NBA Jam

[cdj]

EA Announces NBA ELITE 11 to Include Free Downloadable Version of NBA JAM

Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq:ERTS) announced today that all new copies of NBA ELITE 11 will include a one-time download code that will enable users to access three modes of NBA JAM – Play Now, Classic Campaign and Online. Already set to revolutionize the way basketball simulation games are played with new Hands-On Control, the inclusion of the NBA JAM modes will make NBA ELITE 11 the ultimate basketball videogame experience available, on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, when it is released on October 5, 2010.

This finally officially confirms NBA JAM for the 360 and PS3 and will give a boost to sales of ELITE.

The "Remix Tour" mode of JAM is still on the Wii version only. In an interview with ESPN, they are currently saying they will NOT be selling JAM in the XBL Marketplace or PlayStation Store.

[gschwendt]

Can you purchase a game and return it opened for mostly full credit? In other words, buy Elite 11, download NBA Jam, then return the Elite 11? I really don't have much interest in an NBA title but would love to have NBA Jam.

[iBrandon]

Nope, you cannot return a opened copy of the game unless you want another copy of the same game.

I think this is BS on EA's part, but I'm not surprised at all.

With that said, i usually get an NBA game, but it's 2K, I may get Elite depending on good it is. Live really intrigued me last year, but I passed.

[JBHuskers]

EA Announces NBA ELITE 11 to Include Free Downloadable Version of NBA JAM

Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq:ERTS) announced today that all new copies of NBA ELITE 11 will include a one-time download code that will enable users to access three modes of NBA JAM – Play Now, Classic Campaign and Online. Already set to revolutionize the way basketball simulation games are played with new Hands-On Control, the inclusion of the NBA JAM modes will make NBA ELITE 11 the ultimate basketball videogame experience available, on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, when it is released on October 5, 2010.

This finally officially confirms NBA JAM for the 360 and PS3 and will give a boost to sales of ELITE.

The "Remix Tour" mode of JAM is still on the Wii version only. In an interview with ESPN, they are currently saying they will NOT be selling JAM in the XBL Marketplace or PlayStation Store.

[JBHuskers]

Nope, you cannot return a opened copy of the game unless you want another copy of the same game.

I think this is BS on EA's part, but I'm not surprised at all.

With that said, i usually get an NBA game, but it's 2K, I may get Elite depending on good it is. Live really intrigued me last year, but I passed.

I'm sure it will be in the store eventually. Just not right away. I.E. Call of Duty Classic.

[morsdraconis]

I don't get the excitement over NBA Jam and being pissed about it...

[JBHuskers]

I don't get the excitement over NBA Jam and being pissed about it...

Depends on how old you are maybe. I'm excited because I played the hell out of NBA Jam when it first came out in the arcade and then on SNES.

[skipwondah33]

I played the hell out of NBA Jam when it first came out in the arcade and then on SNES.

Ahh yes those were the days

[cdj]

Can you purchase a game and return it opened for mostly full credit? In other words, buy Elite 11, download NBA Jam, then return the Elite 11? I really don't have much interest in an NBA title but would love to have NBA Jam.

You could probably trade it into a GameStop/EB Games for $40 or whatever they give.

NBA Jam on the Wii retails for $50 and the PS3/360 version will lack the Remix Tour mode, but have online. Essentially, selling Elite for $40 would give you Jam for $20. Though, I also expect them to sell Jam in the PSN/XBL come the holiday season...just my personal guess though.

[JBHuskers]

Trailer from Pasta Padre:

[gschwendt]

Just did that here - PS3 version. I'll get JAM this winter when it comes out.

If it's $60, I'll pass. The best hope for it though will be as a downloadable title for $20 or less.

[cdj]

If it's $60, I'll pass. The best hope for it though will be as a downloadable title for $20 or less.

My guess is that is what it will be. It gives them a cash flow for an NBA game on the next-gen consoles to make up for Elite being delayed. I'm hoping it's only $20 or so as well. Any more and I might reconsider.

[cdj]

With the game now being a solo release, let's give it it's own thread.


Kotaku's Owen Good speculates that the PS3/360 version may be switched to a disc version and add in more features (Remix Tour, for example) to justify a higher cost. He may be right, but he doesn't mention that the original 'ELITE purchase DLC perk' JAM is finished and all but ready to purchase. If EA scraps it in favor of a disc version, that's more money lost on the certification for the game towards MS & Sony.

It makes sense to add a standalone disc version, but IMO it would also make sense to have the game available to buy on PSN/XBL this Tuesday to at least have some sort of NBA product to compete against NBA 2K11. I'm looking forward to the game, but if it ends up being $40-60, I will probably wait a while.

[gschwendt]

I can't imagine that they would sell too many copies of NBA Jam at $40-$60... I could see it pulled off on the Wii but that was only when people thought that was the only way they would get the game. Now that people were expecting it for "free", they won't cough up too much more beyond $15-$20. As well, as you mentioned, the downloadable version is already done.

[CLW]

LOL - EA has NO F'N clue what they are doing. They are seriously scrambling around like chickens with their heads cut off.

Release JAM on the Wii as planned and put JAM as a downloadable game for $15-$20 on PSN/Live and cut your losses and prepare for Live/Elite 12.

If I were a shareholder of EA I'd be really unhappy right now. Bad PR with "Play as the Taliban" while our soldiers come home in coffins defending our freedoms and a NBA game they didn't realize was so..... bad until the community went ape after the demo was released?

[JBHuskers]

I really don't see how they could go disc version with this, unless they already had other features and etc. already developed for PS3/360, but I doubt that was the case. Basically I think it's digging a deeper hole.

With that said, if the added features were right, I'd pay $40 for a disc version of NBA Jam just for the sole reason of sentimental value for me growing up playing this game in the arcades.

But I think they should just go with a $20 DLC (gimme a platinum trophy )

[cdj]

The local sports radio station in Toronto, FAN 590, has a video game show every weekend called Got Game, and today they aired an interview with NBA Jam's Creative Director Trey Smith.

Listen to the podcast, right here. The interview starts at 15:40. They talk about various topics including licensing, selection process of the roster, and Remix tour (length of Remix Tour is 38 hours at the minimum!). At the end (25:50) he had this to say about the next gen versions:

Trey Smith: "I'll tell you, we're doing everything in our power to get as much on there as possible. I mean, we had online up. It was a really basic online feature set. We're trying to blow that out. And then you get Remix. We're trying to throw it all in there. Right now, I mean, we got this bomb dropped on us just a couple of days ago as well. So, we're shuffling to get everything together, but we got a great team. We got a lot of stuff up and working. We're going to polish it up, and we're gonna get it out there before holidays. And its really up to you. If you want to hang out with your friends and use gesture controls, you got it on the Wii. If you want to go online and you want that HD experience, you go on the PS3/360."

Courtesy: Operation Sports

[JeffHCross]

They are going to sink so much money into this for practically no return. I mean, I loved NBA Jam back in the day ... but there's absolutely nothing that interests me about bringing it home.

[cdj]

They are going to sink so much money into this for practically no return. I mean, I loved NBA Jam back in the day ... but there's absolutely nothing that interests me about bringing it home.

I think they will get a good return in year one (not so sure with them delaying the DLC Jam), but what happens to the franchise after this point? I don't see it being a viable yearly franchise, so where does this dev team go in the meantime? Maybe to help with ELITE?

Per pastapadre, the OS member who bought the first copy of ELITE says that the JAM download code DID work.

[cdj]

The code from ELITE works and here's a look at the rosters and game modes. It appears that the Remix Tour is going to be available at some point and that the PS3/360 version is full and complete right now.