Therealhard8times originally made the Bynum Jesus vid, not mrlux, that's a reupload. Timestamps: 03:30 - The Rise 11:38 - The Fall 15:56 - The Resurgence 17:27 - The Fall II 23:10 - Promise
I'm glad you touched on Live 10, a lot of people don't know that part of the story. Live 10 was a gem in the middle of all rubble that was NBA Live post 06.
Eric we all know that you are paid by EA and you have to protect your income but everyone knows that EA makes horrible games and would cease to exist if not for monopolizing the NFL video game market!
I was part of a group that was flown to Vancouver to play test NBA Live 2005. The slam dunk contest was innovative and fun, but the core gameplay had fallen BADLY behind NBA 2K by that time. 2K3 was the game that officially usurped the Live franchise as best basketball game on the market. Then 2K4 went nuts with all the ESPN stuff and stagnated a bit, and then 2K5 came in and took the hell over. I was not bashful in criticizing Live's bad gameplay compared to the 2K series. They KNEW I was a recently converted 2K fan when they flew me out there (I had a platform at IGN at the time, so they knew about me). The devs claimed they had all played the 2K games, and indeed I found them in their games library when we toured the building. But clearly they had not. One of the devs made a comment along the lines of "Yeah I played that, isn't 2K3 that game with the fire trail behind the basketball hahaha". I was stunned how ignorant and/or dismissive the entire dev team was of the 2K franchise that was completely burying their once great Live franchise. There was a vibe of EA arrogance in the whole building. They were very nice as people tough, they took us out to dinner. But it was clear they were only listening to the Live cheerleaders, and were completely dismissive of the 2K people they had invited for some reason. By the end they barely spoke to me and one other guy. I did a write up on the game on IGN when I got back. I think Operation Sports put it up too if I remember correctly. Never heard from EA Vancouver again, but I heard they weren't happy with the writeup, other than the praise I had for the new dunk contest. The downfall and cancelation of the series came as zero surprise to me.
Wow. I didn't feel Live had fallen off until 05-06 but seeing how things had gone soon after definitely makes sense. This is a very in depth perspective and really shines a light on some things that happened.
Growing up I thought Live 06 was good due to playing on older gen(Gamecube) but everything you stated is very valid. 2k5 Gameplay and arguably the first real “MyPlayer” is what really had me on the fence leaning towards 2k.
Dude thanks for telling us we already knew ea dont care its sad they was once the best now they are scared to even make another nba game they should make gold again before 2k takes that over
Yea. I will say...2k didn't just stagnate with 2k4...it was outright bad. Live 2004 was so much better....same with 05. Live just completely flubbed the transfer to 7th gen. 2k kept getting better.
NBA Live 2005 with Melo on the cover. Pure nostalgia. The dunk contest feature was brand new, Kobe was still no.8. LeBron, Dwade and of course Melo where young bucks. How time goes by.
2K has literally been TRYING to push fans back to Live with year after year of VC bullshit, and EA just can't even make a game enticing enough to capitalize on it. This is why EA is a joke.
Tommy De Sadi if Live 19 was so good, EA wouldn't have cancelled Live 20. I guarantee you the only game mode you play in NBA Live is Live Run, but claim Live is the better game. That's why 2K sells millions and Live only sells thousands because the only decent game mode they have is Live Run. 2K pretty much has something for all types of gamers.
Tommy De Sadi if Live 20 isn’t a thing because Live 19 didn’t sell, then why cancel it? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Clearly EA knew they had an inferior product compared to the competition . You’re just one of very few people who actually believe Live is better than 2K. Has nothing to do with people being sheep. EA don’t even believe their game is better than 2K.
@@kenjones3205 live is not better than 2k bro. Its just 100x more enjoyable and fun to play. People are slowly but SURELY WAKING UP from that 2k spell. It has a whole lot to do with people being sheep.
Tommy De Sadi so I guess if someone doesn’t agree with “your opinion” they’re either a casual or a sheep, according to you. I have Live 19, it’s not a bad game, but in my opinion, and millions of others, it’s not better than 2K19 or 2K20, even with its flaws. I wouldn’t care if Live 19 sold more than 2K, in my opinion, it still wouldn’t be a better game. Speaking of micro transactions, EA are the ones who started all of that. If Live were in 2Ks position, they would do the exact same thing, but since they’re the underdog, they can’t afford to.
Its damn sad too. You know, growing up with Tiger Woods 2004, Madden, etc. They were automatic buys, meaning you didn't have to look at the score or reviews before buying because you had trust in the game developer that they would make an outstanding product due to track record. I'd compare this now days to RockStar with GTA. EA used to be like that. You could count on them.
This notion that developers can "focus more" on one game is so ridiculous and truly runs unchecked online. For starters, separate development teams are assigned to different games. The idea that sports titles (which come out once per year, mind you) are pulling all these people from different projects is absurd because it isn't how it works. The consumers have created a narrative to give these companies an excuse to deliver subpar games year after year.
exactly, there is companies like nintendo who deliver good quality on a bunch of different games year after year, while a billion dollar company like EA supposedly is not capable of working on 5 different sports games? it is all about talent and choosing the right people for the job and not having some suits at the helm that only care about max profits over quality, because in the end quality will sell. EA screwed up because they did not maintain a culture where the talent wants to work.
Live 03 will always be my favorite game in the series. The freestyle dribbling mechanics were revolutionary. I would spam the hell outta the spin to speed up my player when I got a fastbreak. It seems like once the franchise made that leap into next gen territory on the PS3 & 360 it went downhill. 06 felt like a stripped down version of the vanilla edition with better visuals. Not to mention the players lacked expressions and looked dead in the face.
nba live 2003 for the playstation one I'm pretty sure has custom teams and player duplications therefore if and/or when I get the disc i will have six prime versions of wilt chamberlain and bill russell
@Joey N. I haven't even played the game but I saw a guy trying to get paid for teaching people how to be better at 2k and it was basically just exploiting the animation aequences
I usually get me a 5 piece from a KFC and blow out the toilet later for a good price. Get some biscuits put some Tabasco on it and I'm gonna rip ass like no other. God damn love me some KFC worst decision is eating there and not blowing out their toilet bc if drive home im speeding like a mf 5 min later bc I'm gonna explode. Run right through the garage door kick down the door and tear up my bathroom God damn no fun.
NBA live 2005 was my first NBA and still has a special place in my heart. NBA live 10 was one of the funnest basketball games ever, I still play it occasionally.
@Grand Pulse How do you know their brand is trash?? You couldn't even smell trash if it was right under your nose. Lol Live is superior to 2K in every way. Always has been always will be.
Grand Pulse both 2k and Live are straight dog shit. They’re both company’s that want money from you in whatever way they can. 2k’s worse to me though, they’re getting children into gambling
16:39 - During this Covid 19 Social Distancing I started to Play NBA Live 10 in PS3, just because of the FIBA World Championship mode. Something that I miss in 2k is to play with National Teams or the FIBA World Cup. Until 2k16 it was possible to play with Euroleague Teams, it was good, but there wasn't a tournament, only exhibition games. It would be really awesome to play a FIBA Tournament with International great players rosters: Spain, Slovenia, Brazil, Argentina, Russia and off course a modern version of the USA Dream Team.
I wish the next 2k game or even the next Live game adds Euroleague again but this time with full features like mycareer. It should be easier to do it given the EL now has a league format so the teams are mostly known in advance
@@dimitrioskarageorgos5996 Yes. That was what I expected in NBA 2k16. There were 25 teams from Europe. But I missed out a League. It was possible to choose 16 and play the NBA playoffs. But It was not the same atmosphere like to play the Final Four.
Its absolutely crazy how thanks to EA's dominance at the time, every single sport can trace the downfall of thier games to the year EA signed that NFL deal. Even us NASCAR fans had the start of the end from that point, although ours took one of the longest times to completely burn down.
Have they brought back lobbies and clubs for online team play. And none of that street play garbage. Real teams with actual quarters in actual NBA courts
@I nort that's true. The actual "Basketball" gameplay is better in Live 19 once you look past the flashy presentation and fastpaced gameplay of 2k20. But the entire presentation, the commentary during the games, the terrible camera (still can't find a playable 2k-like camera, Baseline the Zoom is too close), the slower paced gameplay. I play 2k20 and Live 19. Even though I like Live 19 for it's really nice progression system (it's playable right from the start, unlike 2k), no microtransaction BS, and more realism depending on difficulty settings, after two or three games I am bored out of my mind because of the poor presentation. Then I switch back to 2k and everything is flashy and fastpaced... the arena sound, the crowd, the atmosphere... everything better in 2k. Can't we have a 2k like atmosphere with Live 19 gameplay pleas? THAT would be the best basketball game since like... forever?
Thanks for mentioning the "freestyle control system." Most ppl dont even realize that live came out with it 1st and that 2k patterned their ball handling system AFTER this
You really should make a video on EA and the year 2004 (all of the 2005 games came out that year) and how that really represented their apex as a brand. Madden 2005, NBA Live 2005, MVP Baseball 2005, Nascar 2005...that was the best year for sports video games of all time and they haven't come close to that immersion and depth since.
@@PaperStackerJ I agree. I remember people bashing it upon release and I was afraid to buy it at first. Eventually, I bought it at half price and it actually wasn't that bad. I really liked some of the changes they made to Career Mode. It's not amazing, but it's definitely miles ahead of 19. Edit: Also it's most likely they were motivated to add all this because of all the hype behind PES and its improvements.
OGB_10 when EA brought in a Hockey guy to take the lead on Elite 11 it was over. David Littmans fault. Because the sales weren’t great compared to 2K that’s why Mike Wang left They wanted to go in a different direction than what he had a vision for
Live actually could come back. Because 80% of my friends would rather play NBA Live 19 over NBA 2K20. Live actual gameplay is way better but 2K has better features.
When NBA Live 10 came out I was young and couldn't afford it. There was a free demo on Xbox that let you play one half, As either the Magic or the Lakers but you could play the demo with 2 players. Me and my friend would stay up all night having tournaments in the demo, And would just add up the scores from the 2 halves to see who won. We never got bored. My friend recently passed away, And I always think about those nights replaying the demo over and over again for hours and just adding up the scores. RIP Kevin. You definitely won that last tournament we played.
RhynoEst92 2k20 dribbling sucks you play strictly offline? That’s probably why you love it lol. Anyone who plays park or any other online mode would see the problems the game has.
one of things I loved about live 06 was if a player had multi offense capacities. you could change their talent on the fly from being a High Flyer to Inside scorer to Outside scorer like how badges works but choosing a talent means you could boost that particular category. probably a feature i miss the most. oh also, certain players having X factor given to them.
As an NBA Live fan (though I LOVED NBA 2K until 2K7 ruined it for me), my favorite NBA Lives are 2003 (basically NBA Jam with Simulation Rules), 96, 98, 10 (2010), 2005, and 06 (2005 but with Superstar Moves on GameCube). I was also a huge Shootout fan back in the day. Shootout 97 and 2000 especially. I still play Live 98, 06 (GameCube), 10, and 19 to this day. Hell, I still play A LOT of Shootout 2000 these days.
Great video, well researched and very well put together. I was a die hard Live fan till 2k became so much fun, I purchased Live 14 at the time and that was the last Live game I ever bought 🙈
This comment is pretty late but listening to this channel and its grievances about sports games and what’s missing is inspiring because now I want to make my own game with all these features love this channel keep it up please
Thanks for this. My first basketball game was Live 04 on the PC so I was really curious what happened to the franchise. I played Live 04-06 on PC and those were great games in my opinion. Didn’t realize how bad next gen was for them. Never picked up another Live edition after 06. Followed all the hype and got 2k11 after I got a PS2. I even played NBA 07 before I got another Live game. It’s really sad to see basketball games creep into what Madden has become. Hopefully Live makes a comeback and creates some competition for 2k.
Dylan Bowser yup that made terrible sense for an company to do that back than.. destroying sports gaming as we know it.. this didn’t just kill Nfl2k. It had a domino effect .. The mlb debacle that killed ea’s mvp & allowed Sony’s the show to take shape and causing mlb2k’s advertent haulting This translated to Nba2k being the mean focus at 2k/take two .. Ea is the one ruining sports games from the start... remember when they kept off her ncaa games from having certain bowls and soccer games from having certain players and leagues
@Tommy De Sadi I hear you, no game modes I play use micro transactions in 2k. But I meant gameplay in general. 2k needs competition to push them to get better. Maybe Live will make a good game and push 2k to put more effort into gameplay
I remember before it was even called NBA Live ....back in the early 90s when sega genesis was out and it was called whatever 2 teams that made it to the finals the previous yr...(Lakers vs Celtics,.. Bulls vs Lakers...Bulls vs Blazers....etc)....side note...who remember the NCAA game called Coack K on ea ...classic and they had a USA basketball game with the foreign teams on it💯
What live needs is euphoria engine, just imagine what they could come up with if they somehow adapt it to the game, and also some classes from Konami's Pro evolution soccer series on how they handle ball physics and they might have the game of the year on their hands! But that's just me daydreaming, but I do believe 2k needs competition from someone so it doesn't get stuck in their glory.
Eww there hockey was like an arcade game. Hit ANY deke and you cant be hit or poke checked, It was a joke compare to EAs NhL. They actually do a Very good job on NHL and FIFA
@@AverageMyth I only liked 2k6. You can set the controls on classic and it plays almost identical with Nhl94 on Genesis. Just way nicer graphics. I haven't touched a newer hockey game since 2014 with nhl94 on the disc. I'm not a fan of the analog stick shooting.
Rick Taylor Yup...Also, the legends such as Bird, Magic, Wilt, Kareem, Isiah and many others. Plus, the rookies such as Stackhouse, Stoudamire, Edney, McDyess, O’Bannon and others.
I bought & played NBA LIVE from 96-2003 and I stopped until nba live 2019 and waited to play it until 2021. Live 19 is a great game the modes are up to par if you ask me, I currently have 17 collectibles I'm not even going to open until 2025 and I'm confident that it'll be well worth the replay value😮😮 you have to understand the age of a basketball player and who they might have at home as a gamer to respect the devs and targeted players❤
I always thought Live 07 was underrated. The superstar button to change from 3 pointer to dunker to passer abilities was fun as hell. It was more fun than the Live 08-10 'go-to moves'.
David Maschino yea it was the first time they incorporated those old school players so yea but it was still the precursor for a good series of future 2k games
Taj James The gameplay is amazing you can do lot of trades and put them in your roster for dynasty mode throw off backboard dunks easy to do not like 2k you got to press all these type of buttons
I got some older PS2 games my wife had when she was younger. Live 2002 was included. It was a pretty decent game. Very easy to pick up and play. I like 2K but I'm really bad at it. I may go out and buy live 05 though.
Dont forget its ps1 backwards compatable. If get a chance, get legacy of kain:soul reaver. Dbz budokai tenkaichi 2 is stillfun to play. And its possible to have alternate colors for created teams in madden 07 which im playing the ps2 version on the ps3. Onimusha 2 voice acting can sound hokey but the story does have multiple endings depending on the side character you choose. Gameplay could be frustrating at times. But those puzzle boxes were my favorite side game and theres one to this day, i havent opened before. Ah man, ace combat 4 is in my top 5 favorite game i played on the ps2. So is gran turismo 2.
Ahh, I remember playing Live 04 the most. So much fun, the gameplay was so fast the dribbling was fluid as hell. I remember scoring 150+ each game cause u could score in like 3 sec off a fastbreak. I'd be rushing down the court either cramming it on another player's head or pulling up on transition 3's. Those were the days....
NBA Live 2005 is the final NBA Live I ever played. Before purchasing I was considering this or NBA 2K5. I chose Live over 2K5 after hearing about online gaming on both games. In 2K5 just have your sharpshooter fire 3s the entire game. What sold me on Live is the All-Star game and dunk contest. I also enjoy the soundtrack of the game. Like anything EA touches it kill their golden goose
You have to go back further to 1983 with the One on One series - Dr. J vs Larry Bird. Nobody knew who Electronic Arts was and this game helped establish them as a legit company. This is when Michael Jordan was still at UNC and before Air Jordan. You could say the arrival of Michael Jordan changed everything. Before Michael Jordan, the NBA was not very popular.
I really enjoyed NBA Live 18 & 19. After refusing to play another 2k basketball game after 2k16... I took a chance on live. On Live, the player movements, likeness and interactions are way more realistic. The game play is super smooth and the graphics from inside the area (the court floors and lighting) looks great. The only fail of Live is the online multiplayer. Out of all the different game modes, you cant even simply hop into a multiplayer (same team) NBA game? Not being able to play same team multiplayer in a full NBA game was extremely disappointing. On the plus side, since they didnt produce a Live 20, atleast they updated all the current rosters for free, no microtransactions and they care about constant updates for fixing bugs and gameplay. NBA Live is still a solid game
I have to say Live 03 and 05 were my favorites. I lost interest in basketball after that because I started playing football. Before Live 03 I was always a 2K man. 03 was definitely monumental for the series overall from what I could tell. Using the analog stick to dribble was a game changer.
I bought every single Live release from '95 until '05.....and then discovered 2K6 via a friend of mine and.....instantly converted. I remember being resistant at first, and then after playing one time I said, "Live is maybe more realistic....but THIS game is FUN!!" It wasn't so hard to dunk, pass to the person you wanted, and shoot when you meant to. It was the simple things in the end.
That was quite an intro. When I was really young I loved NBA Playoffs. Loved NBA Showdown also. Crazy seeing how sport games progressed and are now almost ruined by greed.
19:13 the Jesus Bynum video was released by hard8times. The person you credited most likely reposted it but it’s hard8’s video. It’s a significant fact because this video led directly to Elite’s cancellation within days after the demo dropped, numerous glitches and bugs were shared but it waa hard8’s video that put the nail in the coffin.
Very good video, thanks for making this. Like everyone I’m a true NBA live gamer but at the end switch to 2K because of all the disappointments. Now I finally know why they screw this up.
EA: "Sweet Neptune in heaven, I need an idea!!" Me: "Why don't you combine your sports games in a free to play role-playing experience". EA: "Say what?!!" Me: "Combine Madden, Fifa, NBA Live, NHL, PGA Tour, UFC into one sports video game" EA: "Blasphemy"
Therealhard8times originally made the Bynum Jesus vid, not mrlux, that's a reupload.
Timestamps:
03:30 - The Rise
11:38 - The Fall
15:56 - The Resurgence
17:27 - The Fall II
23:10 - Promise
Sup SoftDrinkTV
its in the description
Lmao best intro to a video this was amazing
On mobile the timestamps don't work in the description so that's why I pinned this
@@SOFTDRINKTV o
oops
I'm glad you touched on Live 10, a lot of people don't know that part of the story. Live 10 was a gem in the middle of all rubble that was NBA Live post 06.
Sup
EricRayweather Live 10 was very underrated, IMO...Not as good as 2K nor past Lives, yet still fun to play
Eric we all know that you are paid by EA and you have to protect your income but everyone knows that EA makes horrible games and would cease to exist if not for monopolizing the NFL video game market!
Must suck being sponsored by such a horrible game. Your good at making sound decent tho! Ea must love you.
Eric wat u doin in here man lol
You know you're old when you remember when NBA Live was hot 😂
😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣 That part!!! I'm an 82 baby, so I know my boy!!!
88 baby..I remember when they wouldn't put Jordan on the game lol they would replace with some generic name player,but had his attributes..
3 threezy Wanna play 2K back in the day my friends laughed at me when I was still playing live
3 threezy isn’t 2k bad too? After 11 it just is meh
@@brandonbates9259 Jordan was in Live 2001.
Intro: Really cool and suspenseful like a movie trailer.
SDTV: bUY rAyCOns
lol
Hail mother Russia
I serve the Soviet Union
I still haven’t bought raycons
I bought every 2k since 2k11
Man I love Live 05 so much. That Dunk contest and all star weekend was addictive. especially with friends
05 the best one
Mane like fam said above me..best ever made❤️🔥
Dude same I remember playing that game when it first came out I was a small child and was absolutely addicted to the dunk contest.
man live 05 brought back great memories as a kid
Best ever
I was part of a group that was flown to Vancouver to play test NBA Live 2005.
The slam dunk contest was innovative and fun, but the core gameplay had fallen BADLY behind NBA 2K by that time. 2K3 was the game that officially usurped the Live franchise as best basketball game on the market. Then 2K4 went nuts with all the ESPN stuff and stagnated a bit, and then 2K5 came in and took the hell over.
I was not bashful in criticizing Live's bad gameplay compared to the 2K series. They KNEW I was a recently converted 2K fan when they flew me out there (I had a platform at IGN at the time, so they knew about me). The devs claimed they had all played the 2K games, and indeed I found them in their games library when we toured the building. But clearly they had not.
One of the devs made a comment along the lines of "Yeah I played that, isn't 2K3 that game with the fire trail behind the basketball hahaha". I was stunned how ignorant and/or dismissive the entire dev team was of the 2K franchise that was completely burying their once great Live franchise. There was a vibe of EA arrogance in the whole building. They were very nice as people tough, they took us out to dinner. But it was clear they were only listening to the Live cheerleaders, and were completely dismissive of the 2K people they had invited for some reason. By the end they barely spoke to me and one other guy. I did a write up on the game on IGN when I got back. I think Operation Sports put it up too if I remember correctly.
Never heard from EA Vancouver again, but I heard they weren't happy with the writeup, other than the praise I had for the new dunk contest.
The downfall and cancelation of the series came as zero surprise to me.
Wow. I didn't feel Live had fallen off until 05-06 but seeing how things had gone soon after definitely makes sense. This is a very in depth perspective and really shines a light on some things that happened.
Growing up I thought Live 06 was good due to playing on older gen(Gamecube) but everything you stated is very valid. 2k5 Gameplay and arguably the first real “MyPlayer” is what really had me on the fence leaning towards 2k.
Dude thanks for telling us we already knew ea dont care its sad they was once the best now they are scared to even make another nba game they should make gold again before 2k takes that over
Hell no nba lives 05 eats alive 2k5
Yea. I will say...2k didn't just stagnate with 2k4...it was outright bad. Live 2004 was so much better....same with 05. Live just completely flubbed the transfer to 7th gen. 2k kept getting better.
NBA Live 2005 with Melo on the cover. Pure nostalgia. The dunk contest feature was brand new, Kobe was still no.8. LeBron, Dwade and of course Melo where young bucks. How time goes by.
they were focusing on Denver
No doubt😭😭😭😭
Live 05 I found memories (Michael Redd) was unstoppable shooting 3’s
Facts
I loved the one with Tony Parker on the cover
NBA Live 03 was my jam. It even came with a dope soundtrack.
My daughter was 2 and you to sing brandy's full moon with fat Joe
Yeah the soundtrack is classic. My favorite was Brandy - Full Moon
🎵🎶Get liveee.....to the hoop y'all to the hoop y'all....play the🎵🎶.....if u know u know #live03
Right? 13 year old me lived on that game
Dopest live made
2K has literally been TRYING to push fans back to Live with year after year of VC bullshit, and EA just can't even make a game enticing enough to capitalize on it. This is why EA is a joke.
Tommy De Sadi if Live 19 was so good, EA wouldn't have cancelled Live 20. I guarantee you the only game mode you play in NBA Live is Live Run, but claim Live is the better game. That's why 2K sells millions and Live only sells thousands because the only decent game mode they have is Live Run. 2K pretty much has something for all types of gamers.
Tommy De Sadi if Live 20 isn’t a thing because Live 19 didn’t sell, then why cancel it? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Clearly EA knew they had an inferior product compared to the competition . You’re just one of very few people who actually believe Live is better than 2K. Has nothing to do with people being sheep. EA don’t even believe their game is better than 2K.
@@kenjones3205 live is not better than 2k bro. Its just 100x more enjoyable and fun to play. People are slowly but SURELY WAKING UP from that 2k spell. It has a whole lot to do with people being sheep.
Tommy De Sadi so I guess if someone doesn’t agree with “your opinion” they’re either a casual or a sheep, according to you. I have Live 19, it’s not a bad game, but in my opinion, and millions of others, it’s not better than 2K19 or 2K20, even with its flaws. I wouldn’t care if Live 19 sold more than 2K, in my opinion, it still wouldn’t be a better game. Speaking of micro transactions, EA are the ones who started all of that. If Live were in 2Ks position, they would do the exact same thing, but since they’re the underdog, they can’t afford to.
@@kenjones3205 you must not have seen the 2k reviews in ps4 and x1 store. Millions think 2k is garbage and are jumping ship for Live LOL!
EA stopped caring for sports games ever since they got the NFL exclusive!
And they can't even make madden right
NHL is their best game. And it's actually good tbh
I ve noticed its a glitch in all 3 of there productions nfs madden & live the control s are synched really 💩ty
@@jakobwedel3168 NHL is by far the best but as with everything else 2k was still better
Its damn sad too. You know, growing up with Tiger Woods 2004, Madden, etc. They were automatic buys, meaning you didn't have to look at the score or reviews before buying because you had trust in the game developer that they would make an outstanding product due to track record. I'd compare this now days to RockStar with GTA. EA used to be like that. You could count on them.
This notion that developers can "focus more" on one game is so ridiculous and truly runs unchecked online. For starters, separate development teams are assigned to different games. The idea that sports titles (which come out once per year, mind you) are pulling all these people from different projects is absurd because it isn't how it works. The consumers have created a narrative to give these companies an excuse to deliver subpar games year after year.
exactly, there is companies like nintendo who deliver good quality on a bunch of different games year after year, while a billion dollar company like EA supposedly is not capable of working on 5 different sports games? it is all about talent and choosing the right people for the job and not having some suits at the helm that only care about max profits over quality, because in the end quality will sell. EA screwed up because they did not maintain a culture where the talent wants to work.
Live 03 will always be my favorite game in the series. The freestyle dribbling mechanics were revolutionary. I would spam the hell outta the spin to speed up my player when I got a fastbreak. It seems like once the franchise made that leap into next gen territory on the PS3 & 360 it went downhill. 06 felt like a stripped down version of the vanilla edition with better visuals. Not to mention the players lacked expressions and looked dead in the face.
Yes
nba live 03 for the playstation two has four prime versions of wilt chamberlain and bill russell
nba live 2003 for the playstation one I'm pretty sure has custom teams and player duplications therefore if and/or when I get the disc i will have six prime versions of wilt chamberlain and bill russell
03 and 05
YES MY FAVORITE NBA LIVE AS WELL!!!!!!
“Sometimes, When competition rises, it brings out your best.
Often times however, It doesn’t, And you lose”
10/10 writing
That intro was Badass. You need to do dat more
Props to the production of this video. This really feels like I’m watching the tragic downfall of a superhero 😂
EA a superhero - stop it... 😁 "Surprise mechanics" a.k.a. lootboxes is all they care about now.
The "Jesus Bynum" glitch killed the franchise.
That andrew bynum crucified glitch is creepy man
That glitch alone basically killed NBA Live, Andrew Bynum killed the series
They got the same glitch in GTA 4 he just stands there like he's God 🤣
That's the basic character T-pose in unfinished games. Looks like they rushed that one out. Ouch!
Idk about creepy man, I'm laughing my arse off everytime I see it 😂
@@BrickFighter13even Bynum glitch in NBA ELITE 11 DEMO also carried occasionally on the final game built of NBA ELITE 11.
I actually really liked nba live 19 I played it more than 2K19 and I have always loved 2k
Account Not Available live 19 wasn’t bad at all and had way less micro transaction than 2k19
2k is dogshit and has been for years. Its basically just a matter of figuring out how to game animation sequences and you can be good.
Fulcanelli 2k18 really messed everything up with the neighborhood
@Joey N. I haven't even played the game but I saw a guy trying to get paid for teaching people how to be better at 2k and it was basically just exploiting the animation aequences
@@christianf99 I haven't played a 2k game since like 2k9 because it was always boring to me. Took me a bit longer to give up on madden.
The one thing that I did love about Live was the fact that you could shoot around and dunk and stuff while your game was loading
I usually get me a 5 piece from a KFC and blow out the toilet later for a good price. Get some biscuits put some Tabasco on it and I'm gonna rip ass like no other. God damn love me some KFC worst decision is eating there and not blowing out their toilet bc if drive home im speeding like a mf 5 min later bc I'm gonna explode. Run right through the garage door kick down the door and tear up my bathroom God damn no fun.
@@Eric-jk3oi nigga...... 😑💀
@@DwayneIsKing what?
@@Eric-jk3oi yo comment threw me off cuz it made no sense 😂
@@DwayneIsKing oh it makes sense. Get urself a delicious KFC meal and u will understand
NBA live 2005 was my first NBA and still has a special place in my heart. NBA live 10 was one of the funnest basketball games ever, I still play it occasionally.
That' was the best one
That intro to the video was amazing
Loyality was punished is the perfect way to say how I feel for being an EA fan since day 1.
@Tommy De Sadi I always bought them from the first version and feel foolish every year the last few years.
@Grand Pulse How do you know their brand is trash??
You couldn't even smell trash if it was right under your nose. Lol
Live is superior to 2K in every way.
Always has been always will be.
Grand Pulse both 2k and Live are straight dog shit. They’re both company’s that want money from you in whatever way they can. 2k’s worse to me though, they’re getting children into gambling
@@bancie3316 I think alot of Games are getting that way. Now Live is better at not being a pay to play scenario than 2K
16:39 - During this Covid 19 Social Distancing I started to Play NBA Live 10 in PS3, just because of the FIBA World Championship mode. Something that I miss in 2k is to play with National Teams or the FIBA World Cup. Until 2k16 it was possible to play with Euroleague Teams, it was good, but there wasn't a tournament, only exhibition games. It would be really awesome to play a FIBA Tournament with International great players rosters: Spain, Slovenia, Brazil, Argentina, Russia and off course a modern version of the USA Dream Team.
I wish the next 2k game or even the next Live game adds Euroleague again but this time with full features like mycareer. It should be easier to do it given the EL now has a league format so the teams are mostly known in advance
@@dimitrioskarageorgos5996 Yes. That was what I expected in NBA 2k16. There were 25 teams from Europe. But I missed out a League. It was possible to choose 16 and play the NBA playoffs. But It was not the same atmosphere like to play the Final Four.
NBA Live 05 is probably one of the greatest sports games of all time.
And yes, the NBA Live 03 soundtrack, is the greatest video game soundtrack ever.
Or 04
04 definitely
@@trixbando6683 Right thurr!
Loved that song Blao! On 03
@@trixbando6683both 2000 and 2004 for me.
Its absolutely crazy how thanks to EA's dominance at the time, every single sport can trace the downfall of thier games to the year EA signed that NFL deal. Even us NASCAR fans had the start of the end from that point, although ours took one of the longest times to completely burn down.
NASCAR 08 PS3 was the prime example of beginning of the end for NASCAR game series.
"Let me show you how to do this, son" - Mike Wang
Mike Wang approves this right.
Live 18-19 really isn’t bad that the one mode is fire playing at all those classics parks , and no micro transactions
The game play is horrible tho
Have they brought back lobbies and clubs for online team play.
And none of that street play garbage. Real teams with actual quarters in actual NBA courts
I nort bruh u just mad u can’t green lol
@I nort that's true. The actual "Basketball" gameplay is better in Live 19 once you look past the flashy presentation and fastpaced gameplay of 2k20.
But the entire presentation, the commentary during the games, the terrible camera (still can't find a playable 2k-like camera, Baseline the Zoom is too close), the slower paced gameplay. I play 2k20 and Live 19. Even though I like Live 19 for it's really nice progression system (it's playable right from the start, unlike 2k), no microtransaction BS, and more realism depending on difficulty settings, after two or three games I am bored out of my mind because of the poor presentation.
Then I switch back to 2k and everything is flashy and fastpaced... the arena sound, the crowd, the atmosphere... everything better in 2k.
Can't we have a 2k like atmosphere with Live 19 gameplay pleas? THAT would be the best basketball game since like... forever?
They turn created players into bald white boys....smh
Thanks for mentioning the "freestyle control system." Most ppl dont even realize that live came out with it 1st and that 2k patterned their ball handling system AFTER this
This documentary about live shows how messed up madden is being made by the same company
This was incredibly entertaining and informative! Never been a 2K player but still have lots of nostalgia love for Live!
You really should make a video on EA and the year 2004 (all of the 2005 games came out that year) and how that really represented their apex as a brand. Madden 2005, NBA Live 2005, MVP Baseball 2005, Nascar 2005...that was the best year for sports video games of all time and they haven't come close to that immersion and depth since.
The problem isn't Live, it's EA!! LIVE SUCKS, MADDEN SUCKS, FIFA SUCKS... See a pattern
OGB_10 EAs only power is it’s assets ESPN, the NFL license it’s a joke
OGB_10 Fifa 20 is better than 18 and 19 you got the rest correct doe 👍🏽
@@PaperStackerJ I agree. I remember people bashing it upon release and I was afraid to buy it at first. Eventually, I bought it at half price and it actually wasn't that bad. I really liked some of the changes they made to Career Mode. It's not amazing, but it's definitely miles ahead of 19.
Edit: Also it's most likely they were motivated to add all this because of all the hype behind PES and its improvements.
Dont Forget UFC
OGB_10 when EA brought in a Hockey guy to take the lead on Elite 11 it was over. David Littmans fault. Because the sales weren’t great compared to 2K that’s why Mike Wang left They wanted to go in a different direction than what he had a vision for
Live actually could come back. Because 80% of my friends would rather play NBA Live 19 over NBA 2K20. Live actual gameplay is way better but 2K has better features.
Yea,I like NBA live 18 & 19 on my Xbox. I have nba2k20 on PlayStation but I only played it 3 times.
Lol no.. your small circule of friends is no where near enough for live to make a comeback
They need to let that be known...
@@roddywhite4161 I think if Live would dropped 20 by 21 they would've evened up
@@aktionpacc964 people say that every year live drops and live doesnt ever sell jack. Live 20 wasn't going to be an exception
Will you ever do a history of NCAA football series? I'd love to see it.
I would like that
A little late but he made one
When NBA Live 10 came out I was young and couldn't afford it. There was a free demo on Xbox that let you play one half, As either the Magic or the Lakers but you could play the demo with 2 players. Me and my friend would stay up all night having tournaments in the demo, And would just add up the scores from the 2 halves to see who won. We never got bored.
My friend recently passed away, And I always think about those nights replaying the demo over and over again for hours and just adding up the scores.
RIP Kevin. You definitely won that last tournament we played.
NBA LIVE 10 even 15 years after release still way better than 2K since 2K18 to 2K24.
Andrew Bynum Jesus glitch was infamous lmao
The GOAT lol
Do a madden 13 retrospective but of how it took everything good out of madden 12
Edit: thx guys for the likes💯💯
yeah that would be great
YES
Was that the one with the bs rewind feature
@@devilface97 no it was madden 09-11 that they had that feature
Edit: and u can turn it on or off too
@@devilface97 No it's the one with bs everywhere else
We need 2k to get back on they shit 🤦🏾♂️ NBA Live is the reasons for 2k being so terrible the last 4 years 💯
I’ve been enjoying 2k idk why it’s getting bad reviews from some, I don’t even use Micro-transactions
RhynoEst92 if u play 2k from 07 through 2k16 u would understand I’m talking about 🤦🏾♂️💯
360 Cam I’ve played 2k from when they had A.I on it, I’m not saying it’s Perfect and doesn’t have its hiccups but I still find a lot enjoyment with it
2k20 had gambling. They went full on greedy.
RhynoEst92 2k20 dribbling sucks you play strictly offline? That’s probably why you love it lol. Anyone who plays park or any other online mode would see the problems the game has.
Damn. So mike wang is Literally the mastermind behind nba games lol
Shit I guess so
💯💯💯💯
Nba 2k was a generation ahead of live from the get go I remember playing nba 2k on the Dreamcast and just thinking holy shiiiiiiit it’s over.
NBA 2K4 and 2K5 are also considered to be the start of NBA 2K's peak.
So basically you need Mike Wang to make a good basketball game.
or sabotage one and steal ideas. 2k has always been good at stealing game defining ideas
IMMORTAL GAMING dude 2k only stole the defense feature of Live lol
Mike Wang be flip flopping
With every video, you continue to improve your craft as a content creator. Keep of the work. Solid Video!
Thomas Sankara just posted a new one.
@@2kFootballNow you're helping to keep APF 2K8 alive. Best Sim football out there. The best hands down.
Hey man I just want to say I absolutely love your content and these long, in depth videos. Thanks for making these
one of things I loved about live 06 was if a player had multi offense capacities. you could change their talent on the fly from being a High Flyer to Inside scorer to Outside scorer like how badges works but choosing a talent means you could boost that particular category. probably a feature i miss the most.
oh also, certain players having X factor given to them.
My favorite Live was 2000 w Tim Duncan on the cover … so many hours were spent on that game.
NBA LIVE 99 and 2000 are top 3 BEST NBA LIVE games along with 10.
This was the greatest 30 mins of my day so far
Bro that intro was exceptional.
That intro felt like a movie trailer
As an NBA Live fan (though I LOVED NBA 2K until 2K7 ruined it for me), my favorite NBA Lives are 2003 (basically NBA Jam with Simulation Rules), 96, 98, 10 (2010), 2005, and 06 (2005 but with Superstar Moves on GameCube).
I was also a huge Shootout fan back in the day. Shootout 97 and 2000 especially.
I still play Live 98, 06 (GameCube), 10, and 19 to this day.
Hell, I still play A LOT of Shootout 2000 these days.
So this is what would have happened if EA didn't buy out the NFL license.
Nba Live 2004 will always have my heart ❤️
Angie martinez. Shaaaawing
Me too it had Jordan in it
Live 05 owns mine.
@@retrodemogameris MJ23 also returned in NBA LIVE 10?
Great video, well researched and very well put together.
I was a die hard Live fan till 2k became so much fun, I purchased Live 14 at the time and that was the last Live game I ever bought 🙈
NBA Live 06. The game in the series that started the downfall.
I played it and it was so annoying like wtf that everytime I took a shot it was a hook shot
Right after one the best ones
NBA 2K7 was my first 2K game......nuff said 😂
live 97 was underrated
7:03 LOL Roster Player Fell God Damn That Was Funny To Watch
Live 03 brings back levels of nostalgia that I didn’t think could be reached
This comment is pretty late but listening to this channel and its grievances about sports games and what’s missing is inspiring because now I want to make my own game with all these features love this channel keep it up please
The quality of your videos is unbelievable
Thanks for this. My first basketball game was Live 04 on the PC so I was really curious what happened to the franchise. I played Live 04-06 on PC and those were great games in my opinion. Didn’t realize how bad next gen was for them. Never picked up another Live edition after 06. Followed all the hype and got 2k11 after I got a PS2. I even played NBA 07 before I got another Live game. It’s really sad to see basketball games creep into what Madden has become. Hopefully Live makes a comeback and creates some competition for 2k.
I still play live 04 and live 05 to this day
Bill Nye that with 03,06 imo are the best lives
Mikey C23 Hot Karl was an absolute legend
04 was mt first NBA game. It was awesome
@Bill Nye Live '05 is very underrated
pont Flair plus it just rolls off the tongue lol *badass deep voice “NBA Live, 2005”
Greaaaaaaat video man!!! Don't stop making these!!
Man what an incredible video. I felt like I was watching a netflix documentary.
Hold on, EA lowered the price on a game?
1) that sounds fake
2) NBA should sign an exclusive deal with 2k as revenge for NFL 2K5
Dylan Bowser yup that made terrible sense for an company to do that back than.. destroying sports gaming as we know it..
this didn’t just kill Nfl2k.
It had a domino effect ..
The mlb debacle that killed ea’s mvp & allowed Sony’s the show to take shape and causing mlb2k’s advertent haulting
This translated to Nba2k being the mean focus at 2k/take two ..
Ea is the one ruining sports games from the start... remember when they kept off her ncaa games from having certain bowls and soccer games from having certain players and leagues
No we need competition regardless if it is bad or else 2K will be Madden
And be stuck with trash 😠😠😠
Dylan Bowser facts
@Tommy De Sadi I hear you, no game modes I play use micro transactions in 2k. But I meant gameplay in general. 2k needs competition to push them to get better. Maybe Live will make a good game and push 2k to put more effort into gameplay
EA needs to come out with a reboot of the NBA Street series.
Nah man they'd probably balls it up. EA died when 'pay to win' became a thing.
I remember before it was even called NBA Live ....back in the early 90s when sega genesis was out and it was called whatever 2 teams that made it to the finals the previous yr...(Lakers vs Celtics,..
Bulls vs Lakers...Bulls vs Blazers....etc)....side note...who remember the NCAA game called Coack K on ea ...classic and they had a USA basketball game with the foreign teams on it💯
“Soundtrack went plananem” 😂
What live needs is euphoria engine, just imagine what they could come up with if they somehow adapt it to the game, and also some classes from Konami's Pro evolution soccer series on how they handle ball physics and they might have the game of the year on their hands! But that's just me daydreaming, but I do believe 2k needs competition from someone so it doesn't get stuck in their glory.
excelent video, i agree with everything tou say, i remember playing nba live 2003, with amazing soundtrack and gameplay, there is good days.
Excellent*
Same thing would've happened to Madden if 2k could've remained a competitor. I liked 2k's Hockey better too. 2k6 was probably the best one on 360.
Baseball was good too...and College Basketball
Eww there hockey was like an arcade game. Hit ANY deke and you cant be hit or poke checked, It was a joke compare to EAs NhL. They actually do a Very good job on NHL and FIFA
@@AverageMyth I only liked 2k6. You can set the controls on classic and it plays almost identical with Nhl94 on Genesis. Just way nicer graphics. I haven't touched a newer hockey game since 2014 with nhl94 on the disc. I'm not a fan of the analog stick shooting.
I had Live 96 on SNES. Man the good times I had playing that.
Tool OnDaBoards Definitely a great Live...I still have it (as well as the system)...A major step up from 95 (which was also great)
@@thomastripp9002 oh yeah nba live 96 did have Jordan. If you just create a player and put his name he automatically will be created.
Rick Taylor Yup...Also, the legends such as Bird, Magic, Wilt, Kareem, Isiah and many others. Plus, the rookies such as Stackhouse, Stoudamire, Edney, McDyess, O’Bannon and others.
96 was fire! pop in the name jordan.....here *doot doot doot* and bang... there's jordan....I unlocked every legend available
I bought & played NBA LIVE from 96-2003 and I stopped until nba live 2019 and waited to play it until 2021. Live 19 is a great game the modes are up to par if you ask me, I currently have 17 collectibles I'm not even going to open until 2025 and I'm confident that it'll be well worth the replay value😮😮 you have to understand the age of a basketball player and who they might have at home as a gamer to respect the devs and targeted players❤
Great in-depth video. I hope you never stop doing these. Big 🙏🏾
That Mike Wang part had me laughing so hard idk why 😂😂😂
He needs to do that again lol
I always thought Live 07 was underrated. The superstar button to change from 3 pointer to dunker to passer abilities was fun as hell.
It was more fun than the Live 08-10 'go-to moves'.
NBA 2003 was the game that made me love basketball 🔥
NBA live 2002
Just found your channel and i love it! Gives me nostalgia of my past and they’re made very well. Good job man your channel should be way bigger.
Correction, NBA Live 07 wasn't released on PS3. (14:04) A PlayStation 3 version was cancelled because the design was progressed ambitiously.
Rest In Peace NBA Live 97,04-06
My Dad loved NBA 2k11 they brought back all his childhood players for the first time 🎮
It sucked they only had the classic starters though, and maybe the 6th man. All the bench players were just generic baldies for the most part.
David Maschino yea it was the first time they incorporated those old school players so yea but it was still the precursor for a good series of future 2k games
@@senseihustle4293 oh for sure. I agree.
@@davidmaschino3359 The Irony In That Is Michael Jordan Himself Was Known As Roster Player #23
NBA live 2006 is the best live ever💯🔥💯
No its not, Bitch!!
Are you on the ps2 or Xbox 360 for Nba Live 2006?
Taj James on the original Xbox and Xbox 360 straight up fire🔥🔥🔥🔥
Taj James The gameplay is amazing you can do lot of trades and put them in your roster for dynasty mode throw off backboard dunks easy to do not like 2k you got to press all these type of buttons
@@kingsavage7245 not its not fucking shit King Savage!!!!!!!!
Connor McNerney Are u on somthin cause it’s just a game
I got some older PS2 games my wife had when she was younger. Live 2002 was included. It was a pretty decent game. Very easy to pick up and play. I like 2K but I'm really bad at it. I may go out and buy live 05 though.
Dont forget its ps1 backwards compatable. If get a chance, get legacy of kain:soul reaver. Dbz budokai tenkaichi 2 is stillfun to play. And its possible to have alternate colors for created teams in madden 07 which im playing the ps2 version on the ps3. Onimusha 2 voice acting can sound hokey but the story does have multiple endings depending on the side character you choose. Gameplay could be frustrating at times. But those puzzle boxes were my favorite side game and theres one to this day, i havent opened before.
Ah man, ace combat 4 is in my top 5 favorite game i played on the ps2. So is gran turismo 2.
I’m selling my Live 05 if you are interested. Dope game.
The intro to this video was hilarious. Thank you.
Ahh, I remember playing Live 04 the most. So much fun, the gameplay was so fast the dribbling was fluid as hell. I remember scoring 150+ each game cause u could score in like 3 sec off a fastbreak. I'd be rushing down the court either cramming it on another player's head or pulling up on transition 3's. Those were the days....
damn i'm old I remember playing live 95
So do I. I loved the PC version. I remember when it was called Lakers vs Celtics on PC and Celtic vs Bulls for the Genesis.
Coach K was tha Shit Also
Me too!! We ain't old just aged
Lol I was like 2 😂 thought I was feeling old. Lol jk
@@jimmyc8271 I'm 34 years I played nba live from 95 to 03 after I lost interest of it
NBA Live 2005 is the final NBA Live I ever played. Before purchasing I was considering this or NBA 2K5. I chose Live over 2K5 after hearing about online gaming on both games. In 2K5 just have your sharpshooter fire 3s the entire game. What sold me on Live is the All-Star game and dunk contest. I also enjoy the soundtrack of the game. Like anything EA touches it kill their golden goose
Same with me. I love NBA Live 05.
Can't wait for him to tear into NBA live 14
You have to go back further to 1983 with the One on One series - Dr. J vs Larry Bird. Nobody knew who Electronic Arts was and this game helped establish them as a legit company. This is when Michael Jordan was still at UNC and before Air Jordan. You could say the arrival of Michael Jordan changed everything. Before Michael Jordan, the NBA was not very popular.
Bulls vs Blazers was my first NBA game, NBA showdown was my favourite of all time!!! How awesome was breaking the backboards with Shaq!!!!
I really enjoyed NBA Live 18 & 19. After refusing to play another 2k basketball game after 2k16... I took a chance on live. On Live, the player movements, likeness and interactions are way more realistic. The game play is super smooth and the graphics from inside the area (the court floors and lighting) looks great. The only fail of Live is the online multiplayer. Out of all the different game modes, you cant even simply hop into a multiplayer (same team) NBA game? Not being able to play same team multiplayer in a full NBA game was extremely disappointing. On the plus side, since they didnt produce a Live 20, atleast they updated all the current rosters for free, no microtransactions and they care about constant updates for fixing bugs and gameplay. NBA Live is still a solid game
Nba live 10 was good.. but when 2k11 came out with the MJ edition. It was over
I have to say Live 03 and 05 were my favorites. I lost interest in basketball after that because I started playing football. Before Live 03 I was always a 2K man. 03 was definitely monumental for the series overall from what I could tell. Using the analog stick to dribble was a game changer.
I bought every single Live release from '95 until '05.....and then discovered 2K6 via a friend of mine and.....instantly converted. I remember being resistant at first, and then after playing one time I said, "Live is maybe more realistic....but THIS game is FUN!!" It wasn't so hard to dunk, pass to the person you wanted, and shoot when you meant to. It was the simple things in the end.
Back when the ps2 was hot. My 2 favorite NBA Live games on it where 05 And 06.
Live 05 whit melo in the front was my all time live game
I knew those live 10 animations were familiar... go check out nba live mobile it's basicly all the same animations and gameplay
What a surprise that EA Sports destroyed two franchises in NBA Live & Madden. I hear FIFA is also a mess.
They didn't destroy madden😂
12Gxuge madden is absolute trash Lmaoo
@Thomas Sankara So how many times have you lost to say its bad
12Gxuge - I see Madden brainwashed you.
@Thomas Sankara like i believe you more like 139-890
That was quite an intro. When I was really young I loved NBA Playoffs. Loved NBA Showdown also. Crazy seeing how sport games progressed and are now almost ruined by greed.
19:13 the Jesus Bynum video was released by hard8times. The person you credited most likely reposted it but it’s hard8’s video. It’s a significant fact because this video led directly to Elite’s cancellation within days after the demo dropped, numerous glitches and bugs were shared but it waa hard8’s video that put the nail in the coffin.
You should do "The rise of NBA 2K"
He pretty much did that in this video
Richardley Telme yea 2K was in there, but it wasn't "In Depth" which 2k usually is 😅
The Rise AND Fall
and fall of NHL 2k
mark hunley YOU MEAN THE FALL OF 2K?
Wow... They even mentioned Bulls vs Blazers, my introduction drug... 🍻
Very good video, thanks for making this. Like everyone I’m a true NBA live gamer but at the end switch to 2K because of all the disappointments. Now I finally know why they screw this up.
I was born in 92, my first Live game was 97- it was my fav Christmas present to that point lol
EA: "Sweet Neptune in heaven, I need an idea!!"
Me: "Why don't you combine your sports games in a free to play role-playing experience".
EA: "Say what?!!"
Me: "Combine Madden, Fifa, NBA Live, NHL, PGA Tour, UFC into one sports video game"
EA: "Blasphemy"
But then again, the amount of licenses in the same game might be a problem.