EA's NBA Live cover Gilbert Arenas prefers NBA 2K series
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ May 16th 2007 at 8:00AM }
The next time EA decides to put an athlete who's an actual gamer on their NBA Live cover, it might help to have vetted him first. As Jon Robinson of IGN points out in a piece about who will replace Shaq as NBA 2K's cover athlete, Gilbert Arenas would have made sense. In a Q&A session on NBA.com last November when Arenas was asked if he plays NBA Live he answered, "No. I play NBA 2K. It's real, the NBA 2K. The other one, now ... it's too fake."Robinson points out that while 2K was looking at Arenas for their cover this year, EA Sports grabbed him and got his signature on a contract to promote the game he has described as "fake." Arenas is apparently giving feedback to the team behind NBA Live on how to improve the game and "taking an active role in the product." Given the reviews for the last NBA Live title, hopefully Arenas is spending plenty of time with the EA team improving the game while he recovers from a knee injury. If Arenas actually helps in turning the franchise around it may usher in a new era of gamer athletes who don't want their likeness on a mediocre product.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
baby sea tuna @ May 16th 2007 8:36AM
If more of the athletes in the NBA were as humble and intelligent as Gilbert Arenas, I might actually start watching games again.
Then again, if they could ensure that at least 70% of the games ended in an Artest style brawl, that would also go a long way toward bringing me back to the fold...
Hooperman @ May 16th 2007 8:43AM
Too bad. I like Gilbert, but NBA Live has to the worst sports franchise in the last 7 years. How the mighty have fallen.
The NBA Live situation is also a good rebuttal to the argument that Madden's lack of innovation the last couple years is because there's no competition. EA has some good competition from NBA 2K and they still blow in the hoops category.
Konny @ May 16th 2007 8:59AM
After the disaster that was Live '07 .. nobody should be surprised.
pixelate @ May 16th 2007 9:34AM
from the EA press release a few weeks ago:
“This is a dream come true,” said Arenas. “I’m a huge gamer and have been playing NBA LIVE since 1995. I never imagined that I would see my face on the cover of an EA SPORTS videogame.”
Drdre74 @ May 16th 2007 2:38PM
NBA lIve sucks! Once i got 2k on my dreamcast I never went back to Live. I tried the demo for Live 07 and I hated it. I hope 2K8 gets Wade on the cover. But I think they may go after Dirk since he's the MVP this year. Plus he'll be the first white guy on the cover. lol!
Geo @ May 16th 2007 10:37AM
Could the other one he was referring to be Street?
Diskoboy @ May 16th 2007 11:14AM
EA gets ultra-pwned.
George @ May 16th 2007 11:49AM
baby sea tuna - people are people and not everyone is going to be humble, not everyone is going to make good decisions not everyone is going to be liked by everyone. for you to stop watching the nba because you feel some of them arent the way you want them to be is stupid. All sports have athletes like that just as bad as the nba so you either deal with it or dont watch.
Anyway nba live sucks and each year i have hope it will get better. i actually believed this years version was going to be good since last years 2006 was so bad. boy was i wrong, the game is a joke and hasnt been good since before 95 i think. nba 2k has been the top one to own
hvnlysoldr @ May 16th 2007 1:20PM
I still say Lebron James got robbed. Crap I forgot about his playoff games Monday and tonight.
thaichaiguy @ May 16th 2007 4:44PM
I've been a Live gamer since forever and one reason is because they make PC versions. Even though I liked 2k much better I was forced to play crappy nba live on the PC. I have a 360 now and 2k7 is awesome but 2k should really be releasing on the PC as well.
Griz @ Jun 9th 2007 2:04PM
2k Sports should put Baron Davis on the cover. Great playoffs for him. 2K will though probably put Tim Duncan (theyve been goin for the older guys lately-Shaq) and Tim Duncan will get his 4th ring this year to tie up Shaq. Lebron im sorry but after last nights performance you need one more year. Also There last 3 cover athletes for 2K have been big men for EA there last however have been swingmen