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NBA Live 13 canceled

EA Sports' cans upcoming professional basketball simulator ahead of previously planned launch this fall.

NBA Live 13 has been canceled. Writing on the game's official website, EA Sports executive vice president Andrew Wilson said the studio has made the decision to can this fall's professional basketball simulator after recent builds proved less-than-acceptable.

"Making great games is not easy," Wilson said. "And we're just not there yet on NBA Live 13. Having continued to look at the game over the past few days, it's clear that we won't be ready in October. And rather than launch midway through the season, we're going to sit out the full year and stay focused on making next year’s game great.

Wilson added that he was "disappointed" that NBA Live 13 is not going to release. Despite the shortcoming, he added that the studio remains committed to delivering an innovative product next year. He said the game's visuals have made "big strides" and tuning gameplay will be a "huge priority" moving forward.

"This wasn't an easy decision, but it's the right one for our fans," he added. "I hope you'll agree when you're able to play the game next year."

Though never confirmed, it was believed that NBA Live 13 would be a $20 downloadable game for Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.

This is the second NBA title that EA has scuttled. In November 2010, EA announced that it would not go forward with NBA Elite 11. NBA Live 13's cancellation means Take-Two's NBA 2K13 will again be the only major professional basketball simulator on the market this season. That game arrives next month.

Eddie Makuch
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

178 comments
interrasteral7
interrasteral7

I thought it was impossible for EA to release NBA Live 13 as a downloadable game and it looks like I was right.

SavoyPrime
SavoyPrime ranger

Saw this coming when the game went dark after the horrible E3 showing. Then when the gameplay vid and horrible trailer hit the internet, it was officially a wrap. R.I.P. Live. You were the bomb back in the Genesis era.

x_hunter00
x_hunter00

Smart move. 1) It avoids the tarnishing of the brand if the game was released and was garbage 2) It helps build some anticipation for when the game does come out.

RageSet
RageSet

I am in no way a fan of the NBA Live brand (my choice since the Dreamcast/PS2 days was the NBA 2K series) but I am hoping EA does give 2K Sports some competition thus making (in practice) NBA 2K better.

 

The only sports game that I did enjoy from EA Sports was the MVP Baseball games until 2K Sports pulled an EA. Now the only good baseball game is The Show. I would like all of these franchises to come out and compete against each other again, because we as consumers win with quality products.

theKSMM
theKSMM like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

It must be tremendous pressure on the dev team to know that they have this tiny month-long window to target for their game's release, and if they miss it, their work gets scrapped and pushed back to next year.I guess this is good news for 2K Sports...again.

luis4800
luis4800

Game are suppose to make me happy why do you think millions of people play them. I get their in the making money business but do they have to squeeze every nickel and dime of every game that is a success.

luis4800
luis4800

My grammar sucks in english, what I wanted to comment was that video games make people happy and that's why people play them. Not me in particular.

HIT3kNology
HIT3kNology

For every dumbass comment EA makes 1 million.

HIT3kNology
HIT3kNology

It's just funny how pathetic you clowns are bashing on EA because you read something on Gamespot, or probably because you think it makes you smart and cool because everyone else is doing it. You idiots don't understand the first thing about business, you think EA is here to make you happy, please. EA is making millions while you clowns will be lucky to even get a job at McDonalds. EA is laughing at you clowns, you talk shit yet you all play their games like a bunch of sheep. Become a majority shareholder of EA and make actual changes instead of whining on the internet like a little girl. The only people that matter to EA are the millionaires who have interest in their company, and sadly for you morons those people have no interest in playing games, just making money off sheep with zero education.

Humdinger80
Humdinger80

 @HIT3kNology Sure but how many millions have they lost in the last 3 years by paying the developers and studio resources they need to produce an NBA title and coming up with NO PRODUCT???.  I'm sure it doesn't put a smile on any of the shareholders face to see EA spending millions to make vaporware.

luis4800
luis4800

Game are suppose to make me happy why do you think millions of people play them. I get their in the making money business but do they have to squeeze every nickel and dime of every game that is a success. This comment was meant for you.

Mr_Big_Boss
Mr_Big_Boss

"Making great games is not easy,"

 

Great games is something EA knows nothing about.

RKB1939
RKB1939

that's embarrassing a millionaire company like  "EA" ...........get out of here , RETIRE FROM BASKETBALL GAMES ¡YOU SUCKS ! , INCOMPETENT!

Noformation
Noformation like.author.displayName 1 Like

They just don't have the ability to produce a game that can compete with NBA2K. Scrap that ish.

TheodenofRohan
TheodenofRohan

Ive been playing 2k series since 09. ill keep getting theirs just because i like their gameplay and overall qualitiy better

tmacman
tmacman

I'm not surprised, that beta finished probably was very close to the finished product

joebobahead86
joebobahead86

I don't like basketball games, but for EA this is a huge blemish on their reputation. tisk tisk

micheal82
micheal82 like.author.displayName 1 Like

NBA Live looked like crap next to NBA 2K13.  When will 2K get a chance to get back into the NFL?

bluemouse03
bluemouse03 like.author.displayName 1 Like

I think 2K13 is just too much for them to handle. :))

swamptick
swamptick

EA sucks. They just don't get it.

SnakeEyesX80
SnakeEyesX80 like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 5 Like

Fixed!

 

"Competing with the NBA 2K series is not easy," Wilson said

MarcJL31
MarcJL31

I hope 2K keeps up the quality with Live being a no-show for 2 years now.. Competition will do that to a studio. Look at how FIFA is since it was getting beat by PES for years. Just think of how much better Madden would be with competition. I am still pissed at EA killing off college basketball because they couldn't compete with College Hoops so they up the price with the NCAA.

jch123
jch123 like.author.displayName 1 Like

Guaranteed their focusing on making an epic game for the nextGen so they come out on top of 2K once again.

suffering-evil
suffering-evil

last live i owned was 2005 with Carmelo on the cover. I grew up on NBA live but I'm a gamer as well, and when i see crap I won't buy crap, from 06 til now none of the live games have been. NBA2k is over all the better game the last 6-8 years honestly but it is sad though, 2 cancellation in 3 years. @EPaul yeah you sure are right about that, hopefully 2k still makes great strides to innovate like they've done the past few years.

HaK-ForgoTT3n
HaK-ForgoTT3n

 @suffering-evil  @EPaul You thought 06 was bad? I thought it was one of the best. They took out features for the 360 because they rushed it out. Besides that I thought it was good.

Diablo-B
Diablo-B like.author.displayName 1 Like

I was actually looking forward to comparing the 2 this year. I buy a new sports game every 4 to 5 years, because buying a new on every year seems dumb to me, and this is my year for an upgrade. I was curious to see how Live would integrate the unique hockey control scheme into their game but it looks like I have no choice but to get 2k12

mordekai18
mordekai18

I knew it! what was EA doing with live 13 all this time? smdh

EPaul
EPaul like.author.displayName 1 Like

The only reason i'm worried about this news. Is that i hope 2K don't get lazy because of no competition ala Madden

Humdinger80
Humdinger80

 @EPaul I doubt it. Do you honestly think 2K would ever let the NBA2K series get as bad as MADDEN?? Haha srsly...2K obviously doesn't need competition, EA hasn't had a game to compete with in 3 YEARS. 2K12 was a step back but it seems they needed an "off year" last year to accomplish what we're all about to experience in a few days. VC doesn't need EA or LIVE to make their game better, as far as I can tell they don't even seem to give a sh*t about what EA is doing and are just competing with themselves.

GSGuy321
GSGuy321

EA needs exclusivity to sell. They make crappy sports games in the end. Any time there is a competition they will get beat.

COPMAN221ISBACK
COPMAN221ISBACK like.author.displayName 1 Like

This should read, "After being embarrassed year after year by 2K sports and not being able to buy the NBA license, EA gives up on Basketball."

This comment has been deleted

deathblow3
deathblow3

 @HaK-ForgoTT3n  @COPMAN221ISBACK 

no actually it is year after year that why they won?t release nba live because every time they try to do one it not as good as 2k so the cancel it before it gets release. question if you decide not to race because everyone is faster does that mean you don?t lose??? Let?s try to stop swinging for EA nuts and realize what it is if and when we get a nba live we can compare but at this rate it will never happen. Just to make a point since 2k has been out live has lost to them in sales & it is more the 3 years learn to count. We will start with the first multi platform game NBA 2k2, NBA 2k3, NBA 2k4(espn nba basketball), NBA 2k5, NBA 2k6, NBA 2k7, NBA 2k8, NBA 2k9, NBA 2k10, NBA 2k11, NBA 2k12, upcoming NBA 2k13 will also win because ea know the crap they release will be no good that why it got cancelled. Not all games out sold live but they always got better scores.

WayneL23
WayneL23

 @HaK-ForgoTT3n *facepalm* saying year after year is quite accurate when hitting a 3 point mark. the phrase "year after year" shows a situation's consistency beyond 2 years. No one makes it look like it's been 5+ years but you and your butthurt feelings.  As you said it's been 3 years. so yes year after year fits in with this. Your making yourself look like a complete fool on this page.

It's one thing to have an opinion but it's a totally different thing when you make yourself look like a fool and point fingers to other people calling them fools.

HaK-ForgoTT3n
HaK-ForgoTT3n

 @deathblow3  @COPMAN221ISBACK You're an idiot. Its been 3 years, but only 2 GAMES. NBA Elite 11 and noe Live 13, are you retarded? Like I said I don't consider having 2 games cancelled be called "year after year". You make it sound like its been going on for 5+ years. They never cancelled a game in 2011, because they never announced one numb nuts. Once again, I could care less about game scores gamespot gives the game. Thats like saying COD is a good game just because it gets a 8.5 or higher every year when in reality it sucks and its the same shit every year. Fact is, I like Live, you like 2k and obviously up 2ks asshole so I'm done arguing with you. Go waste your $60 on their shitty games while I play the old lives and 2k on dreamcast which were 10x better. Pce =)

deathblow3
deathblow3

 @HaK-ForgoTT3n  @COPMAN221ISBACK this is your words idiot

 

 COPMAN221ISBACK Year after year? Its been 3 years numb nuts. Just because its a 1/3rd of your life doesn't mean its long.

 

this states a number of years stupid.

and every one use the scores to gage a game even if you count the years that beat them in sales and the years that EA cancelled it would be 6 because this years cancellation make 3 straight years

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