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NBA Live 17

Next NBA Live Game Coming in the Fall

NBA Live 16: Kawhi Leonard

While we’re still waiting for detailed information regarding the future of the NBA Live series, Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson has revealed during an investor call that the next game will be coming in the Fall, and not early 2017 as originally planned. While it previously appeared as though EA Sports would release some sort of preview or demo of the next game this quarter, it seems they will instead be going full steam ahead on the next game, which will presumably be titled NBA Live 18.

Acknowledging the series’ troubled history over the past decade or so, Wilson also noted great optimism about the next NBA Live title, explaining that having seen and experienced the game as it is now, the feeling was that it was a lot of fun, and that the better approach would be to “double down” and “launch it as a full beat later this year”. This lends further credibility to the rumours that “The Drive to NBA Live” would have been a stripped down release, essentially previewing the next game.

It would seem that while EA Sports does feel good about the product as it stands today, they have decided that it will be more successful if it launches as a fully featured title in the traditional release window. While another cancellation, a lack of information or previews, and the series’ shaky history in recent times are definitely cause for scepticism amongst basketball gamers, I would suggest that there is merit to that line of thinking. With the last few NBA Live releases lacking depth in their modes, it’s essential that the next game not only features vastly improved gameplay, but is also a robust and well-rounded experience.

Hopefully, it won’t be too long before specific details emerge about the future of the series, and some of the things that have been worked on. We’ll be sure to post any information as it becomes available, as well as do our best to set up some interviews with the developers as soon as possible. In the meantime, feel free to have your say in the comments section below, as well as in this thread in the Forum.

The Friday Five: 5 Suggestions for LIVE Pro-Am in NBA Live

The Friday Five

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown.

As you may know from previous articles and the NLSC Podcast, I’ve become a big fan of 2K Pro-Am in NBA 2K16 and NBA 2K17. I was originally sceptical of 2K’s approach, and after playing LIVE Pro-Am at an NBA Live 16 community event, I figured that its quicker games would be more fun. However, I’ve come to like the 2K Pro-Am concept a lot more, and find myself wishing that LIVE Pro-Am could find a way to cater to those tastes as well. There are definitely aspects of 2K Pro-Am that NBA Live could stand to borrow, while implementing them in its own style.

Of course, I don’t want to see LIVE Pro-Am simply become a clone of 2K Pro-Am. While I think there are features it should look to borrow, it has its own concepts that are worth building upon. It has the potential to cater to fans of the 2K Pro-Am approach, while also offering a different experience with its own appeal. In fact, by combining a few concepts that we’ve seen in both games so far, NBA Live could potentially end up with the deeper and more varied Pro-Am mode. Here are five suggestions that I believe would help achieve that.

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The Friday Five: 5 Roster Editing Needs in NBA Live

The Friday Five

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown.

Great gameplay is paramount, deep game modes keep us hooked, but another essential element of any basketball video game is customisation. It’s an area where NBA Live has been lacking since its comeback in 2013, and although NBA Live 16 did see the return of gameplay sliders, roster editing was still missing. It’s an issue that many of us have grown impatient about, and to that end, it’s vital that roster customisation returns to NBA Live in the next full release. If what’s coming in the first quarter of this year is a stripped down release or demo as currently speculated, it would be understandable if there isn’t any roster editing in that.

But yes, the next full version of NBA Live absolutely needs to provide us with roster editing functionality. As I’ve said many times before when discussing this topic, it’s nice to have the official roster updates, but there are times when we want (and need) to make our own changes, and we should be able to do that. Roster editing has been a staple of basketball video games for a long time now, and there are a few functions in particular that we need to have. Without any further ado, here are five roster customisation features that I believe NBA Live needs moving forward.

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NLSC Podcast – Episode #192

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Episode #192 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we discuss the announcement that NBA 2K18 will be available on the Nintendo Switch, the latest rumours surrounding the next NBA Live release, and a couple of other news items from the past week.

On this week’s show…

  • Visual Concepts has announced that NBA 2K18 will be available on the Nintendo Switch. We discuss the Switch’s viability as a primary platform for basketball gaming.
  • Something is in the pipeline as far as the next NBA Live game is concerned. Following on from last week’s speculation, we talk about the as yet unannounced demo, “The Drive to NBA Live”, and what it could mean for the future of the NBA Live series.
  • Millertime2325 has released an excellent mod for the Super Nintendo version of NBA Jam Tournament Edition, NBA Jam 2K17. Play an old favourite with 2017 season rosters!
  • We originally decide not to talk about Our Week in Basketball Gaming – it’s been a bit of a tough one – but then we do anyway. NLSC THRILLHO reaches the Elite tier (then experiences some tough losses), and our MyCAREER games roll on.
  • Episode #192 of the NLSC Podcast wraps up with some fantastic news about the future of sleeved jerseys, now that Nike will be taking over.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

Latest NBA Live 17 News & Rumours: The Drive to NBA Live

The Drive to NBA Live Banner

We’re still waiting on official announcements and news regarding the next NBA Live game, which is currently slated for release in the first quarter of 2017. Recently, EA Sports have been responding to inquiries via the official NBA Live Twitter account, encouraging gamers to stay tuned without giving away too many details. However, a couple of interesting details have recently surfaced through unofficial channels.

NLSC Forum user RJHUNT3R shared this link to a game classification decision for Electronic Arts Korea, referring to “The Drive to NBA Live” on the Xbox One. Further information refers to it as a sports simulation game, and the latest demo for the NBA Live series.

NBA Live Society member TrapSwish also Tweeted out a teaser image featuring the title “The Drive to NBA Live”, along with three flame emjois. Thanks to zzcoolj21 for the heads up!

This would certainly indicate that at the very least, a demo is in the pipeline. However, as we’ve speculated in previous episodes of the NLSC Podcast, it’s also possible that the forthcoming title will be a stripped down release, perhaps featuring a couple of modes, with a fully-featured game coming later in the year. It seems highly possible that we’ll receive a digital-only release in the form of The Drive to NBA Live at some point in the next couple of months, and then a fully featured NBA Live 18 in the Fall.

Naturally, this is all subject to confirmation right now, as we’re still waiting on EA Sports to make an official announcement about the future of the series. However, there’s definitely something in the works beyond the mobile game, and if nothing else, it’s looking like some kind of demo will be available in the near future.

We’ll be discussing this development and offering up further speculation in Episode #192 of the NLSC Podcast, but in the meantime, feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section below, as well as in this thread in the Forum. We’ll definitely post more news as it becomes available, and hopefully we’ll also be able to line up a couple of developer interviews as soon as possible, so stay tuned!

The Friday Five: 5 Suggestions for Dynasty Mode in NBA Live

The Friday Five

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown.

Last week, I posted five suggestions for enhancing the gameplay in NBA Live 17 and beyond. While it’s important that the gameplay delivers a quality experience, basketball video games also need robust modes if they’re going to hold our interest for any length of time. After all, no matter how fun and realistic the gameplay, a string of meaningless exhibition games is going to get boring after a while. It’s therefore vital that NBA Live’s franchise, career, and card collecting modes are all deep and engaging experiences. The addition of a couple of other modes – such as All-Star Weekend – wouldn’t go astray, either.

For the moment, however, let’s focus on Dynasty Mode. It’s traditionally been my mode of choice in NBA Live, and it’s the mode with the longest heritage in the series. Right now, Dynasty is functional, but it’s also missing a lot of basic functions and features that could be found in its predecessors. Simply bringing back those elements would be a significant improvement for the mode, but I am hoping that future NBA Live games can go even further in fleshing out the franchise experience. Here are five suggestions that I believe would help achieve that goal.

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NLSC Podcast – Episode #191

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Episode #191 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! We’re tipping off a new year of podcasts with some speculation on the future of NBA Live, a recap of what’s been happening with NLSC THRILLHO these past few weeks, and a couple of other topics.

On this week’s show…

  • Early 2017 should be an eventful time for basketball gaming, with NBA Live 17 currently slated for release in Q1, and 2K Sports holding eSports tournaments for NBA 2K17.
  • When do we think we’ll start receiving some NBA Live 17 news? Are we standing by our previous predictions?
  • All things considered, is it likely that EA Sports will end up skipping the scheduled Q1 release and simply go ahead with NBA Live 18 later this year?
  • What frustrates us the most about NBA Live and NBA 2K?
  • In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: Win #100, another epic overtime win, and some big numbers in 2K Pro-Am. Also, some MyTEAM tales and tips.
  • We wrap up Episode #191 of the NLSC Podcast with some NBA talk. Russell Westbrook is still averaging a triple-double, Kyle Korver has been traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the 2017 All-Star Weekend looms.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

The Friday Five: 5 Suggestions for Gameplay in NBA Live

The Friday Five

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown.

2017 is upon us, which means it shouldn’t be too much longer before we start receiving news about NBA Live 17. It remains to be seen what EA Sports’ plans are for the NBA Live franchise; the next instalment is set to be released in the first quarter of this year, but what will it entail? Will it be a smaller, digital only release, with a fully-featured NBA Live 18 released later in the year? Or can we expect a full game? Only time will tell, but for now, I thought that I’d spend a few editions of The Friday Five discussing what I’d like to see in forthcoming NBA Live titles.

Late last year, I discussed my ideas for crafting NBA Live’s comeback in a Monday Tip-Off column. There’ll probably be a little bit of overlap with that feature, as I’m obviously still interested in seeing NBA Live make the improvements that I’ve already outlined. I’ll just be going into a few of the things that I previously discussed in more detail, since I’ll be spreading the discussion out over multiple columns. With that being said, let’s tip things off with what most of us would consider the most important aspect of any video game: the gameplay.

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NLSC Podcast – Episode #190

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Episode #190 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! It’s our 2016 Year in Review episode, as we’ll be taking a short break before resuming our digital broadcasting duties in early January. Thank you to everyone who has tuned into the NLSC Podcast throughout the year; we greatly appreciate the support!

On this week’s show…

  • We tip things off by talking about our Basketball Game of the Year. Or, in other words, which game we’ve enjoyed the most out of the three that we’ve been playing regularly at some point over the past twelve months.
  • There’s been some interesting and surprising news and events in 2016, both in basketball gaming and the real NBA. We recap some of the major stories, including NBA Live 17’s delay, the mixture of controversy and exciting details during the NBA 2K17 preview season, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ championship, the retirement of several big names, and more.
  • Back in June, we had a stressful time here at the NLSC when it looked like we might have to scale back or even shut down operations after our former host informed us that they were closing up shop. Fortunately, we found a new home and expect to be around for a while yet. Thank you to everyone who has donated to the hosting fund, or continues to support the site in other ways!
  • As 2016 draws to a close, we look ahead to 2017. What do we want to achieve next year? What are some of the things that we have planned? We have a few ideas, and hope that you’ll stick around for the ride!

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

NLSC Podcast – Episode #187

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Episode #187 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane, Kenny, and myself as we react to the fallout of Park After Dark, offer up further thoughts on the recent NBA 2K17 patches, discuss NBA Live’s social media presence, and catch up on Our Week in Basketball Gaming.

On this week’s show…

  • Park After Dark wasn’t quite as successful as 2K Sports and MyPARK enthusiasts were hoping it would be, with many prominent YouTubers harshly criticising it. We react to the fallout, and offer up a couple of thoughts on the event.
  • There’s been some discontent in our community regarding the recent patches for NBA 2K17. Are the patches messing up the game more than they’re fixing and improving it?
  • Do NBA Live’s social media accounts offer any indication as to what’s happening with NBA Live 17? What will happen with NBA Live Mobile as we get closer to the game’s console comeback?
  • In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: Struggles for NLSC THRILLO, success in MyCAREER, and the best trade in the history of franchise modes in MyLEAGUE.
  • We wrap up Episode #187 of the NLSC Podcast with some good news about Isaiah Austin.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

Monday Tip-Off: Crafting NBA Live’s Comeback

Derrick Rose on the New York Knicks in NBA Live 16

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games.

Last week, we received a very small snippet of news about NBA Live 17, courtesy of a brief interview with Senior Producer Mike Mahar. While we still don’t know a lot about what’s happening with NBA Live, we do know that the development team is still working on a console version of the game, and that a release is slated for the first quarter of 2017. We also know that there’s a different team working on NBA Live Mobile (thus its development does not affect the console version), and thanks to Mike’s interview, we’ve discovered that gameplay, animations, and new ways to play certain game modes have been a focus.

Of course, when it comes to future NBA Live releases, the proof will be in the pudding. After all, we’ve heard those promises before, and while the series has made progress since its rocky return with NBA Live 14, there’s still plenty of untapped potential and room for improvement. I would really like to see NBA Live get back to where it once was, and I hope that whatever EA Sports is working on right now will be a big step in the right direction. What do I consider the “right direction”? Well, here’s how I would craft NBA Live’s comeback.

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NLSC Podcast – Episode #186

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Episode #186 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we discuss Patch 1.06 for NBA 2K17, the upcoming Park After Dark event in MyPARK, a tidbit of NBA Live 17 news, and more.

On this week’s show…

  • 2K is presenting the “Park After Dark” event in MyPARK this weekend, with Snoop Dogg making an in-game appearance as DJ Snoopadelic. It’s not really our thing, but it does sound kind of fun for MyPARK players.
  • NBA 2KVR has been announced. Might some of the technology be adapted for use in the main game in future years?
  • NBA 2K17 has received Patch 1.06. Although some issues have been resolved, unfortunately it seems that some new bugs have also arisen, and not everyone is happy with the tweaked gameplay.
  • We’re starting to hear promising bits and pieces about NBA Live 17 from developers on social media. Senior Producer Mike Mahar also had a few things to say about the game in a recent chat to FOX 13 News in Tampa Bay.
  • In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: An enjoyably successful run in 2K Pro-Am, two more quadruple-doubles in MyCAREER, and a surprising lack of loyalty.
  • We wrap up Episode #186 of the NLSC Podcast with some NBA chatter, including the Detroit Pistons’ impending move to a new arena, Zach LaVine’s incredible 360 dunk from the foul line, and Kevin Love’s big first quarter against the Blazers.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

Interview with NBA Live Senior Producer Mike Mahar

LeBron James dribbles the basketball in NBA Live 16

FOX 13 News has posted a piece on Orlando native Seann Graddy, who is now the Executive Producer of the Madden series. More relevant to our community however, the article notes that not all of EA Sports’ titles have been as successful as Madden, and concludes with some notes about NBA Live 17, as Senior Producer Mike Mahar was also interviewed.

Although he didn’t give a specific release date for NBA Live 17, Mike did say that the game would be released “sometime in the calendar year 2017” (for the record, EA has listed it as a Q1 release). He also wasn’t able to go into great detail about NBA Live 17 at this time, but did mention that the focus is on improving gameplay and animations, and adding some new ways to play certain game modes.

Mike was also very candid in discussing criticism of NBA Live in recent years, and noted that the development team is listening to (and indeed seeking out) feedback that they can put to good use. You can watch his chat with FOX 13 News’ Chris Cato here.

A couple of NBA Live developers have also been posting about the game on Twitter recently. While they haven’t been able to go into great detail, it would seem that work is progressing quite nicely on the game, and more news might not be too far away. We’ll certainly post any information that we come across, and look to set up some interviews and whatnot as soon as we’re able.

NLSC Podcast – Episode #185

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Episode #185 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane, Kenny, and myself as we discuss recent modding releases, issues with YouTubers getting banned in NBA 2K17, and a few other topics of interest from the past week.

On this week’s show…

  • We tip off Episode #185 of the NLSC Podcast with a round-up of the latest releases from our talented NBA 2K17 modding community. Some excellent retro mods have been created so far!
  • It seems that Patch 1.06 for NBA 2K17 is in the pipeline. What do we expect it to fix? What do we want it to fix?
  • Dime Magazine recently posted a countdown of the ten funniest glitches in NBA 2K. Which ones have we experienced ourselves?
  • There’s been a lot of dissatisfaction with 2K Sports recently, as several YouTubers have been banned for unclear Terms of Service violations. We discuss 2K’s handling of the situation.
  • What are some of our favourite jerseys that aren’t available in NBA 2K17?
  • In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: a reminder that career modes have come a long way since NBA 2K10, and the most recent 2K Pro-Am games for the NLSC THRILLHO squad.
  • We wrap things up with a couple of NBA topics, namely Tim Duncan’s impending jersey retirement, and a record for Aussie NBA players.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

NLSC Podcast – Episode #184

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Episode #184 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we discuss Patch 1.05 for NBA 2K17, offer up some more thoughts on what might be happening with NBA Live 17, and talk about a couple of other topics from the past week.

On this week’s show…

  • We’ve started the ball rolling on our NBA 2K18 Wishlist, and encourage everyone to get involved in posting some constructive feedback for the development team.
  • Off the top of our heads, what are some of the main issues we’d like to see addressed in NBA 2K18?
  • Patch 1.05 has been released for NBA 2K17, addressing several bugs and tuning a few elements of the game. Some fixes are working better than others, but at least the timeout glitch is gone from 2K Pro-Am.
  • New rosters are also coming through for NBA 2K17 again, and a recent update has added Steve Nash back to the 2003 Mavericks and 2005 Suns.
  • What do we make of the radio silence from EA Sports regarding NBA Live 17? What do we think is going to happen with the game, and what are our expectations?
  • In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: tough times and bratty kids in 2K Pro-Am, and a milestone achievement in MyCAREER.
  • We wrap up Episode #184 of the NLSC Podcast with some NBA talk, including Stephen Curry’s record-breaking thirteen three-pointers in a game, and Dwyane Wade’s first game against the Heat.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.