NBA Live 20 Canceled: EA Announces They’ve Shut Down Basketball Game Once Again
As of late October, NBA Live 20 is canceled. The news arrives after a previous report the game was on a delay months ago but would arrive later in the year. Now, EA has made the announcement that the game will not come out with a 2019-20 edition, making the fourth time in 10 years they’ve shelved their game. Here are more details on Electronic Arts shelving the popular 2K competitor.
EA informs invests NBA Live 20 is canceled
Word of NBA Live 20’s cancelation came during Electronic Arts’ latest conference call with investors on Tuesday. EA chief executive Andrew Wilson delivered prepared remarks during the call. “We’re not launching a new NBA Live HD product this season,” Wilson said per a Polygon report. “Instead, we’re expanding our vision, leaning hard into the new leading-edge platforms, and taking the time to ensure we deliver against the opportunity for our players.”
The company will now focus their efforts towards next generation consoles including Sony’s PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Scarlett. EA’s Wilson mentioned that the NBA and players association were in support of the latest news as they try to separate themselves from competitor Take-Two Interactive and the NBA 2K series. Per Polygon, that game became the year’s bestselling video game last month.
“New platforms are coming that will bring social connection, accessibility and player creativity to the fore,” Wilson added in Tuesday’s statement. “In a future of new possibilities, players shouldn’t be content with a game built for today’s realities and based on what we know to be possible, we feel we can go so much further with the new design,” Wilson said.
Fourth cancelation of Live series in a decade
The company previously delayed NBA Live 20 back in July during their conference call then. At that time, EA said the game was on delay until late 2019. Some people began speculating that EA might release the new game in conjunction with the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, something similar to what they did for NBA Live 17. However, EA never released that game. When EA returned with Live 18 and 19 editions, critics and fans saw them as improvements and a good start towards competing with 2K. The NBA Live included WNBA ahead of 2K doing so with their 2K20 title this year.
EA canceled several other installments in the Live series dating back to 2009. EA shut down the NBA Elite title, originally slated for October 2010, when an 18-month time window hindered development. They released a glitch-heavy demo including notable glitches involving Andrew Bynum and Luol Deng. While the game was never officially available to the public, some copies of the PS3 version made it out and are now collector’s items.
NBA Live 13 also never saw the light of day. Frustration with the game’s development caused the title’s cancelation. Wilson said in a statement on the EA game’s website back then, “making great games is not easy, and we’re just not there yet on NBA Live 13.”
That appears to be the same case with NBA Live 19, although it makes sense at this point to focus on what’s coming next. With the new consoles slated for next year, NBA Live 21 could be an even bettor competitor for the popular NBA 2K series.
EA beats estimates, but stock dips on forecast
Electronic Arts gave some better than expected numbers including beating revenue estimates for the quarter. The number EA reported was $1.28 billion versus the estimates of $1.25 billion, which brought optimism.
However, due to EA’s forecast and disappointing news that they canceled NBA Live 20, it took a toll on the stock price. The stock was down $2.31 or 2.39 percent as of the close of trading on Tuesday, to end at $94.41. EA’s stock has a 52-week high of $108.80 and a 52-week low of $73.91.
For now, score one of the NBA 2K series once again, but the battle should pick up once the next generation consoles arrive in 2020.
See the latest VGR news for the competing NBA 2K game here.