NBA Elite 11 for PS3: New Controls and NBA Jam Confirmed

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Hey guys, I’m Yaw (pronounced as “yao” like Yao Ming) and I’m the NBA Community Manager from Electronic Arts Canada. I work alongside the EA SPORTS: NBA ELITE and NBA JAM development teams. We have exciting news to share with all of you today — three modes of NBA JAM will be included with your purchase of NBA ELITE.

This year, our team at EA SPORTS wanted to create the ultimate basketball experience for PS3 owners. If you’ve been following all the news and updates on NBA ELITE, then the first thing that you’ve seen is the game is no longer called NBA LIVE. So why the name change?

Well, we believe that NBA ELITE will revolutionize the way you think, feel and play basketball video games — forever. The dev team is driving never seen before innovation in the form of a number of features that are radically different than what you have seen in previous NBA games. The first change you will see is in the revised control scheme: Hands-On Control. This year you have full control over everything in the game; from offense to defense. Your shooting is based on skill (not on the dice roll of hitting a button and letting the AI determine your success.) Dribbling is one-to-one movement, you can link moves together seamlessly like; euro-steps, dunk adjusts, spins-moves and so much more.

The second major revolutionary innovation you’re going to see is the inclusion of real physics driving the game. We’re leveraging the physics animation technology that drove NHL, FIFA and even Fight Night into the upper echelons of sports video games and applying it in way that works specifically for basketball.

PS3 - NBA 11 Elite

People that we’ve shared the game with to date have told us that they are impressed (even amazed) at how NBA ELITE is the first game to “play and feel like real basketball.” We feel this comes down to all the little things you are able to see in this year’s game, such as unique ball deflections every time you play the game and various player collisions that make NBA basketball as exciting as it is. Look for more details to come on real physics, killer new modes, and more about our revamped in-game presentation centered around ESPN and their lead commentary team of Breen, Van Gundy, and Jackson.

With all the new additions that have gone into NBA ELITE 11 — we really feel that we’re doing everything to blaze a new path for basketball games — and we want you to play the game to see for yourself. To make NBA ELITE the ultimate basketball experience for you, we will be including three modes of NBA JAM for FREE with NBA ELITE 11. That’s right, not only will you be getting NBA ELITE 11 when you buy the game, but you will also have NBA JAM available as well — so for the price of one game, you’re getting two full NBA experiences. Another important note to share with all of you — the ONLY way you will be able to play NBA JAM for the PS3 is to buy NBA ELITE 11.

NBA ELITE for PS3 with NBA Jam

With NBA JAM on the PS3, the team is bringing you the classic two-on-two experience that you once knew from the original arcade game but this time with updated teams, and of course all in glorious HD. The controls are very easy to pick up and once you start throwing down monster dunks or begin heating up, it’s going to be hard to put down the controller. The game stays true to the original game but at the same time it offers a brand new take on the classic, with updated graphics and new game-play mechanics.

We’re very excited to be able to share the news with all of you, I know talking with a number of people in the community; everyone has wanted to see NBA JAM on the PS3. I can finally let you all know that your wish has become reality. I’m definitely curious to hear your thoughts about all of this. Be sure to comment below and let us all know what you think of the news.

Pencil mid-to-late September into your calendars for the NBA ELITE downloadable demo on PSN. We really believe that once you play the game for yourselves, you will see the revolutionary change that we’ve been talking about. For more information, join us on Facebook at EA SPORTS NBA, or you can follow me on Twitter @blackflash83.

BOOMSHAKALAKA!!

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208 Comments

24 Author Replies

  • @77

    The only realistic basketball game is NBA 2K series. If you want an arcade game buy NBA Live 11, I mean NBA “Elite” 11. Ea keeps saying how they are so sim, but they are not!!

  • I gotta give it to you Yaw. You are reading the post and responding even though they are not good comments. I like 2K so much more than Elite, so I won’t be getting it. I would be interested in NBA Jam as DLC, but not going to buy Elite just for that. If you want my money sell NBA Jam as a seperate DLC. I know EA likes money, so I am sure it will be done sometime after October.

  • Yeah, I will be honest, I have been bashing EA as you can see in my post, but Yaw just works for EA. I think if it was up to him, it would be done differently. EA has done some dumb things lately. I just don’t see why Ea Sports does not go to these gamer boards and do some research. Everyone want to play NBA Jam, and to make the full version a Wii exclusive is just down right retarded! I would buy the Wii version if it came to PS3 for full price, and if it came to PSN for no more than $15.00.

  • Thanks EA. Instead of getting whatever it would’ve cost for NBA Jam from me, now you’re getting $0. I don’t think anyone is believing the “2 unique experiences for the price of one” you’re trying to feed us, nor do thy even care. You’re alienating the people who have interests in NBA Jam and NBA Jam alone. Now on top of that, it’s only 3 modes of the Wii game for the full price of NBA Elite. In other words, PS3/360 Jam fans get shafted in every way. Give me a break.

  • Very Disappointing. I haven’t read all the comments, but it’s easy to see why people are upset. Way more people want NBA Jam. It is a unique experience. Those same people don’t necessarily want to play NBA Elite. I am one of those people. If I want to play NBA Jam in HD on PS3, I am only get a limited (when compared to the Wii) edition that I must pay $60 to get. Yes, I get NBA Elite, but I don’t want it. Unique gaming experience or not.

  • Hi Yaw,

    I’ll try not to be too nasty,

    The “Two for the price of one is a great deal” line is only good for people who were interrested in both games or just Elite.

    For anyone who was only interrested in NBA Jam, you’re asking/making them buy a $60 game they have no intrest in buying to get it.

    That is the whole point of this, you’re trying to have the NBA Jam name sell this new Basketball IP.

    You can’t be shocked at people being upset with this.

    Seems like you’re trying to do the Halo 3 beta with Crackdown thing. I think you’re going to find out the hard way that is not going to work with NBA Jam.

    Sorry Yaw, I’m gonna pass and buy NBA Jam if/when you release it by itself on PSN/XBLA.

  • Good, now redo Madden and Fifa

  • EA is screwin the pooch on this one. Love me some “JAM” but have no interest in playing “ELITE”. Not big on sports sims, like arcadey ones though. Bad move EA. And to this YAW idiot, your responses aren’t helping you at all. I think you peeps at EA should rethink this little move cause with a PSN launch (full game mind you), trophies, and online play you could make a nice chunk of money here. Dumb move EA, dumb move.

  • Mr Yaw,

    It’s really simple why people are upset about this. I understand you have to say things like you are getting two unique experiences for the price of one in order to sell it. Yes, two for the price of one is always a good deal, but only if the consumers see it that way and it is worth their money.

    I would’ve been one of the many to get NBA Jam if it was a separate PSN download. I’m not heavily into basketball (or the sports genre in general) to really care about stats, realism, etc. But, I used to play NBA Jam back in the day a lot and had fun and have great memories. So spending full price for a game that I have no interest in in order to get NBA Jam, means I’ll be paying full price for a game that I’m sure wouldn’t be as much on the PSN Store. Again, I believe it’s fairly simple to understand people’s complaints.

    I hope EA reconsiders this. Or at least make NBA Jam available separately somewhere down the line, because as you can see, you are losing sales over this decision.

  • Where is Jordan.. oh thats 2K11 the game that I’m getting. Why in the world do i have to buy elite to get NBA Jam? That sucks. EA you really are dropping the ball more and more each time I hear something about this so called Elite game that looks the same as Live. Make NBA Jam a PSN download I’m sure it would sell more than Elite is going to.

  • I was going to preorder several new EA titles but after seeing that 360 box art i’ve changed my mind about EA from being Greedy Trash to Dispicable Vomit.

  • sorry yaw…i know you’re holding the company line saying it’s a full unique 2 game basketball experience but the voices are pretty obvious..most of us only wanted to purchase one of them…you guys were willing to have madden arcade as it’s own psn game and alot of us had the same hopes for nba jam

  • I will pick up elite when it goes on sale, really have no interest in NBA sims, but loved the OG NBAJam!

  • Dearest Yaw,

    People want to have choices. Plain and simple. Not be forced into picking ONE option that EA thinks is best for gamers.

    Sincerely,
    glody

  • But as far as people bashing EA, they have finally started being good to us PS3 fans, which is more than I can say for activision! Moh pack in is sweet, dead space pack in is awesome too.

  • You guys would be smart in keeping the two games separate. One as the full game for $60 and NBA JAM as a PSN download. Don’t try to compensate for not getting Jordan this year. Because as much as I hate to say it, that’s really what it comes down to this year between both games. One has Jordan, the other does not. You would make more money selling NBA JAM separate. Hire me, I’ll make decisions for you guys. ;)

  • ps. Not really hating on EA, as I think your NHL series is the best sports game I have played, since 1994. Just waiting for an iPhone port of the game. Either NHL ’11 or ’94. ;)

  • I keep hearing this as “you’re getting 2 games for the price of one”, but my wallet is having none of it.
    The game, which as far as I can tell has more features on the Wii (THE WII!), will likely sell for $50 retail on the Wii.
    I still have a Wii, amazingly, so I can get a game I care about (Jam) for $50. Or I can pony up $60 for one game I care about (Jam) and one I have 0 interest in at all (Elite) to play on PS3.
    Or I can boycott the game entirely, based on this boneheaded marketing move right here.
    Ask me how many Guitar Hero/Call of Duty games I’ve bought since Activision started fleecing their consumers.
    From where I sit, it looks like you guys just “project ten dollar’ed” yourselves out of an easy sale here.

  • Everyone one on here is ridiculous. NBA Jam was supposed to be Wii exclusive. We are all lucky to even have a chance to play NBA Jam in HD. You still get the exhibition mode and online. Who cares if you don’t have a career mode like on Wii. I just want to play against my friends not against bosses. NBA Elite will smoke 2k this year and I can’t wait.

    RIP NBA Live……Owner of 95-10

  • Yaw, you have to realise that there are a lot of people here who have no interest in NBA Elite. Now, I don’t argue that the complete package is a good deal. But some people just want to play NBA Jam.
    So they are getting annoyed that EA is trying to get them to pay $60, when all they want to play is JAM.
    Also, not only would they have to buy Elite to play JAM, the version they are getting is not as content heavy as the wii version.
    I nor anyone else can’t explain it any clearer!

  • How about an explanation to WHY you wouldnt just want to sell it as a PSN download?… A lot of people were hoping this because they like the 2K basketball games better but still wanted NBA Jam. You guys are trying to sell it as a package i get that but i dont really see why you wouldnt want to put it on the playstation store…

  • Mabe that Elite game might be full price but NBA Jam would have to be lower thats why people are complaining…it works for whoever WANTS Elite but if someone wants JAM then it sucks..

  • I really want to play NBA JAM on X360, but I would never pay $60 for NBA Elite 11. If I did I would turn right around and sell it to back to GameStop or Amazon which I think a lot of people are going to do. Which in turn is going to create a huge used market for NBA Elite 11 which means less new retail sales and more used retail sales of this game. Congratulation on messing this up.

  • this is why i like the PS blog, because it is the best and only way to get our voices heard to the third party community and of course to Sony themselves.

    these third party companies have no idea what we want and expect from them. example: right now.

  • Face it EA, you already lost the day 2K11 announced you could play as Jordan!

  • This should have been 2 separate releases, they attract a completely different set of gamers. If EA was not able to release Jam on it’s own because of some Wii exclusivity deal, well then tough luck, no JAM for us PS3 gamers. But don’t go on making this sound like it’s a good deal for us, no way will I buy a boring B-ball simulation game to play a (at most) a $20 version of JAM. Release it on PSN and we will buy it. Leave simulation basketball to 2K.

  • @ Mobius

    Even though you say what you need off your chest, but most of the time your “voice” will be ignored here. Yaw here, is actually sticking around to talk, which is very rare. So many staff here on the blog duck hard questions, but quickly answer blanket statements like “OMG DAY 1 BUY!!!”

    So I wouldn’t hold the blog in that high of a regard. Though it’s entertaining to see things like this play out, overall companies are going to do whatever they want. So we can only show them we have the power, with our wallets.

  • YAW,

    Don’t worry bro. Gamers are a bunch of whiners. I’m buying this just for JAM. Woot Woot. Never try to change a baby-whiner gamer’s mind, as they don’t listen…ever. These boards are full of self-entitled wussies.

  • @ marlyt

    So let me get this straight. Gamers are heavily made fun of for eating up anything companies throw at them. Then when they finally speak up, they’re whining or babies? You can’t have it both ways. Even taking that approach/stance shows your maturity.

  • I personally do not like the nba “ELITE” (aka live) series. The only game in the series that i thought was ok was live 05 for the gamecube LOL. But i will be buying elite and 2k11 this year (im a basketball addict, thats the only reason). But otherwise, by looking at gameplay vids so far, it looks improved, but still nowhere near the realisticality of the 2k series

    • A lot of the stuff that you’ve seen with NBA ELITE 11 right now has come VERY early in development. Normally EA would NEVER put out gameplay videos so early in development but it was important that you guys understood the direction the game was going hence, the early videos that were marked with “Work in Progress”.

      When you see the new videos that we will eventually put out you will see how far the game has come.

  • Quote: Yaw said:

    It’s not a demo. You’re getting three full game modes of NBA JAM where you will have the same functionality as you will find on the Wii version. It’s anything but a demo.

    Dear Yaw…it IS a gimped version of a full game…around here we call those DEMOs.

    • Demos don’t give you full access to every team and robust game modes. Most demos based on sports games usually give you 1 or 2 teams to play (NCAA Football 11 was an exception as EA gave you 4 teams to play) with very limited options for you to check out in your demo experience. This is anything but a demo.

  • Yaw | August 3rd, 2010 at 2:21 pm
    A lot of the stuff that you’ve seen with NBA ELITE 11 right now has come VERY early in development. Normally EA would NEVER put out gameplay videos so early in development but it was important that you guys understood the direction the game was going hence, the early videos that were marked with “Work in Progress”.

    When you see the new videos that we will eventually put out you will see how far the game has come.

    Well,……if thats the case, then NBA elite might just be on par with 2k in terms of realism(the control over the player seems to feel a lot better in the current gameplay vids), so I guess ill have to wait and see when Elite goes “gold” and the new gameplay vides come out

  • Yaw,

    I get what you’re saying. You’ve completely revamped the NBA Live games, AND you’re throwing three modes of Jam in for no additional cost. I’ll admit, watching those videos, I thought, “hey, that does look more realistic.” For fans of sim basketball games, this is great news.

    But the point is, not all of us are fans of sim basketball games. You can tell me how the latest flight sim game is SO AWESOME, but I still just want After Burner. I’m not into flight sims. Period.

    So what if I try the Elite demo and, while impressed with how realistic it is, I still just want Jam? There’s no option for that. I just want to play Jam with friends and family like back in the day again.

    Surely you can understand that.

  • When NBA Jam was first announced as coming for the Wii, I was happy but questioned whether or not it should be on a disc. Then there was the first announcement of it coming to the PS3, and I was happy. Then I saw this, I just have never had any interest in the Live/Elite series.

    So Yaw, please answer this. is Jam a download code? and will it have the option to play with other people offline?

  • Man yaw you are taking some heat for this announcement.

    I respect that you are responding to many of these negative comments.

  • No matter what you do, EA Sports, the NBA 2K series will always be better :) However, if you want my friends and I to buy NBA ELITE, make the game more realistic and with less bugs!

    If Take-Two can do it, you can, too :)

  • THIS THE ONLY REASON MOST PLAYERS LIKE 2K BBALL GAMES AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE GREAT ANIMATION IT HAVE IN THE GAME 2K GOT THE SAME ANIMATION THAT IT HAVE IN GRAND THEFT AUTO BUT LIKE I TELL EVERYONE YOU PUT EA BBALL GAME WITH 2K IT WILL BE THE BEST BBALL GAME EVER EA LOST THEY SPOT AT BEING NUM1 IN BBALL WHEN THEY NEVER RELEASE NBA LIVE 07 ON PS3 SO THAT YEAR ONLY BBALL OPTION YOU HAVE WAS NBA 2K7 AND SONY BBALL GAME BUT WHAT EA NEED TO BRING BACK TO NEXT GEN IS THE SUPERSTAR ICONS IT HAD IN NBA LIVE 06 FOR THE PS2

  • Yaw, you skipped right over my post directed towards you and other EA staffers, not surprised. When you’re ready to go all in and try to justify your hard sell to me, let me know. You just proved my accuracy in what I said about this blog. Way to “listen” to your fanbase.

    • Go back to your original post where you asked if someone from EA wanted to hear why NBA LIVE has not been good. I replied to your post saying I was interested in hearing what you had to say.

  • WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WILL NBA ELITE 11 AND MADDEN 11 SUPPORT PLAYSTATION MOVE CAUSE NBA ELITE AND NBA JAM IS A GOOD LOOK 2K11 SUPPORT MOVE AND I HOPE EA DID NOT REMOVE FREESTYLE PASSING AND OFFBALL CONTROL TWO BEST FEATURE IN NBA LIVE 10 THAT 2K11 MIGHT STEAL THIS YEAR FROM EA WE WILL

  • this post is full of WIN

  • Disappointing news. Was hoping for the full version of Jam at a reasonable price. Not interested in Elite at all.

  • Please tell me i don’t have to buy this one on the Wii? Like most of the people here, I have zero interest in 2k or Elite. I just want some arcade style 2 on 2 Basketball. You guys at EA are dropping the ball on a potential gold mine here.
    Well maybe not!
    Im pretty certain that it will eventually be available on PSN and Live, im sure they will have an upgrade fee for the people who used the code from their elite purchase as well to unlock the “full” game.

  • Yaw you must be new to the blog. people complain about everything on this blog. You could give NBA Elite away for free and they would still complain.

  • I don’t see a problem! They are giving us 2 games for the price of one. Your getting more for your money and you people are still not happy??? EA Sports Keep up the Good work!

    If you don’t like it don’t buy it that’s it! What is NBA 2k11 giving you as an extra ??? Nothing and still charging you the same that EA NBA Elite is charging!

    NBA Elite Graphics look amazing. I’m more of a Fight Night Round 4 type of guy but I will give NBA Elite a shot. And NBA Jam thrown into the mix for free, I can’t complain about that!

    I wish all new EA Games would do something like this. More for our Money! And in this hard economic times more for our money is great!!

    Half the people complaining weren’t going to buy the game in the 1st place and EA can’t please everyone there will always be critics!!!!

    EA Keep putting out Great Games!! Can’t wait for Fight Night Champion in 2011!

  • @morris1129

    I rarely comment on these blogs because of the immaturity of some of the people, but I have read all the coments that people have made and they actually have good reason to complain.

  • Well I would have totally payed $20-30 for NBA Jam on PSN, but why is it only available when you buy Elite 11.

    This shows me that EA knows this game won’t sell as good as 2K11, and they need something extra to hopefully help sales improve. I though EA was getting better at doing stuff like this with the Medal of Honor bundle and the Dead Space bundle, but this is cheap.

    I always buy 2K and unless it becomes dramatically worse, I’m still buying it. I guess I’ll buy Elite when it’s like $30 and then trade it in right after I use the NBA Jam code. Sorry EA.

  • wow, so much hate around here. give the guy some slack, geez, people. it’s not like it’s the end of the world or something.

    sure, i havent played Live since ’03 or so, but if you’ve been playing NBA 2K since 2K7 or 2K8, it’s also the same thing as 2K10. besides, it’s not like NBA 2K in itself is that good of a game. once you’ve played enough, you’ll notice the bugs and gameplay mishaps the game has. oh, and online is broken as well.

    on the other hand, Live also didn’t have a good showing in the past couple of years. of those two, i’d pick 2K, but hey, im open to improvements with the Live *ehem* Elite *ehem* series. i was a Live kid as well. i just think that Live didn’t have the realism that 2K has had. but believe me, 2K is going downhill as well. if you’ve played the My Player mode in 2K10 you know there’s ALOT of bugs. and the player animation isnt that great, especially when doing the Shooting Drills. ugh.

  • as for NBA Jam, it wouldve been better if EA released it separately, because consumers who might not want Elite would want Jam. sure, from a business model, Jam having a solid fanbase, the Live series being beaten by 2K in sales, it would make sense to bundle the two games to raise sales for the new Elite franchise, and overall, consumers would look at the game at face value and say, “hey, i get two games for one price.”, but there are people who only want Jam.

    i understand your need to draw people in by having a bundle as bait, but i believe it’ll work better if you sell Jam on PSN, and then bundle Elite with Jam on stores, because there are people who dont really care about PSN, and then there are people who just go inside the game store and check for games. wouldnt it be better to put out NBA Jam the Full game experience on PSN, and the Elite/Jam with only 3 modes bundle. ’cause with that, people either have to buy a full-fledged Jam experience, of maybe a full Elite with a lil’ taste of Jam.

  • Yaw,

    Your main argument is that you get 2 games for the price of one, which I completely understand, but what the main fuss to people is that they expected to be able to get only NBA JAM if they wanted. Not a lot of people are ready to buy a new NBA ELITE/Live game yet because majority of the past games have not given them the experience or gameplay they expected or wanted and were able to get from another company. That to me is what your missing. I’m not trying to put down your company or anything but when you sell people crap for so long and then finially come out with something worth playing, its hard trying to convince those same people or even new ones to play your game!

  • Yaw my friend,

    Let’s get real for a minute you keep saying 2 full basketball games but is it a full version of NBA Jam??? No it isn’t, so at best it’s like 1 3/4 games, probabley more like 1 1/2 games. Would you try to sell 3/4 of something to someone who wasn’t a rube. Example 3/4 of a car 3/4 of a dog….”wait wait it has all the funtionality of a full dog” …..but at the end of the day it’s still only 3/4 of a dog ain’t it???? Good luck with you game by all the comments on the previous pages your gonna need it ………i was looking forward to NBA Jam too.

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