Operation Sports has published a press release announcing that the NBA has reached new multiyear agreements with EA and Take-Two to continue to develop, publish, and distribute NBA video games. 2K Sports will be releasing NBA 2K12 in October this year while EA Sports will be releasing NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, with their next sim NBA title coming next year.
This new agreement would suggest that EA Sports will not be giving up on making NBA games anytime soon despite electing to take a two year hiatus with the formerly titled NBA Live/Elite series. It also seems they will continue to make use of the NBA Jam brand. The press release also mentions that NBA 2K will continue to be released on a yearly basis and that 2K Sports will have the opportunity to develop other NBA licensed games, "including online on social media platforms".
Sounds good to me. EA Sports obviously has a long road back but I still believe that it's better to have at least two alternatives out there and I feel that having two strong brands would benefit everyone. I also like the idea of new NBA Jam releases, perhaps every other year, in addition to the two sim oriented titles and whatever else 2K Sports might end up doing.