Peter Moore: A few years til EA can compete with NBA 2K series

Electronic Arts canceled NBA Elite 11, which was the series reboot of the declining NBA Live series. It was to be bundled with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version of NBA Jam. However, the game was quickly recalled one week after a disastrous launch, and the series was shelved. Since then, there’s been no competitor for 2K Sports’ NBA 2K series, after Sony’s first party b-ball game, NBA XX: The Life was also shuttered on the PlayStation 3.

Ex-EA Sports boss and current EA CFO Peter Moore stated in an interview with Industry Gamers that he doesn’t think the next EA Sports basketball title, to be released next year, will compete with what would be NBA 2K13.

”It’ll take us a few years maybe, but if that’s what it takes, that’s what it’ll be,” stated Moore, ”It’s not going to happen overnight, but we’ll sit here 3, 4 years from now and hopefully we’ll be talking about what a great battle NBA 14 or 15 is versus their 14 or 15.”

Moore took a jab at 2K Sports, however, by stating that it’s the only sports title they do well, saying, “It’s their focus because, as you know, they’ve given up on NHL recently. NBA is the game that they need to focus on. When I think about 2K Sports, it’s probably 80% of their portfolio from a unit basis and a revenue basis. It’s a great game, but we’re not walking off the court crying here.” 2K Sports put the NHL 2K series on hiatus themselves, and their baseball game has at best received mediocre reviews.

Moore did confirm that what he called “NBA 14” is in an alpha state, but didn’t confirm that would be the game’s title.