• NBA LIVE 18 to include the WNBA

    Confirmed by EA SPORTS, NBA LIVE 18 will include the WNBA, joining EA SPORTS FIFA as including female squads.


    GI's Matt Bertz notes that EA SPORTS treated the WNBA with the same level of detail as they do the men, getting face-scans and motion capturing female players, while also aiming for gameplay to match the style of the league. The teams & players will not be included in The One or Dynasty modes, but could not be ruled out for inclusion in Live Ultimate Team, per comments from Producer Mike Mahar. At launch they can only be accessed in Play Now or Online Versus match-ups.

    The WNBA inclusion is of no surprise following social media posts of Kelsey Plum & Talia Walton showing themselves being mo-capped by EA SPORTS.


    Full press release from EA SPORTS:

    Today, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced that WNBA teams and players* will be playable in NBA LIVE 18, launching this fall on Xbox One and PlayStation®4. The WNBA will be available in WNBA Play Now, and teams and player skills have been specifically balanced to reflect the unique playstyle of the league and skills of its players. This is the first time the official WNBA’s roster of teams and players will appear in a video game, and will be available only in NBA LIVE 18.

    “We are extremely proud to partner with the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) on this groundbreaking occasion,” said NBA LIVE Executive Producer Sean O’Brien. “The WNBA is home to some of the most incredible athletes on the planet, and we’ve been working hard to integrate them into our game in an authentic and meaningful way. This is only a taste of what we have in store, and look forward to working with the league on more great integrations in the franchise in the future.”

    “We are delighted to collaborate and make history with EA as NBA LIVE 18 becomes the first video game to feature the WNBA’s full roster of teams and players,” said WNBA President Lisa Borders. “With EA’s expertise and ingenuity, the game will provide a terrific platform to showcase the players and the league, enabling fans to experience the WNBA in a new, exciting way.”

    "On behalf of the players, we believe that combining technology and entertainment is a powerful way to not only recognize and value our brand of basketball but to also increase fan connectivity and engagement,” said Nneka Ogwumike, WNBPA President/LA Sparks.

    In order to incorporate the league’s teams and players, the NBA LIVE 18 team conducted head scans of star athletes like Maya Moore, Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, Sylvia Fowles, Alisha Gray, Chelsea Gray, Jonquel Jones, and Alyssa Thomas, and held motion capture sessions with 2017 WNBA Draft first overall pick, Kelsey Plum, among others. Additionally, game creators fine-tuned player ratings and skill moves in order to present the league and its stars in the most authentic way possible. Fans will be able to experience the best of the WNBA when NBA LIVE 18 launches this Fall.

    NBA LIVE 18 is developed by EA Tiburon and will be available worldwide this September for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
    This article was originally published in forum thread: NBA LIVE 18 to include the WNBA started by cdj View original post
    Comments 3 Comments
    1. Rudy's Avatar
      Rudy -
      2K is so screwed lol
    1. CLW's Avatar
      CLW -
      Quote Originally Posted by Rudy View Post
      2K is so screwed lol
      The fact that they completely wasted resources on something 1% or less of the 500 customers that are going to buy this game is a real head scratcher. This series appears dead the only ? is how long before the suits end it laying off the unnecessary employees.
    1. Rudy's Avatar
      Rudy -
      Well I would say resources put into that vs allowing roster edits was a bad decision if comparable.