Thanks to IGN, we have some exciting news. NBA Playgrounds, the successor to NBA Jam, has been announced! There’s a great new trailer showing off the gameplay, also courtesy of IGN:
Saber Interactive, the developers of the game, confirmed it will release sometime in May 2017. However, they did not specify an exact date. Given that it releases in May, I’d have to imagine that information will be revealed soon. It will be a digital download for $20 and will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC and Nintendo Switch.
In the meantime, here are some details about NBA JAM which had a massive influence on the development of NBA Playgrounds:
NBA Jam (sometimes “Jam” for short) is a long-running basketball video game series based on the National Basketball Association (NBA). Initially developed as arcade games by Midway, the game found popularity with its photorealistic digitized graphics, over-the-top presentation and exaggerated style of two-on-two basketball play. The successor to Midway’s Arch Rivals, the original 1993 NBA Jam allowed players to jump many times above their own height, make slam dunks that defy human capabilities, and freely shove or elbow opponents out of the way. It also featured a variety of secret characters, as well as the ability to track player records and statistics between play sessions.
