Redwood City, Calif. – August 3, 2017– Today, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA)
announced that WNBA teams and players* will be playable in NBA LIVE 18,
launching this fall on Xbox One and PlayStation®4. The WNBA will be available in
WNBA Play Now, and teams and player skills have been specifically balanced to
reflect the unique playstyle of the league and skills of its players. This is
the first time the official WNBA’s roster of teams and players will appear in a
video game, and will be available only in NBA LIVE 18.
“We are extremely proud to partner with the WNBA and the Women’s National
Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) on this groundbreaking occasion,” said
NBA LIVEExecutive Producer Sean O’Brien. “The WNBA is home to some of the most
incredible athletes on the planet, and we’ve been working hard to integrate them
into our game in an authentic and meaningful way. This is only a taste of what
we have in store, and look forward to working with the league on more great
integrations in the franchise in the future.”
“We are delighted to collaborate and make history with EA as NBA LIVE 18 becomes
the first video game to feature the WNBA’s full roster of teams and players,”
said WNBA President Lisa Borders. “With EA’s expertise and ingenuity, the game
will provide a terrific platform to showcase the players and the league,
enabling fans to experience the WNBA in a new, exciting way.”
“On behalf of the players, we believe that combining technology and
entertainment is a powerful way to not only recognize and value our brand of
basketball but to also increase fan connectivity and engagement,” said Nneka
Ogwumike, WNBPA President/LA Sparks.
In order to incorporate the league’s teams and players, the NBA LIVE 18team
conducted head scans of star athletes like Maya Moore, Brittney Griner, Diana
Taurasi, Tina Charles, Sylvia Fowles, Allisha Gray, Chelsea Gray, Jonquel Jones,
and Alyssa Thomas, and held motion capture sessions with 2017 WNBA Draft first
overall pick, Kelsey Plum, among others. Additionally, game creators fine-tuned
player ratings and skill moves in order to present the league and its stars in
the most authentic way possible. Fans will be able to experience the best of the
WNBA when NBA LIVE 18launches this Fall.
NBA LIVE 18is developed by EA Tiburon and will be available worldwide this
September for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
EA Access members receive a 10 percent discount** when they purchase a digital
version of NBA LIVE 18 on Xbox Live.
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world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive
technology, fan programs and cross-platform digital experiences. The EA SPORTS
studios create connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sports through
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