NBA Live 18

Though it received criticism for its gameplay, the game was praised for improvements over recent installments and became the series' highest-rated game since NBA Live 10 according to Metacritic.

• Developer — EA Tiburon • Publisher — EA Sports • Series — NBA Live • Platforms — PlayStation 4, Xbox One • Released — September 15, 2017 • Genre — Sports • Modes — Single-player, multiplayer • Engine — Ignite

NBA Live 18 features Houston Rockets guard James Harden as the cover athlete. Harden previously shared the cover of NBA 2K16 with Steph Curry and Anthony Davis. The game's "UltimateTeam" mode allows players to draft different players to create a custom roster, similar to EA's Madden NFL franchise. It is the first basketball video game to feature a full WNBA roster. A single-player career mode, called "The One", is similar to 2K Sports' "MyCareer" mode. In this mode, the created player can use their skills across leagues and even join the NBA Draft and Combine, which features over-the-top analysis from segments of ESPN First Take, hosted by Max Kellerman and Stephen A. Smith. Hosts give their open-minded opinions in the direction the player is going to progress through the mode. The game mode allows players to experience basketball life both on- and off-court with more clothes and a Game Face app for iOS and Android devices, allowing players to scan their face for upload to the game.

On August 8, 2017, EA Sports announced the soundtrack for the game, which would feature 31 songs, including Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi, Lil Uzi Vert and Rick Ross. The soundtrack was also made available for streaming on Spotify.

NBA Live 18 was released on September 15, 2017, several days before its rival, 2K Sports' NBA 2K18. In order to compete with 2K, EA announced all players who pre-order the game would receive the game for $39, compared to the standard $59 cost.