Sports Interactive has announced that Football Manager 25 will launch on November 26 on console and mobile. The developers claim that FM25 represents the biggest step up in visuals and gameplay mechanics in a generation. The series has long been hit with critici??sm of its match ?engine, with unrealistic footage hindering the enjoyment of some players. As well as improvements to the matchday engine, Sports Interactive has also promised improved and more immersive tactics management.

At the same time as announcing the release date, SI has also published its FM25 roadmap which includes details of further announcements. As of now, details of the up?grade are quite sparse but, according to the roadmap, we can expect news of the addition of women’s football in a week or two. This will be followed by updates on the new interface, tactics, match interface, and manager features.

SI has also said that FM25 Touch,?? which will be available on Nintendo Switch and other touchscreen devices, will launch in the weeks after the full?? release.

Football Manager was originally released under the name Championship Manager in 1992. Following Sports Interactive’s break up with partner Eidos Interactive, SI retained the rights to the game engine but lost the naming rights. In 2004, with the company’s new partnership with Sega, the game rebranded as Football Manager.

FM24, the most recent version of the game, received an aggre??gated critic rating of 84 but its user review rating was lower, at 7.0 out of 10. It was critic??ized by players for offering very few upgrades over previous titles as well as for what were perceived to be match engine glitches.

The post Sports Interactive announces Football M?anager 25 will launch on November 26 appeared first on Destructoid.

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk has once again teased the possibility of a new game in the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series. While celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the original title on social media he suggested that “there will be a future�for the series. It isn’t the first time Hawk has made this kind of comment, either, after saying, earlier this month, that he had been in talks with Activision again and went on to say “we’re working on something.�/p>

The original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater launched in 1999, first on the PS1 and then on the N64 soon after. The title was a massive hit and still has a critical score? of 9?2, and a user rating of 8.2 out of 10 according to Metacritic.

The success of the original spawned several sequels with most proving popular with gamers. Pro Skater 5 on PS4, which was the last new entry in the series, was something of a blip, getting roundly panned by reviewers and gamers alike. However, a remaster of the original two games saw the games return to successful?? ways.

Since the remake, fans have been waiting for news of another launch with some calling f?or a remake of the third game. Others are hoping for something meatier w?ith a possible Pro Skater 6 launch.

Hawk previously stated, in 2022, that he and Activision were looking to find somebody to remake the third and fourth games but they didn’t trust anybody the way they trusted Vicarious. Vicarious was acquired by Activision i??n 2005 and became part of Blizzard Entertainment in 2022, so?? it is currently unclear who would be responsible for any possible remake.

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Knowing which badges and rarities to prioritize is a must for all looking to reach the GOAT status in NBA 2K25, as many among the?? 40 can be key differentials between becoming a dominant force or stopping short of true greatness.

But how can you unlock each badge? To build the perfect player, here are all badge requirements in NBA 2K25, as well as what each of them does.

• Table of Contents:

  • All Scoring Badges
  • All Playmaking Badges
  • All Defense and Rebounding Badges
  • All General Offense and All-Round Badges

All Scoring badges in NBA 2K25

NBA 2k25 features 16 scoring badges, going from those focused on empowering dunks and layups to those transforming you into a menace at ??medium and long range. You can check out how to unlock al??l of them, as well as their effects below:

All Playmaking badges

There are nine playmaking badges in 2K25. Among them, the fan favorites Dimer and Versatile Visionary are my highlights, as they allow you to set the pace of the game on both ends of the co??urt.

All Defense and Rebounding badges in 2K25

For those looking to turn their half of the court into an impregnable fortress or frustrate sharpshooters and dribblers to no end, NBA 2K25 provides a total of 10 defense-oriented and two rebound-focu?sed badges, all of which you can see below.

All General Offense and All-Round badges in 2K25

A must for those looking to build the complete player, NBA 2K25 boasts one All-Round and two General Offense badges, with the former being the must-have Pogo Stick. He??re are the r?equirements of all General Offense and All-Round badges:

The post All badge requirements in NBA 2K25 appeared first on Destructoid.

EA Sports College Football 25 is out now, and with so much anticipation for a new college football game, there's been quite a lot of playe?rs hopping online to play. If you've been eager to play Dynasty Mode in particular, you might have run into a peculiar error that puts some Latin filler text on your s?creen.

The Lorem ipsum error, as it's been colloquially referred to, looks to be caused by online issues. Electronic Arts says it's working on a fix, but for now, there are some ways you can try to work around it and get your Dynasty started. Here's how to deal with the Lorem ipsum error in College Football 25.

EA Sports CFB 25 Lorem ipsum error in Dynasty Mode

As EA has noted, alongside several different threads and social media posts, those trying to get into the Dynasty Mode of EA Sports College Football 25 may be greeted with an error where they see "lor?em ipsum" on the screen. EA's Help account confirms it's working on a fix?, but for now, here's what you should do if you encounter this issue:

1. Disconnect Wi-Fi from your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S
2. Restart EA Sports College Football 25 while still disconnected from the Internet
3. Enter Dynasty Mode offline from the main menu

This will allow you to play offline and set up your Dynasty. If you were hoping to go online, there's not an official path forward, but some users have reported success in doing ????those same steps and then going online. Your mileage may vary on that front.

You'll also want to make sure you're logged into your EA Account to access Dynasty save files. Though, if serv??ers are getting hammered, it could be messy trying to establish the connection. The best bet for all of this working smoothly is a full fix from EA.

Hopefully Electronic Arts solves the server issues now, before EA Sports College Football 25 goes live for all non-special edition buyers later this week. Meanwhile, enjoy this fun fact: Lorem ipsum is a popular filler text for copywriting and graphic design, used to put words on the page to see exactly how, say, a fully written newspaper column may lay out on the page. It's also apparently a truncated version of dolorem ipsum, or "pain itself," which is probabl?y what EA's servers are feeling under the strain of all these college football players.

The post EA Sports Colleg??e? Football 25 Lorem ipsum error, explained appeared first on Destructoid.

The Rodri International Stars SBC is here in EA FC 24 Ultimate Team, following Spain's ??successful Euro 2024 campaign.

The Manchester City midfielder pl??ayed a pivotal role in helping Spain win the tournament, and EA Sports has released a special card to honor his performances. To get the card, you'll need to complete four challenges. Let's take a look at how to obtain this new card for your Ultimate Team squad.

EA FC 24 Rodri International Stars SBC tasks

All four tasks of this SBC has unique conditions that will ha??ve to be fulfilled ?during squad submission.

Task 1 - Spain

• Min. 1 Players from: Spain
• Min. 1 Players: Any TOTS or TOTW
• Min. Team Rating: 87

Task 2 - Manchester City

• Min. 1 Players from: Manchester City OR Manchester City
• Min. 1 Players: Any TOTS or TOTW
• Min. Team Rating: 87

Task 3 - Premier League

• Min. 1 Players from: Premier League
• Min. 1 Players: Any TOTS or TOTW
• Min. Team Rating: 88

Task 4 - Top Form

• Min. 1 Players: Any TOTS or TOTW
• Min. Team Rating: 89

EA FC 24 Rodri International Stars SBC cheapest solutions

Here are the cheapest solutions for the Rodri International Stars SBC in EA FC 24.

Task 1 - Spain

• Fabinho 84
• Irene Paredes 88
• Cucho Hernandez TOTS 88
• Koen Casteels 84
• Bruno Fernandes 88
• Ederson 88
• Alexandra Popp 88
• Stanislav Lobotka 84
• Lena Oberdorf 87
• Martin Odegaard 87
• Luke Shaw 83

Task 2 - Manchester City

• Fabinho 84
• Bernardo Silva 88
• Cucho Hernandez TOTS 88
• Koen Casteels 84
• Bruno Fernandes 88
• Ederson 88
• Alexandra Popp 88
• Stanislav Lobotka 84
• Lena Oberdorf 87
• Martin Odegaard 87
• Luke Shaw 83

Task 3 - Premier League

• Mapi Leon: 89
• Irene Paredes: 88
• Cucho Hernandez TOTS: 88
• Mikel Oyarzabal: 88
• Marie Katoto: 88
• Jan Oblak: 88
• Joshua Kimmich: 88
• Lucy Bronze: 87
• Lina Magull: 87
• Gianluigi Donnarumma: 87
• Lea Schuller: 86

Task 4 - Top Form

• Erling Haaland: 91
• Bremer TOTS: 91
• Marc Andre Ter Stegen: 89
• Ruben Dias: 89
• Rodri: 89
• Sandra Panos: 87
• Lena Oberdorf: 87
• Ewa Pajor: 87
• Gregor Kobel: 87
• Martin Odegaard: 87
• Lautaro Martinez: 87

For just four squads, you can get one of the best CDM cards in EA FC 24 Ultimate Team. Make sure to boost the shooting and pace if you play the card as a CM. It also has four amazing playstyle+, and this SBC is unavo?idable in my books.

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It looks like EA FC 24 might actually have a true competitor on their hands, with STRIKERZ INC revealing that over one million players jumped onto the pitch for UFL's first open beta weekend.

According to STRIKERZ, 1,320,000 players downloaded the beta and created their club, with over 5.5 million minutes played and 9,986,206 goals scored—not bad for UFL's first public outing. It's no surprise that the fo??otball-mad nations of the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Germany led the way in player numbers, with the United States and France filling o??ut the top five.

It also should come as a shock that the most popular player in the beta was UFL's frontman Cristiano Ronaldo.?? Truthfully, it was never going to be anyone else.

As for the beta itself, reviews have been pretty positive. The Ultimate Team-style game is definitely not as polished as EA FC 24, but it definitely feels nice to play, and is a solid foundation for STRIKERZ to build on. While the numbers are impressive for one weekend, it's worth remembering that EA Sports' soccer offering reportedly logged 11.3 million users in its first week, so there's a long way to go to reign in EA FC.

Still, it's nice to see some actual competition in the football market. Konami's decision to kill the Pro Evolution Soccer series and replace it with eFootball essentially killed all of its momentum, leaving FIFA and then EA FC to become the undisputed king of the genre.

With UFL now making waves, and a rumored FIFA game developed by 2K, we might finally have a fight on our hands for the top spot, and the competition may push EA Sports to make majo?r improvements to their franchise.

The post EA FC 24 rival UFL set??s impressive player numbers in op?en beta weekend appeared first on Destructoid.

All 20 of England's Premier League clubs are officially coming to Football Manager, with Sports Interactive announcing a multi-year agreement with the world's most popula?r league to bring the clubs, logos, kits, and player photos to the game.

Starting? with the 2024/25 season, the entire league will be officially represented in the game, meaning you no longer have to download logo packs to get their badges and kits added to your database. The move means that the top six divisions in the English football pyramid will be officially in the game, from the top flight all the way down to the Vanarama National League North and South.

In the official blog post, Sports Interactive described the Premier League as "the pinnacle of domestic football," stating that it's "defined by iconic on-pitch events and memories spanning more than three decades," with a manager behind each memorable moment, much like "every great Football Manager story."

"Whether you're attempting to mastermind the futures of Liverpool or Arsenal, chase European football with Crystal Palace, or maximize Ipswich Town's return to the big time, you'll be immersed in English top-flight action l?ike never before."

The studio says that further information on the integration of the Premier League in Football Manager will come later in the year, suggesting that? there's more to this partnership than officially licensed clubs.

As a long-time fan of the series, I am delighted to see this partnership, especially as my beloved Manchester United will no longer be called the horrific "Man UFC." This happened in 2021 when United took legal action against Sports Interactive over complaints that the game infringed their trademark by using the club's name without ??a license.

Of course, if you've been playing the game, you'll have seen licensed Premier League teams in there already, after Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City agreed deals with the company. In the past, we've had to download logo packs created by fans of Football Manager and essentially mo??d the game to get our favorite Premier League teams in the game. Thankfully that will be a thing of the past from next se??ason.

The post No more logo packs: All ?20?? Premier League teams are coming to Football Manager appeared first on Destructoid.

EA Sports FC 24 is set to introduce the UEFA Euro 2024 update today, June 6, 2024. The free update will be themed aroun??d the international tournament, featuring the top footballing nations across Europe.

As part of ??this free update, Ultimate Team mode pl??ayers are set to receive a free player pick. The options include Netherlands�Virgil van Dijk, Italy’s Federico Chiesa, Germany’s Florian Wirtz, France’s Ousmane Dembele, England’s Jack Grealish, and Spain’s Alvaro Morata. The player pick will only be available for Ultimate Team players who have played the mode between December 18, 2023, and January 16, 2024.

Details on what the update offers have now been revealed and a Euro 2024 tournament has been added, and here is how to play Euro 2024 in FC 24. The free update arrives ahea??d of the official Euro 2024 tournament in Germany which commences on June 14, 2024.

The official announcement post features a picture of the same players available as a free item, donning the kits of their respective i?nternational teams. This at least confirms these kits will be available across the Euro 2024 update for players, and more kits from the participating nations at the tournament in Germany are expected to be available as well.

EA’s FIFA 23 title featured a World Cup 2022 update which brought content for Ultimate Team as well as offline game modes, and a World Cup tournament mode was introduced. The update did arrive with a fresh set of animations before kick-off, showing off fans entering the stadium to cheer for their nation, but the overall update did not receive a favourable response from the game’s commun??ity.

The post EA Sports FC 24 free update arrives today appeared first on Destructoid.

This year's major international tournament is right around the corner, and that means a massive new patch is on the way for EA FC 24. Here's when you can get yo??ur hands on the Euro 2024 update.

If you're a long-time FIFA fan, you'll remember the incredible World Cup and Euros modes that EA used to drop. Back in the day, they were essentially an additional Ultimate Team, allowing you to build a squad of the best players at the com????petition.

EA Sp??orts has been unusually quiet about wh??at the Euro 2024 patch will include, but we finally know when we'll be able to jump into the game and play it.

EA FC 24 Euro 2024 update release date

EA Sports FC 24's Euro 2024 update will be released on Thursday, June 6, 2024. This was confirmed by EA Sports themselve??s on June 4, telling players to "get re??????????????????????????ady for a festival of football."

EA FC 24 Euro 2024 update countdown

Unfortunately, EA Sports hasn't given us an exact time of when the update will go l??i?ve in-game. Most content updates, such as Team of the Week, go live at 6 pm UK time, so we've set the countdown timer below to that time. We'll be sure to update it if we get any new information.

What's included in EA FC 24's Euro 2024 update?

Truthfully, we don't know?. EA Sports have been pretty secretive and not announced anything to do with the promo. We expect that it will be linked to Ultimate Team, and likely feature new cards based on players competing in the tournament.

The promo image shows Euro 2024 players including Jude Bellingham and Virgil Van Dijk standing in thei??r new kits for the tournament, so we expect those to be updated too??.

It's also possible we'll see updates to the tournament mode offline too, perhaps with the of?ficia?l graphics package that will be used in this year's edition of the European Championship.

The post When does EA FC 24’s Euro 2024 update release? Countdown appeared first on Destructoid.

It might seem odd in a racing game, but making sure your camera settings are perfect can actually cut tenths off your lap times. If you're not sure how to tweak them, I've put together this guide with all the F1 24 camera settings you need.

You might be wondering why camera settings are im??portant, but the reason is that if your camera is in the wrong position, you may find it difficult to spot the apex of a corner and end up costing yourself lap time. It can also help during races? too, letting you spot openings in front of you, or keep an eye on rivals who are side-by-side with you.

Here are the best F1 24 camera settings, w?hich I personally use when I go racing.

F1 24 best camera settings

• Edit Camera Settings: Global
• Camera: TV Pod
• Field of View: -10
• Offset: Lateral: 0
• Offset: Horizontal: 2
• Offset: Vertical: 17
• Angle: -20
• Near Clip Plane: 20
• Mirror Angle: 0
• Camera Shake: 0
• Camera Movement: 0

At first, ?look, turning the Field of View down might seem odd, but mixing it with the Angle and the Vert?ical Offset means I can see the apex of corners really well, and being able to see both wing mirrors easily lets me keep an eye on who is around or behind me.

Plus, these are settings that have been used by F1 Esport??s competitors in the past, so if it's ??good enough for them, it's definitely good enough for me. Of course, you may want to tweak these slightly so that you get the exact experience you want, so I recommend heading into a Time Trial and just doing laps until you find the settings that work the best for you.

For more, check out the best F1 24 controller settings, and how to change the game's difficulty.

The post Best F1 24 camera settings appeared first on Destructoid.

If you want to become a Formula 1 World Champion or dominate opponents online, you'll need to get the most out of your gamepad. That's why I've put together the best F1 24 controller settin??gs to i??mprove your handling and bring your lap times down.

While some fans of the series use a racing wheel and pedals to race, not everyone has the time, space, or desire to set up a full sim-racing rig. That's why many stick to using their controller, which can still prov?ide good control over your car.

While the basic setup for controll??ers is adequate, tinkering with the settings can make your car even faster, and an advantage over those who haven't gone in-depth into the options. That's why I've got all the controller settings that I use to get a leg-up on my online opponents.

F1 24 best controller settings

Controls: Generic

• MFD Car Setup Panel: Default
• Trigger Vibration: On
• Overtake ERS Mode: Toggle
• Adaptive Triggers: Medium
• Logitech Trueforce Intensity: 100

Calibration

• Steering Input: 160%
• Steering Deadzone: 0 (Unless you have stick drift. Use the Test Buttons option to check for deadzones.)
• Steering Linearity: 30
• Steering Saturation: 0
• Throttle Deadzone: 0
• Throttle Linearity: 0
• Throttle Saturation: 0
• Brake Deadzone: 0
• Brake Linearity: 25
• Brake Saturation: 0

Vibration and Force Feedback

• Vibration & Force Feedback: On
• Vibration & Force Feedback Strength: 100
• On Track Effects: 100
• Rumble Strip Effects: 100
• Off Track Effects: 60
• Pit Stop Effects: 50
• Wheel Damper: 50
• Maximum Wheel Rotation: 320

Of course, a lot of these are going to end up being your personal preference, but the decreased Maximum Wheel Rotat??ion is going to be super helpful for tight turns like the Loews Hairpin at Monaco or the difficult corners in Singapore.

The increased Steering Input can help you take corners more smoothly, while turning down the Off Track Effects will help you stay in control of your car should you take a trip off the track. It's much easier to get back on the tarmac when your controller isn't s?haking in your hands.

For more, check out how to change difficulty settings in F1 24.

The post Best F1 24 controller se??ttings to improve handling and lap times appeared first on Destructoid.

One of the most important things to make your F1 24 experience enjoyable is finding the right difficulty, but locating the option to adjust it is proving difficult. If you're like me and struggled to do it, here's how to change the difficulty level in F1 24.

Selecting the right difficulty in F1 24 is super important, and may take a little bit of tweaking to get right. Pick one too easy and you'll be lapping five seconds faster than your rivals, driving at the front of the pack with no challengers near you. Too hard, and you'll be watching the F1 drivers zoom off into the distance.

When I first opened F1 24, the difficulty was set in the low 30s,? which is way too low for me. When I went to settings on the main menu, however, I couldn't find where to change it. After some fiddling around in menus, I finally figured it out and can share the process with you.

Where to change difficulty in F1 24

Now, if you went to the settings page in the main menu and couldn't find it like me, I did discover a workaround. It??'s not ideal, but works for now.

1. On the F1 24 main menu, go to F1 World.
2. Select "Play."
3. Select "Grand Prix" from the race options.
4. Choose a track to race on. (The actual track is irrelevant, I put Bahrain as it is the first track on the calendar."
5. Press "Start" to open the Options menu.
6. "Select "Difficulty" to change your difficulty.

It's unclear if difficulty being missing from the main menu is a style c??hoice or an oversight, but either way, it would be useful for EA Sports to include it there in a future update.

F1 24 difficulty explained

According to EA Sports, the numbers you see on the difficulty screen can be categorized as ??fol??lows:

• Easy: 20-39
• Medium: 40-59
• Hard: 60-79
• Expert: 80-89
• Master: 90-94
• Legend: 95+

A couple of years ago when I was playing a lot, I sat in the Expert range, but so far on F1 24, I've had to stick to the high end of Hard.

The post How to change difficulty in F1 24 appeared first on Destructoid.

It's been a long time since we had a true competitor to EA Sports in the soccer simulator world, but according to new rumors, 2K Sports is working on a new FIFA game that will supposedly be released this year.

In a post by MohPlay Inc. on X, formerly Twitter, they claimed that 2K Sports had reached a partnership with football's governing body FIFA to develop a new series to rival EA Sports FC. The tweet claims that FIFA 2K25 is set to launch this year, just in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This development timeline seems very quick, unless 2K were alr??eady working on a soccer game and landed the licensing after development had already begun.

This story was then corroborated by Insider Gaming's Mike Straw, who ??suggested there was "more smoke to this," and that nobody was willing to talk to him a?bout it on the record, before suggesting that an announcement was coming "sooner rather than later."

This matches up with rumors from earlier in the year that suggested 2K and FIFA were in discussions, following the split between EA Sports and FIFA in 2023. The pair, who had worked together since the release of FIFA International Soccer in 1993, could not come to terms on a licensing agreement for the FIFA name, with EA Sports eventually deciding to move on without the branding and releasing EA Sports FC 24 in 2023.

This would mark the first major competitor to EA Sports in a while, as while Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer was a true rival to FIFA in the mid-2000s, its eFootball successor ha??s failed to make a dent in the footballing juggernaut.

As we've seen in the past, competition is good for everyone, as it forces developers to up their games to keep ahead of their competition. Of course, take this all with a pinch of salt until we get confirmation from FIFA or 2K Sports, but as a fan of the game, I'd love to se??e someone take it to EA Sports.

The post Leak?? claims 2K Sports working on new FIFA game, relea?sing this year appeared first on Destructoid.

It's been 11 years since we last got a college football game, but with the release of EA Sports College Football 25 on the horizon, hype is at an all-time high. Unfortunately for some, the development team has decided not to release the game on PC, s??parking backlash from fans who don't own a console.

With a July 19 release date now confirmed, we're closer than ever to taking control of college teams from across the United States and building a dynasty that can lift the Na??tional Championship. Unfortunately, we'll only be doing that on Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5, with the game not launching on PC.

While that may not be a surprise to some, it's still a huge disappointment for those who don't own one of the consoles, and college football fans have been voicing their? frustrations about the situa??tion.

"Dead on arrival," wrote TylerDreamMemeBoi on Reddit. "Congrats, you alienated a third of your community, not to mention [left] money on the table," while Andjhostet stated that they were "Selfishly hoping this game sucks since I can't play it on ?PC."

For many like Andjhostet, the news simply means that they'll be unable to play the game at all, and have already declared they'll be sticking to modded versions of NCAA Football 14, such as College Foo??tball Revamped. For some, they've already been playing it for 11 years, and ??don't intend to buy a console solely to play the new addition to the game.

As for why it w??on't be released on PC, it seems that the rumors of EA Sports being against modding is simply unfounded, with Mike Straw from Insider Gaming claiming that a source told him "that it generally isn't profitable," and that "supporting, patching and upgrading PC sports titles is apparently more expensive and more manpower intensive than it is for PS5 or Xbox."

With the playbase smaller on PC, the development team would rather spend time ??working on the game for PS5 and Xbox Series X??|S than spend months working on getting it to work on PC.

Still, perhaps not all hope is lost, as Madden NFL 25 is currently available to pre-purchase on Steam. Perhaps in a few years when EA Sports College Football?? has found its footing, we'll see it make a triumphan??t arrival on PC too.

The post College Football 25 won’t release on PC, and players are furious appeared first on Destructoid.

San Diego Studio rolled out a new live content update for MLB The Show 24, including a 99 overall legend?? card for Jake Arrieta. ?Here is everything you need to know about adding the pitcher to your rotation.

As part of the Team Affinity Season 1 Chapter 3 program, San Diego Studio added a 99 overall card in Diamond Dynasty for all 30 MLB teams. This includes exciting players like Cliff Lee, Gary Carter, and more. The live content update also added new season rewards, an event, Battle Royale rewards, and a 99 overall CC Sabathia card as a collection award. MLB The Show 24 put a ribbon on the large update by also introduc??ing ??a new legend.

How to get 99 overall Jake Arrieta in MLB The Show 24

Players can acquire 99 overall Jake Arrieta in MLB The Show 24 by unlocking the World Series pack in Ranked. To do this, they must climb the ranks and increase their Rating to 900. R??ating is earned by winning matches in Ranked. If players struggle to meet the requirement for World Series rank, they can also unlock Arrieta through the Ranked program reward path by earning 100 Program Stars, which are earned by completing innings and accumulating stats such as strikeouts, extra base hits, hits, and more.

There are only four other starting pitchers on the Marketplace, meaning you should focus on unlocking this card if possible. If you already have a strong rotation, the World Series choice pack also has 99 overall Jorge Posada ??as an option. The switch-hitting catcher?? has some of the best-hitting stats in the game mode and would easily crack anyone's lineup. In saying that, the 99 velocity and break combination for Arrieta is hard to pass up.

The post Jake Ar?rieta confirmed as new legend? in MLB The Show 24 appeared first on Destructoid.

The new Formula 1 season is well underway, so a new EA Sports game based on the uber-popular racing series is on the way. Here's F1 24's release date, what?? platforms it will launch on, details about gameplay and modes?, and more.

Formula 1 has never been bigger, thanks to the success of Netflix's Drive to Survive docu-series, but if watching the races on a Sunday just isn't enough for you, then you can get behind one of the 20 cards on the grid thanks to F1 24.

Whether you fancy taking control of one of your favorite drivers like Max Verstappen or Lando Norris or want to create yourself in-game and speed towards the World Championship, here's everything you need to know about F1 24's upcoming release date.

F1 24 release date and countdown

F1 24's standard edition will be released worldwide on Friday, May 31, 2024.

If you fancy playing the game three days earlier on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, then you can purchase the F1 24 Champions Edition.

F1 24 platforms

F1 24 is available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. The news that the game would launch on the last-gen consoles came as a surprise, as EA Sports WRC was not released on PS4 or Xbox One.

F1 24 Standard vs Champions Edition

As always, there are two editions of F1 24, with the Champions E?d??ition coming with a host of extras that you can't get with the standard. Remember though, it will cost more, so weigh up how much you want those extras before you buy.

What's new in F1 24?

The biggest updates to F1 24 come to the Career Mode, which has been in desperate need of a refresh. Players can now control not only a created character, but current F1 drivers and legends of the sport too. The mode features a new Accolades system to reward your performances, secret contract signings to help you switch teams, and multi-season riv??alries.

There's also a new Cha?llenge Career mode, which will drop you into unique events and challenges to see how good a driver you really are.

EA and Codemasters have also worked hard to ov??erhaul the gameplay, introducing the new Dyna??mic Handling system. The developer claims this produces their "most authentic and immersive driving experience ever," while an "all-new suspension kinematics system, improved tire model, more detailed aerodynamic simulation, new engine settings, and expanded car setup options" give you more control of your car than ever before.

It's not just the cars that have been upgraded th?ough, with tracks like Silverstone, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Lusail International Circuit, and Jeddah Corniche Circuit all receiving updates to improve realism and authenticity.

F1 24 trailers and gameplay videos

F1 24 official reveal trailer

F1 24 gameplay deep dive

F1 24 career mode deep dive

F1 24 gameplay first look

F1 24 Track & Driver Updates

The post F1 24 release date, countdown, platf??orms, and more appeared first on Destructoid.

The Wide Wide World of Suda-Sports

Is this another April Fools' joke, or? did that crazy sonofabitch actua??lly go and do it?

Last time we intervi?ewed Suda51, CEO of Grass?hopper Manufacture, I asked him if he'd ever make a badminton game. Suda was a budding star in the sport back in his early years at school, and those days still mean a lot to him. He told us that if he were ever to do something with badminton, he'd want it to be a massive crossover between all his franchises, including No More Heroes (which his company partially owns) and Shadows of the Damned (which they fully own). Then we laughed, because what are the ch?ances of anything like that ever actually happening?

Well it looks like the chances were pretty good!

[embed]???//www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nTOThc0SLc[/embed]

Grasshopper Manufacture All-Stars: Killer Badminton is the debut title from Little Grasshopper, the new "all-ages" division of Grasshopper Manufacture. Like Multiversus, WB's upcoming crossover fighter, it looks like Killer Badminton will be free-to-p?lay, but with an initially limited roster of characters.

It's just Travis and Garcia to start, which is a little disappointing, but it's nice to see the two finally take a few swings at each other, especially after their proposed franchise-meld in No More Heroes 3 was cut. Shoko from Liberation Maiden, Toriko from Flower, Sun and Rain, and Notorious from Fire Pro Wrestling World: The Vanishing also make cameos at the end?? of the trailer. They may be in the game too, but so far I haven't seen them.

But is it all a big joke? I don't think so, and not to toot my own horn, but my track record on these kinds of things is pretty spotless. To further add to the game's legitimacy, it looks like Tony Astro, composer of Gold Joe's theme from No More Heroes 3, did the soundtrack for Killer Badminton as well. You can get the full album on Youtube, SoundCloud and Bandcamp.

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All good things must come to an end

For years now, sports games have dominated the gaming industry. Titles like Madden, NBA 2K, and FIFA make their way onto each year's top sellers ?list consistently, and rake in millions of dollars in revenue every year. While Electronic Arts' soccer (or football) centric series has been one of the most prominent among them, the company just announced that they might be parting ways with the FIFA brand, bringing a partnership stretching thirty years to an end.

At an internal company meeting last November, EA's CEO Andrew Wilson gave an insight into how license negotiations with the governing footballing body had been going. Based on comments shared anonymously with Video Games Chronicle, EA reportedly thought of FIFA as holding them back from making the creative decisions that they wanted to implement beyond the standard 11v11 mode. Being free of the expensive brand would also free up EA's resources to focus on different ??projects?, as well as implement changes that players want much more quickly.

//tw?itter.com/Nibellion/status/1496552297987559426

Wilson then went on to suggest that the value that FIFA gave EA as a bra??nd outside of World Cup years didn't amount to much mo??re than "four letters on the front of the box."

In that same meeting, Wilson w??ent so far as to say that "the FIFA brand has more meaning as a video game than it does as a governing body of soccer." Bold claim, but not an entirely unfounded one.

According to a report from the New York Times also published last year, negotiations slowed to a halt due to EA's demand for more rights in what they can do with the series, as well as FIFA's alleged demand for nearly doubled licensing fees, which would come out to about $2.5 bi??llion over the next decade.

Ties haven't officially been severed yet, but in an official statement from EA last October, the company implied that even if they choose to part ways with FIFA, they would not necessarily be dropping their other player, league, and stadium licenses. FIFA also divulged that they are open to working with new game companies.

It seem??s like the writing ??is on the wall for these two organizations, but only time will tell.

The post After thirty ??years, EA and FIFA might be parting ways appeared first on Destructoid.

Chalk Dusty

Publisher Hamster is heading back to the dawning days of the Nintendo Entertainment System for this week's Arcade Archives release, as the Vs. System edition of Tennis is now available to download on Nintendo Switch.

Originally released as a launch title for the North American and European edition of the NES in 1985, Tennis features incredibly (and understandably) simplistic over-the-net action, as one or two players rally back and forth in singles or doubles action. Tennis was added to Nintendo's "Vs." arcade range, appearing m?ostly unchanged in its coin-op form.

Vs. Tennis is available to download now on Nintendo Switch, priced at around $8. Here's FORTY-FIVE MINUTES of action, courtesy of YouTuber Old Classic Retro Gaming.

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LeBron Games

How are you at pitching? When you're a big-brained business type, you don't need to sell things. You just need to sell ideas. And they don't even have to?? be good ideas! You just have to make them sound good.

Go ahead and pitch Microsoft on the wildest Space Jam game you can ??think of. If they like your pitch enough, it'll get turned into ??a real game and added to Xbox Game Pass.

All of this is a promotion for the LeBron James-starring Space Jam: A New Legacy movie that's due out next year. Microsoft's hostin??g a contest where t??wo pitches for arcade games will go through development and released. All you have to do is pick one of the 16 pre-selected images that best depicts your idea, and then explain it in 500 words or fewer.

Did your mind instantly go to erotic visual novel? Mine neither. But if you can make your Space Jam-themed erotic visual novel sound intriguing enough, Microsoft will probably definitely fund it. Or, maybe pitch a grand strategy 4X game where Bugs Bunny is some kind of emperor. How about a walking simulator where you?? examine authentic NBA gameplay (traveling joke!). Let's talk, Microsoft. I got ideas for days.

Anyway, two winners get their game made and put on Xbox Game Pass, along with a prize package that consists of: an official credit, LeBron-signed merch, Space Jam and Nike merch, a personalized Xbox Series S (spring for an X, Microsoft!), a private screening of the film, and a virtual Mci??rosoft coding workshop for their local community.

I've settled?? on my pitch: It's about a 5'9" games blogger who gets drafted into the NBA even though he's in his 30s and doesn't have much of a jump shot. It'll be a rhythm-based shmup.

Want to Help Design the Xbox Space Jam: A New Legacy Arcade??-Style Video Gam??e? [Xbox]

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Echo beach, far away in time

It has been a long, long road to the launch of Dotemu's day-glo sports sequel Windjammers 2. First announced during the summer of 2018, the disc-flinging sequel to Data East's 1994 arcade classic is yet to hit the shelves. Having taken feedback from the recent PC demo, Dotemu has now decided to push the launch of Windjammers 2 into 2021.

"We analyzed in depth all these mixed opinions regarding some stuff including the lack of rollback for the online mode, which was unanimously praised in everyone’s feedback," said Dotemu in a statement on Twitter. "We had to do something because Windjammers 2‘s online mode is also meant to encourage the competitive community to get into the game. We started to fix and add what was necessary. Neverth??eless, these changes caused delays and as a result, forced us to postpone the release date to 2021."

"This decision is a tough one and it has serious consequences for all of us but we think it’s fair enough if it allows us to give you the Windjammers 2 you expect and you deserve. Windjammers 2 is an ambitious project that we love and that we ca??nnot ruin with wrong decisions that could jeopardize its quality."

Ultimately, this can only be a good thing. As Dotemu states, Windjammers 2's main priority is to cultivate a strong global community of competitive players - after all, the entire reason the sequel is being developed at all is due to the success of competitive Windjammers tournaments at events such as EVO. Thus, peak flow and stability for the sequel's online components are para??mount. It's admittedly been a long wait, but hope??fully we can all slap on the sunblock and hit the beach soon.

Windjammers 2 is currently in development?? for PC and Nintend?o Switch.

Important update about #Windjammers2 development. â¬‡ï¸ pic.twitter.com/RKQky0kKdu

— Dotemu (@Dotemu) December 10, 2020

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That's the opposite of delay of game

Kickoff came a day early. The PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of Madden NFL 21 and FIFA 21 are scheduled to launch tomorrow, December 4. Howev??er, an?yone who owns last-gen versions of those games can upgrade today.

EA Sports pulled the trigger on pushing upgrades out the door, which is a nice little surprise for anyone who's playing Madden or FIFA and making use of backward compatibility. Of course, PS4 versions can only be upgraded to PS5, and X??box One versions can only be upgraded to Xbox Series S/X.

There are a few different scenarios at play here with EA's Dual Entitlement program. Anyone with a digital copy of either game can simply go to the PlayStation Store or Microsoft Store and grab the next-gen version for free. Those who have discs will be able to pop it into their new console and download a digital upgraded version. However, anyone with a disc but a disc-less console has to hit up EA support to validate the purchase.

Those who waited to buy Madden or FIFA can't take advantage of this early next-gen arrival. They have?? to wait until December 4 which is when it was supposed to ?go live in the first place.

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Horseplay

Koei Tecmo has announced a brand new entry in its long-running horse-racing franchise, Winning Post. The ninth entry in the steeplechase simulato?r will lau??nch in Japan in March 2021.

Debuting way back in 1993 on the Sharp X68000, the Winning Post franchise has won over a small army of Japanese fans with its furious furlong action. Despite the series ongoing success over the past three decades, to date only one entry was officially localized for the west: 1995's Winning Post EX, an enh??anced Sega Saturn port of the original title.

Winning Post 9 2021 will launch in Japan March 18, 2021 on PS4, PC, and? Nintendo Switch.

Winning Post 9 2021 announ?ced for PS4, Switch, and PC [Gematsu / Official]

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But you didn't, of course

2K Games has released a second wave of superstars for its rubbish wrasslin' title WWE 2K Battlegrounds. Anyone playing the arcade brawler will receive free access to sports stars Damian Lillard and - the living embo??diment of Johnny Cage - Rob Gronkowski.

NFL star Gronkowski - going by his wrestling pseudonym of "Gronkster" - is available to download free-of-charge right now, while the NBA's Damian Lillard will join the roster on December 2, rocking his in-ring persona "Laheem." The ?coming weeks will see WWE stars such as "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Edge, Buddy Murphy, and the former IIconics - Peyton Royce and Billie Kay - drip-fed to the roster as paid DLC that you probably won't be paying for.

The post If you had bought WWE 2K Battlegrounds, you could’ve downloaded ‘Gronkster’ today appeared first on Destructoid.

NF Hell

All fans of the gory grid iron have reasons to celebrate, as Cyanide's violent sports title Blood Bowl will be returning in 2021, once again bringing all of the violent action of G??ames Workshop's classic tabletop title to both PC and current and next-gen platforms.

While there is no official launch date for Blood Bowl 3 as of yet, publisher Nacon has announced that anyone pre-ordering Blood Bowl: Second Season Edition on PC will bag themselves access to a Blood Bowl 3 closed beta, expected to launch in the early months of 2021. The publisher teases that there will be other ways of gaining access, but is yet ?to reveal them.

Originally launched as part of Games Workshop's early run of fantasy board games, Blood Bowl was a st??aple of late-'80s role-playing, combining all the action of the NFL with the chaotic warfare and fantasy characters of the Warhammer franchise - topped? off with a streak of black humor.

Blood Bowl 3 w??ill feature a selection of new teams - including the Black Orcs, Imperial Nobility, Chaos Renegades and the Old World?? Alliance - as well as new players, arenas, and cheerleaders, an extensive campaign mode, and more customization options than ever before seen in the franchise's history.

Blood Bowl 3 closed beta touches down early ?next year [PC Gamer]

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'Being' the Elite

There's a new player in the stagnant world of pro-wrestling video games, as All-Elite Wrestling (AEW) has announced the founding of a brand new gaming division - AEW Games. Revealed during a live stream that featured AEW Ex?ecutive VPs Kenny Ome??ga and Cody Rhodes, referee Aubrey Edwards, and pro-wrestler Dr. Britt Baker, AEW Games also took the opportunity to announce its first three releases.

For consoles, AEW is currently working with Japanese developer Yuke's on an as-yet-titled pro-wrestling game. As long-time fans will be aware, Yuke's has a storied history with the genre, having been responsible for classics such as the Shin Nippon Touken Retsuden series, as well as multiple titles in the WWE Smackdown! franchise.

Notably, AEW has also brought on board director Hideyuki "Geta" Iwashita, who was responsible for both Def Jam Vendetta and WWF No Mercy, the latter of which is thought by many as one of - if not the - finest wrestling games of all-time. No platforms nor a release window for the new AEW project w??as specified, but you can?? check out some early footage in the video below.

In addition, AEW has announced two new titles for mobile platforms. AEW Elite General Manager will task players with the running of their very own pro-wrestling company, challenging would-be promoters with building and managing a roster of stars, booking cards and pay-per-view events, and attracting and maintaining a worldwide audience. Football Manager for wrasslin'? I'm down. AEW Elite General Manager will launch in early 2021.

More off the beaten path, (and a little grosser), is AEW Casino: Double or Nothing - which is, as the name suggests, a mobile casino title featuring AEW-branded versions of cash-gobbling games such as blackjack, roulette, poker, and slots, all dressed up in AEW's distinct aesthetic. Developed by social gaming veterans KamaGames, AEW Casino: Double or Nothing is expected to launch this coming winter.

In the wake of a string of - frankly - piss-poor releases from 2K Games' WWE license, the pro-wrestling genre definitely needs a major shot of adrenaline. With AEW, (and seemingly the next WWE 2K entry), displ??aying an intent to restore the fun factor of the genre's early-'00s heyday, hopefully the fut?ure is looking brighter for squared circle fans.

The post AEW announces new video game d??ivision, reveals first three? titles appeared first on Destructoid.

But will it have Space Jam 2 DLC?

So I missed my prediction of Lakers in five: but in six still isn't half bad.

Now that the NBA playoffs have ended and we're waiting on an announcement for when the 2021 season will begin, all eyes are on NBA 2K21; which came out last month on previous generation consoles and added in unskippable ads after launch. In a little over? two weeks the next-gen versions are on the way with a $70 price tag: one of the first-ever announcements before S?ony followed suit.

So what is that extra $10 buying you? According to 2K Sports, it's a version of the game built for next-gen systems. While we'll be the judge ?of that when it actually hits, the publisher is sharing a video that goes over more details of the next-gen experience beyond the fidelity enhancements.

2K Sports is boasting quicker load times due to the SSD, "next-gen movement advances," "150 AI-powered characters" in the lower bo??wl of the arena for enhanced crowd reactions, and a "dynamic rail cam" that helps center on said visual upgrades. The roughly four-minute video below with director Mike Wang's commentary will give you a quick rundown. Although we've had brief looks in the past with quick cuts, this is one of the only times we've gotten raw unedited gameplay.

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TWAT! That was liquid football!

Sometimes, it can be tough to recommend the weekly Arcade Archive release. For every re-run on Sunset Riders, or Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Hamster gives us a truly antiquated title such as Front Line or, in this week's case, Vs. Soccer, now available to download on Nintendo Switch.

Originally released for the NES in 1985, Soccer is one of the earliest, and thus most rudimentary digital examples of "The Beautiful Game." One or two players face off on the field in very basic soccer action, choosing from a selection of seven world squads and playing in 15-45 minute halfs (in-game time, of course). Not only was Soccer the fir?st football title to be played from a horizontal view, but it even features cheerleaders!

You can check out the action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber Retro MGV.

Now don't get me wrong, I love all of these old-school games, they're titles I grew up with and shaped my formative years. It remains a hard ask to encourage customers to spend $8 on a download of Vs. Soccer for their Nintendo Switch. There are obviously far better titles, for the same price tag, within Hamster's own Arcade Archive range, let alone on the eShop. Thus titles such as Vs. Soccer are recommended?? for old-school completionists only.

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A chaotic and fun collection of 'sports'-related mini-games

I know some of you are still subscribed to Apple Arcade (hopefully not unintentionally!), but for me, the subscription service feels like a fever dream in 2020. Did I really play What the Golf? over a year ago? I did. I loved it, and I think the iP??hone was a great fit for the silly s??ports spoof game, but I've moved on.

My three favorite Apple Arcade titles – What the Golf?, Shinsekai: Into the Depths, and Grindstone – have either branched out to other plat??forms or are planning to (in the case of Capybara's puzzle gem).

This week, Triband brought What the Golf? to Steam, and if that d?oesn't sound enticing enough on its own, maybe the level editor will. The anything-goes nature of this game is ideal for custom stages.

Oh no!🙀 Pretty sure this is gonna go wrong💥
We've been working on a Level Editor for WHAT THE GOLF?⛳

Also, it's finally out on STEAM: //t.co/Z9kNbHS7tf pic.twitter.com/EheGZFQGHd

— Tim Garbos (@timgarbos) October 22, 2020

"We've received so many level ideas from the community and our inbox is now full of them... so now there's a level editor," said Triband co-founder Tim Garbos. The level editor is in "early access alpha beta preview" (hah) and the game's Discord is ready and waiting for feedback from intrep?id creator??s.

It's also worth noting that the Steam version comes with the bonus Sporty Sports levels if you missed them. What the Golf? wil??l typically cost $20, but with a launch-week discount, it's down to $13.99.

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Double Dribble

Earlier this week, we reported on a controversy that had blown up within the NBA 2K community, after publisher 2K Games added unskippable ?commercials to the ??loading screens of the latest entry in the basketball franchise one month after the title's launch.

The commercials for the Oculus Quest 2 appears during pre-game loading screens as a part of NBA 2K21's "2K TV" segments. Fans took to Reddit and social media to express their disdain at being forced to sit through product?? ads in a title they had paid upwards of $70 for.

2K Games has released a statement on Twitter, where the publisher acknowledged that the offending videos "impacted our players' experience in a way we didn't intend, as these ads are not meant to run as part of ??the pre-game introduction." 2K Games then stated that "This will be fixed in future episodes."

Note that "fixed" does not necessarily mean "removed." As such, players will have to see how the ads are implemented going forward. Last year's franchise entry, NBA 2K20, would become a notorious example of aggressive monetization, advertising, and gambling within the AAA industry. NBA 2K21 has already gotten off to a poor start in regards to turning around said reputation - and the ball, ultimately, lies? in the publisher's court.

2K Community 🗣 pic.twitter.com/rvMC9z0Wft

— NBA 2K21 (@NBA2K) October 20, 2020

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