From the studio that brought MLB 08: The Show, SCEA San Diego brings fans a basketball game full of deep customization, feature sets, and true-to-life gameplay with NBA 09 The Inside. The NBA franchise on PS3 introduced a truly next-generation basketball experience, delivering smooth, ultra-realistic hoops action that utilizes 1080p HD at 60 frames per second to produce unsurpassed visuals. SCEA San Diego Studios entered this season not only furthering the franchise’s graphical capabilities, but also including a number of new features along with enhanced gameplay functionality.

For the first time on PS3, NBA 09 The Inside includes "The Life", providing fans with a completely unique and inside experience of life in the league. This year The life starts fresh, allowing players to control the paths of three different characters while guiding them through all-new challenges and storylines in the quest to go from development league to the NBA. In addition to The Life, NBA 09 The Inside delivers a full featured Franchise Mode, allowing players to experience every facet of running their own NBA team.

NBA 09 The Inside once again showcases its progression system, where players earn skill and experience rewards used to thoroughly customize player appearance and play styles. This year, players will be able to customize up to five different players to take through the progression update. Also for this year, in game lighting has been revamped along with updated character animations and skin textures to provide a higher level of detail and realism. Adding to the atmosphere, NBA 09 The Inside utilizes a true T.V. broadcast presentation with highlights, a broadcast-style camera, and a comprehensive and in-depth audio commentary with top broadcast talent. With new modes, revamped character models and environments, and a robust online system with player profiles and quick play options, NBA 09 The Inside is set to push the envelope for NBA action and bring an unparalleled basketball experience to the PS3.

PS3

PS3 Features:

• The Life – Available on PS3 for the first time, players will go behind the scenes in this unique mode and experience the life of an NBA professional, balancing interaction with coaches, teammates, and rivals. NBA 09 The Inside lets players experience a completely new sequence of Life story elements for this year. Perform well on the court to earn rewards and endorsements.
• Franchise Mode – For the first time on the NBA franchise, players can extend their experience in running a team where performance and player morale are tracked on virtually every level – salary, playing time, trades, team performance, and much more. Major focus will center player development, from draft selections all the way to seasoned NBA veterans.
• Team Progression System – NBA 09 The Inside brings back this unique system of rewarding players for game exploration and advancement by providing numerous customizable player options. As gamers play, they will be challenged to complete tasks and goals that will earn experience. In turn, experience can be used to customize characters and show them off as status symbols of game achievement. This year, players will be able to create up to five customizable characters that can all earn progression during gameplay and be taken online.
• NBA Replay Mode – Back to test the skills of the most hardcore NBA fans, "NBA Replay" is once again available for players to re-live great performances from the ’07 -’08 season and work through a wide array of the entire past season’s memorable gameplay scenarios.
• NBA Replay (Games of the Week) – Returning with an all-new set of upcoming highlight-reel plays, "Games of the Week" will allow players to download five scenarios each week involving real NBA games from the upcoming ’08 -’09 season and attempt to replay those magical moments within the game.
• Enhanced Gameplay and A.I. – Along with core fundamentals, NBA 09 The Inside improves on individual and team gameplay elements. Additionally the revised dunk/lay-up system factors in player position and situation of ball-handler/defender to create a variety of action around the rim. A Fast Break recognition system is now in place, allowing A.I. to fill the lanes and push the ball during offense.
• Online League Access – Utilizing an online hub where players can readily share game features and data, NBA 08 provides a streamlined approach for online basketball gaming. For this year, gamers will be able to participate in a social environment where they can easily show off custom created players and gain access to improved leaderboards.
• Expanded Audio Commentary and Broadcast-style Presentation – NBA 09 The Inside delivers the sights and sounds of a true NBA broadcast with authentic play-by-play once again from Kevin Calabro of the Seattle Sonics as well as in-depth color commentary from franchise newcomer Kenny "The Jet" Smith. Broadcast style overlays, newly incorporated in-game highlights, and cut scene action blend together to transport gamers into a slick and organic NBA-themed world.
• Updated Environments – Arenas given more life with enhanced lighting effects along with dynamic movement and animations, particularly with coaches, bench players, and crowd.
• Mini-Games – Two new mini-games available to challenge players:
  • Blacktop Golf – A twist on the game of golf where players use basketballs to interact and score on traditional hoops, as well as different environmental objects, in an effort to get the lowest score possible.
  • Rabbit – A shooting game where players attempt to score as many points as possible from moving targets and bonus targets, going through stages that gradually become more difficult.
• Expanded Character Movement – A new contact mechanism takes into account a player’s momentum when pushing into one another, introducing a "physical" (as opposed to finesse) game play mechanic. Additionally, Havok is incorporated this year to create player interactions that move and flow in a much more fluid and realistic manner.
• Brand New Animations – This year more than doubles the amount of dunk/lay-up animations are available, generating more variety under the hoop and creating a more realistic experience overall. Additionally, each character’s defensive posture shows a natural flow between one-on-one defense and off ball defense.
• Enhanced Character Models – Utilizing a refined version of lighting and shader techniques, NBA 09 The Inside produces characters that look more authentic and realistic than ever.
• Full HD 1080p – NBA 09 The Inside continues to deliver true high definition at 60 frames per second, delivering the sharpest and most realistic basketball experience available.

PSP Features:

• New Franchise Mode – For the first time on the NBA franchise, players can extend their experience in running a team where performance and player morale are tracked on virtually every level – salary, playing time, trades, team performance, and much more. Players will be able to participate in a full season mode as well.
• Elimiquest Mode – A completely new experience to complement the existing Conquest Mode, Elimiquest is available for players to try and take over all teams and cities throughout North America while playing in the Elimination-style mini-game format.
• Conquest Mode – The classic Conquest Mode is back, once again allowing players to participate in a game of territory acquisition and management. Players will again be able to cash in awards to upgrade player attributes as well as home city amenities, providing for a number of team skill upgrades.
• Pick Up mode – Players will alternate choosing from 10 randomly selected NBA players and match up with the CPU or another player in an outdoor full-court game.
• Robust Suite of Mini-Games – NBA 09 The Inside introduces a wide array of challenging mini-games, from classics such as HORSE, Dodgeball, and Own the Court, to new additions such as Give & Go and Bang the Boards. The suite of mini-games includes:
  • Give & Go – New to the franchise, Give & Go is a modified 5-on-5 basketball game where players earn score multipliers by making passes to teammates in a half court set, racking up additional points based on the number of passes made before scoring.
  • Bang the Boards – Also new to the franchise, Bang the Boards is a one-on-one half court game where players bid on how many points/rebounds they will get in each series. Based on performance, players will attempt to maximize their point total to earn more awards.
  • FastBreak – Quick running game where users can alternate playing offense and defense in a 3-on-2 situation.
  • Elimination – A team-based game where gamers win by scoring a set number of points with each of their players. As gamers reach their point quota, they are removed from the team and remaining players receive various power-ups. The first team to remove four players wins.
• Carnival-Style Mini-Games – With returning classics such as Shootin’ Bricks, Block A Shot and Big Shooter, NBA 09 expands the carnival with the addition of Alley Oop.
  • Alley Oop – A new addition to the NBA franchise, Alley Oop is a table top arcade game loosely tied to a bowling mechanic. Players will roll a basketball up an alley, running the ball through and around a variety of goals, multipliers, and pins.
  • Shootin’ Bricks – Players will use a basketball to break apart sections of bricks to clear levels (similar to the “Breakout” games).
  • Hot Shot – Players will take multiple shots on a timed basis and try to make as many baskets as possible.
  • Big Shooter – Much like Skee-Ball, Big Shooter lets players take aim on mini-baskets to score big points.
  • Pinball – Seven tables of arcade pinball action.
  • Block A Shot – A game akin to whack-a-mole, this will test player reflexes as they negotiate a number of targets and obstacles that are b-ball mainstays.
• New Downloadable Content – Over the course of the season, updated rosters will be regularly available to download.
• Enhanced Play-by-Play and All-New Commentary – Ian Eagle returns to handle play-by-play duties and newly stepping in to the color commentary role is TNT’s Kenny Smith. Both will combine to provide comprehensive and in-depth analysis.
• Realistic Animations – Running at 60 FPS, NBA 09 The Inside incorporates tandem animation technologies to produce ultra realistic player interactions. Additionally, motion capture data delivers smooth gameplay and lifelike player movements.
• Ladder Challenge – Compete in a challenging mini-game or exhibition mode series and earn reward tickets for working to the top of the ladder.
• Wireless Multiplayer Gameplay – Compete head-to-head against friends and basketball fans around the country with Ad Hoc connectivity of up to two PSP systems, or link to a network via a wireless local area network (VLAN) access point for multiplayer action nationwide.

NBA 09 The Inside is currently scheduled to launch on October 7, 2008.