There’s a gender revolution happening in gaming; albeit slowly. In the wake of the ugly Gamergate scandal, the winds of change are blowing. We’ve seen more strong female characters in top games, while efforts are in play to ensure women have more representation on the development side.
However, when it comes to top sports games, the landscape is still very much dominated by male stars. The recent FIFA games have redressed the balance somewhat, but many of the top licensed games fail when it comes to the inclusivity of female characters.
EA Sports is stepping things up with NBA Live 19, which will include a Female Create-A-Player mode for the first time. This is a first for a basketball game. These characters will be able to “access all the same skills, progression and gear as their male counterparts.”
The female characters will also be able to play alongside the men in various game modes within the officially-licensed title.
Related: Upcoming PS4 games 2018
Just like their male counterparts, NBA Live 19’s female gamers will be able to scan their own faces using the companion app for iOS and Android. There’s also some new Icon Abilities modelled after WNBA greats like Candace Parker.
The move follows the introduction of women’s NBA teams into last year’s title, which also represented a first.
NBA Live 19 will come be released on September 7 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid will be the cover star, as EA looks to reel in the dominant NBA 2K series. Here’s how we think NBA 2K19 can get even better.
What’s your favourite basketball game ever? Is NBA 2K the king? Or do you yearn for the days of NBA Jam on 16-bit consoles? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
