A Microsoft representative has revealed that Electronic Arts’ NBA Live 13 had been cancelled just a week before it was due for release, while also confirming that it was going to be a downloadable game instead of a retail one.
According to Microsoft director of Xbox Live programming Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb, the publisher had waited until the very last moment to make up its mind to scratch the highly-anticipated professional basketball simulation.
In a tweet on the social micro-blogging website Twitter, he mentioned that the game was scheduled to become available on the Xbox Live Arcade today.
What this basically meant was that the official announcement of the game’s cancellation had been made just six days before it was going to launch.
There had been rumours floating around about EA’s plans to launch NBA Live 13 as a downloadable title instead of a complete retail offering.
According to a report based on GameStop manager’s conference that was held in Texas, it appeared that the publisher was going for a $20 digital release for its basketball game even though it was aware of the risks that were involved.
The revelation that the basketball simulation was cancelled six days before its launch would definitely have come as a huge shock for the fans that were still in the process of recovering from the shock of finding out that the game that they had been so eagerly looking forward to have been cancelled.
This is not the first time that EA has cancelled its basketball game at the last moment.
In 2010, the company had renamed its basketball franchise to NBA Elite, with the first title under the new brand name to be released in October 2010.
However, the game was delayed indefinitely in September before officially getting cancelled in November of the same year.
With EA failing to release a basketball game over the last few years, Take-Two finds itself in a monopolistic position due to its 2K series, which is allowing the basketball fans to quench their third for the fast-paced dribbling and shooting experience.
EA has established itself one of the leading brands when it comes to sports-related games, which include but are not limited to NHL, FIFA and NFL.
The company’s decision to cancel’s this year’s basketball game will definitely take a toll on its reputation despite offering an explanation to the fans to let them know why they are being made to wait for another year to get their hands on a NBA Live game.
It remains to be seen whether the basketball simulation fans are generous and forgiving enough to wait yet another year for the NBA Live game or if they simply turn their backs on the company that has been disappointing them for the last few years and instead turn to Take-Two for their dose of the basketball experience.
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