With the Press Row Podcast's 2017 Sports Game of the Year and Racing Game of the Year having been decided we now turn to discussing the most important stories in the sports gaming world from the last year. These stories not only impacted the games in 2017 but could influence the direction of the various franchises and even the genre and the entire industry as a whole.

On the show this week:
Bryan Wiedey, Pastapadre/Sporting News/Hit the Pass (@pastapadre)
Rich Grisham, OOTP Developments/Hit the Pass (@richgrisham)

For the first time ever, the Press Row Podcast awards its Racing Game of the Year. 2017 was a banner year for racers, with a slew of new releases of high quality that featured every kind of racing imaginable. Simulation titles, arcade games, cars, bikes, and karts all made big noise this year.

To settle on a champion, we gathered noted friends of the show and avid racing game fans Greg Sewart, Dr. Ken Parker, Pete Dodd, and Dave Benrey to count down their top three favorites and determine which stands atop the podium at the end of the year.

On the show this week:
Richard Grisham, Hit the Pass/OOTP Developments (@richgrisham)
Greg Sewart, Player One Podcast/Generation 16 (@sewart)
Pete Dodd, Doddcast (@atpetedodd)
David Benrey, Telemundo (@senornascar)
Dr. Ken Parker, Hit The Pass (@Chairman7)

A wide open field in 2017 has resulted in the most unpredictable and fascinating Sports Game of the Year voting yet! While many of the games were fantastic in general they all had some serious flaws that detracted from their full potential, and because of that expect there to be no consensus "best" game that will sweep its way to a victory.

Will MLB The Show 17 repeat off last year's win with MLB 16? Will NBA 2K18 bounce back or fall even further after the award-winning 2K16 preceded 2K17 slipping to third? Will Madden NFL 18 continue the upward trajectory that saw Madden 17 finish the highest ever for the series as the runner-up last year? Or will it be another game coming from farther back in the pack in a surprise result?

On the show this week:
Bryan Wiedey, Pastapadre/Sporting News/Hit the Pass (@pastapadre)
Rich Grisham, OOTP Developments/Hit the Pass (@richgrisham)
Owen Good, Polygon (@owengood)
T.J. Lauerman, ThatSportsGamer (@thatsportsgamer)
Kris Jardine, SnaggleJ (@snagglej)
MillsGamingTV (@millsgamingtv)

Two of the biggest annual gaming events have just taken place between the PlayStation Experience and The Game Awards. Both were sure disappointments for anyone hoping to see sports games represented. This episode of the Press Row Podcast features discussion on the events and why, despite their place dominating sales charts and high cultural relevance, sports games continue to go without recognition.

Also in this episode a look ahead at possible features for NHL 19, the announcement of a second tennis game for early 2018, the addition of player editing to NBA Live 18, and reaction to the beating that video game publisher stocks have been taking from investors recently.

On the show this week:
Bryan Wiedey, Pastapadre/Sporting News/Hit the Pass (@pastapadre)
Rich Grisham, OOTP Developments/Hit the Pass (@richgrisham)

This episode of the Press Row Podcast features impressions of the beta currently being held for EA Sports UFC 3. With the series coming off an improved effort the potential for the third entry is very high, and the beta has provided the first opportunity to assess gameplay advancements as well as a revamped Ultimate Team mode.   

Additionally the latest developments involving game monetization are discussed, and specifically the building concern that legislators will put into place roadblocks related to loot boxes/card packs and how that uncertainty is already severely harming EA.

On the show this week:
Bryan Wiedey, Pastapadre/Sporting News/Hit the Pass (@pastapadre)
Rich Grisham, OOTP Developments/Hit the Pass (@richgrisham)
MillsGamingTV, Operation Sports (@MillsGamingTV)

We welcome Scott O'Gallagher from the NBA 2K development team back to the show this week! Along with host Rich Grisham, Scott explores NBA 2K18's gameplay, including 'chalkboard' sessions to help players understand what's happening on the court - and why. They also discuss the game's push into eSports, how different segments of fans look for widely varying experiences​, and what the transition from support from 'yearly' to 'always' has meant to the NBA 2K crew.

On the show this week:
Rich Grisham, OOTP Developments/Hit the Pass (@richgrisham)
Scott O'Gallagher, 2K Sports (@ScottOGallagher)

It's an especially tumultuous time for the gaming industry as aggressive monetization tactics face intense pushback from media and consumers. Even as sports games consistently reside near the top of the sales charts and generate extraordinary digital revenue publishers are looking ahead for how to not only sustain that success but grow even further.

In this episode of the Press Row Podcast the subject of microtransactions/loot boxes and their influence on game design is revisited with discussion on how publishers are now responding to the backlash, the adjustments they are making and will have to consider going forward, and the prospects of a subscription-based future which sports games may be best suited and most prepared for of any genre.

On the show this week:
Bryan Wiedey, Pastapadre/Sporting News/Hit the Pass (@pastapadre)
Rich Grisham, OOTP Developments/Hit the Pass (@richgrisham)

What can more powerful hardware do to improve some already very good sports video games? We got the answer this week with the release of the Xbox One X and in this episode of the Press Row Podcast the benefits of the pricey new console are examined.

The likes of Madden NFL 18, FIFA 18, NBA 2K18, and Forza can now be played in native 4K with HDR (true also of the PS4 Pro) but the improvements go beyond the visuals on Xbox One X. Framerates can be better and loading times are significantly shortened - and Madden is the game that seems to have benefited the most.

Other topics discussed include the first news on EA Sports UFC 3 and the release strategy for MLB The Show 18.

On the show this week:
Bryan Wiedey, Pastapadre/Sporting News/Hit the Pass (@pastapadre)
Rich Grisham, OOTP Developments/Hit the Pass (@richgrisham)

2017 has proven to be, in many ways, a banner year for racing games. From Forza 7 to Gran Turismo Sport, F1 2017 to NASCAR Heat 2, Dirt 4 to Project Cars 2, there are plenty of interesting choices for the casual and hardcore racing game fan alike.

However, even the most ardent fans of these titles have concerns. How do lootboxes and in-game economies truly impact Forza 7? How does the non-traditional approach in Gran Turismo translate to fans? Can F1 2017 appeal to people who may not be big fans of the specific series? These questions – and much more – are debated by an excellent crew of racing game experts.

On the show this week:
Rich Grisham, OOTP Developments/Hit the Pass (@richgrisham)
Pete Dodd, The Doddcast (@atpetedodd)
Dr. Ken Parker, Hit The Pass (@Chairman7)
Greg Sewart, Player One Podcast (@sewart)

The Ultimate Team style modes in sports games are more popular with consumers than ever before, and they're also leaned on more than ever by publishers for the revenues they provide. What is it about these team building, card collecting modes that have proven to be so compelling and successful? What challenges do they face right now and into the future? A panel of experts on the various modes throughout the genre discuss the phenomenon on this episode.

On the show this week:
Bryan Wiedey, Pastapadre/Sporting News/Hit the Pass (@pastapadre)
T.J. Lauerman, ThatSportsGamer (@ThatSportsGamer)
MillsGamingTV, Operation Sports (@MillsGamingTV)
Kris Jardine, SnaggleJ (@SnaggleJ)
Daniel Baesal, UberYoutuber (@danielbaesal)