NBA Live delayed three weeks to Oct. 28 (Update)

NBA Live 15's new release date is Oct. 28, according to the game's official page on the EA Sports website. It had been scheduled to launch on Oct. 7, head-to-head against NBA 2K15.

Polygon has reached out to EA Sports for additional comment.

(Update) Executive producer Sean O'Brien, in an open letter, said the delay will be used to polish the game. "This was a hard decision, but it's the right one, as we are totally committed to delivering the highest-quality game we possibly can," he wrote.

"The team took on an incredible amount of work this year literally touching every single system in gameplay, focusing on providing improved control and responsiveness, as well as animation that both looks and feels great," O'Brien wrote. "That will be our calling card moving forward."

EA Sports' NBA simulation franchise has had a beleaguered history since it attempted to reinvent itself in a single year back in 2010. What was to have been NBA Elite 11 was canceled and pulled back from distributors a week before its expected launch, over concerns about the quality of the game. The series skipped a year in 2011, then 2012's NBA Live 13 likewise was canceled late in its development.

NBA Live 14 launched for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One only, and was poorly received critically. A patch three months later added in features whose absence had contributed to its poor review scores.