The NBA today announced it has extended its agreements with both Take-Two and Electronic Arts so that each may continue producing NBA videogames. The length of either deal was not revealed, but this ensures that we’ll, for the time being, avoid having any one company hold exclusive rights to the league, as has been the case with EA and the NFL for more than five years.
Take-Two becomes a marketing partner with the NBA as a part of the deal; the company has been a licensee since 1999, whereas EA started its deal in 1991. No unexpected games were announced — a new NBA 2K game will be out later this year, as will EA’s new NBA Jam: On Fire Edition. Following NBA Elite 11‘s cancellation last year, EA Sports won’t have a new simulation game out until the fall of 2012.
EA Sports told 1UP earlier this year that an NBA lockout would not impact its ability to release a new NBA-branded game this year. 2K, on the other hand, declined to comment; today’s announcement made no mention of the possibility, but given EA’s position, NBA 2K12 shouldn’t be affected if a lockout does take place.
