EA Sports and 2K Sports are two major video game companies that have been battling for basketball video game supremacy with their respective NBA 2K games. The rivalry began with the release of NBA 2K in 1999 by Visual Concepts, and EA Sports decided to create their own franchise called NBA Live. However, 2K Sports took over the NBA 2K franchise in 2005 and has continued to improve it with new features and graphics. In comparison, NBA Live has struggled to keep up, leading to the cancellation of NBA Live 20. The future of both franchises is uncertain, but the competition has resulted in some of the best basketball video games around.
NBA 2K: The Battle between EA Sports and 2K Sports for Basketball Video Game Supremacy
Introduction
The NBA 2K video game franchise is one of the most popular video game franchises in the world. It has been around for over two decades and has gained a massive following over the years. The franchise has been developed by two major video game companies, EA Sports and 2K Sports. Both companies have been trying to outdo each other with their respective NBA 2K video games. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at the battle between EA Sports and 2K Sports for basketball video game supremacy.
The Beginnings of NBA 2K
The NBA 2K franchise was first created by Visual Concepts, a video game development company based in California. The first game in the series, NBA 2K, was released in 1999 for the Sega Dreamcast. Despite initial skepticism from gamers, NBA 2K quickly became one of the most popular sports video games around. It was praised for its impressive graphics, realistic gameplay, and attention to detail.
EA Sports: The Beginning of the Rivalry
At the time, EA Sports was already a dominant force in the sports video game industry. They were known for their Madden NFL and FIFA video game franchises. After the success of NBA 2K, EA Sports decided to create their own basketball video game franchise called NBA Live.
NBA Live was first released in 1994, 5 years before NBA 2K. At the time, it was the only basketball video game on the market. However, with the release of NBA 2K, EA Sports found themselves competing with a game that surpassed their own in many ways.
2K Sports Takes Over
In 2005, Visual Concepts was acquired by 2K Sports, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive. This meant that the NBA 2K franchise was now being developed by 2K Sports, a company with a history of creating outstanding sports video games.
2K Sports got off to a great start with the NBA 2K franchise. They continued to improve on the game’s graphics, gameplay, and attention to detail. They also introduced new features like MyCareer mode, where players could create their own custom character and work their way up from the bottom to become an NBA superstar.
The Battle Continues
Ever since the acquisition of Visual Concepts, the battle between EA Sports and 2K Sports for basketball video game supremacy has continued.
EA Sports has continued to develop their NBA Live franchise, but it has struggled to keep up with the NBA 2K franchise. NBA Live 20 was canceled and the future of the franchise is uncertain.
2K Sports, on the other hand, has gone from strength to strength. The latest game in the NBA 2K franchise, NBA 2K21, was released in September 2020 and features improved graphics, new features, and updated rosters.
Conclusion
The battle between EA Sports and 2K Sports for basketball video game supremacy has been ongoing for over two decades. While EA Sports was the first to create a basketball video game franchise, 2K Sports took over and has been dominating the market with their NBA 2K franchise. It’s uncertain what the future holds for the two companies, but one thing is for sure – the competition between them has resulted in some of the best basketball video games around.