NBA Live 20 has been cancelled, publisher EA has confirmed. This year’s entry in the long-running series was previously delayed before it was even formally revealed, but it is now not happening at all.
In an earnings call, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said: “With great support from the NBA and NBPA, we had been working on an innovative new direction for our game timed with the All-Star weekend – an experience designed around new ways for players to engage, connect and create through basketball. Now, with greater understanding of the new platforms and what they can power – bringing social connection, accessibility, and player creativity to the forefront – we feel we can go so much further with the new design. So we’ve decided not to ship an NBA Live game in FY20. Instead, we’re expanding our vision for NBA Live, and continuing to work closely with our NBA and NBPA partners on this new project that we’ll share more details on next year.”
Wilson also implied the next EA Sports games will come to next-generation consoles – a step that has traditionally benefitted the games’ PC versions, too. “New consoles are always an opportunity to drive more innovation in our EA Sports games, as our fans are eager to begin experiencing a new generation of play,” he said. “That will include our plans for NBA Live.”
Elsewhere in the call, EA confirmed there will be no new Battlefield title next year. Instead, a new entry will arrive in financial year 2022 – so between April 2021 and March 2022. The company also revealed that Apex Legends has passed 70 million players, while The Sims franchise has made over $5 billion across its lifetime.
Finally, EA reiterated its commitment to live services across its selection of games and teased its “plans for new experiences that we’ve not yet announced for next year – new titles and new IP for multiple platforms.”