More NBA Legends in Legends Pool

[IndianaPacersMan]

There could be new players in the Legends pool.

I remember in 04 they had some legends they don't have now.

I think they could have many more.

[Andrew]

The reason many legendary players aren't included is because EA Sports does not own their likeness rights and therefore they cannot legally appear in the game. Hopefully we'll see those players return as we did see some included again in NBA Live 07, but it comes down to those legal issues as to whether some of the other missing Legends will make it back into the game.

[Tuomas]

Well, pc users have the luxury to patch the game so for them it isn't that relevant, there are bigger issues to fix

[Andrew]

That's true, which is one of the main reasons I still prefer the PC version. It does leave console players out in the cold though and that's a majority of the market. Still, the law is the law so as long as that red tape is there the original rosters will be missing Legends.

[IndianaPacersMan]

The reason many legendary players aren't included is because EA Sports does not own their likeness rights and therefore they cannot legally appear in the game. Hopefully we'll see those players return as we did see some included again in NBA Live 07, but it comes down to those legal issues as to whether some of the other missing Legends will make it back into the game.

I remember seeing Hakeem Olajuwon on either 04' or 05' and he is in my top two favorite centers of all time and I wouldn't mind seeing him again....

[Donatello]

The reason many legendary players aren't included is because EA Sports does not own their likeness rights and therefore they cannot legally appear in the game. Hopefully we'll see those players return as we did see some included again in NBA Live 07, but it comes down to those legal issues as to whether some of the other missing Legends will make it back into the game.

I remember seeing Hakeem Olajuwon on either 04' or 05' and he is in my top two favorite centers of all time and I wouldn't mind seeing him again....

It really doesn't matter if you want to see him, if EA does not own the rights to the player's likeness, it won't happen (if/until they acquire the rights).

[Andrew]

I remember seeing Hakeem Olajuwon on either 04' or 05' and he is in my top two favorite centers of all time and I wouldn't mind seeing him again....

No question. He was of course in the default rosters of NBA Live 07 so it seems there's no problem including him in the Legends rosters for the time being. The same goes for Karl Malone and David Robinson who once again appeared in the Legends rosters for NBA Live 07 after being absent in NBA Live 06.

As for Michael Jordan and a few others, well, we'll just have to see. If EA doesn't own their likeness rights then they can't include them so adding them will be a job for the patchmaking community. Unfortunately that leaves console players out in the cold but it's not as though EA Sports is forgetting about these all-time greats or choosing not to include them. They are simply not allowed to due to those laws.