14 DAY TRIAL // Andrew Wilson, who is an executive vice president at EA Sports, has announced that the company no longer plans to launch NBA Live 13, citing once again concerns about the quality of the experience.
A statement from the executive says, “When we started the process of bringing back NBA LIVE, we knew it was going to be a long journey. We started by moving the game to a new studio.”
“We brought in some of the best new technology that has helped fuel innovation in our other games. We launched an even deeper level of engagement with our community to gather more feedback directly from fans,” he further argues.
He explains that all the right conditions and the resources that EA Sports has devoted to NBA Live 13 were not enough to create a complete and high-quality experience for an October launch.
Rather than deliver the game in early 2013, in the middle of the real-world NBA season, EA Sports is focusing on NBA Live 14 and plans to make that game a showcase of how a basketball simulation can look and play.
Wilson added, “I’m disappointed that we have not yet met our high expectations with NBA LIVE, but I remain motivated about where we’re going. We’re committed to delivering new innovation in online, and our progress in the visual presentation of the game continues to take big strides. We also know that a great game starts with great gameplay, and this remains a huge priority for us.”
The cancelation of NBA Live 13 comes after EA Sports also failed to deliver a core basketball game in 2011 and in 2010, when it canceled NBA Elite 11.
It’s not clear whether EA Sports plans to introduce a new installment of the arcade-oriented NBA Jam in order to tie basketball fans over until it managed to develop and launch NBA Live 14.