Even though the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has been in existence for 20 years, there has never been a sports game that featured them. That is until EA announced this week that WNBA players and teams will be making their debut in NBA Live 18.
According to the press release the WNBA will be available in WBNA Play Now. The teams and the player skills will be balanced to “reflect the unique playstyle of the league and skills of its players.”
“We are extremely proud to partner with the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) on this groundbreaking occasion,” said NBA LIVE Executive Producer Sean O’Brien said in a statement. “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 added. “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.”
While the process to recreate players in the game takes a considerable amount of time and effort, fans will no doubt appreciate the inclusion of star players like Maya Moore, Brittney Griner, Tina Charles, Alisha Gray, Chelsea Gray, Diana Taurasi, Sylvia Fowles, Jonquel Jones, and Alyssa Thomas. Also included will be the overall first pick of the 2017 WNBA Draft, Kelsey Plum.
The addition of the WNBA will of course come with mixed reactions. People will praise EA for the inclusion of the WNBA, while others will take issue for how long it has taken EA to make the decision. Either way, it should be considered a step in the right direction when it comes to inclusiveness in video games, sports games in particular.
The WNBA content will be available when NBA Live 18 launches in September. NBA Live 18 will be out for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
You can watch the announcement trailer below.
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