NBA Live 13

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NBA Live 13
Nbalive13 placeholder cover.png
Temporary NBA Live 13 cover.
Developer(s) EA Sports
Publisher(s) EA Sports
Series NBA Live
Platform(s) Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Release date(s) October 2nd 2012

NBA Live 13 (stylised as NBA LIVE 13) is an upcoming NBA video game by EA Sports, scheduled for release for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 2nd 2012. It will be the eighteenth game in the NBA Live series (the seventeenth to be released) and the first game in the series to be developed by EA Tiburon, with all previous games being developed by EA Canada. It is technically the direct sequel to both NBA Live 10 and the cancelled NBA Elite 11, and is expected to be followed by NBA Live 14.

Title & Return to the NBA Live brand

Posts by members of the development team originally made reference to NBA Elite 12, suggesting that the NBA Elite brand would continue to be used rather than the series adopting another new name or returning to the NBA Live branding. However, in the announcement posted on April 5th 2011 that revealed there would be no NBA sim release from EA for the 2011/2012 season, Peter Moore simply referred to the game as the "next NBA simulation title", suggesting that the NBA Elite name would be dropped.

On February 23rd 2012, Kyrie Irving announced via Twitter that he'd had an opportunity to play NBA Live 13 while in Orlando for the 2012 All-Star Weekend. Inquiries by Kotaku revealed that EA Sports would indeed be returning to the NBA Live branding, as a spokesman stated "This fall we'll launch an all-new experience that captures the future of basketball with NBA Live 13." Reaction to the change back to the NBA Live name has been mostly positive.

Development

Several details about NBA Live 13 remain unknown as of April 2024 but the game will be a sim title featuring ESPN licensing and integration as per EA Sports' fifteen year agreement with the network. It will also feature staples of the series such as Dynasty Mode, while bringing back a variation of the right analog controls seen in NBA Live 2003 through NBA Live 10, moving away from the changes planned for NBA Elite 11.

EA Tiburon, perhaps best known for developing the EA's series of NFL games, has assumed development of the NBA Live series. On April 5th 2011, it was announced that the game would be coming out in the Fall of 2012, confirming that EA Sports would not be releasing a sim NBA game for the second year in a row following NBA Elite 11's cancellation. EA Sports' lone basketball release in 2011 was NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, a sequel to their reboot of the NBA Jam series.

Former President and current Chief Operating Officer of EA Sports Peter Moore commented briefly on the future of the franchise in an interview conducted at E3 2011. He reaffirmed EA's commitment to reviving the franchise and continuing to produce NBA games, following the renewal of their licensing agreement with the NBA in May 2011. When asked to comment on whether the physics engine used in other EA Sports titles will be present in NBA Live 13, Moore did not confirm that it would be included in the game but noted that technology is shared between development teams and would not rule out the possibility of its inclusion at some point. In an interview with Xbox360Achievements.org in May 2012, EA Sports Executive Vice President Andrew Wilson echoed Moore's sentiments of being committed to NBA Live and seeking to be innovative in future releases.

NBA Live 13 is a sim-oriented title that will strive for realism, with the new development team following the philosophy of "Move With a Purpose" as they seek to enhance player AI and movement in this year's game. It will feature improvements to passing AI, specifically the types of passes that players will attempt according to the situation and the selection of the recipient when using directional passing, with a player's offensive and passing abilities playing a role. Kotaku's first look at the game also confirmed improvements to player movement and court awareness, along with a return to the more traditional right analog dribbling controls last used in NBA Live 10.

EA Sports has also worked closely with NBA on ESPN producers this year in an effort to replicate ESPN broadcasts as precisely as possible, from overlays to screen wipes and more. Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy return to provide commentary in NBA Live 13, with Mark Jackson having left to coach the Golden State Warriors prior to the 2011/2012 season. The game will also feature arena-specific broadcast camera angles, a presentation feature first seen in NBA 2K12. The game also includes a camera angle that pays homage to the one used in early games in the series.

Among the details revealed at E3 2012 was the announcement that EA Sports has renewed their partnership with Synergy Sports, meaning NBA Live 13 will continue to use real NBA data in determining player tendencies and abilities. The game seeks to improve upon its predecessors in terms of team and player AI, touting features such as "Basketball IQ" and an "all-new Playmaker Engine". The AI in NBA Live 13 is intended to adapt to the user's strategy, while also evolving via data being pushed through from Synergy. NBA Live 13 also looks to improve upon post play, giving both offensive and defensive players sufficient tools to have an impact on the game.

NBA Live 13 features ANT animation technology, which it shares with EA's FIFA and NHL series. The engine allows users to break out of animations at all times, avoiding canned situations and enhancing the responsiveness of the controls. Following the criticism of the animations seen in NBA Elite 11, NBA Live 13 also endeavours to feature more polish with more fluid and realistic looking player movement.

On June 28th 2012, EA Sports revealed the overall ratings for the first 21 picks of the 2012 NBA Draft as each player was picked. On June 29th, the overall ratings for the remaining nine first round picks were revealed via the official NBA Live Facebook page.

Cover Player

The cover player remains unknown as of April 2024. The first teaser image for NBA Live 13 featured a silhouetted player which several fans speculated to be LeBron James, suggesting that he would be appearing on the game's cover. On June 26th 2012, the NBA 2K13 cover was unveiled, ruling out Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose as possibilities for the NBA Live 13 cover.

PC Version

The NLSC once again put together a PC Petition in the hopes of demonstrating the community's support and enthusiasm for basketball games on the PC. The petition was submitted to EA Sports in November 2011.

A few sites and online stores initially listed a PC version of NBA Live 13, giving hope of a PC release. However, on June 11th 2012 the game's official website was updated with a list of platforms, revealing that NBA Live 13 would only be released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

NBA Live Advisory Council

On February 27th 2012, EA Sports announced the NBA Live Advisory Council initiative. Fans were invited to submit their applications to be a part of the council, which would allow them an opportunity to meet with the NBA Live Development Team to provide feedback and suggestions for NBA Live 13. On March 28th, Shawn Drotar, Mario Drake, Scott O'Gallager, Corey Andress, Jordan Simmons, Harold Biscocho, Steve Bascombe and Dougie Veney were announced as the eight inaugural council members. The Council's first visit to EA Tiburon took place from April 10th-13th, 2012.

Screenshots

  • Amar'e vs Gasol

  • Ball

  • Baron Davis

  • Bulls vs Heat

  • LeBron James

  • Chandler vs Garnett

Links






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