NBA Live 11 News Post

Mike Wang Has Left EA Canada and the NBA Live Development Team

06:11 PM - February 1, 2010 by BrianFifaFan

NBA Live 11 has just taken an incredible blow.

Quote:


	"Mike Wang has left EA Canada and the NBA LIVE development team and will be heading back to the United States. I wanted to take this opportunity to personally thank Mike for his contributions during the 18 months that he was working on NBA LIVE. His vision and leadership within gameplay on NBA LIVE 10 was part of the reason why that game was critically reviewed as having taken a tremendous leap in quality and at least as good as any other basketball game on the market. Our goals for NBA LIVE 11 are simple. We want to be one of the best sports games on the market � on par with franchises like NHL, FIFA and Madden. In the coming months, we will show you just how we will do that. I wish Mike and his family the best of luck. Sean O�Brien"

Game: NBA Live 11Hype Score: 8.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 7 - View All

Member Comments

# 1 GSW @ 02/01/10 06:14 PM

welp...looks like i wont be playing any basketball games next year either

# 2 BrianFifaFan @ 02/01/10 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BooShay


	WOW this is big news. Did his Visa expire? I dont see why he would just leave EA Vancouver like that

Yeah, I don't get that, either. Have you ever seen EA Canada? Or Vancouver, for that matter? Who would leave voluntarily? Man, first Marcus is sent off and now Mike Wang leaves? And NCAA is not gonna be patched? EA's basketball program has me scratching my head. And then the Lead says they are trying to be in the class of Fifa or NHL? Color me cornfused....

# 3 Stumbleweed @ 02/01/10 06:34 PM

Well, crap. Hopefully one of the companies can throw together a good game next year... not looking great though, especially with this development. Ugh, I want my b-ball games back!

# 4 BrianFifaFan @ 02/01/10 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Court_vision


	Someone gave me a small indication about this a few months back when it was clear that the LIVE 10 sales weren't all that good. (worse than LIVE 09 actually). Marcus was moved and I heard the game was going to go in a whole new direction. I didn't want to post anything as I've had a tonne of respect for Beluba right back to NBA Inside Drive. He's always been a great communicator...so, when he says nothing for months + I know he wasn't involved with patch 2 at all...then you start to read between the lines. Now that's official........very, very dissapointing. EA will post a tonne of rhetoric about "we want to make the best game possible"........and that's absolute crap. EA want sales. Nothing else. Marcus being moved on and Beluba "let go" = the end of the line for NBA Live. This series is officially dead unless you like arcade stuff. Letting Beluba go basically is conceeding the sim market to 2K. Sad day. Good luck to Mike in whatever he does from here on.

Yeah, if they don't go for a Fifa level of depth and simulation, I'm done with this game as quick as I got on board. Mike was trying to do that. It wasn't either Marcus' or his fault the game has stunk for so long. Just like Ian with Madden , this isn't gonna happen in one cycle. If they change directions again, it's gonna destroy any credibility this series gained this year. And guys like me, who for years thought NBA Live was king, only to leave it for 2k, that finally gave Live a second look, are gonna head right on back out the door. I'm really concerned today....

# 5 edubbs @ 02/01/10 06:47 PM

I've been highly critical of Live10 this year, knowing that Mike was the lead on the game.

And even though I was not happy with this year's purchase, I knew that Mike would get the game atleast close to what the 'sim' community wanted if given time.

With this announcement though, I have no confidence what soo ever in Live EVER being a real threat to the 2k series again.

He has literaly been an extension of this community while developing bball titles over the years. With him and Marcus exiting within the same year, the signs coming from the EA camp are pretty clear.

This franchise has waaaay too much internal overhaul annualy, to ever establish a good product come release time.

Live11, will introduce a new lead AI Game Designer for the 2nd or 3rd time.... in what 5 years? No wonder this franchise has seemed soo stagnant for soo long.

Horrible news.

# 6 noshun @ 02/01/10 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Court_vision


	This series has been a disaster on the next gen. Honestly, Beluba and Marcus being "moved on"....you can spell the end of LIVE 11 right there. No doubt they'll release something and hype it up. Any idea that new guys can walk in and replace a guy like Beluba on a short development cycle is complete crap though. I am really dissapointed with the way they've completely abandoned NCAA (read the freezing thread...it's a disgrace)... Now this. I like NBA 2K, but strong competition is good. This is basically EA waving the white flag.

CV,
This is the fallout from Live 07 finally catching up and rearing it head. They made the changes to improve, but just like in the email I sent to EA back then.. they turned a lot of people off(myself included) and customer support waned. Also claiming written from the ground up caught up too. Too many issues are still present from my QA days for EA. Freezing issues, the surveys after 07, and 08.. Im not going to say that they didnt try to improve.
Most didnt even know Live 06/07 was still using the AI94 coding from the Genesis days. But this series took too long to improve, and that 'next year' mantra we've heard this whole 360/ps3 gen.
I agree with everything you said man.

# 7 23 @ 02/01/10 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianFifaFan


	Just got an e-mail from EA. Mike Wang has gone back to the U.S. No more Beluba. Yaw put this out a bit ago: Hello everyone, Today we are here to announce that Mike Wang has left EA Canada to return to the United States. We thank Mike for all the hard work and leadership he brought to the NBA LIVE franchise and we’re very excited to announce what’s going to happening with NBA LIVE 11. Big things are on the horizon for this year’s title and once info comes my way I will be sure to inform all of you. For more about this please follow this link: http://www.easports.com/blogs/inthep...ba-live-update Thanks. Yaw Obiri-Yeboah Assistant Community Manager - EA SPORTS P.S. I'm on EA's mailing list for my Fifa stuff. It's legit.

Wow for real EA?

This is sad for me as a basketball gamer... Its a good chance im done with this series period. I see no real desire to deliver

# 8 BrianFifaFan @ 02/01/10 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Court_vision


	This series has been a disaster on the next gen. Honestly, Beluba and Marcus being "moved on"....you can spell the end of LIVE 11 right there. No doubt they'll release something and hype it up. Any idea that new guys can walk in and replace a guy like Beluba on a short development cycle is complete crap though. I am really dissapointed with the way they've completely abandoned NCAA (read the freezing thread...it's a disgrace)... Now this. I like NBA 2K, but strong competition is good. This is basically EA waving the white flag.

I actually love this year's game. Taken in the context of the current state of what the game has been. 2k really has lost me with the framerate issues and the fact that Isomotion is lame. So I decided to give NBA Live another look. And was able to look at it from the aspect of being a salvage project. Why can't the management view it the same way? I totally agree about this series stinking this gen. But the game has grown so much in one cycle. It just needs polish and depth. Guys like me, who started with Lakers vs. Celtics, want to come back. I hadn't played a Live game since 2003. And I was back, back in love with Live. Now what is going on? Not getting this at all...... Build a great game, based on the foundation laid THIS YEAR. Stop groping in the dark. Stay on track. Then people will give you a serious look and the sales will come. Don't be the Buffalo Bills of gaming....

# 9 rockchisler @ 02/01/10 07:03 PM

Sorry for forshadowing this guys, I feel like I put out bad Karma.

# 10 Kully @ 02/01/10 07:10 PM

Terrrible news.

I liked knowing there was a guy that you can trust will try and bring the simulation aspect into Live. Although I didn't completely like Live this year, it made some serious steps to contend. Losing a guy like Mike sure is a gutshot.

# 11 Behindshadows @ 02/01/10 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23


	Wow for real EA? This is sad for me as a basketball gamer... Its a good chance im done with this series period. I see no real desire to deliver

No doubt, I just came and read through the rest of this thread. No Mike, no Marcus...wtf!!! The two key parts that drew us to this title all together is now, no longer with the future projects.

I mean, is it me or did Mike Wang, gameplay input and elements make this the best Live game in years or decades.

Is it me, or did Marcus's input and constant eye of details on accessories and players, change the way we looked at EA's corporation at a whole.

These two guys brought the attention and respect level back to EA Sports and Live series as a whole. But now they are gone! WOW!!!

I still like a few other kats on their team, and Live 11, better deliver big, because if it doesn't. I will be done with NBA games all together. Because the competition fell off track after Mike's departure and after their 8 series.

# 12 BrianFifaFan @ 02/01/10 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockchisler


	Sorry for forshadowing this guys, I feel like I put out bad Karma.

No, you should have just bought about 100,000 copies of NBA Live! That would have made for good karma!

You tried, I tried, but I guess it wasn't enough...

# 13 23 @ 02/01/10 07:22 PM

I blame the lack of sales to not making a good product.

EA lost people's trust, and this one right here doesn't help.

No amount of hype can repair whats going on right now. No matter how many videos are put out or how much the word NEW pops up in online ads, its not going to work this time.

All of the suggestions and wishlists (useless) mean nothing. All the frustrations and head scratchers wont go away because you just broke down the last two pieces of the series that was the main reasons people trusted this game once more.

# 14 rockchisler @ 02/01/10 07:36 PM

Thanks Mods for Merging my thread here

# 15 Pared @ 02/01/10 07:37 PM

And the forums are a-fire.

# 16 23 @ 02/01/10 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Court_vision


	Honestly, I don't think they care too much about 'trust' and stuff. Look at the NCAA freezing thread here...tonnes and tonnes of guys with broken dynastys / freezing and yet not a single respnsonse from anyone at EA. Just a tokenary "there's not likely to be a patch" post months back. They'll bring in some guy who's good at PR and ask him to hype the game up for 11. Then move on. I've always bought their products but the complete lack of response re NCAA freezing has been really dissapoiting. Moving on Mike and Marcus...........no support for NCAA.... Pretty clear..........

No offense to anyone but it was as clear as day that NCAA was in bad shape before release and at release. The last time they barely if at all released any media was during Live 2007 and that was a disaster of a game, and the straw that made them lose their fanbase.

The constant changes to me shows some serious instability and I just cannot see how anyone can just stick to that.

If all 11 turns out to be is big hype you can expect the small base they have to desert full force, and its sad because we will have quickly went from 3-5 basketball games including college to 1.

# 17 GSW @ 02/01/10 07:44 PM

anyways.

The thing that sucks is you get a team together and you dont even let them get multiple titles under thier belt before things are disbanded...seems like...well its obvious something else was going on.

makes no sense to bring these guys together then just call it quits.

oh well ;/

# 18 BrianFifaFan @ 02/01/10 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcxiv


	Per Ron's Twitter...There is huge news on the NBA front tomorrow. Be on the lookout in the morning. hmmmmm....

If he goes back, it's really "game over..."

# 19 blackflash83 @ 02/01/10 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Court_vision


	Someone gave me a small indication about this a few months back when it was clear that the LIVE 10 sales weren't all that good. (worse than LIVE 09 actually). Marcus was moved and I heard the game was going to go in a whole new direction. I didn't want to post anything as I've had a tonne of respect for Beluba right back to NBA Inside Drive. He's always been a great communicator...so, when he says nothing for months + I know he wasn't involved with patch 2 at all...then you start to read between the lines. Now that's official........very, very dissapointing. EA will post a tonne of rhetoric about "we want to make the best game possible"........and that's absolute crap. EA want sales. Nothing else. Marcus being moved on and Beluba "let go" = the end of the line for NBA Live. This series is officially dead unless you like arcade stuff. Letting Beluba go basically is conceeding the sim market to 2K. Sad day. Good luck to Mike in whatever he does from here on.

CV,

Two things with your post that I'm going to immediately clarify. First off Marcus wasn't forced off of NBA LIVE. Marcus was offered a great opportunity with another game team and he accepted the offer. Marcus has done a lot for the NBA LIVE team and he's definitely an example I look to regarding being a good community leader. I aspite to do the same good work that Marcus did for the community and I know he's been great with all of you here on OS.

Secondly, your point regarding Mike being let go is NOT true at all. Mike chose to leave EA on his own and go back to the US. This was HIS decision and no one pushed him to leave the company. Mike is an awesome guy to work with and he has a TON of passion for what he does. It was definitely disappointing for me to hear that he was leaving but in the end he had to do what was best for him and for his family. Mike's contributions to NBA LIVE have been huge. You only need to look at where LIVE 10 is compared to where LIVE 09 was. He brought a lot to the team and the team worked well with him.

Although Mike has left EA, a lot of you believe that the NBA LIVE series is done and you all couldn't be further from the truth. While Mike definitely brought a lot of great ideas for NBA LIVE 10, it took a TEAM to get the game to where it is right now. Everyone on the development team was united in the vision that they wanted NBA LIVE to be back among the elite of sports games. LIVE 10 took significant steps towards that goal and NBA LIVE 11 will take even greater strides. We have a great team of people that want to see this game back on top, they're all committed to seeing this game succeed. Although Mike is not on the team anymore that doesn't mean that the game has no hope. Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James couldn't win championships by themselves it takes a TEAM to do that.

I understand a lot of you have a great deal of respect for Mike, I feel the same as all of you. Mike is amazing and he does his job better than anyone, however we still have a great team here working on the game and they are committed to giving you a basketball experience you all deserve.

# 20 23 @ 02/01/10 07:58 PM

backflash...

I hate to say it man, but telling up Mike jumped ship after the changes doesnt exactly make anyone feel any better about the series, new team or not. Its been the exact same for years now.

We've heard this before and it kinda stings this time because the next year thing has been worn too thin. People are at their limits and really, they dont see anything to be excited about. The marketing has practically been labeled nothing but hype now.

Its just a bad feeling overall because the thought of only one game is never a good one but at this point, EA almost owes it to their customers to deliver and so far its been far less than that.

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