Some former EA devs have formed a new studio, Play by Play Games, and are showing off their work inThe Run: Got Next, a 3v3 basketball game in the mold ofNBA Street. If you haven’t heard ofNBA Street, that’s because it’s been AWOLsince 2007’sNBA Street: Homecourt(unless you count a couple Korean online titles).
Right now, we’ve only got a teaser trailer to set the mood. It shows off three unique characters who show us how they bounce a ball. It appears to be aiming for a comic book style aesthetic, with the character High Wire ending a dunk with a super-hero landing.
I’ve always been more of anNBA Jamgirl, but I’ll admit that I missed the days of EA Big. Or the days when EA did absolutely anything that interested me, sports-wise.
Among Play By Play’s staff is Steve Probst, former general manager at Visceral Games. In aninterview with GamesIndustry.biz, Probst said that the studio’s goal is “bringing sports games back in a different way to what’s being done in the industry today.” The Run: Got Next is described as a character-driven basketball game that can be played in short bursts, with a game lasting around 5 minutes, according to Probst. He tells GameIndustry.biz that this is so, “When you play a game, maybe you get blown out but it doesn’t feel that bad,” which sounds like a sly jab.
Personally, I don’t jive with simulator-style sports games. I find them too sterile. Even games likeWWE 2K24only interest me because I can inject my own style into it through the creation systems. I miss the days ofNHL Hitzand always get excited when something likeMutant Football Leaguecomes along. Still, I’ll be comparingThe Run: Got NexttoNBA Jamrather thanNBA Street, so it’s got a tough climb.
Play by Play is hoping to haveThe Run: Got Nextready for 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
