Online Team Play

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Online Team Play (usually shortened to OTP, and simply referred to as Team Play in the menu) is a multiplayer online mode which made its debut in the NBA Live series as a downloadable update for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions of NBA Live 08. OTP allows up to ten players on ten different consoles to each assume control of a player and participate in an online multiplayer game. It was expanded upon in NBA Live 09 with the addition of clubs and ranked games.

The concept of an online team-up mode has since evolved into LIVE Pro-Am. NBA 2K has featured similar modes in the form of Crew and 2K Pro-Am.

Origins

On October 11th 2008, EA Sports announced a downloadable update for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions of NBA Live 08 called Online Team Play which would allow up to ten players on ten different consoles to take part in a game, each assuming control of a player on the court. The feature was not available until December but was instantly popular with community websites such as pastapadre.com organising regular Online Team Play Nights.

Improvements in NBA Live 09

NBA Live 09 included Online Team Play by default and boasted some expanded features including an OTP Lobby, the ability to play unranked or ranked games, a "Play Friends" option to setup a quick game between friends on the Xbox Live or Playstation Network and OTP Clubs.

Clubs

Online Team Play clubs were a new addition in NBA Live 09 and comprise a competitive version of Online Team Play. Players can create and join clubs and take part in ranked OTP games. There is also a tryout option which allows players to take part in ranked games for the purpose of building a reputation so that they may be scouted and invited by Club GMs.

Planned Expansion in NBA Elite 11

Game Informer Magazine published an article revealing that NBA Elite 11 was to feature expanded five-on-five league play via the introduction of the EA Sports Basketball Association (EASBA), similar to the EA Sports Hockey League (EASHL) in EA's NHL series. With the cancellation of NBA Elite 11, no further details were revealed about the EASBA.

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