NBA Ballers seeks Chosen One

In 2005, the NBA sidestepped license exclusivity by signing long-term contracts with five notable publishers: Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Midway Games, Sony, and Atari. While sim basketball franchises were largely left to continue their annual installments unabated, EA and Midway were forced to take turns breaking ankles with their street-balling series.

With EA tossing out the current-gen rock for the first time in 2007 with NBA Street Homecourt on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Midway's NBA Ballers series will have its first chance to respond in 2008. Today, the publisher announced that NBA Ballers: Chosen One will jam onto the Xbox 360 and PS3 in spring 2008. As with previous installments, living the life of an NBA star is paramount, and players will guide their up-and-coming star to messianic status in one-on-one and two-on-two street games.

This year, Midway will be including the likenesses of more than 65 NBA superstars for players' created alter egos to square off against and with. New features implemented to the series are new camera angles to highlight "action movie"-style sequences, a new globe-trotting Chosen One Tournament mode, and the ability to learn NBA star's signature moves. Chosen One will also feature online multiplayer modes.

Midway's NBA Ballers: Chosen One has not yet been priced or rated.