It"s Now Possible to Run Linux on a PS4

Remember when you could run Linux on your PS3 before Sony patched it out? It was a cool featured, called OtherOS, but it was taken away because of Sony’s concerns for piracy and homebrew.  The PS4 didn’t ship with the option to run Linux, but that hasn’t stopped hackers from attempting to get Linux up and running on the console.

Earlier this month, a hacker managed to crack the PS4 and create a jailbreak. Now, less than a month later, homebrew group failOverflow has managed to get Linux operating on the system. The implications? The PlayStation 4 could become home to homebrew games and applications, that is until Sony finds a way to shut the whole thing down like they did with the PS3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A7V3GLWF6U

So how does it work? Well, the details are a bit foggy right now as failOverflow have yet to disclose the exact details of the project. According to Engadget, however, the exploit works by using a Webkit bug that tricks the PlayStation 4’s browser into freeing up processes from the core of the console’s operating system.

It’s a big breakthrough for the homebrew community, but with the threat of piracy, Sony will likely do whatever it takes to prevent it from becoming widespread. This exploit itself relies on firmware on 1.76, and if you’ve been updating your console regularly, you should be on 3.11.

It"s Now Possible to Run Linux on a PS4

Simulating The 2015 College Football Semifinals in EA Sports NCAA Football

It’s bowl season for college football, and this year at SGO we’re doing a little something special; we’re going to try and predict the outcome of the playoffs by simulating the games with NCAA Football 14 using the latest updated rosters. For the past week we’ve been simulating the bowls leading up to the big games, but now it’s New Year’s Eve and that means it’s time for the College Football Playoff.

The first game for today is the Orange Bowl in Miami, at 4 PM Eastern, between the Oklahoma Sooners and the undefeated Clemson Tigers. It’s set to be a good match, but how is it going to play out, according to NCAA Football 14? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmsxz_40q58

After a special teams breakdown Oklahoma tries their hardest to keep up with Clemson, but gets down by 13 points by the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Oklahoma plays catch up, and closes the gap a bit more but goes into halftime 23-14 in favor of the Tigers.

In the third quarter, not a single point is scored on either side despite both teams best efforts, but Clemson keeps the pressure on Oklahoma ending the game with a final score of 31 to 14. Despite Baker Mayfield passing for nearly 300yds his two INTs were a big factor in the loss. How accurate will our simulation be? There’s only one way to find out, and that’s by watching the game today at 4 PM.

Even though Clemson was outgained offensively Oklahoma’s turnovers were the difference in the game.

For the second game of the semifinals, Michigan State is taking on Alabama in the Cotton Bowl at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Both teams have had a very strong season, with an exact equal score of 12-1 on both sides making for an interesting matchup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LBuzqgp6vo

Alabama starts off the first quarter by scoring 14 points, but MSU is able to start catching up with 7 points of their own going into the second. The Spartans play as hard as they can, but ultimately manage to stay behind as Alabama picks up another 10 points as they move into halftime.

The third quarter brings things a bit closer as Michigan scores 21 unanswered, leaving a mere 3 point difference late in the fourth quarter making this anyone’s game. Despite MSU’s best efforts Alabama’s power running game, led by Heisman winner Derrick Henry, allow them to grind out the remaining minutes ending the game with a final score of 31 to 28. Pretty close! But how close will it be to the real game? We’ll know soon enough.

MSU vs Bama was a closely contested matchup that went down to the 4th quarter.

Who are you rooting for? Do you think the results are accurate? Let us know in the comments or on social media, and be sure to check out the playlist on YouTube if you want to take a look at the predictions for some of the earlier bowls.

Simulating The 2015 College Football Semifinals in EA Sports NCAA Football

Monster Clarity HD In-Ear Headphones Review

Monster sent us a pair of headphones from their Clarity HD line to check out, and while they might promise high definition quality, we ran the Monster Clarity HD In-Ear Headphones through a series of tests to find out just how good they are.

Packaging

The packaging isn’t usually very important when it comes to the quality of headphones, but good packaging can go a long way. Especially when you’re trying to get customers to pick your product up off of the shelf. More people might shop online these days, but that doesn’t mean good packaging isn’t nice to have.

The Monster Clarity HD In-Ear Headphones come in a very subtle package with the headphones on display in the front. One could argue that the box looks a little plain, which makes it harder to grab someone’s attention, but since it doesn’t affect the product that isn’t really important. What is important, though, is the information.

The box proudly displays the words “Better Built, Better Fit, Better Sound” on the front with a small mention of Monster’s ControlTalk Universal technology. That’s actually pretty important, but I’ll get to that later. On the back you have a picture of the headphones with some information about their design. It’s not super impressive, but these headphones aren’t exactly a flashy product.

Once you get them out of the packaging, there are several sizes of tips for different ears. Before I got to reviewing mine, I checked out Amazon to see what people were saying. A big complaint seemed to be that the tips didn’t fit, but I didn’t have that problem since it does come with three different sizes.

Testing

After I got my Monster Clarity In-Ear Headphones out of the box, I got to work testing them. I listen to a lot of music, so the first test that I had was listening to music. While the sound isn’t anything extraordinary, the quality is pretty good for the $30 price that you can find them at. I don’t typically use earbuds, so I can’t make any comparisons for that price range, but if you’re looking for something relatively cheap to listen to music with on the go, these should do the trick.

The only complaint that I do have is that the bass seems a little low for my taste. How that affects you depends on the type of music you listen to, but it’s more noticeable when listening to rock music. I tested the Monster HD Clarity In-Ear Headphones with the iHeartRadio app as well as with my own personal collection of music, and your typical pop music plays fine. When it comes to rock music though, it can seem a little tinny. However, since these seem to hover around $30, that’s probably not a big deal.

If you’re planning on using these for mobile gaming, the sound is great. I played One Piece: Treasure Cruise, AlphaBear, and Puzzles & Dragons, and everything came through perfectly clear. These games don’t usually have a lot of bass incorporated into their music, so that might have something to do with it, but I found the headphones to work pretty well for that purpose regardless.

One of the things I noticed during my review is that the manual that comes with the headphones doesn’t really tell you anything about the ControlTalk features. After finding a mysterious button and doing some digging I found out. The button activates the ControlTalk features for the headphones that let you control your music and phone calls with the press of a button. It’s actually pretty cool, but it would have been nice to see something about it in the manual, because it’s actually kind of complex.

The button works with phone calls and with local media players. Unfortunately it didn’t seem to work with the iHeartRadio app, but it did work with Google Music. Pressing once pauses or plays, or answers a phone call. Two times skips the song, and three times skips back. When it works, it works well.

The only problem that I have is that the headphones don’t seem to contain their own built in volume control, at least as far as I can see. The website does say that a plus and minus control the audio levels, but this particular model doesn’t seem to have that feature. Kind of disappointing, but you are looking at a $30 price.

I also tested the noise reduction of the headphones. How well do Monster HD Clarity In-Ear Headphones reduce the noise outside of your music? Pretty well, actually. This is probably dependent on how well they fit your ear, but I didn’t have a problem with the set of three tips that were provided, or the noise reduction accordingly. With these things on, I can’t hear people or the television.

Verdict

So are the Monster Clarity HD In-Ear Headphones worth the $30 price tag you’ll probably find them for? For me, definitely. If you want a relatively cheap pair of earbuds with some interesting mobile features and good sound reduction, these should do the trick. Most people probably won’t mind them, but if you’re a serious audiophile, you might be better off with some of their higher end models.

Monster Clarity HD In-Ear Headphones Review

Madden 16 Challenge Draft Champions Scheme: Bears Playbook

With a lot more people playing Madden 16 Draft Champions Ranked the past month, I thought I make a few one formation schemes out OF different playbooks to help assist you in your draft champion cfm and ranked games.

Playbook: Chicago Bears

Formation: Singleback Ace

Play: PA Stretch Shot, Quick Slants, HB Dive, 01 Trap, HB Zone Wk

Analysis: Being as Ace is a balanced formation, it gives you the ability to flip the play without tipping off your opponent.

 

Play: PA Stretch Shot

Analysis: The idea is to have the streaks stretch the secondary deep, while the underneath receivers keep the linebackers short allowing the crossing route room in the middle.

Hot Routes: A (X on PS4) on a streak and Y (Triangle on PS4) on a slant route.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Man:

RB (R1 on PS4): You look to dump it off to the running back, if he’s not guarded running to the flats.

Y (Triangle on PS4):): Lead pass to the sidelines, once he get inside position on his defender.

X (Square on PS4): Lead inside once he starts running across the field.

B (Circle on PS4): If you’ve made it to him he should have 1-on-1 coverage deep.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Zone:

RB (R1 on PS4): You look to dump it off to the running back, if he’s not guarded running to the flats.

Y (Triangle on PS4):): You want to fit the ball in between the flat defender coverage the running back and the nearest hook zone.

X (Square on PS4): Wait until he’s nearing the middle of the field to determine if he should get the ball or not, because by that time you can judge whether you’re leading him straight into a safety or a linebacker is close enough to pick it.

B (Circle on PS4): If you’ve made it to him he should have 1-on-1 coverage deep.

 

Play: Slants

Analysis: Forces defenses to be balanced because you’re attacking both sides of the field with the same concept.

Hot Routes: None.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Man:

Y (Triangle on PS4): Throw a quick dumb off if he’s open in the flats.

X (Square on PS4): Bullet inside once X makes his break.

B (Circle on PS4):  Bullet inside once B makes his break.

A (X on PS4): Throw a quick dumb off if he’s open in the flats.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Zone:

Y (Triangle on PS4): Throw a quick dumb off if he’s open in the flats.

X (Square on PS4): Fit the ball in between the flat defender and the nearest hook zone. You want to look to the area in between those two defenders, to determine how close the inside defender will be.

B (Circle on PS4):  Fit the ball in between the flat defender and the nearest hook zone. You want to look to the area in between those two defenders, to determine how close the inside defender will be.

A (X on PS4): Throw a quick dump off if he’s open in the flats.

 

Play: HB Dive, 01 Trap and HB Zone WK

Analysis: Determining which run to choose is all up to how the defensive line and secondary lines up.  HB Dive works best when the offensive guards have no lineman in front or to the right of them allowing them to get to the 2^nd level, clearing a lane for the running back to run behind. While 01 Trap takes advantage of the linemen blocking the guard’s path to the 2^nd level, by allowing them into the backfield on purpose only to box them out with a linemen from the other side. Leaving a huge lane in the middle of the defense to run through. Lastly HB Zone Wk is made for when the secondary brings a safety in the box and you run to the opposite side.

 

Madden 16 Challenge Draft Champions Scheme: Bears Playbook

Madden 16 Challenge Draft Champions Scheme: Bears Playbook

With a lot more people playing Madden 16 Draft Champions Ranked the past month, I thought I make a few one formation schemes out OF different playbooks to help assist you in your draft champion cfm and ranked games.

Playbook: Chicago Bears

Formation: Singleback Ace

Play: PA Stretch Shot, Quick Slants, HB Dive, 01 Trap, HB Zone Wk

Analysis: Being as Ace is a balanced formation, it gives you the ability to flip the play without tipping off your opponent.

 

Play: PA Stretch Shot

Analysis: The idea is to have the streaks stretch the secondary deep, while the underneath receivers keep the linebackers short allowing the crossing route room in the middle.

Hot Routes: A (X on PS4) on a streak and Y (Triangle on PS4) on a slant route.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Man:

RB (R1 on PS4): You look to dump it off to the running back, if he’s not guarded running to the flats.

Y (Triangle on PS4):): Lead pass to the sidelines, once he get inside position on his defender.

X (Square on PS4): Lead inside once he starts running across the field.

B (Circle on PS4): If you’ve made it to him he should have 1-on-1 coverage deep.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Zone:

RB (R1 on PS4): You look to dump it off to the running back, if he’s not guarded running to the flats.

Y (Triangle on PS4):): You want to fit the ball in between the flat defender coverage the running back and the nearest hook zone.

X (Square on PS4): Wait until he’s nearing the middle of the field to determine if he should get the ball or not, because by that time you can judge whether you’re leading him straight into a safety or a linebacker is close enough to pick it.

B (Circle on PS4): If you’ve made it to him he should have 1-on-1 coverage deep.

 

Play: Slants

Analysis: Forces defenses to be balanced because you’re attacking both sides of the field with the same concept.

Hot Routes: None.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Man:

Y (Triangle on PS4): Throw a quick dumb off if he’s open in the flats.

X (Square on PS4): Bullet inside once X makes his break.

B (Circle on PS4):  Bullet inside once B makes his break.

A (X on PS4): Throw a quick dumb off if he’s open in the flats.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Zone:

Y (Triangle on PS4): Throw a quick dumb off if he’s open in the flats.

X (Square on PS4): Fit the ball in between the flat defender and the nearest hook zone. You want to look to the area in between those two defenders, to determine how close the inside defender will be.

B (Circle on PS4):  Fit the ball in between the flat defender and the nearest hook zone. You want to look to the area in between those two defenders, to determine how close the inside defender will be.

A (X on PS4): Throw a quick dump off if he’s open in the flats.

 

Play: HB Dive, 01 Trap and HB Zone WK

Analysis: Determining which run to choose is all up to how the defensive line and secondary lines up.  HB Dive works best when the offensive guards have no lineman in front or to the right of them allowing them to get to the 2^nd level, clearing a lane for the running back to run behind. While 01 Trap takes advantage of the linemen blocking the guard’s path to the 2^nd level, by allowing them into the backfield on purpose only to box them out with a linemen from the other side. Leaving a huge lane in the middle of the defense to run through. Lastly HB Zone Wk is made for when the secondary brings a safety in the box and you run to the opposite side.

 

Madden 16 Challenge Draft Champions Scheme: Bears Playbook

Madden 16 Challenge Draft Champions Scheme: Bears Playbook

#8 Notre Dame vs #7 Ohio State | 2015 Fiesta Bowl | NCAA Football 16

NCAA Football 16 | #23 Wisconsin vs USC | 2015 Holiday Bowl

NBA 2K16 Offensive Tutorial: Freelance Corner and 1-4 High

Welcome to another NBA 2K16 Offensive Tutorial for freelance offenses. Today we discuss two similar offenses: Corner (Horns) and 1-4 High. Both of these are quick hitting offenses that excel when you have two good post players who can also hit the mid range shot.

The corner offense is essentially a “Horns” Freelance offense. You have your two wing players in opposite corners, two bigs will be at the elbow, and then you have your ball handler. Keep in mind, anyone can bring the ball up and the offense will still flow.

To initiate the Corner offense, you dribble to one side and it will give you two branches to choose from. You can pass to the elbow or to the corner. If you pass to the corner the elbow big will set an onball screen to initiate a corner pick and roll. If you pass to the elbow the ball handler screens the corner guard and will stay in the corner and the corner guard will come for a hand off. That is basically it. You can call for your own manual backdoors with triangle or Y, handoffs for circle, or manual pick and rolls. This offense has great spacing and relies on the user to make the necessary reads and adjustments. This is also a great offense to use with “space the floor” and call for manual pick and rolls. You can also run some horn plays to throw in there.

For the 1-4 high offense, you dribble to one side (usually will initiate the side furthest from your ball handler) and one of two actions usually happen: 1) The wing will cut then backscreen your elbow big. Your elbow big can go to work in the post and the guy that down screens may be open for a quick jumper. 2) Your elbow big will screen the ball and your wing will cut through and come off a double down screen for a jumper. I have seen a few other actions, but these are the most consistent actions. Similar to the corner offense, the 1-4 provides good spacing, even more so for backdoors. Be sure to try some manually backdoors for your wings.

Overall, these are two very simple offenses. It will be up to the user to initiate and create their own offenses. These are not very complex at all and are easy to run with pick and rolls. Hope you guys enjoyed this tutorial! Be sure to comment on social media or in the comments below if you want to see any other freelance offensive tutorials!

NBA 2K16 Offensive Tutorial: Freelance Corner and 1-4 High

NCAA Football 16 | #22 LSU vs Texas Tech | 2015 AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl

Madden 16 Draft Champions - Episode 4 Game2

Madden 16 Draft Champions - Episode 4 Game2

This Christmas, GameStop is Offering All Three Consoles in One Bundle

If you’re still playing your last-generation console and you’re looking for an upgrade, you no longer have to pick a side thanks to a bundle that GameStop is offering this Christmas. The bundle, which is available online exclusively, offers a refurbished PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U for one low price of $569.98. Not bad if you consider that these consoles would typically run you closer to $900 if you were to buy them separately!

Here are the consoles you’ll get with this bundle:

Xbox One

• Xbox One 500GB Console


• Xbox One Wireless Controller


• HDMI Cable


• Power Supply

PlayStation 4

• PlayStation 4 500GB Console


• DualShock 4 Wireless Controller


• HDMI Cable


• Power Cord

Wii U

• Wii U Console Black 32GB


• GamePad


• GamePad AC Adapter


• Sensor Bar


• HDMI Cable


• Power Cord

Not a bad deal if you don’t mind buying refurbished. The only downside is that they don’t come bundled with any games, but with the savings on this bundle that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. If you or someone you know is in need of an upgrade this Christmas and wants to experience all 3 consoles, this is a great deal. Will you be picking it up?

This Christmas, GameStop is Offering All Three Consoles in One Bundle

Madden 16 Roster Update: Week 15

The latest Madden 16 roster update is here today from EA Sports, and that means new ratings changes! There are two notable changes this week. First up is David Johnson, running back for the Arizona Cardinals. He’ll be seeing a boost of +3 for a total of 77 OVR thanks to 187 rushing yards, three touchdowns, and four passes for 42 yards in a 40-17 victory over Philadelphia.

Next up is Jadeveon Clowney. While he originally got off to a slow start after college, he seems to be doing pretty good now. Three sacks, four tackles, and a constant presence in the opposing backfield are netting him a boost of +2 this week, taking him up to 84 OVR.

Some more highlights, courtesy of EA Sports:

Up:

Doug Martin +2 (92)

Amari Cooper +1 (85)

Blake Bortles +1 (85)

Down:

D.J. Fluker -2 (78)

Aaron Rodgers -1 (96)

DeMarco Murray -1 (84)

For a full look at the roster update, you can check out the table below. Let us know what you think of the roster changes in the comments or on social media.

Madden 16 Roster Update: Week 15

Is Virtual Reality the Future of Sports Games?

Since we are winding down on 2015, I thought it would be fun to look into our collective crystal balls. To peek into the not-too-distant future and imagine what our sports gaming lives will look like in VR!

I bring this up because two particular games have piqued my interest as of late. On the heels of the wildly successful car soccer mashup up Rocket League, I thought, “what games could supplant this wacky title and what would it take to make them different?” To do so it would have to be easy to play, have a pretty simple control scheme, and also be a lot of fun.

Three games that instantly came to mind are Headmaster from Frame Interactive, VR Sports Challenge from Sanzaru and 100ft Robot Golf from NoGoblin. 100ft Robot Golf is a crazy looking title where you control huge robots in destructible environments while playing golf. Imagine how awesome a combination of Hot Shots Golf and Voltron would be! From their PlayStation Experience announcement trailer, they are going all out on the zany factor. As they state on their website:

“100ft Robot Golf is a real time golf game where you get to control impossibly large robots on their quest for par. Never get your ball stuck behind a pesky tree or skyscraper ever again! Just swing your golf club to smash even the tallest buildings out of the way – or into the way of your robot golfing buddies.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wkuoPRFo_8

Now, this already sounds pretty damn fun with just a controller in your hand, but imagine doing all this from the cockpit view of one of these monstrous robots with a virtual reality headset on. I think having PlayStation VR attached to this experience will just make it even more immersive.

Next up is VR Sports Challenge which looks to be a launch title with Oculus Rift. 

Sanzaru looks to be bringing the variety sports pack here with versions basketball, 

football and hockey to the virtual arena. What I’m actually most excited to see in terms 

of this title is how it incorporates Oculus touch into the games control schemes. The 

ability to use objects that mimic real world items is where sports games in VR will really 

shine. Having things in your hands can do nothing but raise the levels of immersion.   

VR Sports Challenge brings 1st person hockey to the Oculus Rift

Lastly is Headmaster, you star as a player sent to a football improvement center to work on your header game. You put on your PlayStation VR headset and you’re transported to this empty field surrounded by the barbed-wire silhouettes and spotlights. A distant voice barks instructions to you from a loudspeaker while you focus your eyes and steady your forehead toward a soccer goal in front of you. Your job is to “head” virtual soccer balls at targets with score markers on them. The more points you gain, the closer you get to your goal and therefore closer to the next level in your progression.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ8fj8gdBSE

What makes Headmaster a must play is what the game does in terms of making you feel like a physical object is screaming toward you and making you react as if you were feeling this in real life. I’ve played very few virtual reality games that get this feeling right. It’s a new version of the uncanny valley but less in terms of “reality” and more in terms of “believability”. Believability will be the mark that VR games will have to shoot for and Headmaster through its use of light, depth of field, and physics creates what I think is the must play game for PlayStation VR. It is hilariously fun and made me a believer in my short time with it. Enough so that I thought about how awesome the experience was days after.

 

These three titles are ones that I’m looking forward to playing and sharing not only for the fun factor, but for the ability to show off the new universe of home virtual reality. I’m excited for myself but all of you too. Let us know what you think of VR Gaming in the comments and on social media!

Is Virtual Reality the Future of Sports Games?

FIFA 16 Tips: Best Formations in FIFA 16

Since the release of FIFA 16 EA Sports have announced and implemented multiple new patches that have altered the gameplay significantly following the launch. This has lead FIFA fans worldwide asking the same question “WHAT’S THE BEST FORMATION?” I made an initial Top 5 Formations in FIFA 16 video covering my breakdowns and laying down credibility behind each choice, however with the new patch it’s time for a REVAMP!

Post patch which formations are the best now?? If you want to know exactly what’s shifted in EA’s newest patch that content is available on the “Official Dirty Mike YouTube Channel.”

https://youtu.be/MOvAr7wmWI8

Honorable Mention:

352 – The FIFA 14 days are behind us in terms of seeing the ultimate overpowered 352, but it’s still a viable formation in this year’s installment. The spacing for easy outlets, counter attack proficiency, and the defensive midfielder coverage keep this formation on the radar. In higher divisions the 352 weakness in defense can be exploited and you must be aware at all times covering the backline.

4312 – The 4312 is a direct formation that works best for the simple counter attacking offensive player. I would also recommend a high pressure defensive set when using this formation in order to utilize the three midfielders best for defensive traps.

4231 (2) – The second variation of the 4231 feels organic and natural with the new patch due to the increased through ball efficiency. This allows one of the best defensive formations in FIFA 16 to also offer dangerous quick counter attacks.

Top 5 FIFA 16 Formations:

#5 – 4222 – My favorite formation from last year is still effective in this year’s installment, but with the reduced running/skilling the additional space created in the 4222 is often left underutilized. If you are a structured player in terms of build up and defending this formation will allow you to feel comfortable quickly everywhere on the pitch.

#4 – 433 (4) – Still my personal choice for the 433 variations offering the provider role with the CAM to help feed to the wingers consistently. The moonball is back for quick switches post patch and this formation lost a bit of steam in the midfield, but offers one of the most brutal attacks known to FIFA if you have the correct personnel.

#3 – 4321 – Even though this formation doesn’t always fit my preferred method of attacking or defending credit must be given for such a difficult formation to matchup against post patch. The increased speed of play combined with the ping pong passing has restored the 4321. Using the 4321 with intense pressure combined with a “balanced or attacking” mentality and your opponent will feel the heat in every single match.

#2 – 4231 – This formation gives you the best of both worlds in FIFA 16 providing balance while building possession, looking for over the top through balls, or chasing back on defense. One of the easiest formations to learn, however it takes time to master the mechanics of combining all the FIFA elements into the 4231. For squad building in FUT you have ample options in terms of hybrids or mixing nationalities to breed quick success. ENJOY!!

#1 – 41212 / 41212 (2) – I’ve linked both these formation variations together, because the only difference is the positioning in the midfield. Both 41212 are simple, balanced, and logically make sense when you look to develop attacks via the tiki taka passing or the wings. The 41212 allows players with all different levels of skill or playstyles to apply that into both ultimate team and head to head game modes.

Check Sports Gamers Online daily for more FIFA 16 Tips and news from your favorite sports games. Also don’t forget to Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here!

FIFA 16 Tips: Best Formations in FIFA 16

eSports Coming to NBA 2K16 in 2016

If you thought that eSports were losing steam, you’d be wrong, because they’re just getting started in the sports world. While 2015 has seen some competitive movement from EA Sports and their Madden franchise, and their newly formed Competitive Gaming Division, the rest of the game seems to be lagging behind.

Not anymore, at least as far as NBA 2K16 is concerned. Yes, 2K Sports is joining in on the eSports craze starting early next year, which means that both of the top two sports gaming publishers are throwing their hat in the ring. Frankly, it was to be expected after the massive announcement from EA, but it looks like 2016 will be the year for eSports in sports games.

https://twitter.com/NBA2K/status/679331236515414016

In early 2016, 2K Pro-Am teams will be competing in a five-on-five competition. The prize? Cash and a trip to the 2016 NBA finals. Not bad, but you’re gonna have to be good to win it. No word yet on when exactly the season will take place, but 2K promises more news soon.

What do you think of sports games taking on eSports? Will you be participating in the tournament? Let us know in the comments or on social media.

eSports Coming to NBA 2K16 in 2016

Madden 16 Challenge Offensive Scheme: Panthers Playbook

With a lot more people playing draft champions the past month, I thought I make a few one formation schemes out of different playbooks to help assist you in your  draft champion cfm and ranked games.

Playbook: Carolina Panthers

Formation: Empty Panther

Play: Stick, Vertical, Inside Wheels, WR Screen, QB Draw and Jet Sweep

Analysis: The only requirement was that most of the plays in the scheme had to be audible and they all attacked different parts of the field.

Play: Stick

Analysis: A big reason why it works is because the 4 quick routes attack 4 of the 5 possible zone sections a defense can cover, forcing the defense to load up on underneath defenders to defend it properly, while simultaneously weakening their secondary or pass rush.

Hot Routes: RB (R1 on PS4) to a flat route

Reads (Left to Right) vs Man:

RB (R1 on PS4): He’s used to clear out space for our next read

A(X on PS4): If he doesn’t get bumped as soon as he breaks to the outside bullet pass to the right so his defender doesn’t have time to react

Y (Triangle on PS4): Throw it as soon as he comes open which would be as soon as he cuts inside, because the longer you wait the better angle the defender has to jump it.

X (Square on PS4): Same as the first slant throw it as soon as he comes open, and if X is covered you have b on the streak as the last resort.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Zone:

RB (R1 on PS4): Check to see if the flats are guarded, if they’re not bullet pass it and pick up as many yards as you can.

A(X on PS4): Once he settles down in the coverage bullet to the inside so any defenders to his right can’t jump it.

Y (Triangle on PS4): If he’s not open by the times he’s directly in front of the QB move on.

X (Square on PS4): Look to fit the ball in between the zones.

 

Play: Verticals

Analysis: Verts works well with stick, because while stick requires the defense to commit a certain amount of defenders underneath to defend it, verticals need a certain amount of defenders deep. So unless they want to start dropping pass rusher back (which opens up other stuff I’ll get to shortly) your opponent can’t cover both.

Hot Routes: Y (Triangle on PS4) on a slant route.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Man:

Y (Triangle on PS4): Same as his role in stick, throw it as soon as he comes open.

A (X on PS4): Once A cuts across the field you bullet pass to the left.

RB (R1 on PS4): He’s not an option vs man.

B (Circle on PS4):  Should have 1 on 1 coverage down the right sidelines being as the only coverage to properly defend 4 verts is cover 4 and vs man.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Zone:

Y (Triangle on PS4): He’s there to keep any underneath defenders from dropping deep to defend the streak routes or else he’ll run free into their open area.

A (X on PS4): He and the next read RB (R1 on PS4) attack the safety(s) deep. Vs cover 2 the middle will be wide open for A and cover 3 it’s about who the safety chooses to cover. Cover 4 is the only base coverage that can take away the advantage 4 verticals attempts to get by passing off each receiver to a safety.

RB (R1 on PS4): As mentioned, he will come open if the deep safety in Cover 3 chooses the tight end streaking across the and also if the safety in Cover 2 or 4 overcommits to A.

B (Circle on PS4):  Should have 1 on 1 coverage down the right sidelines being as the only coverage to properly defend 4 verts is cover 4 and vs man.

 

Play: Inside Wheels

Analysis: Whose selling point is while it can also beat cover 3, it’s a very effective Cover 4 beater. The idea is to have x run his dig route in front of the free safety against Cover 4, causing him to freeze to get in position to defend the pass if throw, while A’s streak keeps the strong safety or deep safety in Cover 3 from jumping b’s route, allowing B him to break free down the middle of the field

Hot Routes: Smart route B (Circle on PS4), Send A(X on PS4) on a streak and Y (Triangle on PS4) on a slant.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Man:

X (Square on PS4): As soon as he starts to cuts inside, bullet to the left preventing the cornerback from jumping it.

Y (Triangle on PS4):  Like in stick, you want to throw it as soon as he comes open.

A (X on PS4): Once the defender turns his back, bullet pass and hold LT or (L2 on PS4) to attempt a back shoulder throw and hit A(X on PS4) after you throw to possession catch it.

B (Circle on PS4):  He’s a non-factor despite how well you would think the route would work.

RB (R1 on PS4): He’s only an option vs man. You look to see if the receiver beat his guy instantly on the initial move up the field or if he can outrun his defender deep.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Zone:

X (Square on PS4):  His only job is to occupy the free safety whenever the defense runs Cover 4.

Y (Triangle on PS4): He takes advantage of any underneath defenders dropping deep to defend A or RB’s route.

A (X on PS4): He only an option vs Cover 2, because the middle of the field is open. Otherwise, his job is to occupy the nearest deep safety to make room underneath for the next read.

B (Circle on PS4): He’s the main target on this play and exploits the open area the other receivers have created for him.

Play: WR Screen

Analysis: You can use it anytime they have 3 defenders or less on the right side, because when the right tackle pulls it becomes 4 on 3. Beware of any linemen undercutting it, if you see that just roll to the side he dropped from and throw it out of bounds to live to see another down.

Play: QB Draw and Jet Sweep

Analysis: Deciding which one to choose depends on how many deep safeties there are. Vs 2 deep coverage I like to run QB Draw to take advantage of the 2 safeties being back so far and run behind whoever the o line is double teaming. It’s also useful to take advantage of your opponent dropping their linemen back. And vs 1 deep I use jet sweep to get to the edges quickly.

Hopefully you enjoyed this Madden 16 Challenge Draft Champions Offensive Scheme. Stay tuned for the next scheme as we give you the tools to become a Madden 16 Challenge champ!

Madden 16 Challenge Offensive Scheme: Panthers Playbook

NBA 2K16 Adds New Shoes and Christmas Uniforms

A couple of new updates hit NBA 2K16 over the past weekend, and they brought with them several new shoes and an array of Christmas uniforms. For new shoes, the addition from 2K Sports includes the Air Jordan XI Low, Nike HyperQuickness 2015, and Nike LeBron XII low. You can pick them up for 2,000 VC a pair, and they can also be edited and equipped with rosters.

The Christmas uniforms are also now available, but they’re tied to the latest roster update, so you’ll have to start over to see them in other modes. The outfits aren’t just for the teams playing on Christmas Day this year, either. Every team is getting a Christmas uniform.

What do you think of the updates, are you going to pick up some of the new shoes? Let us know in the comments.

NBA 2K16 Adds New Shoes and Christmas Uniforms

Jason Pierre-Paul Can No Longer Madden After Fireworks Incident

After an accident with fireworks on the 4th of July earlier this year, New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul was able to continue his career on the field despite the loss of one of his fingers. While he might have been lucky enough to stay in the game, the same can’t be said about his game in Madden, as he joked in an interview with TMZ.

During the brief interview, Jason Pierre-Paul talks about how his injury isn’t affecting his outlook on life or the sport, and the interviewer even commends him for his tenacity and ability to keep on playing despite the setback. When the subject of Madden came up, however, Jason Pierre-Paul was quick to joke that he can no longer play the game.

Despite everything, he remains undeterred, and it looks like he’s really just happy to be able to play the game again. Sadly, however, the same can’t be said of Madden. Props to Jason Pierre-Paul for having such a great outlook!

Jason Pierre-Paul Can No Longer Madden After Fireworks Incident

NBA LIVE 16 Content Update Adds Stance Socks, Christmas Day Jerseys

Earlier this week a couple of new clothing options became available with an NBA Live 16 content update. The update introduces some new socks from Stance along with the Christmas Day jerseys in anticipation of the upcoming Christmas Day games. You can take a look at some of the socks and jerseys below.

 

Have you had a chance to check out the jerseys in game yet? Let us know what you thought of the update in the comments below.

NBA LIVE 16 Content Update Adds Stance Socks, Christmas Day Jerseys

World of Warcraft"s PvP is Changing in a Big Way With Legion

If you’re one of the people still holding on to World of Warcraft, or maybe hoping to return when Legion arrives next year, you might want to take a look at some of the ways that PvP will be changing in the expansion. Depending on your outlook and how long you’ve been playing, the changes can either be good or bad.

For starters, Honor and Conquest are getting a huge revamp. No longer will they be currencies awarded for participating in Player versus Player combat. Instead, they’ll be replaced with levels and a form of experience. As you level up, you’ll receive access to various rewards including gold, artifact power, and a brand new set of talents that are exclusive to PvP.

So what about the gear situation? How will gear affect PvP in Legion? The short answer is that it won’t. In Legion, the stats from your gear will be nullified, effectively making combat lean more toward skill and removing the grind which some saw as a barrier to entry. It’s one of the biggest changes, but if the comments on the World of Warcraft blog are anything to go by, the community seems to be in favor of them.

There will be a new system to determine your stats in PvP, however. The new system will give you pre-determined stats uniquely configured to your specialization. Even set bonuses, enchantments, legendary bonuses, and trinket effects will be nullified under this new system. The only bonus that gear will provide is a small modifier that’s tied to your average item level. For every point that your average item level increases, your PvP stats will increase by 0.1%. Yeah. It’s seriously minor.

You can still earn gear through PvP by completing battlegrounds or arenas, but PvP gear will be the same as every other set in that it won’t have unique bonuses like stats specific to PvP or fluctuating item levels. Even the way that season rewards work will be changing. Rather than having one set of rewards, each faction will now have their own set of top players.

Finally, you can also prestige once you’ve reached level 50 honor. Seriously. World of Warcraft just got a bit more Call of Duty. Like most games where prestiging is an option, if your levels will reset as you prestige, but you’ll also receive access to additional rewards like the following examples courtesy of the blog:

• A badge, based on your Prestige Level, which appears on the scoreboard in Battlegrounds and Arenas, as well as on your nameplate and unit frame.


• A title, also based on your Prestige Level.


• A wearable faction pennant


• A new appearance for your Artifact


• A unique mount and pet

There are also two new maps on the way for arena, but if you want to take a look at those or get a better idea as to what’s going on, I recommend checking out the World of Warcraft blog. These are some big changes for the competitive community in World of Warcraft, and some players might not be too keen on them. Personally, I think they’re great. Having everyone on a level playing field should help World of Warcraft PvP to continue growing as an eSport.

What do you think of the changes coming with Legion? Are you excited to get back into the game? Let us know in the comments.

World of Warcraft"s PvP is Changing in a Big Way With Legion

FINAL PLAY CATCH OF THE YEAR!!! Madden NFL 16 Draft Champions - EP4 GM2

Watch EA Sports Madden NFL Live Draft Champions Invitational Right Here

The top eight Madden players are competing today at the Madden NFL Live Challenge Draft Champions Invitational, hosted by EA Sports in Burbank, CA, and you can watch it right now.

Watch live video from EASPORTS on www.twitch.tv

If you’re unfamiliar with the Madden eSports scene that’s been building up this year, the tournament will be using the Draft Champions mode, and will run up until the finals which will take place in San Francisco during Super Bowl week. It’s high stakes, and it also serves as a great look into what the future might bring with EA’s new competitive gaming division.

EA has provided some bios for the challengers in today’s tournament, which you can find below.

Serious Moe

Favorite Team: Dallas Cowboys

Favorite Playbook: Dallas Cowboys

Favorite Offensive Play: Gun Doubles FL Middle

Favorite Defensive Play: Cover 2 & Cover 4

When did you start playing Madden: Madden 2005 with my brother.

Describe your play style: Defensive minded, like to get my opponent thinking quick

What would winning the EA SPORTS Madden NFL Live Challenge mean to you: The prestige of winning a madden challenge, put that bullet point in my resume that’s most definitely needed.

Fool

Favorite Team: San Francisco 49ers

Favorite Playbook: Miami Dolphins

Favorite Offensive Play:  Slants Shotgun 2 back

Favorite Defensive Play: 3-4 cover 3

When did you start playing Madden: When I was 14 years old. Madden 2004

Describe your play style: On the fly and read my opponents play style

What would winning the EA SPORTS Madden NFL Live Challenge mean to you: It would mean everything. I would feel like I’m the best to every play the game once I get this put on my resume and 2nd EA madden challenge win

Problem

Favorite Team: San Francisco 49ers

Favorite Madden Team: Minnesota Vikings

Favorite Offensive Playbook: Washington Redskins

Favorite Defensive Playbook: New England Patriots

Favorite Offensive Play: Changes from game to game based on my opponents weaknesses

Favorite Defensive Play: Changes from game to game based on my opponents weaknesses

When did you start playing Madden: Started playing in Madden 93 Sega Genesis

Describe your play style: Defensive minded.

What would winning the EA SPORTS Madden NFL Live Challenge mean to you: Winning the Madden Challenge would be great. I would love for it to be added to the other prestigious Madden events I have won.

Nephew

Favorite Team: Pittsburgh Steelers.

Favorite Offensive Play: Usually bootlegs because it opens up the running game.

Favorite Defensive Play: Cover 3 because it’s safe.

When did you start playing Madden: I started playing Madden when I was 7, Madden 96. I didn’t start playing professionally until I turned 14.

Describe your play style: I would describe my playing style very controlled style. Meaning running the ball and clock management and on defense I like to make people work up the field and not give up any long plays.

What would winning the EA SPORTS Madden NFL Live Challenge mean to you: Winning the EA SPORTS Madden NFL Live Challenge would mean a lot to me because I’ve been playing Madden my whole life and this is what I like to do, so it would be awesome.

Tweezy

Favorite Team: Houston Texans

Favorite Playbook: Browns Offense & Patriots Defense

Favorite Offensive Play: Gun Split Close X Drag Trail

Favorite Defensive Play:  3–4 Normal Sam Mike 2

When did you start playing Madden:  Madden 13

Describe your play style: Defensive based, enough offense to get by.

What would winning the EA SPORTS Madden NFL Live Challenge mean to you: Winning the Madden Challenge would not only help me decide what route I would like my life to go but also it would give me a hint of credibility when explaining what I want to do with my life to my friends and family. Video games wouldn’t just be a hobby anymore.

Mychael “TRAW” Ryann

Favorite Team: Arizona Cardinals

Favorite Playbook: Offense-Kansas City Chiefs, Defense-New England Patriots

Favorite Offensive  Play: Gun Bunch Mesh Post

Favorite Defensive Play: 43 under cover 2

Describe your play style: Aggressive , high risk high reward playstyle

What would winning the EA SPORTS Madden NFL Live Challenge mean to you: Winning the EA SPORTS Madden NFL Live Challenge would mean a great deal to me because of all the time I put into this game. All of the hours labbing, all of the people who said I wouldn’t make anything out of this. It wouldn’t just be huge for me but everyone who supports the TRAWArmy.

William “Secret” Wolf

Favorite Team: Chicago Bears

Favorite Playbook: Arizona Cardinals

Favorite Offensive Play: Four Verticals

Favorite Defensive Play: Cover 2 Man

When did you start playing Madden: 18 years ago in Madden 199

Describe your play style: Balanced but known for my offense.

What would winning the EA SPORTS Madden NFL Live Challenge mean to you: I’ve placed several times but never got the job done, it would mean a lot to me.

Watch EA Sports Madden NFL Live Draft Champions Invitational Right Here

Madden 16 Roster Update: Week 14

The latest Madden 16 roster update is available across all platforms today, and as usual, that means some stat changes. For the most notable increases this week as per the EA Sports website, Odell Beckingham Jr. is getting a bump of +1 this week to 95 thanks to 7 catches and 2 touchdowns. Kurt Coleman is also getting a boost of +2 for 86 OVR thanks to his defensive skills with 9 tackles and 1 interception.

The post also lists three more notable changes going up and down. Khalil Mack moves up 2 for a total of 95, Ted Ginn Jr. rises 2 for a total of 80, and A.J. McCarron sees a rather modest one point boost of 1 for a total of 73.

For downward highlights, Charles Woodson drops by 2 for a total of 91, Roobie Gould loses 2 for a total of 86, and Stefon Diggs sees a loss of 2 for an even 80. Those are just the highlights, though. For a full look at the roster update you check out the post over at the website for EA Sports.

What do you think of the roster changes this week? Let us know in the comments below or on social media, we’d love to hear from you.

Madden 16 Roster Update: Week 14

Kyrie Irving 2 NBA 2K16 Shoe Reveal - Part 4

Top 10 Sports Games Worth Reviving

There have been a lot of sports games over the years, and many of them have fallen to wayside thanks to the business of exclusivity and licensing. Others simply vanished, despite fan cries for new entries. Here are ten sports games worth reviving….

Burnout

What happened to Burnout? It’s been a full seven years since we saw the last retail iteration of the franchise in the form of Burnout Paradise. I have fond memories of racing and crashing into my friends in middle school, and Burnout Paradise was a great return to form with some interesting changes that sold well enough.

We might not have to wait too long on this one, however. While it seems like EA might not be interested in continuing the series at the moment, there is hope. Back in October, IGN reported that a spiritual successor might be on the way from Criterion co-founders Alex Ward and Fiona Sperry. I’d kickstart the hell out of that.

NBA Street

 I still remember seeing commercials for NBA Street 3 with the cast of Mario. Yeah, it was goofy, but it was also kind of cool. Nowadays cameos are everywhere, but back then you didn’t see them very often. Of course, the series itself wasn’t bad either. Most of the games received very positive scores, including the last game in the series, NBA Street Homecourt which managed to score above 80 on Metacritic.

So why haven’t we seen a new NBA Street game? Your guess is as good as mine, but I think it’s ripe for a return.

MLB 2K

Nowadays when you talk about baseball games, The Show typically gets the spotlight. But for a while, there was also MLB 2K, and it was pretty damn good. It might not have been as good looking as The Show, especially later on as the series started to decline, but it was nice while it lasted and I wouldn’t mind seeing it again. Next time, though, let’s leave out the million dollar challenges.

Amped

 Remember Amped? You might not, unless you’ve been a big fan of Microsoft over the years. The series originally hit the Xbox in 2001 as an exclusive, and went on to spawn two sequels, only one of which made it to the Xbox 360.

Unfortunately Indie Built, the company which developed the first three games, is no longer around. With Microsoft scrambling for exclusives as the PS4 outperforms the Xbox One, I’d love to see Amped make a return on the Xbox One. I don’t have an Xbox One at the moment, but you can bet that I would if they released a new version of Amped.

Blitz

NFL Blitz has a special place for a lot of people — probably because of how violent it was — but while the series has made a return in the form of Blitz: The League and the sequel, it seems to have fizzled away leaving us without a violent football game that actually resembles the sport.

Oh, and forget about the reboot from 2012. It’s nowhere near as fun as the original, and as a downloadable game it doesn’t come close to being as good as The League. Really what I’m saying here is that I want more of The League. 

Tecmo Bowl

One of the earliest games on this list, Tecmo Bowl is another game that a lot of people miss. It’s also another game that went the downloadable route like NBA Jam and NFL Blitz. That seems to be the fate of most classic games these days. Why dedicate money to developing a game from the ground up for modern consoles when you can create something much simpler?

I’d like to see a real reboot of Tecmo Bowl, complete with modern gameplay. Nostalgia isn’t everything, and if they get a real team together, maybe something can happen. There just aren’t enough football games these days.

Motocross Madness

When I was younger, one of the games that I loved to play on the computer was Motocross Madness. While I didn’t have much of an idea as to what was going on in 1998, I later revisited the game to find out that it was just as good as ever. The coolest thing about it? Driving up the mountains to the edge of the map and getting sent flying backwards.

I know that the series made a quiet return in 2013, but it was pretty disappointing. A downloadable game with Xbox Live avatar support? That’s when you know you’ve gone wrong.

NCAA Basketball

It’s clear that people want more NCAA Football, but that’s not the only college sport that people are missing in the gaming circle. They’re also missing NCAA Basketball, and for good reason since there isn’t really anything comparable at the moment. The thing about college football is that it’s not like other sports. There aren’t multiple franchises for people to choose from, and it’s kind of a shame.

Skate

 If it weren’t for the disaster that was Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5, I would have put Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater on this list. Instead, I’m going to put Skate. As much as I love the Tony Hawk franchise, THPS5 wasn’t exactly what anyone was expecting.

Skate, on the other hand, has a pretty flawless record despite the fact that EA shelved the series after Skate 3 in 2010. While I still prefer Tony Hawk, I own and appreciate every game in the Skate series.

It’s been five years, almost six. It’s time for a new Skate game.

NCAA Football

NCAA games have been absent since 2013, but if the response to my article on the subject that we published last weekend is anything to go by, people want more NCAA. Seriously, college sports are incredibly popular. Aside from the lawsuit and the obvious greed on the part of the NCAA and their schools, there’s no reason why the NCAA shouldn’t make a return to the gaming world.

That’s our list of ten sports games worth reviving, what are your picks? Let us know your list of sports games worth reviving in the comments or on social media.

Top 10 Sports Games Worth Reviving