In the business world, rarely do you see this level of capitulation. Companies usually do a public relations dance and try to take the spotlight off of their failures. Video game giant Electronic Arts Sports didn’t bother to spin anything in regards to news about their latest sports release—they just told the truth. They can’t compete in the marketplace and so they’re canceling this year’s release of NBA Live.
A quote written on the company’s website (by their vice president) neatly sums it up: "Having continued to look at the game over the past few days, it's clear that we won't be ready in October. Rather than launch midway through the season, we're going to sit out the full year and stay focused on making next year's game great. This decision puts us on the right track for success well into the future in a rapidly changing industry."
EA Sports long ago surrendered both cache’ and functionality to rival 2K Sports continuing basketball series, NBA 2K. Most gamers will tell you that EA produces an inferior basketball game product, so the fact that their newest offering isn’t up to snuff, isn’t shocking. What is, is the fact that after all the planning, they couldn’t produce anything period. It’s a strong defeat and yet another reason to invest in the forthcoming 2K ’13, which so far has gotten good reviews. For EA Sports, it’s not just about going back to the drawing board, but, back to basic fundamentals. Considering their level of defeat here, this may signal a more serious problem in the company's future.
