Is EA making NBA Live 23?

No, as of February 2023 there is no evidence that EA Sports is actively developing NBA Live 23 or any other NBA Live video game. The franchise has remained dormant since NBA Live 19 in 2018.

The Fall of the NBA Live Series

NBA Live once posed a true challenge to 2K and their dominant NBA 2K series. While NBA 2K14 greatly outsold it, NBA Live 15 and 16 posted decent sales figures of around 2 million copies sold each.

However, NBA Live was unable to innovate fast enough to keep pace with 2K‘s continuous improvements. Reviewers and gamers panned NBA Live 18 for feeling like an outdated experience, with poor graphics, animation, and controls compared to the smooth and realistic NBA 2K18.

As seen in the sales data below, NBA Live 18 only sold approximately 330,000 copies according to VGChartz estimates. With such disappointing sales and losing millions investing in development, EA decided to take a break from their annual NBA Live releases.

EA issued a statement in 2019 suggesting they still envisioned innovating basketball games for next-gen consoles, but outside of rumors there have been no concrete updates on if or when NBA Live may return.

The NBA 2K Juggernaut

With average Metacritic review scores hovering around 85, the NBA 2K series provides an incredibly realistic and polished virtual basketball experience year after year. Their graphics, presentation, gameplay, and depth of modes capture hoops fans everywhere.

Per VGChartz estimates below, NBA 2K dominates the market in sales and has ascended to new heights, even crossing 1 billion dollars in microtransactions revenue as players purchase "VC" currency.

*As of Feb. 2023

With development costs forecasted around $70-100 million including licensing and marketing, EA would need to invest heavily to reach the visual fidelity, smooth gameplay, and variety of modes that fans expect post-NBA 2K22.

What Would It Take for EA to Compete?

If EA Sports revived NBA Live and attempted to compete with 2K, they would need to nail key aspects to win over basketball gamers.

Graphics/Gameplay: Meet or exceed NBA 2K‘s level of graphical quality and smooth, realistic gameplay. Big investment needed in motion capture and attention to detail.

Features/Innovation: Creative new modes, online experiences, customization options etc. that captures fans‘ interest. Finding the right innovations that get people excited.

Marketing: Major marketing campaign to announce return of NBA Live as a true next-gen experience and 2K competitor. Enlist NBA star power.

Accessibility: Can‘t feel like an ultra-realistic sim that overwhelms casual hoops fans. Allow easy pick-up and play fun for all.

Support: Commit resources for post-launch support, updates, leagues, competitions and continued innovations. Avoid going stale.

Without excelling in many of the above categories out the gates, NBA Live would likely struggle to make a dent and face the same issues plaguing its previous releases.

The Bottom Line

EA Sports has experienced great success with titles like Madden, FIFA, and UFC after learning from past issues. With their technical capabilities and resources, a revived NBA Live with the right vision and execution does have potential.

However, as of now in February 2023, EA has not shown any tangible signs or progress towards competing with NBA 2K. Numerous gamers still hold out hope that we may one day see the return of the NBA Live series, but NBA Live 23 does not appear to be on the horizon.

I‘ll be keeping a close eye on any developments with EA basketball games as a passionate NBA gamer. But NBA 2K23 figures to dominate virtual courts through 2023 and beyond. Here‘s hoping Live returns with a true next-gen bang sooner rather than later!