA the first bite at the apple this year, PES may also have ceded a bunch of potential customers in the long run.

Ultimately, it looks like Konami is playing it safe for this transition. Instead of taking a risk and trying to gain new customers, it would rather avoid releasing a subpar product and drive away some of its current base by holding off a year before entering the XOne/PS4 market. Will it work? We'll see.
Blog: kelvinmak
Tuesday, June 4, 2013

With EA having completed its tease on twitter of "eight features in eight days" for EA UFC, we now have a better sense of what some of the innovations might be for this next-gen MMA product (scheduled to come out in the spring/summer of 2014). We'll know more at E3 next week, where some more gameplay pics -- and potentially hands-on time -- will be likely, but from what they're teasing, it looks they're focusing on core gameplay as well as realism.

This is what I think is being implied for each day:

Day 1 (Witness the Effort)


As I said in an earlier post, I think this picture, dubbed "Witness the Effort," implies that there will be an added sense of realism in the fights, with detailed facial expressions and intense action. The picture predominantly shows Dan Henderson (and Shogun) exerting heavily, trading bombs. I have a feeling fights that go into deep water will feel that way, from the way the characters carry themselves to the changing impact of the strikes.

Day 2 (One perfect _____ could change the fight)


Day 2, with its implication of one perfect "strike" changing the fight, tells me that there will be a an emphasis on game-changing strikes, potentially even flash KOs. Ideally, the developers will want to create some Kongo vs. Barry surprises in some of the fights, and maybe this means a focus on desperation and counter shots.

Day 3 (One good shot can ruin your day)


The picture for the third day's feature rather overtly points towards revamped damage modelling on the fighters. I bet there will be lots of new possibilities for bruises, cuts, gashes, hematomas and all sorts of other nasty business. I would assume this means that leg kicks will create meaningful damage to an opponent's leg, as well.

Day 4 (Reinvent the ground game)


With day 4, its pretty clear that the developers of EA UFC are going to revamp the ground game, but to what degree? Does this mean a move to EA Sports MMA's style of ground game? Will the submission minigame be revised or eliminated? I would hope it means that progression and guard passing on the ground is more balanced, with less reversals and spamming, but a change of pace is probably a good thing. I like the foundation of what both previous games have done (EA and THQ) on the ground, but trying out some new wrinkles for submissions, transitions and striking from the ground would be welcome.

Day 5 (Smarter Opponents. Tougher Fight.)


The fifth day talks about smarter opponents and tougher fights, which seems like an AI overhaul for the game. Personally, I hope this means that risk-takers will behave brashly and that desperate wrestlers will shoot for takedowns. Previous game still ended up being pretty striking-focused, so it would be cool to see higher-level AI try more than just reversal spamming and the like. This definitely has me excited.

Day 6 (No more plastic action figures.)


Leading into the final reveal picture (of the Benson Henderson character model), this feature tease seems to imply that fighters will look truer to their real-life counterparts, with less "computer man" look to them. This likely to points better "gaze" of the fighters (not just staring off into space), and it means that hair will probably look a hell of a lot better (which the final Bendo pic demonstrates aptly).

Day 7 (Every step counts. Every movement matters.)


The penultimate feature reveal possibly points towards better footwork and more accurate lateral movement around the cage. I hope this translates to less robotic stepping and bobbing than what was found in previous iterations, and it should mean that taller kickboxers should move and pivot quite differently than sprawl-and-brawl fighters. I think this feature's impact will ultimately live or die by the speed at which the new game will move.

Day 8 (Hendo Pic)


The last day brings an actual screenshot of a character model in the game. I'm generally liking the look of the characters here, with Bendo's hair and facial hair looking particularly impressive. I also like the details of the bone structure and veins around his eyes, and the "gaze" of the character, while not totally out of the uncanny valley, is a lot better than in previous UFC games. I would say that his jaw is maybe a little bit too full, but on the whole, it's a good sign for the visual direction of the game.

Final Thoughs

With E3 happening next week, we'll soon know a lot more about how the game looks and plays as well as what all of these feature teases actually mean. I'm liking that the features all seem to focus on enhancements to core gameplay and realism, which should be the crux of what EA does with the first UFC game under their watch. Check back here for coverage on EA UFC next week.

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Follow me on twitter @glennwigmore
Blog: Wiggy
Thursday, May 30, 2013
NHL 14 News: Cover Vote, Pre-Order Bonuses and More Stuck
04:12 PM - May 30, 2013. Written by Wiggy

Heading into the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the four favorites to win it all are the only remaining teams. Detroit put up more of a fight over Chicago than I thought they would, but PIttsburgh and LA seemed like locks to me. I was actually surprised that the Rangers didn't pull off the upset, but Boston established the early series lead and never looked back. Then again, the Rangers being ousted means we get to see Torterella upset (and fired), which always makes for a good time.

With NHL 14 just around the corner (and with it likely being shown at E3), take a look at these NHL 14 news items:

Cover Vote Down to Two (Goalies!)

The NHL 14 cover vote is down to two, and they're both goalies. Either Martin Brodeur or Sergei Bobrovsky will join the likes of Mike Richter and John Vanbiesbrouck as goalies who have graced the cover of an EA NHL product. Kinda crazy that they beat out both Pavel Datsyuk and John Tavares, but it'll be nice to see a goalie on the cover. I wonder if it means they'll gin up some feature for goalies in the game.

The cover vote final four was also shown in NHL '94 format, if you haven't seen that video. Ah, memories.

Pre-Order Bonuses


NHL 14 announced it's pre-order bonuses, with EB/Gamestop, Best Buy/Future Shop, Amazon, Origin and others getting unique incentives for you to buy the game at their store.

EB / Gamestop: EA Ultimate Pass (24 HUT gold packs over 24 weeks), FatHead sticker sheet, and two "additional waves" of unannounced content

Amazon: Both the Warrior and CCM player packs, consisting of boost items and equipment for Be-A-Pro and EASHL

Best Buy / Future Shop: Easton player pack, consisting of boost items and equipment for Be-A-Pro and EASHL

Origin: Goalie boosts for your Be-A-Pro and EASHL goalie character

NHL 14 Enforcer Engine Details

In case you missed it, EA posted a little article about some "Easter Eggs" from their previous trailer, where they clarified the following four things about fighting in NHL 14:

1) All of the fighting takes place in third-person
2) There are post-fight celebrations, so you can taunt and work up the crowd.
3) Everyone on the ice, including goalies and refs, are live, so they will jostle and shove as you fight.
4) Damage to the fighters (black eyes, lumps, bruises) will last for the entire game.


Expect to see more about the enforcer engine in early June.

NHL 14 vs. Next-Gen Consoles

I'm curious: are any of you in the OS community considering not getting NHL 14 because of the fact that next-gen consoles won't be backwards compatible? With the game shipping (likely) about two months before the new machines are out, do you think it might possibly hurt sales? Will you keep your old system hooked up to keep playing it, even if you buy a new machine? What about the fact that there will be no next-gen hockey till next year? Let me know what you think, OS!

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Follow me: @glennwigmore
Blog: Wiggy
Tuesday, May 28, 2013

With E3 just around the corner, the big three fighting games are all in different places on the spectrum. Amusingly, we haven't really actually seen anything from the upcoming games, even though we're hearing a lot about them.

The Fate of Fight Night

In a recent statement, EA has directed some cynicism towards its generally well-liked Fight Night brand, and the company seems to have shifted its focus towards the world of UFC for the time being. EA Sports head honcho Andrew Wilson said: "Do I see a future for Fight Night? You know, sure. But right now, UFC is where our fighting focus is." It really is a shame to hear such a non-committal response in regards to boxing, even if Fight Night has faltered a little bit in recent iterations.

At this point, it seems like EA is content to pass the gloves to EA UFC and let the chips fall where they may. If the UFC product takes off, especially with its next-gen features, that might leave Fight Night as the odd game out in EA's portfolio.

For boxing fans, it definitely stings a bit, as the promise of new technology was right around the corner. With the future of Fight Night looking pretty dim, it's up to some other developer(s) to pick up the pieces and make something compelling to get players excited about a boxing experience again.

EA UFC Feature Tease

The EA UFC twitter (@EASPORTSUFC) is conducting a guessing game where they are allowing users to pontificate on possible features for the upcoming game. Each day over the next eight days, they are posting a picture with a clue. All of these features will be revealed once E3 rolls around (June 10-14).


To me, day 1 looks to be alluding to realism, particularly in the character faces. The tagline "witness the effort" seems to go hand-in-hand with the shot of Dan Henderson grunting away. My sense is they'll probably have some enhanced detail in the faces that really captures the exertion required for the sport.


Day 2's picture seems to point towards some sort of flash KO or momentum system. It refes to one strike being able to change the course of the match. This is probably emphasizing a revised striking engine that is meant to surprise, hopefully creating Kongo vs. Barry moments from time to time.

What do you guys think?

WWE 2K14 Goes Next-Gen?


There seems to be some conflicting reports about whether WWE 2K14 will be going to next-generation platforms. Several sites and twitter accounts are going with the story, but there doesn't seem to be any official press release or confirmation from other outlets.

Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if WWE 2K14 made a next-generation appearance, especially to catch some cheap heat for the brand, but I don't think 2K would be well served by doing that. The development cycle for the game hasn't been long enough to do anything meaningful with a next-gen product, and it would just end up souring users on the brand in general. I hope they wait till next year to make more meaningful strides for new hardware.

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Follow me on Twitter: @glennwigmore
Blog: Wiggy