Holy crap, 2K is actually updating Play Now Online (PNO) in NBA 2K25. We’re not even sure if it’s a good update, but they’re actually changing the mode. This confirms 2K does know the mode still exists.

KG, hit ’em with it!

To be clear, I’m not even quite sure how this new system will work, but let me take you through what 2K put together on the PlayStation Blog. We’re going back to a ranking system with what I assume to be matchmaking within those tiers. So you’ll battle through Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and then hit the GOAT tier. Assuming enough people are playing, I would think 2K will always try to match a Bronze player with another Bronze player and so on.

You will be accruing Victory Points with wins that eventually add up to get you to the next tier, but it’s not clear if you will lose points with a loss. In other words, I don’t know if just grinding out wins will get you through these tiers regardless of how many losses you rack up, but my guess is total wins will be all that matters.

As you get to new tiers, you also get more teams to select (you start with just the 30 NBA teams):

• Bronze to Silver: Unlocks ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s eras teams
• Silver to Gold: Unlocks 2000s era teams
• Gold to Platinum: Unlocks 2010s era teams
• Platinum to GOAT: Unlocks a GOATED Team (new GOATED team each Season)

The biggest change is that you can only use the same team once every five games. Is that a good thing? I’m not sure, but the thinking is probably that you see so few teams in PNO that maybe this gets people out of their comfort zone and “proves” who is actually good with more than just the meta teams. I play and talk about PNO with some other sickos on OS, and we have some who are so steadfast about never leveling up out of the initial tier in order to avoid some of the classic cheese squads.

The same concept from old PNO versions where you are rewarded for using lesser squads does apply here as you’ll get more Victory Points by winning with crappier squads.

• Tier 1 – Win with one of the top 10 overall-rated teams in the NBA to receive the smallest amount of Victory Points
• Tier 2 – Win with teams ranked 11-20 overall to receive the medium amount of Victory Points
• Tier 3 – Win with teams ranked 21-30 overall to receive the largest amount of Victory Points

However, I’m not sure what makes up those 30 teams once you’re out of the initial Bronze tier because I would think you can still use the standard NBA teams in all the tiers. Again, I’m just guessing, but maybe the top 20 teams are figured out depending on your tier and every team after 20 is in that Tier 3 group even as the selectable squads balloon well past 30.

It’s also not clear if teams get “blacked out” after you use them, or you can still use them but you just won’t accrue the Victory Points if you win with them during that five-game cooldown period. Finally, I don’t know what you do with the “all-time teams” you unlock when you get to GOAT tier. Yes, it’s bragging rights, but do I then get to use those teams once every five games?

Whatever the case may be, if these changes get some more people in the PNO pool, I’ll be all for it. Of course, the biggest thing I wish they’d add is a way for us to play with WNBA teams in a PNO environment (give us our own league for it, who cares if it’s just the current WNBA teams!), but it seems like 2K just does not want us to play with WNBA teams online for some reason.

The post NBA 2K25 Play Now Online Mode Is Getting an Update appeared first on Operation Sports.

Released back in October of 2023, Sociable Soccer 24 finally made its way to the Nintendo Switch this past July and thus is now in my hands. With footy options being limited on the Switch, it’s worth scoping out how this one holds up with our Sociable Soccer 24 review.

What I Like

Surprising Authenticity

Equipped with the FIFPRO license, Sociable Soccer 24 has a surprising amount of authenticity to offer. With over 13K professional players and 1,000 teams, you can take the club of your choice and attempt to win one of the 80 trophies offered in the game.

It’s unrealistic to expect authentic uniforms, but the basic color combinations are there and surprisingly there aren’t kit clashes when randomly matched up against an AI opponent. Even the tactics and roster management are surprisingly realistic, but we’ll get into that in a bit.

Gameplay

According to Tower Studios:

“Get your adrenaline pumping with the game’s lightning-fast and intuitive gameplay. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a casual player, Sociable Soccer 24’s user-friendly controls ensure that everyone can enjoy the excitement of the pitch.“

It’s everything Tower Studios described and more. It’s fast and intuitive in the sense that it’s easy to pick up, yet takes a little time to master, especially when you factor in the ability to toggle the controls between assisted and manual — and of course the difficulty levels (Easy, Moderate, and Expert). At first, I began with assisted controls on the moderate difficulty levels before finding my footing and changing to the highest difficulty and manual controls, which still ends with me sending a few shots into the stands (a good thing).

The commands are simple on defense as well. You turbo and slide tackle, and the game switches players for you on that end to a better standard than eFootball. In general, the best form of defense is similar to UFL where you just try to run and take it off the other player while dribbling, but it’s acceptable for a game on the Nintendo Switch — on the PS5, not so much (sorry, UFL).

No DLC

What you see is what you get from Sociable Soccer 24. In a genre dominated by loot boxes in console and mobile games alike, it’s refreshing to know that you won’t need to grab your wallet if you want to enjoy the game. With a selling point of about $25, Sociable Soccer 24 is reasonably priced and offers enough content to justify the cost.

What’s even more reassuring is that Tower Studios (Sociable Soccer 24’s developer) is committed to updating the game as seen by its most recent patch (June, 2024).

Nice Pace Of Play For Seasons & Tournaments

One area that I really like, and is a must for mobile games, is the length of time it takes to complete a tournament or season. For my tournament playthrough, I focused initially on the Africa Cup of Nations, complete with three group stage matches, and luckily I was able to guide the Ivory Coast through three knockout rounds that ultimately culminated in me achieving legendary status and taking home the trophy, all in about 45 minutes.

Season play takes longer as expected, but since you’re not playing the other teams in your league home and away, you can get through a complete season in a couple of hours or space it out and take your time over the course of a few days.

Can Feel The Difference In The Quality Of Players

It’s a strange thing to say about a game on the Nintendo Switch, but you can really feel the difference between good and lesser players when it comes to quality. My first match with Sociable Soccer 24 was the heated contest between Argentina and Brazil with me taking charge of the Selecao, and just like recent times, Argentina handed me my head on a plate with Julian Alvarez scoring a hat-trick.

The action was fast and Argentina was all over me, a stark contrast between my “world” squad, DC United, where it was slowed down because my players were not as good.

What I Don’t Like

Lack Of Stats

There aren’t many things I don’t like about Sociable Soccer 24, but the lack of stats across their modes is the big one. I don’t expect a game like this to have the advanced stats EA FC has, but a simple tally of goals, assists, and clean sheets is the bare minimum and that’s what I expected, especially as I put my finishing boots on and started scoring goals for fun.

Even if the stats aren’t tracked on a league status page (league leaders and so on), it would be nice to see some Team Player stats.

Bottom Line

There aren’t many mobile or Nintendo Switch sports games that can hold my attention, but Sociable Soccer 24 is one. You may or may not find me getting a few matches in during work hours while I slog from online meeting to online meeting. You can’t prove it regardless! At about a $25 price point, the game offers a good bang for its buck and is enough to satisfy a hardcore footy fan like myself or casual fans like my daughters. Either way, Tower Studios you have a fan.

The post Sociable Soccer 24 Review (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Operation Sports.

It’s been a while since we here at OS touched on Konami’s eFootball series and with good reason. The once beloved franchise PES (Pro Evolution Soccer) has slowly faded into obscurity after its rebrand in 2021 to eFootball.

Despite starting off with a strong initial release of PES 2021 Season Update where PC modders are still working wonders, the subsequent releases (eFootball 2022 – present) have seen the popularity of the game diminish to nearly an afterthought in the football gaming community, getting lapped by EA’s EA FC franchise and facing a new challenger in Strikerz Inc.’s UFL. Before we touch on the current state of eFootball, let’s take a quick trip down memory lane.

eFootball Roadmap

Do you remember this? I know, I almost forgot too because shortly after it was released in fall of 2022 it was derailed and thus forgotten by early 2023. While Konami did get cross-generation (PS4 -> PS5, Xbox Series X/S -> Xbox One) working, there’s still no true cross-platform (PlayStation vs. Xbox vs. PC) available yet as Konami appears to be squeezing the juice out of its eSports Tournaments while still skimping on modes that we came to associate with PES over the years.

Konami doubled down here:

Paid Content
– The number of teams that can be used in leagues and club teams will be expanded and distributed as additional paid content by the end of 2022
– Master League will be available as additional paid content during 2023

— eFootball (@play_eFootball) May 31, 2022

Back in February of 2023, Konami updated the community about what was on the horizon, and to their credit, they did deliver on everything they planned for — although there’s absolutely nothing worth bragging about in this list with updates like “additional player slots” and “additional number of substitutes for Dream Team.” These are simple fixes that shouldn’t require too many resources. Now the list on the bottom is where we should start to hold Konami accountable:

• Master League – MISS
• Co-op Mode – HIT
• Edit Mode – MISS
• Additional selectable teams in Authentic Mode (Exhibition) – MISS
• Cross-platform compatibility on console – MISS
• Cross-platform compatibility between console and mobile – MISS
• Mobile controller compatibility and support – MISS

In football terms, if you convert 1 of your 7 chances, chances are you won’t be around too long. And that right there is only a PORTION of the long list of neglected features and modes that were in eFootball 2021 Season Update yet still haven’t made it to eFootball.

What’s To Come With eFootball?

Well, for starters, Konami has rebranded the name again, dropping the “2024” or in this case what would be “eFootball 2025” to simply eFootball.

UPDATE ALERT

We will be making an update to eFootball 2024 in mid-September

After this, the name of the game will change to simply "eFootball".

eFootball v4.0.0 will include updates to reflect promotions/relegations of domestic leagues and player transfers pic.twitter.com/EYqagW5GtK

— eFootball (@play_eFootball) August 8, 2024

So back to square one figuratively, but as EA proved, a name is just a name and considering that digital sales exceed hard copies, changing a brand name isn’t the no-no it once was.

What’s Coming With eFootball (2024)?

If we’re being honest, it’s hard to say as Konami teases the new September update with assurances that assets will carry over (eFootball coins and points, GP, and so on). What’s not carrying over you ask? Well, for starters, it seems like the never-ending carousel of top-flight Italian teams sees Napoli, Roma, and Monza going over to EA FC, with rumors of both Milan-based top-flight clubs (AC Milan and Inter Milan) heading back to eFootball.

Considering Konami’s past history with incorporating legendary players into their various modes, this actually bodes well with both Milan clubs boasting a long history of iconic players (Maldini, R9, and Seedorf to name a few). As is the case with losing licenses, the removal of players comes with the territory as Konami confirms on their official website:

“Due to changes in licenses and available content, some players and managers may become unavailable.
Unavailable players and managers cannot participate in matches, but you can still earn GP and items for releasing them.”

And folks, that’s about all we know as Konami, true to their past, drops this tidbit on the bottom of their 2024 update page:

Large-scale maintenance for License Update: We will conduct a large-scale maintenance in mid-September as part of the eFootball v4.0.0 update.

So if you’re wondering about a game that will update in what could be less than two weeks then rest assured, you’re not alone.

Bottom Line

Football games are always in a precarious position when it comes to release dates. With most top-flight European seasons starting this past weekend, there’s the thought that it would be nice to beat market-leader EA FC to the punch but then you have the transfer window shutting at the end of August, which requires a lot of resources to swap players to new teams, create new players, and the like.

Release your game after EA FC and you run the risk of no one noticing. Konami seems to have their base players set and don’t seem to be in that much of a rush to add PES staples like Master League and Edit Mode. If I were a betting man, I’d wager that we’ll see neither of those two modes as Konami would have made a major announcement by now, especially with the rumors that when they do come they’ll be available via paid DLCs. As for now, my expectations are at an all-time low with this franchise, but the lure of the old ways will always have me tempting fate.

The post What's Going on With eFootball? appeared first on Operation Sports.

Yesterday, 2K revealed the top 71-100 rated players in NBA 2K25. Ratings week continues today with the top 51-70. Last week, the team highlighted various attribute ratings, showcasing the top 5 in three-point shooting, ball handling, steals, dunks and more, along with ratings for WNBA players and rookies.

Let's keep the #NBA2KTop100 going with 20 more players pic.twitter.com/qsQbhIFy7y

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) August 20, 2024

NBA 2K25 releases on September 6 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Fans who purchase before September 6 can play up to two days early, starting on Wednesday, September 4 at 5 AM ET. Players who previously pre-ordered any edition on compatible platforms at participating retailers are automatically eligible for the Early Tip-Off benefit. The PC version will have feature parity with the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 version of the game.

The post NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Week - Top 51 - 70 Players  appeared first on Operation Sports.

Playground Productions has revealed the return of the Backyard Sports franchise, announcing it on their official website along with an embedded video seen below. Some of you might recall back in February when Jason and Travis Kelce reminisced about the classic Backyard Football and Baseball games on their New Heights podcast. Jason even hinted that he was quietly exploring the possibility of purchasing the rights to both games to revive them. However, sources confirmed to Sports Illustrated that the Kelce bros are not involved in the relaunch. Either way, it’s exciting to see the franchise making a comeback.

According to Variety, video games aren’t the only focus for Playground Productions. They’re aiming to expand across multiple verticals, including film, television, merchandise and more. There hasn’t been any official announcement regarding release dates or platforms yet, but fans are encouraged to sign up on the official website to be the first to hear about upcoming projects.

“We’re incredibly excited to reintroduce Backyard Sports to a new generation of players,” Chris Waters, chief product officer at Playground Productions, said in a statement. “We’re taking great care to preserve the look and feel that made the original games so special while updating them with modern features and gameplay that today’s audience expects. I can’t wait for fans to see what we’re building on the Playground.”

The post Backyard Sports Franchise is Back appeared first on Operation Sports.

iRacing has released their gameplay trailer for World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing 24 today, and pre-orders are now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

Featuring all-new tracks like Millbridge Speedway and Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, new cars like 410 Non-Winged Sprint Cars and Micro Sprints for a total of 11 different series, and fully updated driver rosters for the 2024 season, World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing 24 is the deepest World of Outlaws game yet. Updates to the racing experience include variable track states, an all-new adjustable wing, and a modern user interface, while a revamped Career Mode and Donny Schatz’s Outlaw Challenge give drivers all new sets of goals to accomplish.

 

The standard edition of World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing 24 is priced at $49.99, while the Gold Edition is $64.99. The Gold Edition includes future DLC packs with Oswego Speedway, Huset’s Speedway, alternate paint schemes, game appearance packs and three days of early access, instead of the full week that was initially announced.

World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing 24 will be available on September 17th. Pre-order your copy today!

Featuring:
2 New Series – Micro Sprints and 410 Wingless Sprints
2 New Tracks – Kern Raceway and Millbridge Speedway
Brand new Outlaw Challenge Mode
11 Series and 49 Tracks for… pic.twitter.com/JUynXJaxJD

— World of Outlaws Game (@outlaws_game) August 20, 2024

The post World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing 24 Gameplay Trailer, Screenshots, Early Access and More appeared first on Operation Sports.

RIDE 5 is now included for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium members on the PS Store. The game released back in August 2023 with a new career mode, dynamic weather and much more.

Rev up your engine and get ready to hit the track with RIDE 5. An adrenaline-filled gaming experience that is so authentic it will make you feel like you’re truly racing at break-neck speed. Find your favorite bikes and check out new ones in the ultimate motorcycle game! Race on over 35 tracks and collect more than 200 bikes from world-renowned manufacturers, each element is designed to feel like you’re riding a real bike.

PlayStation Plus August Game Catalog games live today:

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Wild Hearts
Cult of the Lamb
Ride 5
Watch Dogs 2
Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker
4 Sword Art Online titles pic.twitter.com/l2jVxdE6ni

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) August 20, 2024

The post RIDE 5 Included For PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Members appeared first on Operation Sports.

2K is set to reveal the top 100 players in NBA 2K25 this week, starting today with the announcement of players ranked 71 through 100. Last week, the team shared some attribute ratings, highlighting the top 5 in three point shooting, handles, steals, dunks and more, as well as WNBA and rookie ratings.

The #NBA2KTop100 starts NOW!

Drop your takes on this first group of #NBA2K25 ratings pic.twitter.com/0sIWbLXdHt

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) August 19, 2024

NBA 2K25 releases on September 6 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Fans who purchase before September 6 can play up to two days early, starting on Wednesday, September 4 at 5 AM ET. Players who previously pre-ordered any edition on compatible platforms at participating retailers are automatically eligible for the Early Tip-Off benefit. The PC version will have feature parity with the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 version of the game.

The post NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Week - Top 71 - 100 Players appeared first on Operation Sports.

The Tiebreak: Official game of the ATP and WTA Ace Edition is available today on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The standard edition releases on August 22 and already available on Steam.

THE MOST COMPLETE TENNIS GAME

The most realistic and in-depth simulation ever released, Tiebreak captures the true essence of tennis with impressive gameplay and full management of your ATP or WTA career. Compete in over 90 official tournaments with more than 120 officially licensed and faithfully recreated players.

A ROSTER OF UNIQUE QUALITY

The roster of over 120 official players includes Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, as well as Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Danil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andy Murray and many more. Tiebreak also has a full roster of female players, including Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Maria Sharapova and other    champions.

AS REAL AS IT GETS

The Tiebreak team has taken the animation and player reproduction to the next level by travelling the world to capture every player in high detail and offer the most authentic experience possible. Novak Djokovic’s serve preparation, Rafael Nadal’s forehand whip, Roger Federer’s backhand: experience the signature moves of all the tennis stars.

It's time to step onto the court. #TIEBREAK, the official game of the @atptour and @WTA, is now available for Ace Edition owners on PlayStation and Xbox. pic.twitter.com/5WY4pN1hdY

— Tiebreak ATP | WTA (@Tiebreakthegame) August 19, 2024

REALISTIC GAME PLANS

Tiebreak uses real-world data for each player so that all AI-controlled players use the same game plans as in real life based on the playing surface. Finding a way to beat Novak Djokovic on clay won’t guarantee an easy victory on grass or concrete. Every detail counts: play to your strengths and exploit your opponents’ weaknesses to win your matches.

THE FULL OFFICIAL CALENDAR

Compete in the official ATP and WTA circuits in Tiebreak. Enter all the Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournaments, choose which ATP/WTA 500 and 250 tournaments to enter each season according to your objectives, and try to be among the top 8 to qualify for the ATP Final or WTA Final at the end of the season. The top courts on the circuit have been faithfully recreated and are the ideal arenas for your next battles. 

YOUR CAREER, YOUR NAME IN HISTORY

Set out to conquer the ATP and WTA world rankings and play a full tennis season. Choose to play as an official player or create your own. Train, prepare for your tournaments and win matches. Your career is not just played on the court: take part in press conferences, develop rivalries and manage your reputation.

PLAY NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S BIGGEST MATCHES

Tiebreak pays tribute to Novak Djokovic, who holds the record for the most weeks ranked as world’s no. 1, with a special game mode. Play the unique “Novak Djokovic Slam Challenge” game mode and replay the highlights of his career, chosen by Novak Djokovic himself. Listen to his world-class tips and try to reproduce his performances.

The post Tiebreak Ace Edition Available Today on Xbox and PlayStation Consoles appeared first on Operation Sports.

EA Sports F1 24 patch 1.8 is now available on all platforms, fixing a rare crash when entering a new session after a League race and a Two Player Career bug that trapped players on the Negotiation screen after multi-season contracts. The update also ensures HDR settings persist after a restart and fixed a specific flickering ERS bar issue during Overtake attempts at full deployment. Check out the patch notes below for all the details.

MULTIPLAYER

• The Invites and Requests option has been added to the pause menu in single player session types
• Fixed an issue which could prevent the Flying Lap and Return to Garage options from being available in Single Player sessions after previously exiting from a multiplayer session
• Fixed a rare issue in Multiplayer races where a player could be disqualified from the race after being removed from the Formation lap
• Fixed an issue where the incorrect Qualifying session type would be shown in a Multiplayer lobby if the host switched from an F1 to an F2 rac

GRAPHICS/VISUALS

• AI vehicles in F1 World Series and Solo Events will now use a wider variety of liveries and badges
• Detached wheels will now stay closer to the car as wheel tethers have been shortened

TRACKS

• Corrected the Pit Lane speed limit at Jeddah to 80kph
• Some changes have been made to prevent exploiting off-track areas to record faster times at certain circuits in Time Trial
• Fixed a rare issue where a player on the track could incorrectly receive a blocking penalty when another car was in the Pit Lane exit and not directly behind them

CAREER

• In Career modes, AI teammates can now purchase Upgrades on the last day of a season if they have enough Resource Points

PERIPHERALS

• Added support for additional Moza bases on Xbox when using the Moza Racing ES steering wheel
• Added support for Telemetry on the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race Wheel for Xbox consoles

MISCELLANEOUS

• “True Fan” Achievement/Trophy will now correctly unlock when the player has accumulated 10,000 Fanzone points
• Fixed an issue where the goal of “Achieve three purple sectors during a race weekend” could sometimes not pass despite the requirements being met
• Dynamic Objectives involving Engine Temperature will no longer pass or fail incorrectly due to rounding up decimal places during calculations
• Given the AI drivers a good talking to, so they will no longer celebrate a victory too early and potentially lose the race
• Various UI improvements in many areas of the game have been made
• General Stability Improvements
• Various Minor Fixes

The team is also actively tracking and investigating various F1 24 issues being reported by the community. Below is the full list which is continuously updated.

• AI – AI pace seemingly inconsistent between qualifying and race
• AI – Possible additional work AI ERS/DRS trains
• F1 World – Team Member mod effects do not last the whole duration
• Multiplayer – Inconsistent host advantage on lights-out
• Multiplayer – Equal team performance setting not applying correctly in some scenarios
• Tracks – Potential ongoing issue with invisible bump at Turn 13 (Spain)
• Tracks – Invisible bump at Turn 1 (Bahrain), Turns 14-15 (Miami), and Turn 15 (Silverstone)
• Tracks – Unusual collision behaviour with kerb at exit of Turn 13 (China)

The post EA Sports F1 24 Patch 1.8 Available Today - Patch Notes appeared first on Operation Sports.

A couple of weeks ago, EA Sports UFC 5 announced that players, for the first time, could choose which four Alter Egos would be added in a future update via a new in-game Community Vote feature. The UFC 5 team had collaborated with nine members of the EA Sports UFC community, who had submitted their favorite Alter Ego options for players to vote on.

200K+ Votes
67K+ Participants
4 Alter Ego Winners

These will be added in a future #UFC5 2024 game update pic.twitter.com/5PllkrBwWm

— EA SPORTS UFC (@EASPORTSUFC) August 5, 2024

After receiving over 200,000 votes from more than 67,000 fans, the winners announced today were Conor McGregor (UFC 205) (2016), Charles Oliveira (UFC 262) (2021), Rampage Jackson (UFC 75) (2007) and Daniel Cormier (UFC 226) (2018). A release date for the winning Alter Egos has not been revealed, but they are expected to arrive before the end of the year.

The post EA Sports UFC 5 Alter Egos Coming Later This Year - As Voted By Community appeared first on Operation Sports.

EA Sports provided details earlier today on FC 25 Ultimate Team with a new Pitch Notes deep dive and features video. In FUT, players can join friends in 5v5 Rush and explore advanced strategies with a tactical overhaul in FC IQ, where AI models and real-world data drive player tactics through the new Player Roles. The mode will also include a new storage system for untradeable duplicates, manager presets, redesigned stadiums, enhanced live match broadcasts and more cosmetic evolutions that will highlight the Player Item shell.

• ULTIMATE TEAM RUSH – Bring your favourite player item from your Ultimate Team club, team up with friends, and hit the pitch in intense, locked-to-player 5v5 matches. Rewards earned in Ultimate Team Rush can be used to improve your own Ultimate Team roster in the 11v11 experience.
• FC IQ IN ULTIMATE TEAM – FC IQ informs the Ultimate Team experience in a variety of key ways. Manager Items will feature the manager’s real-world tactical preferences, authentically influencing how your team plays on the pitch. Player Roles are also part of each player item and available from the very beginning of the Ultimate Team season.
• NEW STADIUM & MATCH EXPERIENCE – The Ultimate Team match experience is fully refreshed thanks to newly designed stadiums and more engaging live broadcasting sequences. New presentation elements highlight lineup decisions and both teams’ unique players. Larger away sections allow you to bring more of the home stadium experience on the road.
• COSMETIC EVOLUTIONS- The Player Item shell has always held the spotlight in Football Ultimate Team, but now you can make it your own in unique ways. Upgrade Player Item shells with all-new cosmetic Evolutions: add more breakouts and modify embellishment components such as backgrounds, borders and SFX.

For more details on FC 25 Ultimate Team, check out the trailer embedded above and the latest Pitch Notes. The EA Sports FC 25 Standard Edition will release on September 27 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch. The Ultimate Edition releases on September 20, along with the EA Play 10 hour early access trial.

The post EA Sports FC 25 Ultimate Team Details Revealed in Latest Video and Pitch Notes appeared first on Operation Sports.

Koality Game has released another Hoop Land update for iOS and Android devices adding bully ball from the AI bigs in the paint, improved CPU offensive and defensive transitions, CPU fades and rim hangs. They have also added improved coaches, player regression, game simulation sliders, ability to edit player awards and much more. Career mode is coming later this year with plans to port over to Steam and consoles afterwards. Check out the patch notes below.

New Hoop Land Update Version 1.07.2 highlights all in one clip! Improved CPU offensive and defensive transitions, CPU bigs playing bully ball in the paint, and CPU fades and rim hangs. What's your favorite new feature? #gamedev #indiedev #indiegame #basketball #screenshotsaturday pic.twitter.com/qgxn54zNLG

— Koality Game (@KoalityGame) August 4, 2024

New Features

• Added Advanced Season Mode settings
• Added game simulation sliders
• Added player regression toggle to Commissioner mode
• Added coach archetypes, attributes, and tendencies
• Added ability to create and edit head coaches
• Added ability to import free agents in Commissioner Mode
• Added ability to edit All-Star and All-Star MVP awards
• Added ability to edit player awards earned
• Added ability to edit player career stats and highs
• Added ability to edit player tendency to fade
• Added Times Won (Voter Fatigue) to advanced award weighting
• Added additional years of experience options to award qualifications
• Added country selection button when changing locations

Season Mode Improvements

• Added player regression
• Added ability to save lineup and minutes adjustments
• Added ability for coaches to get fired
• Added coach contract negotiations
• Added coach progression to Post Game Progression screen
• Added single season records screen
• Added draft prospects button to home screen before the draft
• Added XP progression text to player upgrades screen
• Added head-to-head tie breakers
• Added previous head-to-head matchups on Game Preview screen
• Added ability to revert to a backed up season save file
• Improved team stats to display playoffs on Game Preview screen
• Improved team star rankings
• Improved lineup optimization
• Improved player position ranking
• Improved player appearance generation
• Improved file naming when exporting season save files
• Reduced maximum games missed from major injury
• Reduced minimum possible salary cap to 50M
• Removed ability to rest players with minor injuries
• Facial hair color now matches hair color when aging

Gameplay Enhancements

• Added jump delay when attempting to jump after landing
• Added chance for opponent to fall while backing down
• Added ability to spin move out of a post up while in triple threat position
• Added ability for CPU to take fadeaway shots
• Added ability for CPU to hang on the rim
• Added full crowds for playoffs and play-in games
• Added matching crowd shirt colors during playoff games
• Added player shot tendencies to simulated games
• Improved CPU shot selection
• Improved CPU box-out positioning on free throws
• Improved offensive and defensive transitioning after shot releases
• Improved defensive help rotations
• Improved visual contact on shooting fouls
• Increased time before referee inbounds the ball after a timeout
• Increased maximum height on broadcast angle
• Adjusted player collider size depending on player weight
• Reduced frequency of layup adjustments
• Reduced injuries from low stamina
• Reduced border around billboard graphics
• Removed lobs from behind the hoop during inbounds passes

Bug Fixes

• Fixed player-lock in shootaround
• Fixed player teleporting from out of bounds in practice mode
• Fixed CPU not substituting after making a manual substitution in shootaround
• Fixed CPU not passing out backcourt violations
• Fixed losing fire when missing after a shooting foul occurs
• Fixed ability to block free throws
• Fixed player scoring basket also receiving an assist
• Fixed player celebration delay after a game winner
• Fixed crowd distortion in broadcast angle
• Fixed championship celebration camera flashes occurring for the road team
• Fixed championship celebration camera reset position in broadcast angle
• Fixed icon passing sprites in broadcast angle
• Fixed play-by-play period buttons in broadcast angle
• Fixed blurry team logos, courts, and table images
• Fixed player id assignment
• Fixed players with season stats from the future
• Fixed players with one season of experience winning Most Improved award
• Fixed ability to switch to college league settings during team select
• Fixed teams having the same pick during the draft
• Fixed drafted player regimen set to auto
• Fixed undrafted players not showing college attended in profile screen
• Fixed inability to trade players in the offseason
• Fixed player regimen not resetting to Auto when signed to another team
• Fixed freeze when starting lineup contains injured players
• Fixed optimize lineup resting healthy players
• Fixed optimize lineup assigning two players to the same line position
• Fixed player with major injury but zero games out
• Fixed ability to play through major injuries
• Fixed ability to edit players not on own team in Franchise mode
• Fixed retired players appearing on Free Agents list
• Fixed inability to scout players in the pro league when scouts are available
• Fixed game type header on team matchup screen during play-in games
• Fixed current day being greater than the maximum days on the schedule
• Fixed team history and retired numbers when importing an expansion team
• Fixed conference button text on Team Select screen
• Fixed player hair overlapping on Team Select screen
• Fixed countries not cycling in alphabetical order
• Fixed team sort order when cycling through teams
• Fixed missing sfx when toggling autosave in Customize

 

The post Hoop Land Update Adds Bully Ball, Improved Transitions, Rim Hangs and More - Patch Notes appeared first on Operation Sports.

EA has released a new Madden 25 gameplay video today featuring clips from two games that clock in at over 19 minutes of footage.

It’s not entirely raw gameplay, and it works like a lot of EA’s other gameplay reveals this year where it’s mixing in explaining all the changes to the game this year while two folks are playing things out. For this one, Micah Parsons and the undisputed pro of the Madden comp scene, Henry Leverette, are on the sticks.

We’ve already talked extensively about the Madden 25 gameplay, so I don’t want to really waste your time going back into things we’ve already broken down. I think the footage mostly can speak for itself, but I will say the game does feel different in your hands than it might look. I think the “feel” is better than how the game looks as a spectator, but that could just be me (and it’s based on a version of the game that wasn’t final anyway).

The one negative I will speak to from the video that bothered me the most was the lack of a pocket being made by the offensive line. It’s been a negative forever, and it just sticks out more here because other parts of the game have been improving at faster rates. Things like 15-yard dropbacks not being punished by a Nick Bosa burning around the edge, or quickly being able to spin out to the left to break the pocket with Mahomes because the edges don’t get set, and just not seeing dominant pass rushers eat up the offensive line when they don’t get cut or double teamed is a pet peeve of mine for sure.

All that said, I think it’s worth watching the video even if you’ve been playing lots of EA Sports College Football 25 as the Madden gameplay certainly comes off looking a little slower, and you can see things like Madden’s take on the new kick meter.

The post Madden 25 Video Includes 19 Minutes of Gameplay appeared first on Operation Sports.

EA Sports will release their first look at Madden NFL 25 gameplay tomorrow, August 5 at 11:00 AM ET, featuring Dallas Cowboys Micah Parsons and the first-ever Madden millionaire, Henry Leverette.

The Standard Edition of Madden NFL 25 will release on August 16 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC. The Deluxe Edition and EA Play trial will release on August 12 at 4:00 PM ET. Of course, there’s also the MVP Bundle that comes with the Deluxe Editions of both Madden NFL 25 and EA Sports College Football 25.

An extended look at #Madden25 Gameplay hits tomorrow with @MicahhParsons11 vs. @Henry773_

: https://t.co/SCHURodNMs pic.twitter.com/SgQ7D9Sgid

— Madden NFL 25 (@EAMaddenNFL) August 4, 2024

The post Madden NFL 25 Gameplay Tomorrow at 11:00 AM ET appeared first on Operation Sports.

If there’s one area in most every sports game that is problematic on a yearly basis, it’s player progression. Whether that’s a lack of progress, too much progress, simulation vs. real game progress irregularities, or a progression system that simply can’t handle going year to year without slowly breaking, sports games have not been able to solve how to create a realistic and fun progression system.

(This is part of our weekly newsletter, Not Just Another Roster Update, that is sent every Friday to our subscribers. You can sign-up for the newsletter here — it’s the only e-mail you’ll get from us.)

It’s also almost impossible to point to one thing that causes the issue. I’ll mainly use the two football games as examples here since it’s still football season, but let me be clear that they’re not the only culprits.

For EA Sports College Football 25, there’s various issues, but the overarching progression issue is that most teams get way better over time. The balance and variety to the rosters in the launch game is diminished over multiple seasons as more and more good players end up at all positions. The ironic thing here is this isn’t even a simulation vs. playing the games problem because the sim engine — a weakness in both football games likely because they use the same sim engine — leads to unrealistically low stats for multiple position groups. So even though players are not accruing tons of stats, we’re still getting more superteams.

In Madden 24, the sim engine struggles with various position groups, but while the sim engine overrates various QBs and other position groups in terms of accrued stats, things like playbooks seem to be a big issue for player progression. A team like the Chiefs will consistently have great tight ends no matter what, so losing Travis Kelce to retirement doesn’t end up really mattering much because the Chiefs playbook allows them to have great TE stats in simulated games.

Now, I will give credit to the community by saying there are some awesome folks out there who were able to tune XP sliders to get some good results for player progression (not to mention PC mods), but roster building is integral to player progression as well, and Madden 24 still was a failure there if you didn’t control every team. There’s more than one reason why that happens, but I would say it ultimately comes back to the salary cap.

I spoke a ton about the salary cap in my deep dive of Madden 25’s franchise mode, so I’m not going to belabor that aspect too much beyond saying that the salary cap needs to matter. How you build a roster does not matter if you never have to worry about the salary cap.

EA doesn’t explicitly talk about the salary cap in their deep dive, but they do mention at multiple points how AI teams will prioritize building their roster, and they do mention player progression multiple times as well.

In Madden 24, the sim engine struggles with various position groups, but while the sim engine overrates various QBs and other position groups in terms of accrued stats, things like playbooks seem to be a big issue for player progression. A team like the Chiefs will consistently have great tight ends no matter what, so losing Travis Kelce to retirement doesn’t end up really mattering much because the Chiefs playbook allows them to have great TE stats in simulated games.

Now, I will give credit to the community by saying there are some awesome folks out there who were able to tune XP sliders to get some good results for player progression, but roster building is integral to player progression as well, and Madden 24 still was a failure there if you didn’t control every team. There’s more than one reason why that happens, but I would say it ultimately comes back to the salary cap.

I spoke a ton about the salary cap in my deep dive of Madden 25’s franchise mode, so I’m not going to belabor that aspect too much beyond saying that the salary cap needs to matter. How you build a roster does not matter if you never have to worry about the salary cap.

EA doesn’t explicitly talk about the salary cap in their deep dive, but they do mention at multiple points how AI teams will prioritize building their roster, and they do mention player progression multiple times as well.

Whether or not EA is able to nail those two areas is TBD (to the highest degree), but significantly improving those two areas would undeniably be awesome for the longevity of our franchises. They mention wanting to get more Puka Nakua/Isiah Pacheco progression stories in place, which they’re focused on doing via Breakout Storylines, but on a basic level those scenarios were something you could mimic to a degree by modifying the aforementioned XP sliders last year.

On top of that, EA wants to make sure older players like Derrick Henry are not getting more speed in their age-31 seasons. I do have some confidence in them being able to pull these two examples off because we could mostly get there last year if we put in the work tuning our own settings. So if the “default” XP sliders are just close to what some on OS were already doing last year, that’s a good starting point for Madden 25’s XP system.

I’m less bullish on EA’s ability to pull off the roster building portion to this. Even if we avoid the situations where good players are rotting in free agency after a certain amount of years, here’s a couple things EA is saying will happen:

• We’ll start with Contract Re-Signing logic, where teams will now prioritize extending their core young talent with a better understanding of positional value, depth and potential.
• Once the future of the franchise is secure, veteran players and roster depth will be prioritized.
• This mindset will extend to Franchise Tag decisions, which have been rebalanced by position and become a last resort for teams when they need to hang on to players that they want to build around.
• As a result, the strategies behind Offseason Free Agency AI have shifted. A few prized talents will be highly coveted while the bulk of the signings will be made up of veterans as teams look to solidify their rosters.
• Then it’s on to the Draft, where teams will primarily focus on selecting long-term cornerstone players early on and then shift their focus to adding depth in the later rounds.
• Refined player progression ensures that older players regress physically as you would expect, while younger stars receive more opportunities to make an impact in the league early in their careers.

It all sounds great! And, to be clear, if it’s pulled off then these are the biggest additions to the quality of franchise mode in many years. However, I have almost no faith in the overall sim engine in EA’s football games. And, again, there’s no mention of the salary cap there.

The hope would be that because these teams are all prioritizing the same things, that talent will be paid the proper amount. If every team cares about the same key positions, they’ll be paid a proper AAV (average annual value) and make roster building elsewhere tougher. That still needs to line up with how the salary cap goes up year after year, but at least the AI teams would know what players matter.

Either way, I want to believe, but there’s no chance I’ll take EA’s word for this. I will have to see it to believe it.

The post Why Does Progression in Sports Games Usually Suck? appeared first on Operation Sports.

THQ Nordic announced Wreckfest 2 during their 2024 Digital Showcase and revealed a new trailer, some features and screenshots. The game will feature a fully revamped physics engine, offer fully customizable cars that can be shared with other players and revamped game modes, including an all-new split-screen mode.

This highly anticipated sequel takes the chaos of the racetrack to the next level with a completely overhauled physics engine that delivers unparalleled realism in every bone-crunching collision and metal-twisting crash. Get ready to dominate the track with fully customizable cars, allowing you to create your own unique wrecking machine and share your designs with fellow players around the world. Whether you’re tuning your ride for maximum destruction or fine-tuning it for a competitive edge, the possibilities are endless.

• Unmatched racing experience – Brace yourself for the most phenomenal full-contact racing action with no rules, just jaw dropping moments of chaos and destruction, powered by the completely overhauled physics engine. Race in intense head-to-head fights on high-speed circuits, face obstacles on crazy courses with jumps, intersections and oncoming traffic, or go for demolition domination in various derby arenas.
• Awesome & fully customizable cars – Forget pristine supercars: Our cars are old, dented and patched together. Each of them tells a story, and now you can tell your own by fully customizing your ride. The newly designed customization tool is incredibly powerful, enabling you to create the car of your dreams! Let your creativity run wild and share your designs with other racers and wreckers online.

• Fully revamped game modes – Play your way in the entirely reimagined career mode that supports every playstyle on your mission to become the true champion! Take it online and enjoy quick to find and smooth online races, powered by the new skill-based matchmaking system and server queues! And if you have a friend at home, try the brand new split screen mode for unbeatable local fun!
• Challenges – Shake things up with special challenges putting you behind the steering wheel of unconventional vehicles that were definitely never supposed to end up on a racetrack! Various bite-sized scenarios will keep you hooked as you battle for the highest scores.
• Tournaments – Earn unique rewards in time-limited events that will test not only your driving skills!

Wreckfest 2 is set to arrive on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC, but an official release date has not been given.

 

The post Wreckfest 2 Announced - Trailer, Features, Screenshots appeared first on Operation Sports.

EA Sports provided details earlier today on FC 25 Clubs mode with a new Pitch Notes deep dive and features video. The article highlights Clubhouse, the new Clubs Rush experience, the return of Relegation, gameplay improvements, social space, customization options and much more.

• Clubs Rush – Enjoy a more social experience with 5v5 Clubs Rush. Lobby up with friends or fly solo as you squad up with other players of your skill level. Every win earns a Victory Point to your club’s tally, boosting your Rush rank on the road to exciting seasonal rewards.
• The Clubhouse – Welcome to the Clubhouse, your home for social interaction and customizations in Clubs. The Clubhouse is a hub for your team, showcasing your Club’s identity along with your clubmates who will appear in the locker room when they join the mode.

• Club Facilities – Grow your club and unlock higher facility budgets via the club’s reputation system. Allocate that budget towards different facilities like a weight room, new PlayStyles, or even a shooting coach.
• League Updates – Relegation returns to the Clubs League. Losing matches decreases your number of division chances. Lose them all and take part in a Relegation Battle, one single match that will determine whether your Club will beat the drop, or be sent down a division.

For more details on FC 25 Clubs mode, check out the trailer embedded above and the latest Pitch Notes. The EA Sports FC 25 Standard Edition will release on September 27 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch. The Ultimate Edition releases on September 20, along with the EA Play 10 hour early access trial.

The post EA Sports Details FC 25 Clubs Mode in Latest Pitch Notes appeared first on Operation Sports.

Madden NFL 25 ratings continue to roll out as EA Sports revealed the top 10 quarterbacks and linebackers in the game this year. More player ratings for the rest of the quarterbacks and linebackers, including rookies, can be seen on the official ratings page. Patrick Mahomes joins Travis Kelce, Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey and Tyreek Hill in the 99 Club.

A closer look at some of the personalized gifts for our #99Club Athletes

Congrats to all the #Madden25 99 OVR Players! pic.twitter.com/mjyUViU8p9

— Madden NFL 25 (@EAMaddenNFL) August 2, 2024

Top 10 Quarterbacks

• Patrick Mahomes (99 Overall)  
• Lamar Jackson (98 Overall)  
• Joe Burrow (93 Overall)  
• Josh Allen (92 Overall)  
• Dak Prescott (90 Overall)  
• Tua Tagovailoa (88 Overall)  
• Justin Herbert (87 Overall)  
• Jalen Hurts (86 Overall)  
• Brock Purdy (85 Overall)  
• Kirk Cousins (84 Overall)  

Top 10 Linebackers

• Fred Waner (97 Overall)  
• Roquan Smith (95 Overall)  
• Demario Davis (92 Overall)  
• Lavonte David (90 Overall)  
• C.J. Mosley (90 Overall)  
• Foyesade Oluokun (89 Overall)  
• Dre Greenlaw (87 Overall)  
• Matt Milano (87 Overall)  
• Bobby Wagner (87 Overall)  
• Bobby Okereke (86 Overall)  

The Standard Edition of Madden NFL 25 will release on August 16 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC. The Deluxe Edition and EA Play trial will release on August 12 at 4:00 PM ET. Of course, there’s also the MVP Bundle that comes with the Deluxe Editions of both Madden NFL 25 and EA Sports College Football 25.

The post Madden NFL 25 Player Ratings - Top 10 Quarterbacks and Linebackers appeared first on Operation Sports.

As the NFL season approaches, there’s considerable interest in how the new kickoff rules will affect the game, with coaches particularly curious about their impact. Mike Tomlin, the Super Bowl-winning Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a member of the NFL Rules Committee, was keen to see how these rules would play out in practice. To get ahead of the curve, he used Madden NFL 25 to better understand and strategize around the changes.

The new Dynamic Kickoff rule is going into action tonight at the @ProFootballHOF Game.

Before you see it, get a full breakdown of the new play, the coaches who helped shape the rules and how it was integrated into #Madden25. @EAMaddenNFL pic.twitter.com/gkRXePPpN4

— NFL (@NFL) August 1, 2024

The Madden NFL Development Team integrated the new kickoff rules into Madden NFL 25 with visual aids, commentary and new kick types to help fans grasp the adjustments. Coach Tomlin, who regards Madden NFL as a “real simulator,” collaborated with Clint Oldenburg, Production Director, and the development team over several weeks to explore the new special teams setup. All of this happened after the Madden team had already finished production of the game.

The Standard Edition of Madden NFL 25 will release on August 16 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC. The Deluxe Edition and EA Play trial will release on August 12 at 4:00 PM ET. Of course, there’s also the MVP Bundle that comes with the Deluxe Editions of both Madden NFL 25 and EA Sports College Football 25.

The post Madden NFL 25 Developers Worked with Mike Tomlin on New Kickoff Rules appeared first on Operation Sports.