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The Drive to NBA Live

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.

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

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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!