Things weren’t looking good for NBA Live 20 a few months ago when EA announced a delay for the title. Notably, a delay meant it wouldn’t launch in time for the NBA’s new season. Now the game’s status has ventured far beyond the delay phase. It’s outright been set aside, with EA revealing there are no plans to launch it this year. Instead, the publisher will focus on reworking the project into something new, presumably something for next-gen hardware. What that something may entail currently remains under wraps.
This news comes courtesy of a conference call EA held today, relayed by Niko Partners Senior Analyst, Daniel Ahmad. In a few Twitter posts, Ahmad outlined the little that’s presently known about NBA Live’s future according to the call.
EA Conference Call:
– NBA Live 20 will not ship.
– NBA Live is being redesigned for a new project.
– More details next year.
– Sounds like it could be a next gen game based on what was said. pic.twitter.com/XiqJ1RwGtb— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) October 29, 2019
In a subsequent tweet, Ahmad shared a transcript from the portion of the call wherein NBA Live is referenced. A screenshot of the transcript appears in the image below:
According to the statement above, it appears EA will be ready to show something in time for All-Star weekend in 2020, which kicks off on February 15th in Chicago. On Saturday, the NBA hosts a slam dunk contest, three-point shootout, etc. Sunday is the All-Star game. Might EA move from producing simulation titles in favor of something more lighthearted? (Anyone still remember NBA Street?) Though pushing the game out of fiscal year 2020 could mean an even longer delay before we see the Live series back again. All-Star weekend is typically a time of fun more than anything else.
Whatever the publisher has planned, next-gen hardware could be helping with the shift in focus. After all, the transcript does make mention of a “greater understanding of the new platforms.”
[Source via Danial Ahmad on Twitter]
