After announcing its formal partnership with the National Basketball Association and National Basketball Players’ Association (NBPA) in October, the global mobile game publisher Netmarble Corp has now released NBA Ball Stars, an all-new, puzzle-based mobile basketball game.
The game is the first publishing project for Netmarble’s Los Angeles-based subsidiaries Netmarble US and Kung Fu Factory, and is now open for pre-registration for the App Store and Google Play.
The company has also announced that, to celebrate the formal reveal, Netmarble has inked a partnership with Ja Morant, the 2019-20 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, as the game’s cover athlete.
“The NBA and NBPA have been tremendous partners,” said Simon Sim, President of Netmarble US. “The creative freedom and collaboration we’ve had with them, along with Kung Fu Factory, in the production of our first major project for Netmarble US’ publishing efforts has been nothing short of phenomenal. To top it off, Ja Morant is a true star, and we’re beyond excited to have him on board for the upcoming launch of NBA Ball Stars.”
NBA Ball Stars mixes the NBA’s star players, fast-paced action, and amazing skills with strategic team-based, collectible, and gem-bursting puzzle gameplay on mobile devices. Players will take charge of their favorite NBA team, collect and create customized lineups from the NBA’s ongoing roster of athletes, and train their favorite players as they make a run for the championship.
“Through NBA Ball Stars, we’ll bring a fresh new gaming experience to the hands of fans around the world,” said Matt Holt, Senior Vice President, Global Partnerships at the NBA. “The game is a fun and easy way to enjoy NBA basketball anywhere, allowing fans to build their very own roster with their favorite players.”
By successfully bursting series of matching gems, players control their team on offense and defense and can quickly power-up their athletes to execute special shots, steals, and slam dunks. NBA Ball Stars is suitable for NBA fans and gamers of all levels, offering quick play sessions and matchups, and featuring a broad assortment of NBA players available in gameplay.
“We are excited to bring this game to the fans and we look forward to growing this partnership,” added Josh Goodstadt, Executive VP of Licensing for THINK450, the business subsidiary of the NBPA.
Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a top developer and publisher pushing the boundaries of the mobile gaming experience with highly innovative games including Lineage 2: Revolution, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, Blade&Soul Revolution and MARVEL Future Fight. It is the parent company of Kabam, and a major shareholder of Jam City and Big Hit Entertainment. The actual agreement is being managed by Netmarble US, Inc., a subsidiary of Netmarble Corp. established in 2012 as part of the company’s commitment to Western expansion.
NBA Ball Stars will launch in 2021 for free (with in-app purchases) on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, check out the official website (https://nbaballstars.netmarble.com/).