Next EA basketball simulation game coming fall 2012

Buried at the bottom of a press release for NBA Jam: On Fire Edition -- a downloadable title coming this fall to PSN and XBLA -- is news that the next "real" basketball game from EA Sports won't be here until fall 2012. Nothing makes for a better distraction than (NBA Jam: On) Fire!

"As planned, our next NBA simulation title is in development at our Tiburon Studio in Orlando," EA Sports president Peter Moore said in the announcement. "We have top talent on the game, and we're giving the new development team time to deliver a superior experience. We're making great strides and looking forward to launching a new game next year." That lesson about giving the team plenty of time was learned the hard way: through the near-release and scrapping of NBA Elite 11.

This means it'll be three full years between EA basketball sims, during which time 2K Sports will enjoy its status as the Harlem Globetrotters of the basketball video game market.

Show full PR text

EA ANNOUNCES NBA JAM: ON FIRE EDITION, NEW DIGITAL DOWNLOAD COMING THIS FALL

Next NBA Simulation Title to Launch in 2012

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - April 5, 2011 – Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that an all-new digital download of EA SPORTS™ NBA JAM will be available in October. NBA JAM: On Fire Edition is being developed for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, and it will be available on PlayStation® Network and Xbox LIVE® Arcade. NBA JAM: On Fire Edition will feature exciting new gameplay enhancements, including ground-breaking artificial intelligence that will change the way gamers play NBA JAM.

"EA SPORTS continues to support this iconic franchise through a new digital download and we're taking everything fans loved about the original and adding a host of new features," said Trey Smith, Line Producer, NBA JAM: On Fire Edition. "We've listened to all of the feedback from our fans and we are driven to deliver the very best NBA JAM experience to date."

NBA JAM: On Fire Edition contains new gameplay features including:

· REAL AI: Featuring the ground-breaking AI system used in the Fight Night franchise that learns your tendencies and throws them back in your face.

· JAM Arena– Play solo, or team up with friends and take on the world in a new, dynamic online competition.

· Road Trip – A cooperative online campaign where you can team up with friends and compete in a series of white-knuckle challenges against the current superstars and timeless legends from each of the 30 NBA Teams.

· Tag Mode and Team Fire return! – Swap players "on the fly" and ignite your entire team by performing consecutive cooperative moves!

· More NBA JAM Hotness – Online roster updates, more NBA superstars, legendary NBA players, over-the-top animations, JAM challenges, secret teams and unlockable characters than ever before!

EA SPORTS has also announced that it will launch its next NBA simulation title in fall 2012.

"As planned, our next NBA simulation title is in development at our Tiburon Studio in Orlando," said Peter Moore, President, EA SPORTS. "We have top talent on the game, and we're giving the new development team time to deliver a superior experience. We're making great strides and looking forward to launching a new game next year."

Reader Comments (13)

what a load of horse shit

i love the Wii version of NBA Jam but the lack of roster updates means some of the teams are all screwy now. hopefully the On Fire Edition will have updates. and fix the Bucks' lineup. what the hell is Maggette doing in there.

@kojo87

Because JAM is totally about being 100% realistic.

Oh no my game where I'm playing as a big headed president doesn't feature the exact line up of a real team because one player moved yesterday.

They should do this with all sports games; taking a year or two break here and there

Shh. Shh. Shh. Shh. Do you hear that? It's the winds of change.

So they say...

Until the EA President says it sucks again.

Seriouly though, I didn't think NBA Elite 11 was that bad. I thought the new control scheme was pretty cool. Once you got use to it.

Awesome. I hope that the new live or elite is awesome because I don't want 2K ending up like madden with no competition.

Will Kevin Durant grace next year's cover since he got screwed out of it this year?

I'm done with NBA & MLB simulations. I know its sacreligious in the sports simulation community but I could never stand the NBA 2K franchise because the players moved like robots ... NBA Live was never perfect and was way easy to master the quick 3 point shot but I thought it was always more fun and played more realistic even if it didn't look half as good as NBA 2K.

Even last years Madden was terrible so I don't have high hopes just because Tiburon is making it. They went and took the perfect Madden in terms of gameplay (Madden 10) and dumbed it down / slowed it down to where even a toddler could play it. IT STILL MAKES ME WANT TO CLUB A BABY SEAL TO DEATH. The last bastion in tolerable and enjoyable sports simulation for me is NCAA Football 11 ... The thing that stinks about that is they always incorporate the previous years Madden engine into the next iteration of NCAA Football. So, I'm sure NCAA 12 will be a steaming pile of noob friendly dog chit. I won't even buy it like I did with this most recent Madden. I knew I didn't like it from the demo but for some reason I bought it anyway. Stupid, Stupid little man that I can be sometimes.

Yeah MLB The Show may be the best sports simulation from a technical point of view but the last two played virtually identical. Oh and I hate batting and only want to pitch. Not to mention there is to much roster turnover in baseball. I can't stand it when I start a season and there is a blockbuster trade in real life that isn't depicted in the game ... so even though I'm 60 games deep I go and start over ... or the next big rookie gets called up and your waiting on them to update the rosters ... which they never do and you have to rely on 3rd party websites roster versions. Not to mention for some reason they don't have accurate minor league rosters. Even if the gameplay is perfect I still can't stand the data end of the game. Don't get me started on 2K baseball ... what a joke.

Maybe by the time NBA Live 2012 comes out I'll revisit hoops again. I'm just sick of all these half baked games from 2K and EA hasn't fared better aside from NCAA Football 11 ... and even that had Tebowner on the cover.

Are they saying they have inside information that the NBA will be locked out for next season guaranteed? That would mean there's no point to bring out a game this fall. Dammit :'(

The NBA is planning on doing a lockout for the 2011 - 2012 season, so a fall 2012 release is fine.

If we're still alive.

Good. I'm hoping that they make good use of the extra time to come out with a game that has more in common with MVP Baseball than Triple Play Baseball.

Though I've enjoyed the career mode in NBA 2K11, 2K has a ton of work ahead of them to get me to buy 2K12 with all of the issues it has.

Emm..Do we have fake fans in seats??.. :ppp

Next EA basketball simulation game coming fall 2012

Reader Comments (13)

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 5:10PM General Dubaku said

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 5:11PM kojo87 said

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 6:41PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 5:16PM King Johngie the Fourth said

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 5:20PM shimrra74 said

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 5:21PM MLC said

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 5:26PM dakoe3 said

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 5:27PM HazyCloud said

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 6:28PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 7:44PM imadogg said

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 8:55PM andrewpoe said

Posted: Apr 5th 2011 9:45PM CrashTunoku said

Posted: Apr 6th 2011 12:35AM (Unverified) said

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