So as I was thinking about EA pushing 2k to make their game better, why don't we get into what EA can do to put NBA Live back on the map. To me there's quite a lot they can do. Here we go:
A street mode that is basically it’s own NBA Street within their game. They could really hype it up by securing rights to AND1 and certain street legends like Skip 2 My Lou, Hot Sauce etc. Have a league where you go on AND1 tours around the world. They could either double down on it being a separate mode w/ the crazy moves and dunks flying around the court or same playing style to the rest, though ability to just do flashy moves while travelling should of course be an option.
FIBA license and fully playable Spanish and Turkish leagues would be amazing. 2k dabbled in this, but it was a hot mess. Another one is to really have college fully fleshed out and or the G-League. They could incorporate this into myplayer mode where you create a player and choose a path: street, college, FIBA or G-League. All can lead to the NBA.
Authenticity would be cool too, expanding on it’s ESPN license with more crews, a half-time report, post game though I personally don't care for anyone who's part of it outside of Breen, JVG, Mark Jones, Pasch, Calabro & Mike Tirico. In any case they could have Breen & JVG talk inside the arena for the half-time show, have highlight clips and at least some type of show.
They could think about securing rights to the arenas likeliness like MSG. They could truly invest in making arenas look 100% authentic including the music played, arena specific noises, main catch phrases from the PA and even how they pronounce certain key players names during the starting line-ups etc.
Another area they could look at is the All-Star weekend, Olympics / international teams, 3 on 3 and maybe try to get a deal with the Big3. I’d definitely be intrigued with having a true street mode and or AND1 tour, FIBA leagues or the Big 3. The Big 3 would of course be having its own pool for their draft, the rules, etc.
I also think going deeper with practice mode, where you can run fun drills with team, hold contests, but also individual workout like dribbling exercises or even go into the weight room. Think about a mode where you enter the arena and with secured rights to arenas they'd have the practice facilities as well, so you can walk around, go to practice where you'd have different real assistants do drills with or without other teammates. The coach is hanging around, yelling, clapping etc. Then after go into the weight room where you'd increase your muscles, stamina etc.
Speaking of assistants, I'd love for once to have the full staff be recognisable and sitting on the bench with the head coach. They could really separate themselves from 2k with face scanning current assistants and have a pool of real life potential assistants who've been one in the recent past, are known to want to get an opportunity to be one etc.
What you guys think?