NBA Live 11 News Post

Mike Wang Has Left EA Canada and the NBA Live Development Team

06:11 PM - February 1, 2010 by BrianFifaFan

NBA Live 11 has just taken an incredible blow.

Quote:


	"Mike Wang has left EA Canada and the NBA LIVE development team and will be heading back to the United States. I wanted to take this opportunity to personally thank Mike for his contributions during the 18 months that he was working on NBA LIVE. His vision and leadership within gameplay on NBA LIVE 10 was part of the reason why that game was critically reviewed as having taken a tremendous leap in quality and at least as good as any other basketball game on the market. Our goals for NBA LIVE 11 are simple. We want to be one of the best sports games on the market � on par with franchises like NHL, FIFA and Madden. In the coming months, we will show you just how we will do that. I wish Mike and his family the best of luck. Sean O�Brien"

Game: NBA Live 11Hype Score: 8.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 7 - View All

Member Comments

# 61 SageInfinite @ 02/02/10 12:20 AM

Sad to see Mike Leave EA. I would've truly loved too see what Mike would've brought to NBA Live in the next couple of years. I wish the team left to work on NBA Live luck. You guys are going to need it.

# 62 23 @ 02/02/10 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephensonmc


	I hope you guys are doing well, CV -- you're an animal BS -- you're a homer (j/k) 23 -- keep the peace my man Take care, Marcus

lol true enough

good to see you man, hope things are working out well for you.. we still miss you man

# 63 SHAKYR @ 02/02/10 01:46 AM

EA wanted to go more arcade than realistic with NBA LIVE and Mike Wang wanted no parts of this. EA needs to fire the head of marketing because he doesn't know anything about the type of customers who buy Sports games games. Most Sports games are bought by sports fans and they want their sport represented as deeply as possible. EA doesn't have a clue.

I might lose my good standing with EA and it's producers but I don't care. It is what it is.

# 64 JohnDoe8865 @ 02/02/10 01:55 AM

Hate to say it, but I kinda saw this coming yesterday in the "Where is Mike Wang" thread. It's like being in a tunnel and you see the train lights coming at you, but can't move. That's how I feel about Live right now, and they just lost the train conductor too.

No possible way to spin this into "good" news for NBA LIVE.

# 65 tabulaRasa @ 02/02/10 04:17 AM

How about trying to be on par with NBA2k10? Funny that he referred to only EA titles...

# 66 Tico Da Great @ 02/02/10 04:28 AM

Live ?

# 67 Pappy Knuckles @ 02/02/10 04:43 AM

Guess I better hold on to Live 10. Who knows what we're gonna get next year.

# 68 JohnDoe8865 @ 02/02/10 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pappy Knuckles


	Guess I better hold on to Live 10. Who knows what we're gonna get next year.

Yeah man, Live 10 is like a collector's item for me now. I wouldn't trade it for $60. The last sim LIVE ever maybe ...

# 69 ataman5 @ 02/02/10 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnDoe8865


	Yeah man, Live 10 is like a collector's item for me now. I wouldn't trade it for $60. The last sim LIVE ever maybe ...

You better; as i would do. As i've said that Live 10 is a game that could be played after 2-3 years of time; a classy sim game that i couldn't imagine before.

EA is just unbelievable; i've said in another thread before the news that there is no way Wang would be moved not in this world but i guess i forgot what EA is really stand for; money unfortunately and now the honeymoon is over for me with EA and live after i get back to it five years later; i believe i'll wait for another 5 or more to buy a live game again.

And this is even worse for any bball game fan; i hope that 2k would change its engine as it reached its peak and now it's tearing apart no matter who leads them, none of the brilliant ideas Wang have can be realized with that engine.

# 70 BrianFifaFan @ 02/02/10 07:48 AM

Well, there's that famous saying, "if it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck, it probably is a duck." This news just really brings me down about the Live programming vision. And I'm starting to agree with CV and those who have said that a lot of DC is going on. Mike Wang went back to the other team in Nov. and they just announced it yesterday? Sounds more like Jon R. let them know that the story was gonna drop today and they had to try and take the upper PR hand. But the article is so condemning of the EA's staff's vision about the future of the Live franchise, there is no spinning it.

So here's an open feedback comment that I hope the Live team really takes to heart. The game was working, even if the sales didn't show it. The controls are perfect in concept, if not polished in execution. The pace and flow of the game and base AI concepts are in the right direction with what feels good for a basketball title. Long story, short, the gameplay is the base foundation of where this game needs to hang it's hat. If you change it, you've totally missed the point.

NBA Live doesn't have the cushion that Fifa enjoyed over PES in the soccer genre, having licenses. There are licenses in both games, so NBA Live can't hide behind authenticity claims. The gameplay is what will be judged the most. And NBA Live has had terrible gameplay for a few years now. Now, there's a compelling arguement that it has surpassed the comp in that realm. It wasn't perfect, but it offered the control scheme and had superior momentum and footplanting tech to the comp. A stable foundation on which to build. If this is changed to be more "fun" or "accessible" you've once again missed the point.

The lead producer is talking about being a Fifa or NHL. Both those game took their lumps while rebuilding and eventually beat both of their competitors at their own game, being more authentic than the other. It wasn't about the traditional EA approach of Smoke and Mirrors with features and presentation. Those games hung their hat on gameplay. And gameplay that was different and controls that, while trying to be accessible, had depth to provide unrivaled gameplay experiences. And over time they took the throne by staying with the vision. If you guys don't try to out-sim 2k and stay the course, you'll lose totally. This is my one "game killer." If you change the controls from what they were, even one bit to be more accessible, I'm out. Not a threat, I'm just one little consumer, but a statement of what, IMO, was the single greatest evolution of the game in recent memory.... Brian

# 71 LingeringRegime @ 02/02/10 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianFifaFan


	The lead producer is talking about being a Fifa or NHL. Both those game took their lumps while rebuilding and eventually beat both of their competitors at their own game, being more authentic than the other. It wasn't about the traditional EA approach of Smoke and Mirrors with features and presentation. Those games hung their hat on gameplay. And gameplay that was different and controls that, while trying to be accessible, had depth to provide unrivaled gameplay experiences. And over time they took the throne by staying with the vision. If you guys don't try to out-sim 2k and stay the course, you'll lose totally. This is my one "game killer." If you change the controls from what they were, even one bit to be more accessible, I'm out. Not a threat, I'm just one little consumer, but a statement of what, IMO, was the single greatest evolution of the game in recent memory.... Brian

I wonder how many people on EA's board have this mindset? That the people out there want a game that is more arcade than sim? The reason that the FIFA franchise has proved to be successful is that it is very true to real life.

This has to be one of the dumbest business decisions I have seen in recent memory.

I am almost sure that is has to do with Natal.

# 72 econoodle @ 02/02/10 08:49 AM

Ouch, he tore up EA in that interview.
But, didn't we see this as the case with EA's Live?
Changing gears all the time.
They are all about the dollar and like in anything in life, when u hold the dollar up above all, things go south.

2k started a decade ago as the massive underdog, but with a team of hoops heads with a vision.
The money rolled in as a byproduct of that.
Because of the fantastic gameplay they also became media darlings.
Yes, of course money was a factor to them, but it wasnt the driving force.
Heck they sold NFL 2k5 for 19.99!

EA does not seem to understand this approach.

Yes, I dug Live this year, at least more then previous ps3 versions, but jumped over early season, but there was progress.
I an listen all day about how he was only one guy.
But funny how the game took a positive shift this year WITH that one guy.

All the stuff Mike said about EA in the interview? Its true right?
What makes this year different?
Why will Ea all of a sudden GET IT?

Next year, I cant even sniff it cause i know how this story goes.

Sorry, but I had to bring to 2k up as a comparison, since it applies here. Without mentioning them, my comments would seem incomplete.
Besides, its just a video game.

# 73 ehh @ 02/02/10 08:54 AM

Pretty sad day as a basketball gamer. I don't care what man is the key or what company makes the best game - this is not good. Live was on track to be something very special and now it's going down the crapper. I can't play the other game any more with the player control, though hopefully with Wang back over there it'll resort to 2K8 type control. There probably isn't going to be a solid alternative to 2K11 now, I'm going to continue to wear out CH2K8.

Hopefully we'll get some news that College Hoops is coming back to offset this.

# 74 Dice @ 02/02/10 08:58 AM

Just read the articles this morning. Man, this is a big blow to the Live franchise. And after they made huge strides in gameplay this year. With Mike Wang leaving, the 'I don't care attitude' with the College Basketball franchise AND with the disappointing sales of both it looks like EA Basketball is in serious jeopardy next year.

# 75 blues rocker @ 02/02/10 09:13 AM

it's not looking good for Live - they get Mike Wang and he does amazing things with Live 10, then they decide to "go in a different direction" and scrap all the good stuff that Mike added. what a waste. this just shows how backwards their vision is. it sounds like their strategy is to do the opposite of 2k and try to be "arcade," but that is the reason they've been losing to 2k in previous years - going "more arcade" is only going to make things worse in terms of sales...good luck with that EA, but I want a sim experience and if you aren't going to provide it, I'm going back to 2k.

# 76 monzel214 @ 02/02/10 10:38 AM

well ea going back to same **** that they was at before he came.its so sad cause they dont know how to make nba live better or more real like 2k is.they going un do what mike wang did for this yr live. they said they trying to make the best nba game but how u going to do that if they dont want to give mike wang the ship to to run it.I wont get nba live next yr cause they prolly remodel alll players again and make them like **** so my opinio ea neeed to jus give 2k nba license cause nobody going to buy live if they dont make it like 2k is that what mike wang was doing but the dude who run ea is a dumb or whoever run the company for nba live.

# 77 23bluesman @ 02/02/10 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnDoe8865


	Yeah man, Live 10 is like a collector's item for me now. I wouldn't trade it for $60. The last sim LIVE ever maybe ...

Live 10 for current-gen consoles could be what Live 05 was for the last-gen consoles..

Just got home from work, read these articles..i don't even know what to say at this point.

# 78 mvb34 @ 02/02/10 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oOausarOo


	So they are going to revamp everything yet again? How can they possibly compete operating like this?

We really don't know what will happen until the summer. Maybe a little at E3..

# 79 videobastard @ 02/02/10 11:53 AM

Did ea expect mike to wave a magic wand over night for this series to sell like hot cakes. It was in such bad shape that it was going to need time to heal its wounds.

Since the ncca basketball series is done i was hoping that there would of been more resources and help with mike to make nba live 11 a quality game.

Well it looks like it will be back to the 2k series for me. I hope mike can incorporate live's dribble system with the 2k series.

# 80 DJ @ 02/02/10 12:55 PM

Man, I just got back from vacation and this is not the type of thing I wanted to be reading, lol.

I really like Live 10 but now the future of the series is muddled in questions. I may need to give 2k10 a look, now that I know that I likely won't be returning to Live next season.

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