It's a special bonus episode as Pastapadre joins 4th String League members to discuss the news of EA Sports' compensation for those who lost Madden Franchise Mode saves before later turning to league specific developments.    

Press Row Podcast & 4th String Crossover

What sports video game are you looking forward to most in 2023? We pose that question to Bryan, Kris, Owen and Rich in the first Press Row Podcast episode of 2023!

2023 Sports Video Game season preview

It's an old-school Sports Game of the Year show! Rich, Owen, and Kris line up their Honorable Mentions then count down their top three favorite sports video games of 2022 - eventually getting to the Official Press Row Podcast Sports Game of the Year as well! Happy Holidays everyone!

2022 Sports Game of the Year!

The wait for a fully licensed college football video game will have been 11 years should EA Sports College Football 25 release as now scheduled. Rich and Bryan discuss the return being pushed back from summer 2023 to 2024. Why it happened and what the first game back could benefit from the extra year as EA juggles extensive legal and development challenges. 

EA Sports College Football Return Gets Pushed to 2024

Rich and Bryan return to discuss this fall's sports games - the ones that are resonating with them and the others that have taken a back seat to this point. 

What we are, and aren't, playing this sports gaming season

Rich Grisham and Bryan Wiedey discuss their time with NBA 2K23 so far, largely focusing on the two big feature additions in MyNBA Eras and The Jordan Challenge, before moving on to share thoughts on the upcoming releases of FIFA 23 and NHL 23. 

Reviewing NBA 2K23

The Press Row Podcast returns after an extended hiatus reuniting three of the OG panelists to discuss the release of Madden NFL 23, take a look ahead to NBA 2K23, and assess the upcoming battle between 2K and EA golf games. Featuring Rich Grisham, Bryan Wiedey (@pastapadre), and Owen Good (Polygon). 

The Return

Rich and Bryan discuss the reveal of MLB The Show 22 amidst the lockout, the sales of Activision-Blizzard and Bungie and what it would mean if EA is acquired by Microsoft or Sony, and go into the latest in their Madden online franchises. 

Locked In

Rich Grisham and Bryan Wiedey return to wrap up a year in sports gaming that, depending on perspective, either featured a handful of quality efforts from long-running franchises or will be remembered as one of the worst in the history of the genre. The two discuss what they've been playing - mainly Madden NFL 22 and Forza Horizon 5 - and look ahead to 2022 and new games that could inject life back into the genre. 

Closing Out 2021

Discussing the release of Madden NFL 22 with early thoughts on the game, the reveal of NHL 22, and the new form that PES will be taking going forward. 

Madden NFL 22 is here

The Press Row Podcast returns with discussion on recent news including Electronic Arts buying Metalhead Software - the developers of Super Mega Baseball - and the first NFL game from 2K Sports under their new licensing deal being delayed until summer 2022. 

Acquisitions and delays

So many surprises in such a short time! Between MLB The Show going on Xbox Game Pass the day it launches and EA announcing a brand new PGA golf game - exclusively featuring The Masters, no less - it's been a wild few weeks.  Enjoy the show!

Ep 334: Baseball and Golf surprises and shock!

At some point! EA Sports today announced that College Football will be making a return to their portfolio of sports games. So that begs the questions, like when? What teams? What players? What history? Will there be a Dynasty Mode? Will there be Ultimate Team? Will it be a yearly release? We don't have any of those answers - but we take our best guess at them anyway. Enjoy the show!

College Football is Back!

Next gen sports gaming is here in full! Rich and Bryan talk about their early impressions of Madden and FIFA on the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 - what's different, what's interesting, and what's the overall feel?

Next gen Madden and FIFA impressions

It's an old-school throwback Press Row Podcast! It's 2013 all over again as Owen Good, Bryan Wiedey, and Rich Grisham get together to compare their next-gen console launch experiences - only this time it's Xbox Series X and Playstation 5!

The launch of a new generation

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.

NBA 2K21 Shooting Woes and Madden NFL 21 News

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. 

Madden NFL 21 and PGA Tour 2K21 - Release Reaction

How did Madden NFL get to the current place it is with Franchise Mode, why was there an uprising from fans now, and where does Madden go from here? Rich, Bryan, and Mills discuss everything around the #FixMaddenFranchise movement that trended on Twitter and forced a response out of EA Sports.  

#FixMaddenFranchise

Due to the extraordinary circumstances of 2020 Electronic Arts had to call an audible and hold the annual EA Play event remotely and in pre-recorded fashion. The trimmed down presentation left the publisher's sports games with just a single trailer as representation.  That trailer was a big one however delivering the first look at next-gen - PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X - Madden NFL 21 and FIFA 21.  Rich and Bryan discuss what has been learned about those two titles and what remains unknown, the tepid response to the initial Madden NFL 21 reveal earlier this week, the absence of NHL 21 and UFC 4 from the event, and much more!

Next-Gen Reveal (EA Play)

This week we talk to Scott Drader, co-founder of Metalhead Software - the makers of Super Mega Baseball 3! The brand new release is delighting fans around the world. We catch up with Scott on everything about the game - design, feedback, roadmap, and more - in a fascinating conversation about the joys and challenges of running a studio and making a sports video game. Out of the Park Baseball 21 is now available worldwide! Pick it up on Steam or directly from Out of the Park Developments.

Press Row Podcast

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