Press Row Podcast

This is it! One of the most anticipated episodes of the year is here, as we gather our crew for the annual MLB The Show Review Roundtable. We dive into most of what this year’s premier baseball game has to offer, including on-field gameplay, Road To The Show, Franchise, Diamond Dynasty, and more. Few games feature as varied of a sports experience than The Show, and panelists Kat Bailey, Owen Good,...

One of the most important sports games of the year has finally been released, which means it’s time for the Press Row Podcast community to dive in! This week’s episode culls two segments together, the Day One and Day Two Press Row Hangout Impressions episodes that aired live earlier this week. The first segment features Bryan Wiedey, T.J. Lauerman, and Samit Sarkar joining host Rich Grisham to dis...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 127 – Spring baseball and golf preview Spring is technically here – although the weather may not agree with that – so our thoughts turn to baseball and golf. Episode 127 is a three-part show. Up first, Bryan Wiedey and T.J. Lauerman join host Rich Grisham to talk about what they’re looking forward to the most from MLB 15 The Show. Second, Rory McElroy PGA Tour Executive...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 126 – Rumors, Facts, and Innuendo   Sometimes, a week in the world of sports video games can take some interesting turns. The week of March 16th, 2015 was one of those. Multiple games were either rumored to exist or potentially be delayed for extended periods of time. Episode 126 of the Press Row Podcast encapsulates three separate discussions from Sunday through Thursd...

For the third straight year, the Press Row Podcast invaded PAX East for a panel on the state of sports games. This year’s session was titled ‘Sports Games at the Crossroads,’ which explored a number of topics. These include the continued expansion of Ultimate Team modes and their influence on overall sports game development, whether big-time sports games have gotten too difficult, and how the mark...

With all the news coming out recently about new Virtual Reality devices from Sony, Valve, Oculus Rift, and others, we thought it would be a good time to examine the possibilities for VR in the sports games we love. Will it become mainstream? Will it be a flash in the pan? Are the big guys already working on something, or will they wait to see where the market goes?  Enjoy the show! Joining us this...

Several of us from the Press Row Podcast recently collaborated for The Sporting News to create a Sports Game Power Rankings list. In the 123rd episode of Press Row, host Rich Grisham is joined by PastaPadre’s Bryan Wiedey and Operation Sports’ Chris Sanner to discuss the list – why it was organized the way it was, reasons for the selections, and various ways that games can move up or down as we ge...

It’s the 122nd episode of the Press Row Podcast, featuring a near-complete panel diving into two significant topics. Up first, the crew examines how Diamond Dynasty seems to (so far, at least) be a significant focus for MLB 15 The Show. Included in this segment, Samit Sarkar describes his initial impressions of The Show from a media event he attended. Up next, it’s the question that set off a ragi...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 121 – Breaking down MLB 15’s approach   The first big sports game of the season is landing next month, and the crew making MLB 15 The Show has started to publicize certain aspects of their flagship PS4 title. Operation Sports’ Chris Sanner and PastaPadre’s Bryan Wiedey join host Rich Grisham to analyze the new approach for the development team – long-form live streams,...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 120 – 2015 Season Preview   For the first time since the 2014 Game of the Year show, we get the regular gang back together to look ahead to what 2015 may have to offer. Rather than lining up each game and wondering what it will be, the crew contemplates questions such as which sports game franchise has the most at stake, whether or not any major game will dramatically s...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 119 – Footballs, Pucks, Cars, and Baseballs It may be the end of January – a typically slow time in the sports game world – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t all sorts of interesting things happening. This week’s episode of the Press Row Podcast is a winter potpourri, featuring a number of special guests talking about their areas of expertise. Up first, PastaPadre’s Br...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 118 – Life and Basketball with Da Czar Longtime Operation Sports community member, basketball video game critic, SimNation leader, and current NBA 2K development team member Nino Samuel – aka Da Czar – joins host Rich Grisham on the Press Row Podcast for the first time to talk life and basketball. The two break down NBA 2K15 in much detail, interspersed with stories of...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 117 – The communities vote You’ve heard the Press Row sports game of the year show – and just about everyone else’s too – so host Rich Grisham is joined by PastaPadre’s Bryan Wiedey and Operation Sports’s Chris Sanner to talk through each of their passionate communities’ thoughts about sports games in 2014. From the best features, online experiences, single player modes...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 116 – The best baseball games of the past It’s bitterly cold across much of the USA, so what better time to reflect on some of the best baseball games of past eras? A brand new guest joins the show this episode, as Chris Baker looks back at his long history of playing baseball games ‘back in the day’ and joins host Rich Grisham to compare and contrast their personal old...

Happy New Year! A holiday tradition around here at the Press Row Podcast returns for its third straight year - a gathering of a bunch of our friends to talk about their favorite sports game experiences of 2014!  We’ve got Gus Ramsey from ESPN, producers of FIFA 15, NHL 15, and NBA 2K15, Christian Spicer from DLC, half of the Player One Podcast and the Doddcast, and the guys behind MaddenTips.com ....

Here it is! The most anticipated show of the year – the 2014 Press Row Podcast Sports Game of the Year. The votes have been tallied and the winners are announced. As always, none of the panelists are aware of who wins coming into the show, and the discussions leading up to the unveiling and the reactions afterwards are the best part of it. This year we also add two new twists – we award our first-...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 113 – Old Friends and New The 113th episode of the Press Row Podcast is a three-part holiday special. Up first is a mini 4th String reunion with Mike Suszek , Ryan Lewis, and Rich Grisham getting together to chat about what 2014 sports games meant to them. Next, Rich interviews Metalhead Software’s Scott Drader about his upcoming PS3/PS4 game Super Mega Baseball. Lastly...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 112 – 2014 Sports Gaming Year in Review The 112th episode of the Press Row Podcast is our annual Year in Review show, featuring our full panel reflecting on the incredibly interesting year that was 2014. From busted launches to compelling experiences, surprising successes to shocking failures, 2014 had a little bit of everything – good and bad – for people who love the...

Happy Thanksgiving! The 111th episode of the Press Row Podcast is pulled from our live Thanksgiving Press Row Hangout, as host Rich Grisham is joined by regular panelists Bryan Wiedey from PastaPadre and T.J. Lauerman from ThatSportsGamer as well as special guest Pete Dodd from Dodd Scientifics. The crew chats about a number of topics, including Bryan’s suggestion that NBA Live move to free-to-pla...

The 110th episode of the Press Row Podcast is a special doubleheader, featuring two one-on-one interviews with key people in the sports game landscape. Up first, host Rich Grisham chats with Operation Sports’ Executive Editor Chris Sanner about his career at OS, its influence on the games we play, and how the industry has evolved since he began. There are some startling revelations. Next, our good...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 109 – The age of broken launches The 109th episode of the Press Row Podcast is a special episode, taking a look at how the mainstream and independent media have to change their approaches to covering games in the current market.  Polygon’s Owen Good and PastaPadre’s Bryan Wiedey join host Rich Grisham to reflect on the first year of the PS4 and Xbox One launches. It’s s...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 108 – Madden 15 60 Days Later The 108th episode of the Press Row Podcast features a full panel of Press Row regulars revisiting Madden NFL 15, 60 days after its release. We discuss what we enjoy and what nags at us, what makes Madden fun for us this season, and where the overall franchise is today and moving forward. Afterwards, some interesting nuggets came out of EA’s...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 107 – Making NBA Live 15 and the end of online leagues   The 107th episode of the Press Row Podcast is a two-parter. Up first, host Rich Grisham speaks to NBA Live 15 executive producer Sean O’Brien and Producer Connor Dougan all about their approach to designing and building this year’s EA hoops game. It’s a wide-ranging conversation that looks at the just-released Liv...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 106 – NBA 2K15 Afterthoughts and NBA Live 15 Initial Impressions The 106th episode of the Press Row Podcast features a full panel of Press Row regulars diving deep into the two big fall NBA releases. Up first is an extended discussion of NBA 2K15 now that we’ve all had a few weeks to play – or choose not to play – NBA 2K15 in a full retail environment. Next is a chat ab...

Press Row Podcast – Episode 105 – Fall Racing Roundtable   The 105th episode of the Press Row Podcast welcomes two good friends back to the show as it pits this fall’s two big racing games against each other – Forza Horizon 2 vs DriveClub. Greg Sewart from the Player One Podcast and Pete Dodd from Dodd Scientifics join host Rich Grisham in an extended conversation that looks at what’s great and no...