2K Sports has just issued EA Sports with a two-minute warning, as it’s signed a deal with the NFL to make brand new football games for consoles. You may recall the company previously publishing the NFL 2K series, with NFL 2K5 in particular considered one of the greatest sports games ever made. The title, which launched at $19.99, put such a dent in Madden NFL’s sales that EA signed an exclusivity arrangement with the NFL to prevent other developers from making competing games.
EA Sports will still have a stranglehold on simulation games, but 2K Sports is talking up the “fun, approachable, and social experiences” it has in development. Its first title will launch in 2021, and while no platforms have been announced, we’re going to assume the firm will be targeting PlayStation 5. “It's exciting to bring together 2K's expertise in creating award-winning sports games with the NFL's renowned status as a world-class entertainment and sports organisation,” said president David Ismailer.
Our guess is that it’ll start out with something like NBA Playgrounds, which should be good news for fans of NFL Blitz. How the partnership evolves beyond that, however, is anyone’s guess. For the time being, EA Sports is putting on a brave face: “EA Sports is the exclusive publisher of NFL simulation games, and our partnership with the NFL and NFLPA remains unchanged,” it said in a statement. We bet it's quietly Mad(den) behind-the-scenes, though.
Comments 22
It'd be cool to see NFL Blitz make a comeback with 2K at the wheel.
It'd be really cool if 2K could make an NFL 2K game again.
I remember when I first played NFL 2K on Dreamcast. The developers absolutely nailed that TV presentation. I was blown away! NHL 2K was the same way.
It's an absolute shame that EA was so threatened by the 2K games that it flexed it's financial muscle to silence the competition.
Good news but wish it was Sim.
$ - - - - $ $ $ $ $ $
Play Ball!
Bigger Surprise mechanics
Great news, whatever the outcome.
Gimme a modern 7 on 7 NFL Blitz style game and they'll have my money, can't wait to hear more!
2K needs to make a XFL game!
Oh man that’s cool, those games were brilliant. If anything, competition is good and sports games without competition rest on their laurels.
Some kind of NFL Street X NFL Blitz hybrid would make me happy.
Awesome. 2K5 still better than any Madden
"the exclusive publisher of NFL simulation games"
"Exclusive simulations" are the new "timed console exclusives".
Not sure I've ever played Blitz. There was a fast fun paced game on PS3 I played a bunch but all I can remember are flaming helmets and it was ridiculous. So I'm up for anything "fun and approachable".
I'd actually love to see someone make a "Arena Football" game as the energy level is high in that format.
@Mafia_Man19 I'm not sure they won't wheel one out as a test for their eventual return to the NFL.
first saw someone else making nfl games then ah its 2k so just as scummy as EA cash grabs then
So all this time 2k sports could have made a move like this and they wait until now?? Madden sales slipping or something??
I’m a big fan of nba playgrounds and spoke to one the guys there a few years back when first one had come out and he said that they really wanted to do NFL playgrounds - looks like he got his wish
Just picked up a cheap copy of NFL 2k5 on ps2 this week. What a game that is
@Deadlyblack It's not going to be NFL Blitz as EA owns the NFL Blitz name. It could be an NFL Blitz style game though.
I am willing to bet it will be something like MFL but with an actual NFL License
If its going to make it easier for players like me who dont know much about nfl then im cool with that. I recently tried nfl 20 on ea access and although i enjoyed it, was still a bit confused when picking which plays to play, think i started to get the gist of it but man it was overwhelming at the start, so something easy for new ppl would be good.
NFL 2k5 was the best and worst thing to happen to football sims when it came out
XFL instead please.
This is honestly fantastic news. I'm not even a sports fan - but I strongly dislike how it seemed that only EA could make them. I felt like EA was strongly abusing their monopoly on the games and abusing the fans. Even if I don't care about football, I don't want to watch football fans get screwed over by greedy corporations with shady back room deals!
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