We have learned from our sources that rumors have now been confirmed as true:  EA will pull the plug on NBA Live 13, making it the third year in a row that the franchise has failed to make release. EA says that they will again use the time to deliver new innovation in NBA Live 14, which we assume will be targeted for release next year.

Rumors that NBA Live 13 was in trouble have been circulating for quite some time now. When EA didn’t show the game at E3, the company insisted that the NBA Live 13 was still in development and working toward release, which seemed suspicious. Whispers continued to suggest to us that the title was not going to make it out again this year.

According to Andrew Wilson, the EVP at EA Sports, “Making great games isn’t easy, and we’re just not there with NBA LIVE 13; and having looked at the game over the past few days it is clear it would not be ready in time for an October release.” Wilson says that instead of launching the game mid-season, it will again skip the release this year and take the additional time to work on and polish the game with more innovation and improved visual presentation.

While the news isn’t surprising, 2K Games will again offer the only NBA title this year, and will clean up with fans as the only option. Sources tell us that getting the NBA Live franchise back on track is a huge priority at EA Sports, and it would seem that they are doing everything possible to get it right. The question is whether they will be able to get it right in a reasonable time frame before they choose to scrap the entire project and start over again.