What's to Become of NBA Live?

[Junior Moe]

Quote: Originally Posted by PopcornJones77

This chart depicts how many units worldwide were sold by NBA Live vs NBA 2K since 2008: https://twitter.com/PopcornJones77/s...77770096852994 Data is drawn from vgchartz.com. To add context for how EA may financially see NBA Live today, EA's Star Wars: Battlefront sold 14 million units as of May 2016: http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/05/...top-14-million

Looking at that it's clear that the better team just won. Outright. At one point it was neck and neck, then 2K just took off and keep going. They didn't just capture the NBA console game market, they expanded it. Live has no one to blame but themselves. What's really sobering is that EA approached the NBA about an exclusive license back when they were gobbling up the NFL, Arena Football and NCAA. Could you imagine Live as the only NBA game option knowing what we know now?

[Mike Lowe]

Quote: Originally Posted by Barbatrucco

I think Nba Live, right now, to mark a turning point, should initially focus on a single game. Faithfully reproduced. And, I repeat, faithfully, in all its forms. Take a match, for example 1993 Ncaa Final Michigan vs Norh Carolina. Scan every single movement of every single player in the field through a program that manages to capture the movements of the players from a video. Then commit to play these exact movements. And, with respect, accurate. In 3D models. And then offer your product online on Steam, about 10 dollars. But must be reproduced all faithfully. From the interviews before the game, players ' warming. Television shots. Focus only on a single game and play it to perfection. Personally I'd play the final of the 1993 among the Fab Four and North Carolina if it were reproduced exactly as we see it in the video. And I repeat: exactly.

This sounds like a sports game for Sega CD. I say that in all honesty-it truly does, some football game w actual video you just watched that I forget the name of.

In my opinion, it'd be far too repetitive.

[Barbatrucco]

Look at this These are merciless numbers. Devastating. NBA Live Street is something already seen. It something old. Also, it can't minimally compete with Nba 2K MyPark. No. For EA Sports it takes a real revolution. And the only way, for me, I already said in other post, is to propose, via Steam, a single match. All forces, and the space of game that EA focuses on an entire game, now we must concentrate on a single match. Where everything is faithfully reproduced as we see in every Youtube video of every Nba Classic Game. Every single player movement. Every single reaction. Every single facial expression. All the engineers at EA, rather than reproduce hundreds of movements of players and play thirty arenas, must concentrate all their efforts on only 24 players and one single arena. But everything has to be reproduced down to the smallest detail. Choose a game, reproduce it faithfully, and sell it via Steam. Only in this way, focusing on a single game, will surpass every Nba game 2 k. Take, for example, game six of 1998 Nba Finals and reproduce it. In minimal detail. Perfectly. In M I N I M A L details. EA, i want to see something like this in that game. http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploa...NBA-Finals.gif You have one year and all your engeneers to reproduce perfectly, in graphics, fluidity, movements and everything, this game. If all of your engeneers cant do this working one year to do only one single match, they cant do anything to overcome Nba2K.

[Crunky]

I agree with Barbatrucco this is the only way with this way they will surpass 2k in the level of detail they have in their game. This idea will push the current gen consoles to their very limit graphically due to focus, time and resources put to use on one or couple of games. All they would have to do is focus on gameplay and animations since their won't be any features to the game. If the NBA live devs can't deliver something that surpasses 2k in the level of detail, graphics and animations by focusing on one part of the game then they were never good to begin with. They would have all the time in the world to mo-cap the animations so there'll be no excuses their. It will be a bug/glitch free game too since there'll have alot of time to fine tune the game with game testers. This is the only way for them to WOW us at this point, gamers love a good game even when they lack features and replay value.

[seanhazz1]

It's more and more apparent that LIVE team's biggest obstacle is the disgruntled fans. People who had jumped ship 4 years ago, or are planning to jump, and won't jump back for just a name or a promise, They require specific, likenesses to their current game of choice, and won't be happy until Live produces a virtual clone or a NBA street child.

I don't think that will happen in the near future.

In steps Frostbite 3. If this didn't excite fans of NBA Live series then nothing ever will, as it is also already seen in the graphical quality and detail of Star Wars Battlefront, Rory McIlroy's PGA Tour, Need for Speed, Battlefield 1, Mass Effect Andromeda, Dragon Age, etc., some amazing, highly rated, and highly acclaimed EA distributed games, some of which are already out. THAT is where my hope lies, that adaptation to "Frostbite 3" with improved physics and graphical detail will be a more than present surprise. Go look at those EA games released Last year using it, and compare it to any other game in its genre. Frostbite 3. In contrast 2K has been using the SAME engine and its definitely showing its age, so maybe they saw a window of opportunity to improve their backbone, a year before 2k is forced to support a new console (PSNEO or new Xbone). With the history of Frostbite I'm positive the graphical changes will be a definite, and noticeable improvement.

Some just won't accept Live as a worthy alternative behind 2k (and it is) for any reason. If 2k Studios suddenly went hiatus (for whatever reason)and Live was the only game released, people would definitely buy it and enjoy it, and bash 2k.

Let the mobile plan develop along with the cross platform stuff, Frostbite improvements, and wait and see. Too much negative feedback, but understandably so based on a few years ago, but that's the past to a rapidly growing gaming future. To contrast, Live has been constantly supported and improved with roster updates and patches like it never was in the past, even if they weren't vocal about it, and that should also encourage fans.

I just can't see them (EA) ever willingly giving 2K the monopoly some people here seem to be asking for in the Basketball genre, by saying they should them to bow out of the NBA sim market. They have supported Live 16 continuously, even if they don't tell us what they are doing, we are seeing it in the many improvements already set in front of us all, especially from 14 to now.

If this "inconvenient"(?) delay leads to a much better release, and more revenue for future NBA Live development, then I am all for it 200%, and will remain so until its officially cancelled, as I will be patient. Two game companies competing means two better games just about every time, and the improvement from 14 to 16 is night and day, literally.

No, I'm not a fanboy per say, I do own both games on both consoles, but I also enjoy a freedom to choose. I pay attention to details within the tech industry as a whole(part of my job). The industry we knew is rapidly changing, and if EA is choosing to change with it now, something they aren't known for here with all the forum bashing, then that's a good thing right?...especially if they can gain significant ground on a 3yr lead they gave to 2k.

Keep Hope Alive!

[noshun]

You guys/gals can sure post some of the most well thought-out excuses...

[Crunky]

Seanhazz1 I have to disagree the community relationship with NBa live is broken and will never be repaired. The reason why I say this is because gamers wishes were constantly ignored through the cycles of ps3/360. That built a lack of trust between gamers and EA/live devs, the live devs decided to implement ideas that catered mainly to a broader audience the casual gamer. The EA reps haven't adapted very well to the current gen consoles, their sticking to what got them here through thick and thin which was catchy features easy to pick up and play. That formula is so outdated its not even a joke, people want to see what they see on TV from very little details so they can feel immersed in the world of blurring reality to a video game.

Little things like poor animation quality they got away with on ps2/xbox won't cut it anymore there were low expectations due the consoles power back then. When you have games like Uncharted, Battlefield, GTA that consistently push the consoles to their highest limitations we expect the same from our basketball games. Few people have the luxury to spend $200 on video games per year so if your game isn't up to standards its tough luck. 2k gets this message that's why it doesn't matter if NBA live doesn't release another game 2k will still be driven to release the best product possible because they know their competing indirectly to games like madden, mlb the show and FIFA for gamers yearly purchase.

This is the reason why I say they need to scrap the current NBA and focus only solely on one match. Blur the lines of reality and video game with graphics, animation unseen unreal. Gamers from all over the world can appreciate and marvel at the great product produced. Gamers would purchase based on the expierence alone, all it would take is to focus your time, energy, resources on one match. Just imagine the level of detail because of no time spent on features or customization they wouldn't have to worry about anything else. People would buy just based on the expierence and reality of it all. On top of that it would be bug/glitch free due to all the extra time they would have.

[Nemesis Enforcer]

Please no nba street or cater to what 2k fans want other than a franchise mode with customization if indeed it will be a full release.

Live fans can take a punch. We aren't going anywhere!