EA Slam Dunks NBA Elite 11 Into the Trash

[Tom Goldman]

EA Slam Dunks NBA Elite 11 Into the Trash

EA has dropped out of the basketball simulation game this year, leaving 2K Sports as the only man on the court.

For the first time in recent history, EA delayed one of its key EA Sports franchises earlier this year when it pushed NBA Elite 11, the new title of its NBA Live series, back to 2011. This week, EA revealed that NBA Elite 11 isn't delayed after all, but totally cancelled instead.

EA CFO Eric Brown confirmed the cancellation on a recent investor's conference call. This leaves competitor 2K Sports with the only licensed basketball simulation available for the year with NBA 2K11 [http://www.amazon.com/NBA-2K11-Playstation-3/dp/B003IMGC9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288791978&sr=8-1].

EA recently conducted "seasonal layoffs," though the company says its current restructuring efforts are "relatively small." Part of this restructuring appears to be moving the NBA Elite series, which it does plan to bring back in the future, from EA Black Box to EA Tiburon.

Analysts estimated that NBA Elite 11's delay was going to cost EA somewhere in the realm of $60 million with around 1 million in lost sales for this fiscal year, so now those estimated numbers may be straight up losses. NBA Elite 11 was reportedly delayed over quality concerns, which freed up pack-in solo release [http://www.amazon.com/NBA-Jam-Xbox-360/dp/B0047OK31Q/ref=sr_1_3?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1288792630&sr=1-3] on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

EA Sports is known for releasing a new game in its major sports properties yearly, so NBA Elite 11 must have been in poor shape for it to be outright cancelled. EA may not have wanted to put the game up against NBA 2K11, which features Michael Jordan and is said to be incredibly good [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/8213-Review-NBA-2K11].

Source: Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/31320/EA_NBA_Elite_11_Canceled_Personnel_Restructuring_Relatively_Small.php]

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[lee1287]

Well, it cant compete with NBA jam, so, i saw this coming. =]

EDIT; Shouldnt the Title be "EA Slam dunks NBA Elite 11" ? =]

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

BOOMSHAKALAKA!

Thank god we still get NBA Jam.

 

[vanthebaron]

I really hate sport game, so this is a plus to me. maybe now they can return to making REAL games, you know ones that I CAN'T be outside playing at the same time.

 

[Brotherofwill]

Wow, so now EA can't even continue the yearly sports games?

That's grave news. EA's stock must be dropping more rapidly than Shaq's vertical. Countless layoffs, EA Louse, MoH and now this...I fear for EAs future. They better pray that TOR doesn't bomb, a game that has a lot of conflicting reports (altough I'm sure Bioware will try its best).

Well realistically they had no chance whatsoever to compete with 2k11. Only people that still bought Live/Elite were doing so because of brand loyalty.

 

[Tom Goldman]

EDIT; Shouldnt the Title be "EA Slam dunks NBA Elite 11" ? =]

updated appropriately

 

[qbanknight]

Good thing too, the game was completely buggy; loved the video with the guy that said: "Muthaf@#ka be standin' there like Jesus"

 

[Credge]

I really hate sport game, so this is a plus to me. maybe now they can return to making REAL games, you know ones that I CAN'T be outside playing at the same time.

Like adventure games? Or games where you slay dragons? Or shoot Indians?

I did all that stuff without video games.

 

[Mr.Pandah]

Its never a bad thing to sit back one year and gather yourself on what exactly you're doing with any game. Sure they're going to lose money, but obviously they saw that this was the better route then to lose straight up against NBA2K.

Probably the best route they could've taken in my opinion.

 

[Loonerinoes]

In other news the people who bitched about MoH not being up to quality standards but being released anyway will possibly also ***** about this game not coming out over concerns of quality.

Whine on my friends.

 

[ImprovizoR]

When they saw what 2k did they shat in their pants. You can't get any more awesome than Michael Jordan. You just can't.

 

[luckycharms8282]

I guess 2k has a monopoly on the b-ball market, now

 

[vanthebaron]

I really hate sport game, so this is a plus to me. maybe now they can return to making REAL games, you know ones that I CAN'T be outside playing at the same time.

Like adventure games? Or games where you slay dragons? Or shoot Indians?

I did all that stuff without video games.

no games with an actual plot and decent story

 

[Atmos Duality]

Good. Madden '11 proved to me what a sham their licensed sports video games are.
How pathetic is it when one night of renting a fucking THQ-Made Professional Wrassling Game (I refuse to call that "Wrestling") was far better made and infinitely more fun than a mainstream title in one of the longest running sports series in the business?

Any loss of that particular market by EA makes me happy.

 

[Delusibeta]

I guess 2k has a monopoly on the b-ball market, now

Temporarily. Elite 11 was glitched up the rear, but that doesn't mean Elite 12 is an impossibility.