For many years, Ea Sports' "NBA Live" was the hierarchy of basketball video games and sat lonely at the top for quite a while. In the year 1999, "NBA 2K" would arrive on the scene courtesy of 2K Sports. 2K would introduce new graphics that appeared to be better than NBA Live's. However, Live would still remain on top for the next 10 years. That is until 2K Sports did the unthinkable by getting the G.O.A.T. Michael Jordan to grace the cover of its "NBA 2K11" and be included as a player in the game.

Along with that, they also included multiple classic NBA teams that you could use in regular gameplay and the association mode.

The classic teams' rosters included some of the greatest players to ever play in the league. The new features made it difficult for "NBA Live" to compete with 2K and EA Sports ultimately canceled the release that year for the first time since the game made its debut in October of 1994. Live did not make its official return until three years later with "NBA Live 14."

Now, three years after that release, Live is adding a new feature to its game that may help avoid any setbacks in the near future.

Including WNBA rosters

"NBA Live 18" has yet to receive an official release date but EA Sports has released a trailer for it and fans are already intrigued with the addition of the WNBA rosters.

"Live 18" will include all 12 WNBA teams for the first time in the game's history. The league was founded in 1996 and has yet to receive its own video game or to be featured in one until now. Fans will get to play with some of the WNBA greats like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and Maya Moore by selecting their teams in gameplay.

'NBA Live' expanding its reach

With the addition of the WNBA rosters, "NBA Live" has the chance to now attract more females to purchase the game.

Not including WNBA rosters in games made it difficult for female players to purchase the game. With the competition "NBA 2K" has to offer, Live will have to do all it can to stay in the competition, having been shut out before.

The last time that happened, EA Sports had to sit on the sideline, watch, and come up with a three-year strategy to re-enter the market of basketball games. By expanding its reach to include a female audience they've put the pressure on 2K Sports to continue expanding its creativity. The trailer for the new game is already receiving good reviews and basketball fans seem eager to make a purchase once it becomes available.
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