It's been rumored for a while, but now it's official.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/23810
If you haven't heard the peculiar news, I'll spill it for you now. NBA Jam, that awesome Wii-exclusive basketball game from EA Canada, is also coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but not all of it is coming to those systems.
In the latest attack by EA against the sale of used games, all copies of NBA Elite 11 for 360 and PS3 will feature a one-time download code for three modes from NBA Jam. The modes in question are Play Now, Classic Campaign, and Online. So, it's basically a version of the NBA Jam we all know and love from the '90s, but with an added online component.
EA Sports is saying that they won't be selling NBA Jam on Xbox Live Arcade or PSN, and that buying NBA Elite 11 brand new will be the only way to get NBA Jam on either system.
While it's nice that more people will get to experience the new NBA Jam, a portion of the game is going to be offered to players on the other systems for free. What 360 and PS3 owners are missing out on is the Remix Tour, which features the crazy backboard bashing and boss battles. It is unknown if the Wii version will be the only one to feature the myriad of unlockables.
NBA Jam is set for an October release.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Wii version lacks online play, does it not? I think that mode is exclusive to the 360/PS3 versions.
It would be quite bad PR if the free HD version had a significant feature (online) that is not included in the full price Wii version.
I hope to hear this discussed on the next RFN, Jonny. :)
I think EA is feeling the heat because their competitor has Michael Jordan. EA gives NBA Jam to PS3/360 users for free, and it includes an online feature that I'm sure many Wii users (including me) would gladly accept. They charge the Wii users full price, which I assume is just to recover from any financial loss because of NBA "Elite" 11 sales failure.
It's all my assumption of course, but when a competitor has such an iconic figure at their disposal I think that it's bound to make any company to try and do whatever it takes to minimize the forthcoming damage.
The Wii market has embraced relatively few 3rd Party Wii games, and it's not like we haven't gotten good ones).
I could just get NBA Elite this year, but I had previously made the decision to try the non-EA NBA game instead. Maybe I'll just go with NBA Jam only. Who knows.
Is anyone else worried that all the attention EA has been putting on the Wii version's single player modes might turn into "well, there is no online, but look at all this other content that you get"?
Is anyone else worried that all the attention EA has been putting on the Wii version's single player modes might turn into "well, there is no online, but look at all this other content that you get"?
And of course that gives them another excuse about how their games don't sell on Wii. I'm not saying you should buy it on Wii for that reason, but it's just another example of a publisher pulling the rug out under their Wii games do to lack of confidence, which just perpetuates the cycle. Conduit has been the only time I can think of where a third party Wii game got things like, oh I don't know, ads perhaps? And Conduit sold pretty well especially considering it wasn't a great game in the most bloated genre.Is anyone else worried that all the attention EA has been putting on the Wii version's single player modes might turn into "well, there is no online, but look at all this other content that you get"?
That might be responded to with a "Hey, there is money in my wallet, but look at all these copies of NBA Jam I'm not buying."
I think a more likely possibility is that EA took a look at the low sales of Dead Space Extraction
I think a more likely possibility is that EA took a look at the low sales of Dead Space Extraction
Seriously? You're going to bring DSE into a discussion about a sports game? Isn't it more likely EA will take a look at the Wii versions of FIFA, Madden or Tiger Woods?
