EA Still Working on a Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm NBA Live

[Steve_OS]

After delaying NBA Live 20 back in July of 2019, then following up later in the...

Written By: Steve Noah

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[Charles Bliss]

Re: EA Still Working on Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm Title

Why is everything with EA gotta be a secret when it comes to the Live franchise. Either you're making it or not! Their transparency have to get better. As far as them making multiple basketball games go that does not say much rather they are simulation or non-simulation. Maybe a NBA Street and possibly a college basketball game could be in the works.

[noshun]

Re: EA Still Working on Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm Title

EA wouldn't announce it on their own platform, lol.

[youvalss]

Re: EA Still Working on Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm Title

Interesting....

For those who didn't take the time to do it, I will say it again - if you take the time to edit players in Live 18 and especially increase court vision (between 75-99) you will have the best playing offline NBA Live game, in my opinion. The AI, ball movement and player movement is pure awesomeness. I wish EA continued to develop this version and improve after 19, which was worse in my opinion.

[youvalss]

Re: EA Still Working on Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm Title

Why is everything with EA gotta be a secret when it comes to the Live franchise. Either you're making it or not! Their transparency have to get better. As far as them making multiple basketball games go that does not say much rather they are simulation or non-simulation. Maybe a NBA Street and possibly a college basketball game could be in the works.

Looks like they are making it, but still need to decide if to release it, cancel it, show it in action and then cancel it, or just pretend it never happened. That's a lot to think about, it takes time.

One time I want EA to release a honest trailer for a basketball game with a cancellation notice at the end: "Cancelled on PS5 and XBSS/X this fall! Stay tuned!"

[BQ32]

Re: EA Still Working on Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm Title

Honestly, the more I have thought about this I believe it is the primarily the NBA's fault that NBA Live has not returned. If you look at 2k's licensing deal with the NBA it is costing them around 1.1 billion over 7 years which would be a little less than 158 million per year. That means just for 2k to break even on the licensing costs they would need to sell over 2.6 million copies of the game at $60 a pop. That is not even considering paying people to actually make the game, then market the game, then distribute the game, then give the console makers and pc stores their cut. It is incredible to think about how much they actually have to sell to break even on the game. Now they make a killing in microtransactions so we know they will still make a ton of money, but what about Live. Or what about another company wanting to make an NBA game without an established market. Live didn't really push microtransactions either so there is just no possible way that they can put out a product that would be profitable. I really believe they were making the game and intended to release one but the NBA just priced them out and that is why now they are having discussions on what to do with their HD basketball product.
I honestly wouldn't mind them just releasing a LIVE RUN game that is a LIVE service built upon THE ONE mode. They could try and replicate that feeling you get going to the courts or your local gym and playing some pickup basketball. They continue to update the game with new animations, move sets, features, apparel, etc. They could build competitive modes from it and then maybe have leagues to replicate and show off different skill levels. Myplayer online modes have become the most popular aspect of 2k and they have basically nothing to do with NBA so it might appeal to a lot of gamers if they can find the right way to market it. This way EA could invest in the actual game and release something with a lot lower risk level than paying the insane licensing fees. I am sure they have already completed a ton of work on the game already so a lot of what it would cost to make the game has already been spent.

[Charles Bliss]

Re: EA Still Working on Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm Title

Looks like they are making it, but still need to decide if to release it, cancel it, show it in action and then cancel it, or just pretend it never happened. That's a lot to think about, it takes time.

One time I want EA to release a honest trailer for a basketball game with a cancellation notice at the end: "Cancelled on PS5 and XBSS/X this fall! Stay tuned!"

I don't know you can't trust what EA says, they say one thing and do the complete opposite. According to the article the focus seem to be towards NBA Live mobile and not so much in the console and PC space. I could be wrong and also why can't they provide this message on their official Twitter and EA page to give their fans some kind of hope!! People are tired of the constant speculations.

[noshun]

Re: EA Still Working on Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm Title

Honestly, the more I have thought about this I believe it is the primarily the NBA's fault that NBA Live has not returned.

Did this guy just say it's the NBA's fault... The mindset of Live fans, blame everyone else but EA. This guy still can't refute any of the points I made. Adam Silvers fault.. Good grief Charlie Brown...

[zello144]

Re: EA Still Working on Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm Title

I still believe in NBA Live I'm delusional. I think EA will release another NBA game but they'll rebrand it and go with another name kinda like what they tried to do with NBA Elite before that got cancelled. Hopefully the rebrand is successful and not terrible like what happened to NBA Elite.

[youvalss]

Re: EA Still Working on Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm Title

One problem is that EA's basketball games (and I'm talking about NBA basketball offline) usually don't show the potential out of the box. It takes so much editing to discover a solid product underneath.


I wrote here earlier that Live 18 can be great with editing. But most people will never get there. I watch YouTube videos and can't believe it's the same game I play. It's like EA just doesn't care, a "whatever" kind of an attitude. I don't know why they do it.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: EA Still Working on Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm Title

Did this guy just say it's the NBA's fault... The mindset of Live fans, blame everyone else but EA. This guy still can't refute any of the points I made. Adam Silvers fault.. Good grief Charlie Brown...

Mannnnnnn....

Honestly, the more I have thought about this I believe it is the primarily the NBA's fault that NBA Live has not returned. If you look at 2k's licensing deal with the NBA it is costing them around 1.1 billion over 7 years which would be a little less than 158 million per year. That means just for 2k to break even on the licensing costs they would need to sell over 2.6 million copies of the game at $60 a pop. That is not even considering paying people to actually make the game, then market the game, then distribute the game, then give the console makers and pc stores their cut. It is incredible to think about how much they actually have to sell to break even on the game. Now they make a killing in microtransactions so we know they will still make a ton of money, but what about Live. Or what about another company wanting to make an NBA game without an established market. Live didn't really push microtransactions either so there is just no possible way that they can put out a product that would be profitable. I really believe they were making the game and intended to release one but the NBA just priced them out and that is why now they are having discussions on what to do with their HD basketball product.
I honestly wouldn't mind them just releasing a LIVE RUN game that is a LIVE service built upon THE ONE mode. They could try and replicate that feeling you get going to the courts or your local gym and playing some pickup basketball. They continue to update the game with new animations, move sets, features, apparel, etc. They could build competitive modes from it and then maybe have leagues to replicate and show off different skill levels. Myplayer online modes have become the most popular aspect of 2k and they have basically nothing to do with NBA so it might appeal to a lot of gamers if they can find the right way to market it. This way EA could invest in the actual game and release something with a lot lower risk level than paying the insane licensing fees. I am sure they have already completed a ton of work on the game already so a lot of what it would cost to make the game has already been spent.

Example 2,467,590,100 why this series is where it's at. It's the NBA's fault now? Sooooo the NBA should devalue their brand for EA (one of the 10 richest video game companies on the planet) to be able to properly make a game that they aren't entitled to have a license for? Make it make sense.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: EA Still Working on Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm Title

I still believe in NBA Live I'm delusional. I think EA will release another NBA game but they'll rebrand it and go with another name kinda like what they tried to do with NBA Elite before that got cancelled. Hopefully the rebrand is successful and not terrible like what happened to NBA Elite.

Even though Live's name has taken a hit over the years I still think the best course of action for EA if they're going to try to continue making NBA games is to keep that name. Live DOES still have a history behind it that connects with people's youth and when they were first getting into games and the fun memories associated with that.

Changing the name of the series doesn't make the internet forget what Live's recent history has been. People aren't stupid. They know that Live has become a joke and Live is EA Sports' basketball offering. If the idea is a new name getting people to give it a chance without pre judging it, all they have to do is look at the EA Sports logo slapped on the box to instantly nullify the whole point of changing name.

[Cam Fan]

Please let be EA College Basketball.

[stocksy]

Re: EA Still Working on a Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm NBA Live

At this point I’d rather it be

A - a college BBall game.

Or

B - an arcade Jam or street style game.

Or

Both…

Not sure EA can get back in the NBA sim game at this point…

I’d love a college game…. I’d like all three but I’d Put NBA sim at bottom as I believe it’s the one they’d make a mess of most with ultimate team and no effort to franchise mode and that’s all I want

[ILLSmak]

Re: EA Still Working on a Basketball Game, But Won’t Confirm NBA Live

I don't think the NBA is that huge of a selling point anymore. I also think people are tired of sweaties on the other game. I mean, kid on that game are actually crying on the mic when they get frustrated. It's its own beast.



Just a basketball game would be fine, as long as it's not straight moon-physics like NBA Jam. I don't think we need that. A "Street" game branded with a modified Live engine and y'know rando players + maybe some NBA Legends they can buy up, maybe some street lengends, celebs lool, whatever. It would be ok.



WE WANT A GAME WHERE WE CAN COMPETE AND HAVE FUN. Expectations are not that high.



It's like, in mentioning college bball, I think it makes more sense to stick with a coach, even through bad times, if you are a legit program. If you keep firing your coach and starting over, you have no consistency and are stuck in the same rut.



Same with "Live", whatever they are doing is making them meme-ier, and the more they mess around, the more they become irrelevant. They should worry less about being a meme on Reddit w/ Bynum Elite pix and just put out a bball game. Brute force through it. It'll work out.



I'm not an economist, but I feel like just having a bball game, as long as they aren't taking a massive loss, is good for the EA sports brand and will probably pay off in the long run.


-Smak