Top Five Stories of 2013: NBA Live Returns

Feature Article

Submitted on: 12/27/2013 by Jayson Young

Like a backup player filling in for a fallen starter, Electronic Arts' NBA Live 14 had a chance this November to impress gamers and supplant its star teammate, NBA 2K14, while Visual Concepts' game sat on the shelf recovering from self-inflicted injuries.

But once the PR hype was over, and gamers finally got to see NBA Live 14 perform on the court, the title's many shortcomings revealed why NBA Live had been a "did not play, coach's decision" for three consecutive gaming seasons.

With review scores in the 30s to 40s (out of 100), and first month sales estimated to be around 60,000 total units, NBA Live's return to sports gaming's lineup has been a critical and commercial failure. More importantly, NBA Live's reputation, already weakened from many sub-par performances and canceled releases on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, may now be irreparable.

A franchise can only suffer so many lost seasons before, like the Charlotte Bobcats, the brand becomes thought of as a perennial loser. And unlike actual sports franchises, no simple name switch or logo alteration will change NBA Live's perceived quality, so long as the EA Sports insignia remains on the box.

To its credit, Electronic Arts has not yet given up on NBA Live 14. Roster updates continue to roll out on a daily basis, though they have not been as accurate or as instantaneous as the game's press releases originally asserted. Bug fixes and content updates, likewise, have been slower than expected, though still coming along.

All of this post-release support, while greatly appreciated by the few thousand people still playing NBA Live 14, may not even matter in the long run. The consumer trust that was lost on November 19 cannot be restored by any number of title updates or blog posts.

NBA 2K14's mistakes (virtual currency, trade logic, server issues), gave NBA Live 14 an opportunity to become the go-to basketball title in gamers' rotation.

It is an opportunity that Electronic Arts squandered, and one that the company may never see again on the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.

Consumers, like coaches, have a "dog house." And NBA Live is chained to it.

NBA Live 14 Videos

Member Comments

# 1 loosey101 @ 12/27/13 11:12 AM

I'll say this, while I agree with most of what was written, the game many of us play today is much different than the one released. I am thoroughly enjoying Live 14 and I've been a 2k guy the last few years. I think the presentation is killer, the ESPN integration makes the experience, at least for me, a lot more authentic. Yes the graphics aren't on par with 2k but they are still actually impressive. The latest patch has made gameplay and animations a lot smoother. I'm excited for the upcoming patches and I think this is a good learning experience and a stepping stone for EA. If you're thinking about buying the game, give it a shot but don't go in with 2k expectations. Understand that this game plays and looks different.

# 2 mlp111 @ 12/27/13 11:30 AM

great write up. I have to say that live 14 plays much better than release date, but however there are still some core issues in the game that keeps me from rating it any higher than a 6.2 at best. The game is impossible to play with user vs user (bouncetek cheese). But i do find myself enjoying it at times as well. We have a love/hate relationship, lol.

# 3 shutdown10 @ 12/27/13 11:52 AM

I have a played the game a while after the patch and admit they have improved it, but this cannot be what Nba Live 15 looks like if they intend to come out with it next year. This game needs huge visual and animation improvements next year or they will not survive. This is the next gen era now, so make the game have the next gen feel and look.

# 4 cmehustle @ 12/27/13 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shutdown10


	I have a played the game a while after the patch and admit they have improved it, but this cannot be what Nba Live 15 looks like if they intend to come out with it next year. This game needs huge visual and animation improvements next year or they will not survive. This is the next gen era now, so make the game have the next gen feel and look.

Idk, I would have to agree with the writer here. It reminds me of a buddy who had a addict girlfriend. Like how many times you gonna go for the excuse that, yea things will be different next time. Just take me back this one last time please. People just need to let it go.

# 5 shutdown10 @ 12/27/13 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmehustle


	Idk, I would have to agree with the writer here. It reminds me of a buddy who had a addict girlfriend. Like how many times you gonna go for the excuse that, yea things will be different next time. Just take me back this one last time please. People just need to let it go.

I agree with the writer as well because I think the damage they've done with this game early on will be irreparable to them going forward even with the patch improvements. The only way out of this is if EA pours more money into the graphics and animations to bring out next gen look and feel. They also have to be transparent from start to finish. What I mean is that they must not hide anything with their progress and have to communicate with their supporters on a consistent basis to build that trust back.

# 6 wxn8822 @ 12/28/13 09:02 AM

Yeah, the moment they start to be cryptic in their game-developing process and be reluctant to release any actual gameplay, people should know they have another trash in store...

Next time, I will know it.

# 7 CoachDavid @ 12/31/13 01:28 AM

I hope they can get everything square because 2k14 is failing bad.....
I dont buy Madden for the last 3 years after having a copy of every year since the nineties. 2k had me, I played 2 years straight on mycarear formerly myplayer. VC points have killed the game now servers and no way to play offline, crashes....

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