Posts Tagged ‘year in review’
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Revisiting the Top Stories of 2012: Turning to Entertainers for Viral Marketing Exposure
Those following news on NBA 2K13 leading up to release heard an awful lot about Jay-Z being the "executive producer" for the product and that was precisely how 2K Sports planned it. The reach that he provided, and having other celebrities in tow to spread word on the game, led to the best opening sales numbers for the series in history. (more...)...
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#7 of 2012 – MLB 12: The Show
There has been no more consistent sports series this generation than SCEA's MLB: The Show. It has shined in gameplay, depth, and authenticity while struggling mightily along the way in areas such as online play and commentary. MLB 12: The Show was no different than the titles that preceded it. A lack of general advancement and some post-release issues were notable but those satisfied with the product in the past likely remained that way. (more...)...
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Revisiting the Top Stories of 2012: Lawsuits Faced by Electronic Arts
Two high profile lawsuits against Electronic Arts carried into 2012 with one being settled and another steaming ahead towards a trial. Though the former is now filed away and ended up having very little in the way of lasting impact the other threatens the viability of any college sports video games in the future. (more...)...
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#8 of 2012: NHL 13
At one point Madden NFL 12 faced the prospect of releasing while the league was in the midst of an ongoing lockout. Later NBA 2K12 actually did have to deal with the league being locked out for the first two months it would be on the market. The conflict with the NHL though has dragged on even farther with the possibility that no season at all will come about. That certainly has affected NHL 13 and not just in sales (which was up initially and has dropped off since) but in consumer percep...
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#9 of 2012: NCAA Football 13
As one of what now is only a handful of major licensed sports games every year NCAA Football should never find itself this low on a year-end recap. Though not as afflicted by serious issues as NCAA 12 this year's effort comes in way down at #9 for it's lowest placement yet. The lack of passion and ambition was the overwhelming takeaway from NCAA Football 13 and if that doesn't change then the series and college football gaming entirely could follow college basketball and disappear in the...
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Revisiting the Top Stories of 2012: Disingenuous Marketing and Unfulfilled Features
There are always going to be games that fail to deliver on promised features or those that disguise issues in order to avoid negatively affecting sales. There are likely even elements of that going on with every game that releases these days. Companies have generally been able to get away with them because reviewers don't identify the issues and media in general avoid holding them accountable for providing the features and support that consumers rely on. In 2012 there were a few significa...
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#10 of 2012: NFL Blitz
As the field of sports games has contracted over the years coming up with legitimate entries for a top 10 list has become increasingly difficult. #10 no longer represents a very good game but one in which might present some value or level of enjoyment but with greatly limited appeal. That is the case with NFL Blitz which is the only true arcade style major sport representation to make the list for 2012. (more...)...
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Revisiting the Top Stories of 2012: The Disastrous Road Towards NBA Live 13
With two years off to construct NBA Live 13 following the swift demise of the NBA Elite 11 reboot there was a cautious optimism about the product back in February. There was no way that Live could challenge NBA 2K13 but the opportunity was there to reestablish itself and take advantage of some of the openings that the competition had left it. It wouldn't take long however for everything about the title to start crumbling down and expose yet another fraud. (more...)...
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Vote for the 2012 Community Choice Awards
Kicking off the year-in-review period is the third annual Pastapadre Community Choice Awards. Last year FIFA 12 walked away with the top honors but there was much more competition present in the field than when NBA 2K11 swept just about every award in 2010. This year appears to be competitive yet again as there are a number of titles that offer outstanding aspects but find themselves deficient in some other way. There is no clear standout that would sweep the awards or is a sure thing to wi...
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2011 Year in Review Recap
2011 doesn't necessarily have to be viewed as a down year for sports gaming but it may end up better described as having been a transitional one. Some series struggled to follow-up on well-received iterations while others regained footing that could position them to be among the best of 2012. FIFA 12 won the official Sports Game of the Year Award for the site as well as getting the nod from the community but there was a healthy mix of titles that excelled in specific areas even if they didn'...
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