NBA Elite 11
- Thread starter mrtonguetwista
- Start date
Well, it seems like the details regarding the release of the NBA Jam reboot on the 360 and PS3 have changed yet again. EA Sports just announced that its upcoming basketball title, NBA Elite 11, has been delayed beyond its release next month to an undisclosed launch window. You know, NBA Elite 11 -- that game that would come with a download voucher for NBA Jam, serving as "the ONLY way" players could grab Jam on Microsoft or Sony's home consoles? Seems that line's changed too.
The delay announcement also revealed that "we're going to ship NBA Jam as a standalone product on the Xbox 360 and PS3 in time for the holidays. Watch for more news soon on the exact timing of that release." We're going to hound EA to find out more about these plans -- will it be a retail release (the use of the word "ship" certainly seems to indicate as much). If so, will it carry a $60 price tag?
The delay announcement also revealed that "we're going to ship NBA Jam as a standalone product on the Xbox 360 and PS3 in time for the holidays. Watch for more news soon on the exact timing of that release." We're going to hound EA to find out more about these plans -- will it be a retail release (the use of the word "ship" certainly seems to indicate as much). If so, will it carry a $60 price tag?
In a recent investor communique, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter noted his belief that Electronic Arts would lose 1.1 million sales due to NBA Elite 11's delay and reduced the company's holiday quarter earnings estimate by $60 million. Also, because the sports sim will miss the beginning of basketball season with its 2011 release, he predicts that by the end of the company's fiscal year next March, Elite 11 will have only sold around 500,000 units -- if it doesn't succumb to the "possibility of being canceled."
Pachter's note briefly mentions the standalone versions of NBA Jam as "not a true substitute," so we followed up with the analyst extraordinaire to find out why he believes EA's other NBA game can't make up the difference.
"The standalone versions on PS3 and 360 might sell well, but I question whether they will be priced as $60 games, when the company had previously said it was giving them away with NBA Elite." He continued, "More likely, they'll be discounted to $50 or lower, and gamers will still balk at the price, given that it was going to be bundled with NBA Elite -- and likely will be, if the latter game ever comes out. So I'd say another 200,000 units, maybe."
As for the Wii version, he explained that the game was coming out anyway for the console, so the lack of NBA Elite may give it a "very small" bump of 100,000 units.
Pachter's note briefly mentions the standalone versions of NBA Jam as "not a true substitute," so we followed up with the analyst extraordinaire to find out why he believes EA's other NBA game can't make up the difference.
"The standalone versions on PS3 and 360 might sell well, but I question whether they will be priced as $60 games, when the company had previously said it was giving them away with NBA Elite." He continued, "More likely, they'll be discounted to $50 or lower, and gamers will still balk at the price, given that it was going to be bundled with NBA Elite -- and likely will be, if the latter game ever comes out. So I'd say another 200,000 units, maybe."
As for the Wii version, he explained that the game was coming out anyway for the console, so the lack of NBA Elite may give it a "very small" bump of 100,000 units.
