NBA Live's Failure: The Reason is Baffling - RaychelSnr's Blog

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NBA Live's Failure: The Reason is Baffling Stuck

Posted on September 17, 2012 at 03:00 PM.

(62)

How?

How could EA sports so seriously drop the ball with NBA Live 13?

Why?

Why did EA Sports build from NBA Elite, a failed product when they had a stellar product in NBA Live 10 sitting around as well?

This was project management at it's worst, and this is a Eulogy for EA Basketball, at least for now. You can't make this stuff up, the trailer was horrific looking and we've been dealt another blow in sports gaming with another lost franchise this generation, whether EA wants to admit to it or not just yet..

You can't have two companies make sports games in this generation anymore if one is coming up against an established competitor. Sports games are just too complex, too much detail needed, too much work to accomplish in one year to build a franchise from the ground up and compete with established big boys.

The problem here is course is, EA had two years. And they spent it trying to build from NBA Elite, the game that was so bad it was cancelled versus NBA Live 10, the game that dared to challenge NBA 2K in terms of quality this generation.

Here's the quote from an EA rep as evidence of this approach:

"We're not going to get into that level of detail with this announcement. In early April, you saw where we were with this project and how ambitious it was, that they had to take down the code of Elite and rebuild it. Its easy to surmise that also took time, in the development cycle, to get the whole thing up to speed. It was an ambitious project and it is a challenging game to create."

It seems simple enough: EA mangled this project from the beginning. Had NBA Live 10 been updated and enhanced for the last two years, we would have a very competent game of basketball that could at least challenge NBA 2K13 in some respects, such as online playability.

Instead, EA chose to build from NBA Elite.

And thanks to that decision, EA will not be relevant in basketball gaming for at least 2-3 years, if ever. And in this era of gaming, where we are in the late stages of a console generation and preparing for a switch, it's better to just fold it up and try again on the new generation.

EA, you've lost this one. It's time to give it up and either build for the future console generation or simply yield to 2K's dominance.

What a shame.

Comments

# 46 jwtucker710 @ Sep 20

Totally agree! No excuses when EA has had 2 years to develop LIVE 13. I'm guessing something happened with their core production team (quit over salary or wanting to go another direction and couldn't see eye-to-eye with EA). That said, there is still no press release from EA that this game isn't coming out or if it will be a regular disc or download. If it was a regular disc for the PS3 or 360, I am sure there would have been a cover athlete by now. It is baffling, unless if they are, like suggested in the article, trying to do what they were trying to do with ELITE and it's taking a lot longer than expected. I agree, too, all EA had to do was use LIVE 10's code and update the graphics a bit and player models, rosters, and commentary.
Can't wait for 2K13, though. Looks pretty damn good so far.

# 47 SpartanBaller @ Sep 20

NBA Live 10 stellar??? I don't think so.

# 48 juicey79 @ Sep 20

Romieromeisp @ Sep 19 (1 Day Ago)

Its easy to judge a game you have never played. But thats human nature if collectively so many people are negative.towardslive that they have never even played it because they are too busy downing the game. Ive bought 2k thgpast w years and hardly play it yet find myself still playing live 10 and elite 11 which I found on ebay which to me could have been released. The game was solid but the controls were complex and a little ahead of the curve for simple gamers. Ea cover alot of sports titles many of you play today and if it were for ea, 2k wouldnt be possible. Ea paved the way and revolutionized the way we play sports games. To me the graphics looks more real then 2k. Sweat skin texture faces body type are great. Some saybthey are too small but I think 2k models too big and take up most of the floor. And also how you have to string combos together to pull off a simple move.Ea has great responsiveness and feel to the spots titles they manufacture. So to Ea good luck and 2k good luck but im a die hard live fan and hope ea delivers a great way for me to kick ***! Ea! Nba live is back!

My man there sig shots are horrible.....the game plays like a handheld title not a disc title...Oh its digital

# 49 SpartanBaller @ Sep 21

@ juicy79

Sounds like your more fixated on graphics rather than gameplay. Live used to be the game in the late 90's but hasn't been good in over a decade. I rather have good gameplay over good player sweating. But to each his own. One thing is for sure though, NBA live is NOT back!!!!

# 50 RawCITY @ Sep 26

I just don't agree that nba live 10 was any good.

# 51 Blessin @ Sep 27

Great article! I'm shocked! I don't understand NBA Live has been running since '95 NBA 2K has been runnig since 2000. NBA Live had a 5 year advantage; AND 2 years since NBA Live 10. What's the problem, that something decent can't be put up? THen again with all this said A lot has been going on for EA Sports, and basketball games are not easy to make. Even if NBA Live 14 comes out, NBA 2K14 will likely be bringing back crew and explaning even more. Regarless i was getiing NBA 2K13 anyways, been playing since NBA 2K7! Loved the NBA 2K13 demo!

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