Sean O'Brien Issues Apology for NBA Live's Quality, Promises Improvements

[The 24th Letter]

Let's face it, it's not often you see a gaming company not only apologize for a lackluster release but also vow to make tangible improvements to the product before the next version releases.

NBA Live 14 Executive Producer Sean O'Brien is doing just that, commenting on the rough week the folks at EA have had with the largely hugely negative feedback on NBA Live 14 and vowing to improve the title.

"We hear loud and clear that some of you are disappointed in various aspects of NBA LIVE 14, and I’m sorry if the game doesn’t live up to your expectations," O'Brien said. "Looking at your feedback, we have laid out a plan to make NBA LIVE 14 a better game as quickly as we can."

The plan to improve NBA Live 14 will involve Twitch Live streams to teach the skills that will help make the experience with Live 14 a better one by teaching about the gameplay mechanics within the game as well as blogs on the EA website. Currently there are three new posts on the Live website: a controller guide, perfecting your style, and levels of dribble.

O'Brien is also promising tangible improvements to the game. Graphics and animations will see "drastic and immediate" improvements in the coming weeks and months within the game.

With such a negative reaction thus far to Live 14, it is definitely a good sign that EA is ramping up to improve the product post-launch with so much support. This bodes well for the series' future, but this also puts EA behind the 8-ball to truly improve the Live experience sooner rather than later.

[jtdribbles25]

Re: LETTER FROM NBA LIVE 14 EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SEAN O’BRIEN

That's awesome. Way to own this situation! Kudos

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: LETTER FROM NBA LIVE 14 EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SEAN O’BRIEN

Much props and I'm glad they're acknowledging the game does have issues and that they're going to make every effort to improve the game, which could also help in the future.

[Epheles]

Re: LETTER FROM NBA LIVE 14 EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SEAN O’BRIEN

I'd like to see them succeed, competition is always a good thing and EA just has much better online than 2K. Was disappointed when I found out clubs wasn't in the game though, I would have purchased the game if so, gameplay problems and all.

Hopefully they don't give up on it and further on there's more parity. I think a lot of us would prefer great gameplay and modes over graphics anyway.

[Boilerbuzz]

Re: LETTER FROM NBA LIVE 14 EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SEAN O’BRIEN

Good stuff..

The guys at EA know where they need to make improvements...the best thing we can do is continue to give honest feedback and help them...not make excuses..it's the only way this series improves and we regain true competition...

But that's all I see. 12 months. Focus on (fill in blank) instead of visuals. It's intrigues me that the main issue he mentions his that the game is hard to learn... Really? That's the first issue you mention? Just the whole mantra that the game is hard to learn is troubling. I've known the game of basketball for a long time. Why should this game be hard at all?

With that said, it's fantastic that there is a public acknowledgement. Even though they've done this before (last year actually), still good to see.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: LETTER FROM NBA LIVE 14 EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SEAN O’BRIEN

Refreshing to see something like that come out of EA. Here's hoping that they actually can get things done. Interesting to see how they plan on making drastic visual improvements to Live 14. Maybe he meant 15?

[Klayups]

Re: LETTER FROM NBA LIVE 14 EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SEAN O’BRIEN

It's good of them to acknowledge shortcomings and it's good customer service to promise results on this years version but this could have all been avoided by being truthful in the beginning not hiding content. Perhaps then feedback could have been given prior to people spending $60 to beta test a game.

Clearly it wouldn't have been good business to do this, obviously. However the fact that this is even a business practice that is followed or seen as a good idea is the real problem.

Be honest and upfront with your customer base...especially when $ is involved. Hiding and being half truthful only makes things worse.

[Dr. Poe]

Whatever. You had three years to come out with a good product. At least score in the7-8 range. All reviews have this in the 4-5 range. They just put something out to get quick money. They didn't even try.

[bigeastbumrush]

Re: Sean O'Brien Issues Apology for NBA Live's Quality, Promises Improvements

SMH.

How about refund those beta testers who paid $60 and went out and bought the game.

If the game wasn't worth $60, they shouldn't have released it just to release it.

They don't deserve any type of props for this statement when they sat quiet for 3 full years and made no attempt to reach out to the gaming community for feedback.

Unreal.

[Scribe1980]

No letting EA skate here. Sorry. Owning up? Are you kidding me?

Hasn't released in FOUR years, still find a way to massively screw it up. Zero kudos. Tough. Only reason they even addressed it was because (surprise!) -- there is competition.

I might be turning into a crusty old man but you kids are way too forgiving.

[Klayups]

Re: Sean O'Brien Issues Apology for NBA Live's Quality, Promises Improvements

I have been in the industry and I completely understand how these things go. It's "Business" but @bigeastbumrush is right if you make a game these days you can use the community as a resource. More than just to show off your work or "community events" to get props or vitriol (if warranted).

The GOOD news is i think/*hope* this will be done going forward. I always felt like the SCEA team that works on The Show does this perfectly.

It doesn't take much to do this someone just has to do it, and it starts Top down by not being "The company that makes the game so shut up" but by being the company that loves its consumers, loves basketball and wants to do the best they can with the available resources with the most realistic transparency.

[oldman]

This is bogus. They knew the game was going to be garbage, that is why they didn't release any gameplay footage. Had they came out and said this two weeks ago and told people the game they would be releasing wouldn't be a final product I would feel different, but doing this now after they obviously knew it was going to be garbage is too little too late.

[spike83]

Re: Sean O'Brien Issues Apology for NBA Live's Quality, Promises Improvements

SMH.

How about refund those beta testers who paid $60 and went out and bought the game.

If the game wasn't worth $60, they shouldn't have released it just to release it.

They don't deserve any type of props for this statement when they sat quiet for 3 full years and made no attempt to reach out to the gaming community for feedback.

Unreal.

Sorry, but EA's apology means nothing. A good start would be to offer a full or even partial refund to the people who bought the game and are not satisfied...

[Nexgenrulz]

I guess the 3+ years they had to make improvements wasn't enough.

[DirtyJerz32]

Wow! Well done here EA. Now let's deliver on that and we'll see what happens.