The National Football League (NFL) has today announced a partnership with 2K Games in which it will produce multiple non-simulation NFL titles, with the first game to be published in 2021.
Previously, the NFL and 2K last partnered up in 2004 for ESPN NFL 2K5 on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It will be interesting to see what kind of game 2K will produce with this NFL license now, seeing as the simulation rights are still with Electronic Arts and their Madden series.
2K President David Ismailer had this to say:
“The NFL is one of the most successful sports brands in the world, known for creating incredible entertainment for fans. We’re thrilled to be back in business with the NFL in a partnership that will span multiple video games centered on fun, approachable and social experiences. It’s exciting to bring together 2K’s expertise in creating award-winning sports games with the NFL’s renowned status as a world-class entertainment and sports organization.”
I’m not an American Football expert myself, but I know that there are many fresh takes to be had when it comes to creating a more arcade-style Football game. 2K Games has a rich history of developing popular sports titles, such as the NBA 2K series, so if there’s any publisher that deserved this partnership it would be them.
Vice President of consumer products at the NFL had the following to say about 2K:
“Expanding the NFL’s presence in the world of gaming has become a focus for the League as we look to grow the next generation of our fanbase and reviving our partnership with 2K was a natural step in that effort. 2K is a worldwide leader in sports video games, with a proven track record of creating best-in-class and award-winning games and we look forward to sharing more about the projects we are working on with them in the future.”
With competition from the XFL on the horizon, now might be a great time for the NFL to expand its licensing efforts so the brand can reach new mediums.
What kind of NFL game would you like to see 2K Games produce? Let us know in the comment section.
