NBA Elite 11 News Post

EA Changes the Game, Announces NBA Elite 11 (Press Release)

08:05 AM - June 2, 2010 by Steve_OS

EA SPORTS Set to Re-invent the Basketball Simulation Videogame Experience This Fall

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq:ERTS) announced today that NBA ELITE will be the new moniker of the long running EA SPORTS™ NBA videogame franchise. NBA ELITE 11 will revolutionize the way basketball simulation games are played, with an all-new technology base, a new control scheme and a real-time physics system. Currently in development for the PLAYSTATION®3 and the XBOX™ 360, NBA ELITE 11 will be available in retail stores this October.

“We plan to profoundly evolve the interactive basketball experience in a way that the category has not seen for a decade,” says Peter Moore, President, EA SPORTS. “In NBA ELITE 11, we’ll introduce a gameplay experience that gives fans the control on the court that they have been begging for in a basketball game for years.”

Using the design principles from some of EA SPORTS top rated franchises, NBA ELITE 11 introduces several significant gameplay changes that center around user control. The new ‘Hands-On Control’ scheme allows for one-to-one responsiveness of a player’s movement and actions on the court, as opposed to traditional predetermined animations that require users to wait while a scenario played out before making the next move. Hands-on Control applies to everything within a player’s offensive and defensive arsenal, including: dribble moves, dunks, drives to the basket, fadeaways, mid-air adjustments, blocks, steals and more.

The new real-time physics system in NBA ELITE 11 allows each player on the court to move independently of one another, removing the two-man interactions that have long taken the user control out of basketball simulation videogames. In addition, a new skill-based shooting system requires accurate user input, based on a player’s position on the court, versus the randomly generated dice rolls that have driven shooting in basketball videogames in the past.

“NBA ELITE 11 will give gamers the same skill set that a pro basketball player has at his disposal,” said David Littman, Creative Director, NBA ELITE 11. “This is the first basketball simulation videogame where you are controlling every movement, dribble move, shot, dunk, lay-up, steal and block in real time with one-to-one control. You’re no longer going to push a button and watch the computer generate a long animation sequence. It is like being on a basketball court with an amazing set of skills. This is going to change what people have come to expect from a basketball simulation videogame.”

“From the first day of development on this product, it was clear that we intended to pioneer a groundbreaking change in the basketball videogame segment,” said Jordan Edelstein, VP Marketing, EA SPORTS. “It’s a whole new game that warranted a brand new name to fully capture the transformation we intend to deliver in NBA ELITE.”

Electronic Arts has been releasing basketball videogames since 1983. The first game, titled One on One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird, was one of the first basketball games to feature real NBA players. The franchise was rebranded to become NBA LIVE with the release of NBA LIVE 95, a brand that has carried on for 16 years culminating in last year’s NBA LIVE 10. EA’s NBA-licensed franchises have sold more than 25 million units since 1995*.

NBA ELITE 11 will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system with an MSRP of $59.99. It is developed by EA Canada in Burnaby, B.C. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI.

EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football and NCAA Basketball, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, and EA SPORTS Active.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.

Game: NBA Elite 11Reader Score: 2/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 5 - View All

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Member Comments

# 21 Pakeege10 @ 06/02/10 12:12 PM

Not buying..just have to see first. What happens to your favorite club or bar when it has run its course? You do a little remodeling, and CHANGE THE NAME! Bam!!

# 22 Epiffani @ 06/02/10 12:16 PM

Lets see, you've been widely rated unfavorable in comparison to the competition for almost a decade and running now. During that same span, you've seen the sales gap widen between you and the competition. The person whom you built a part of your marketing campaign around in 09, and who ultimately was supposed to bring "Live" back to prominence leaves you, and goes back to the competition due to you "going in a different direction that he didn't like and envision..." Now all of a sudden, in a year span we are suppose to call and view you as "Elite?" This name change makes no "since" (yes I used it incorrectly on purpose) and the article is filled with enough fluff to supply an entire 3rd world country with top-tier pillows. Until people like Peter Moore, and other big-wigs at EA fundamentally change their approach, and try not to be so concerned with the status quo, I don't see much changing in regards to the balance of power in basketball video games.

# 23 23 @ 06/02/10 12:37 PM

A one year dev cycle is a one year dev cycle, thats all im saying.

# 24 dexvex @ 06/02/10 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epiffani


	Lets see, you've been widely rated unfavorable in comparison to the competition for almost a decade and running now. During that same span, you've seen the sales gap widen between you and the competition. The person whom you built a part of your marketing campaign around in 09, and who ultimately was supposed to bring "Live" back to prominence leaves you, and goes back to the competition due to you "going in a different direction that he didn't like and envision..." Now all of a sudden, in a year span we are suppose to call and view you as "Elite?" This name change makes no "since" (yes I used it incorrectly on purpose) and the article is filled with enough fluff to supply an entire 3rd world country with top-tier pillows. Until people like Peter Moore, and other big-wigs at EA fundamentally change their approach, and try not to be so concerned with the status quo, I don't see much changing in regards to the balance of power in basketball video games.

Breh its a name. You all are reading into it a little too much. I mean what did you think Live meant lol. Besides do you read many PRs? Fluffing is the whole point, its gives non-gaming outlets ways to describe a game. The point is the game has pretty much been going up hill for a couple years and while beluba had a big part in that it was still the dev team that had to execute who is still there more or less.

# 25 dexvex @ 06/02/10 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nike Fattz


	Though it had it's problems, Live 10 wasn't, and isn't bad. I personally enjoyed it more so than I enjoyed 2k10.

thats what puzzles me. Why are people so up in arms when the last game was a big step up.

# 26 Kully @ 06/02/10 12:57 PM

Still taking the "wait and see" approach.

I don't expect them to come out with a brilliant game in one year. I'd like to see their progress however.

# 27 TreyIM2 @ 06/02/10 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dexvex


	thats what puzzles me. Why are people so up in arms when the last game was a big step up.

Yea, people seem to forget or just hate on what was built in Live 10. Plus, I don't think EA just built the real-time physics engine in just one year. Something like that usually takes much longer unless u have a huge team of, say, 100 people, entirely focused on building the engine, which is NOT the case for EA.

Not to mention, NHL 11 will be using the same engine. This engine was definitely being developed and tested for a long while behind the scenes and now that EA feels it's ready, they are introducing it in both games. Nothing to do with a 1 yr cycle.

# 28 Kully @ 06/02/10 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nike Fattz


	Exactly. I understand being skeptical, but lets not pretend Live 10 didn't play a fairly solid game of basketball. 2K10 wasn't head and shoulders above it.

Because it seems like yet another "reboot" of the series.

If they throw away the progress they made over 09-10, then I don't see how this would be a good game. They are introducing a (seemingly) new physics engine and control system which would probably take a lot of time and effort to produce. I can see why guys would be a bit down on the fact that all their effort could go into producing these new things while leaving the basketball aspect aside.

I'm not one of them, I'm just gonna wait to see what they do. I won't judge one way or the other.

# 29 clivo1050 @ 06/02/10 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreyIM2


	Yea, people seem to forget or just hate on what was built in Live 10. Plus, I don't think EA just built the real-time physics engine in just one year. Something like that usually takes much longer unless u have a huge team of, say, 100 people, entirely focused on building the engine, which is NOT the case for EA. Not to mention, NHL 11 will be using the same engine. This engine was definitely being developed and tested for a long while behind the scenes and now that EA feels it's ready, they are introducing it in both games. Nothing to do with a 1 yr cycle.

From what I hear from NHL 11, the new physics system is part of a 3 year plan to make the game entirely physics based. I assume there is a similar plan for elite. They will likely do some basic stuff this year and build upon it the next two years. Hopefully, they do ball/rim interaction physics, these have been terrible in live and 2k does this really well. I also expect player interaction physics to be in place this year. Expect some epic posterizations!

# 30 ehh @ 06/02/10 01:29 PM

Right now there isn't a single gamer that should take these words to the bank. They're fluff and they're meaningless. This is the fifth straight year EA is going to "change the way basketball games are played" and they've come up empty every time. This of course sounds the best out of any innovation yet but we all need to wait and see.

In theory this sounds promising, just like most of Live's past "innovations", but how will it be carried out? With such massive changes in one year you know there are going to be a million bugs in '11. There will be at least one major bug that's going to have to be patched, probably 2-3.

The final product of '11 is probably going to be similar to the past Live's, a few really strong areas, some okay stuff and a lot of areas that need major work. Probably a really enjoyable game for the first month and then its warts show and we grow tired of it. The fact that they're complete scraping their best asset (controls) has me worried.

I'm hoping 2K gives us some damn control back in 2K11 after two years of doo-doo or I might be in trouble with the NBA games this year. I can't believe I'm going to be looking at my fourth straight winter of CH2K8 being my main basketball game.

# 31 SageInfinite @ 06/02/10 01:32 PM

I smell more trash coming.

# 32 noshun @ 06/02/10 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SageInfinite


	I smell more trash coming.

I hear the garbage truck backing up: 'beep..beep...beep.' Now I'll have to wait and see if they will take garbage away or just dump it out of the truck.

# 33 23 @ 06/02/10 01:44 PM

Again man, after Live 06-Live -09, how can people question the scepticism?

The customer is always right and if I want to sell you anything I have to first prove it works. Going off of history it looks bad, but thats just what it is.

Of course its wait and see, that goes without saying, but at the same time Live 10 while not good in sales got its best reviews in years, even better than 2k10 on some sites, but it wasnt going to overtake them in a year, and bam new direction.

That kinda sticks out to people. Im just wondering where all the flak about why are people's antennas up. Its probably what EA wanted anyway

# 34 Epiffani @ 06/02/10 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dexvex


	Breh its a name. You all are reading into it a little too much. I mean what did you think Live meant lol. Besides do you read many PRs? Fluffing is the whole point, its gives non-gaming outlets ways to describe a game. The point is the game has pretty much been going up hill for a couple years and while beluba had a big part in that it was still the dev team that had to execute who is still there more or less.

The name "Live" didn't necessarily need to have a meaning per say unlike the undertones of the name "Elite." With a name like "Elite", I'm expecting nothing short of excellence. People can have the opinion of it being nothing more than a name change, but don't fault those who will now hold this title in a different regard, and expect this game to play "Elite." There's always an excuse for this game, and I already foresee the main one that people will use this year. "This is the first year of them using this engine, which will explain blah blah blah (glitch), give them time; this game has so much potential" How long do we have to temper our expectations, and how many built in excuses are we going to give this series (some even before the release of the game)? I don't care if the series has been "going uphill", especially given the pace that they're traveling there, and given their track record of not building upon, and fleshing out previous strengths in the series (DNA system first thing that comes to mind).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Moore


	“We plan to profoundly evolve the interactive basketball experience in a way that the category has not seen for a decade. In NBA ELITE 11, we’ll introduce a gameplay experience that gives fans the control on the court that they have been begging for in a basketball game for years.”

So if I hold them up to their fluff that their promoting in June come October, I don't want people like you saying that I'm being unfair. The funny thing is, why they are now promoting new revolutionary controls, a lot of people didn't have a problem with other control scheme.

# 35 TreyIM2 @ 06/02/10 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clivo1050


	From what I hear from NHL 11, the new physics system is part of a 3 year plan to make the game entirely physics based. I assume there is a similar plan for elite. They will likely do some basic stuff this year and build upon it the next two years. Hopefully, they do ball/rim interaction physics, these have been terrible in live and 2k does this really well. I also expect player interaction physics to be in place this year. Expect some epic posterizations!

Yea, I want some damn posterizations my, uhh, damn self, this year! Lol. Hopefully, the forcefield deally is a thing of the past. I want to put some nuts in defenders mouths. No homo. Ha.

# 36 Jano @ 06/02/10 02:25 PM

All I want out of either 2K11 or Elite 11 is a game that is free of huge frustations.

Last year Live did have that kind of gameplay I was looking for but it had its own nagging issues I couldn't deal w/. If this new years game can finally deliver a solid fun game of basketball I'll play it.

Damn a franchise mode or online features just give me a solid game of basketball then worry about the rest b/c if I don't want to play it who care about anything else. This new system EA wants to use seems like its finally moving in the direction I've been wanting to see for a long time now.

So I'm optimistic just like I am every year I just hope this year EA or 2K can deliver on a less frustrating game of basketball.

# 37 mrclutch @ 06/02/10 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23


	A one year dev cycle is a one year dev cycle, thats all im saying.

This

# 38 therizing02 @ 06/02/10 03:53 PM

Is there really any reason to be upset about this announcement? It's a freaking name change people!!! Who cares what they name the game?

Regarding the physics and the new direction of the game, it's about time. The dev team is in the same house as the FIFA and NHL teams. Two of the most successful sports title at EA.

23's claim of the one dev cycle will be spot on. I'm not suspecting big things this year, but that doesn't mean the game will be unplayable and not fun.

FIFA 08 was the first of a three year plan to get the gameplay right. While they added new game play modes, the core focus was to improve the on the field game play. There were no "back of the box" gimmicky features added over the 3 dev cycle.

In the first year of the dev cycle, the player movement and physics were completely overhauled and changed. FIFA 08 was instantly light years better than anything they had ever put out. They stripped a few key things out like tactics, but the new physics model instantly increased the shelf life, playability, and fun factor of the game.

In the second year, the physical play, contact, and jostling for position were completely ripped out and replaced with a new system that was again light years better than before. They added Custom Team Tactics and online team play.

Finally in FIFA 10, the tackling, foul system were retuned for the better, some upgrades to Manager Mode, and retuning and refining other aspects of game play make FIFA 10 the best yet. It's debateable, but I think the slight changes made to FIFA World Cup make that game even better.

NHL probably has a similar time line. I would suspect the same from the NBA Elite title. Just because it seems that they are starting from scratch doesn't mean next year's game will be unplayable. Let's just sit back and be patient.

# 39 ehh @ 06/02/10 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by therizing02


	Is there really any reason to be upset about this announcement? It's a freaking name change people!!! Who cares what they name the game?

Because the announcement is about alot more than just a change of names?

# 40 therizing02 @ 06/02/10 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ehh


	Because the announcement is about alot more than just a change of names?

Fair enough, but I think I clarified my point.

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