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25th Anniversary of NBA Live: NBA Live 18 Retrospective

25th Anniversary of NBA Live: NBA Live 18 Retrospective

To mark the 25th Anniversary of NBA Live, we’re taking a look back at every game in the series with retrospectives and other fun content! This also includes re-running some features from our 20th Anniversary celebrations, with a few revisions. Whether you’re a long-time basketball gamer who grew up with NBA Live and are keen on taking a trip down memory lane, or you’re new to the series and want to learn about its history, we hope that you enjoy celebrating the 25th Anniversary of NBA Live here at the NLSC! Next up is a retrospective of NBA Live 18.

We’re almost at the end of our retrospectives, with just two games left to cover. Before we begin, which do you prefer: the NBA, or streetball? NBA Live 18 aimed to give us the best of both worlds, in the form of The League and The Streets. Even the cover emphasised the duality of the game, with two pictures of James Harden: one in his Houston Rockets uniform, the other in a plain singlet and shorts. The game wasn’t a disaster, nor was it a complete departure from previous titles in the series. It was clear that NBA Live was headed in a new direction though, and not everyone was happy about that; especially long-time fans of the series.

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NLSC Podcast #302: 25th Anniversary of NBA Live (Part 2)

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Episode #302 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! This week, it’s Part 2 of our celebration of the 25th Anniversary of NBA Live. Join Dee4Three and I as we cover NBA Live 07 through to NBA Live 19, look ahead to the future, and reflect on the series as a whole. If you haven’t caught Part 1 yet, be sure to tune in here!

We continue our conversation with a look back at NBA Live 07, a strong candidate for the worst game in the series. As we proceed to break down each game year by year, we reflect on the downfall of NBA Live, and the mistakes that have led to its continued struggles. We discuss what could have been, from the cut retro teams in NBA Live 08 and the full season version of Be a Pro in NBA Live 09 on PS2, to the disastrous change of direction with NBA Elite 11 and cancellation of NBA Live 13. The importance and selection criteria for cover players also comes up, and we reveal the NBA Live 13 cover player that was never officially announced. That brings us to the current generation as we recap the series’ ups and downs since returning with NBA Live 14, and how it’s looking as of NBA Live 19. Once again, we touch on what we want to see in NBA Live 21 and beyond. We wrap up with our fondest memories of NBA Live, our favourite games in the series, and thoughts on what it’s meant to us these past 25 years.

Tune in below!

What are your memories of NBA Live 07 through NBA Live 19? What are your thoughts on the future of the series? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

NBA Live 20 Cancelled; Series Returning Next Gen

NBA Live 20 Cancelled

After months of speculation and radio silence, EA Sports has officially announced that NBA Live 20 has been cancelled. Instead, the series will be returning on next gen consoles. The following statement was posted on the game’s official social media accounts:

For some time, we’ve been putting in reps on our console basketball games.

We’re excited by our progress but remain hyper ambitious – so we’re not going to release NBA LIVE 20 this season. Alongside the NBA and NBPA, we have our sights set on creating something fresh for the next generation of players and platforms. We know we need to earn our future every step of the way, so we’re taking time to get it right for our players. We promise to check back regularly with updates.

Until then, we’ll be on the grind…

Although the game was never officially announced, it was listed (and subsequently pushed back) in EA’s financial reports as an upcoming release. The situation is reminiscent of the cancellation of NBA Live 17/The Drive to NBA Live, which was originally intended as a later release but ultimately got pushed back and was finally released as NBA Live 18. Hopefully this decision will be for the best, and the game can cater to the needs of sim gamers; especially given EA’s previous comments about a new direction and demographic.

We’ll have more to say on the NLSC Podcast, but in the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts on NBA Live 20 being cancelled in the comments below, as well as here in the Forum. We’ll also be continuing our 25th Anniversary of NBA Live celebrations, as it’s still marking a milestone and we’ve got some fun stuff planned. Stay tuned for that, and more updates on the future of NBA Live as they’re made available.

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.

Wayback Wednesday: LeBron James’ Free Agency in NBA Live 10

LeBron James in NBA Live 10

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content.

Since I’m still working on a few retrospectives for Wayback Wednesday (as well as our ongoing 20th Anniversary of NBA Live content), I’ve been looking through the archives for something fun and interesting to share with you this week. Combing through an old folder of images, I came across a collection of screenshots of LeBron James in NBA Live 10. I took them in May 2010 for an article that was looking ahead to his upcoming free agency, and speculating upon which jersey he might be wearing come the 2011 season. Since LeBron announced his number change prior to his free agency, he’s wearing number six in all of them.

As it happened, both LeBron James’ career and the fortunes of the NBA Live series took an infamous turn just a few months later. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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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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The Friday Five: 2016 Year in Review

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.

We do have one more Friday left in 2016, and I expect that I’ll post a column as usual next week, but just in case I do have to skip it, I thought that I’d post my Year in Review edition of The Friday Five this week instead. As the year draws to a close, it’s obviously a time to celebrate the holiday season and spend time with loved ones, but we also can’t help but reflect upon the past twelve months. For one reason or another, it seems that a lot of people had a rough time in 2016, and if you can say the same, then I hope we were able to lift your spirits at times.

Of course, it was something of an up and down year in our community, too. There was some big news about NBA Live, a new NBA 2K release, and a lot of activity in terms of discussion and modding releases. There was also some stress and uncertainty back in June as we searched for a new home, and ultimately were able to move to a new host. I’ll no doubt have some final reflections in my annual New Year’s Eve post, but for now, please join me as I take a quick look back at the year that was, and ahead to the year to come.

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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 #189

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Episode #189 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! News is slowing down with the holiday season upon us, but Arcane and I still have a few things to talk about this week, including another exciting win in 2K Pro-Am, further thoughts on Patch 1.07 for NBA 2K17, and the passing of a broadcasting legend.

On this week’s show…

  • Patch 1.07 is out now for the PC and Xbox One versions of NBA 2K17. Once again, we can’t help but remark on the difference in size between the three patches, despite them all containing the same content and fixes.
  • The next eSports tournament for NBA 2K17 has officially been announced, with another $250,000 up for grabs. We’re not able to take part, but that might actually be for the best.
  • In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: a clutch victory with unexpected heroics in 2K Pro-Am, and dusting off a couple of classics.
  • The NBA and Players Union have come to terms on a new agreement, thankfully avoiding a lockout at the end of the season (or so it would seem).
  • We wrap up Episode #189 of the NLSC Podcast with a discussion of the late Craig Sager, and some of the beautiful tributes from players, coaches, and broadcasters in the wake of his passing.

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.