If NBA Live 13 Doesn't Hit an Oct. 2 Release Date, It's as Good as Failing to Launch

[TreyIM2]

I want to believe in the best for this game but it is looking bleeker and bleeker by the minute...but I will be happy as long as I can get the Live 10 controls in 2K13 as an alternate (say it IS so Beluba!!) then I won't feel so bad if Live 13 either doesn't get released or tanks. Lol.

[Goffs]

Quote: Originally Posted by Aviator S

At this point I don't even care if the game play is not up to par with NBA 2K. JUST LAUNCH THE DAMN GAME EA! Lets stop comparing NBA 2K and NBA Live, when you know that EA Sports is struggling just to release a basketball game! You might actually be surprised how many people will buy NBA Live 13, with the addition of Ultimate Team that might bring large revenues to your bottom line EA. The demand is there, it makes sense to supply. Competition is needed in this market we can't just have an monopoly.

People just throw this around a lot seeing as THERE IS NO MONOPOLY! Any company can make an NBA game since its not a exclusive license. EA squandered the last 2 years to at least make something presentable but yet here we are no info, no cover boy, and talks of going digital only. Oh yeah there's some good sign there but yet we have people here not seeing the signs!

[liberaluser]

Quote: Originally Posted by Aviator S

You might actually be surprised how many people will buy NBA Live 13.

I wouldn't be surprised one bit if it did respectable numbers if it comes out at all. It has always been EA's plan to dazzle people with gimmicks to up the flagging sales of Live.

The main problem with this strategy being that EA has seriously hurt the brand name while wasting millions in development costs. Even if people buy Live out of curiosity this year most will go right back to 2K for the big name stars and quality gameplay.

[DBMcGee3]

Quote: Originally Posted by TreyIM2

I want to believe in the best for this game but it is looking bleeker and bleeker by the minute...but I will be happy as long as I can get the Live 10 controls in 2K13 as an alternate (say it IS so Beluba!!) then I won't feel so bad if Live 13 either doesn't get released or tanks. Lol.

Couldn't agree more man. If they could make the option for a comparable right stick dribble scheme, I'd have no problem shellin out some beanery.

[kingeo19]

He's heating up! He's on FIRE!!

Owen Good, of Kotaku seems to be hinting that all the smoke billowing from EA Sports is due to a FIRE that's been squelched by their NBA LIVE 13 Advisory Council (EA Sports Damage Control Unit). For those of you excited about the games possibilities you had better hope so. For those of you who somehow believe that this a planned marketing strategy from EA, a low key approach which then erupts like a volcano, you need to run for the hills.
Once again, the LIVE team was ready to show potential consumers a product that was not ready. But due to intervention at the last minute they were advised against it.
Several posters have posed the same question as to what EA has to hide when it comes to this game. Can we get some answers? Developers at Tiburon? EA Game Changers? Advisory Council members? Anybody?

The NBA Live fan base should be demanding transparency, rather than taking the wait and see approach for three years.
Hide it under a bushel? No. I'm going to let it shine. EA needs to start shining before their light gets snuffed out!

[Altimus]

I think the biggest problem is the decision to launch a 13 version. I've taken on IT projects which we have taken over crippled ones, had to fix and rebuild in a short period of time. It rarely finishes as a perfect project. Actually it never does...

This is the same problem the current team is facing. They were probably excited to take on this task but soon realized what they were taking over in Elite 11. Now you have to make a game to catch up to whatever 2K13 is cooking, plus redo the engine from 11, fix the bugs, add new content, and a lot of other things. I think they were overwhelmed and now they're running out of time and EA is stuck in the middle of not knowing what to do. Do we release a broken product that will do bad in reviews and take a chance of fixing it via patches later? Or do we cancel, take a lot of backlash and come back next year with a solid product. You have to decide which one will take less damage and I think it's canceling.

However, I would hire more developers and announce a March Maddness 2013 coming out in February. Cancel Live 13 and continue to work for NBA Live 14. That way you have a foundation of your game out there, and a lot of people would be very happy with a college basketball game out there.

[Aviator S]

Quote: Originally Posted by liberaluser

I wouldn't be surprised one bit if it did respectable numbers if it comes out at all. It has always been EA's plan to dazzle people with gimmicks to up the flagging sales of Live. The main problem with this strategy being that EA has seriously hurt the brand name while wasting millions in development costs. Even if people buy Live out of curiosity this year most will go right back to 2K for the big name stars and quality gameplay.

Yeah given the harsh circumstances, poor marketing and the already damaged brand it will take a while to get the game "respectable" to the eyes of the consumer again. I still believe the live brand can attract new comers to the game but then again when there's smoke there's usually fire. Last time EA released a basketball simulation was in 2009 when NBA Live 10 came out. It's been a while since NBA Live fans have something positive to sit back on and have faith on the NBA Live brand. Just like Owen Good said, the bar has hit rock bottom, just launch on launch day, come out the closet, show us something! Bottom line here is that it is very disappointing to see NBA Live treat the consumers like this from an marketing, business aspect because the consumers do not have faith in the product. The evidence is there.

[DaveDQ]

The article mentions a possible digital release which would in turn potentially offer the game at a lower price. I think that is the only reasoning right now.

If this game repeats what it did with Elite, I don't see how it could rebound. The only thing EA's NBA title has going for it is that the 2K Series has dominated the market and some fans of basketball gaming may want to take a look at something from a different developer.

Other than that, what incentive is there to check in NBA Live? All the game has given in the last few years is speculation and wonder.