'NBA Live 18' release date: Demo available on Friday, pre-order savings

EA Sports is once again trying to revive its NBA Live series this year. After announcing a release date of Sept. 19, which incidentally clashes with the launch of rival "NBA 2K18," Electronic Arts is giving away a sizeable discount for "NBA Live 18" pre-orders besides allowing gamers to download a fully playable demo starting Friday.

Anyone who pre-orders "NBA Live 18" will avail of a 33 percent discount and could purchase the game for US$40 (AU$50) instead of the regular price of $US60 (AU$76). Just like with "NBA 2K18," pre-ordering customers will enjoy early access to the game starting Sept. 15.

Electronic Arts had announced similar measures to promote "NBA Live 16" which featured reigning MVP Russell Westbrook as the cover athlete. However, the game failed to deliver on many counts, especially while competing against 2K Sports' highly-acclaimed NBA 2K series. It was why EA Sports dropped plans to go through with "NBA Live 17" and went back to the drawing board to improve its basketball franchise.

NBA Live 18 will be taking it to the streets

"NBA Live 18" will feature Houston Rockets superstar James Harden on the cover. Harden, the runner-up for this past season's MVP award, is technically on the cover twice; as pictured (in the tweet) below. The artwork emphasises that the game will allow more than just standard NBA games.

GameSpot shed some light into the free demo that will launch on PlayStation4 and XBox One starting Friday. "(The NBA Live 18 demo) lets you play a standard game that features a rematch of the NBA Finals, with the Golden State Warriors facing off against the Cleveland Cavaliers. It will also allow you to check out The Rise, which serves as a prologue for The One mode.

"This is one of the new additions for this year's game, described as a "way to pursue your legacy, centered on the player and defined by your choices." As with NBA 2K18 and its Prelude release ahead of launch, progress you make in the demo can transfer to the full game. During the demo, limited-time live events will take place that offer "special rules, rewards, and characters," added the report published Thursday.

NBA Live 18 release date

"NBA Live 18" will be available for pre-order customers on Sept. 15. It will hit the stores on Sept. 19. The game will be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One. There haven't been any plans announced for PC or Nintendo Switch.