# New NBA Jam Arcade Game in 2024!?

**Source:** RetroRalph  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2024-05-19  
**Duration:** 5m 6s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzpZ-b1m1Zk

---

## Analysis

RetroRalph discusses Raw Thrills' upcoming NBA-themed arcade game revealed through a teaser trailer and leaked distributor portal image. The game features NBA Jam-style gameplay with modern NBA roster and graphics, though Raw Thrills cannot use the NBA Jam IP due to licensing held by Electronic Arts and Warner Brothers. The host expresses excitement about the project while noting uncertainty about final button configuration and gameplay depth.

### Key Claims

- [MEDIUM] Electronic Arts (EA) owns or controls the NBA Jam IP rights — _Host states 'I believe someone else owns the rights to NBA Jam. I want to say it like maybe Electronic Arts' and references EA's NBA Jam Live or similar title on Xbox 360_
- [LOW] Raw Thrills' NBA game will feature a joystick and single button control based on artist rendition — _Host notes image 'looks like an artist's rendition' and observes 'joystick and just a single button' but expresses uncertainty: 'I can't quite tell if it's one button or multiple buttons'_
- [HIGH] Raw Thrills targets family entertainment centers like Dave and Buster's with games aimed at kids — _Host states 'Raw Thrills tends to make a lot of these games for bigger family entertainment centers like Dave and Buster's. So the demographic is kids'_
- [MEDIUM] Game will feature modern NBA roster and graphics similar to recent NBA Jam titles — _Host predicts 'it's going to be the modern NBA roster' with graphics similar to EA's modern NBA Jam games_
- [MEDIUM] Tim Kittrow, original NBA Jam voice actor, is involved in the new game — _Host identifies 'Tim Kittrow's voice is in there' teaser trailer saying 'Are you ready? Go, superstars?' and notes 'he's the one that voiced NBA Jam'_

### Notable Quotes

> "I'm not much of a news and speculation guy, but when I saw this video the other day, I'm like, man, I gotta do a video on this because this really hyped me up."
> — **RetroRalph (Jon)**, 0:00-0:20
> _Establishes host's initial enthusiasm and reason for covering the story despite stated preference against speculation content_

> "Tim Kittrow's voice is in there... 'Are you ready? Go, superstars?' And he's the one that voiced NBA Jam. You know, the Boom Shakalaka guy."
> — **RetroRalph (Jon)**, 0:45-1:10
> _Key evidence linking original NBA Jam talent to new project, providing credibility to the announcement_

> "I believe someone else owns the rights to NBA Jam. I want to say it like maybe Electronic Arts... But there so many assets tied up in there with Warner Brothers that were ex-licenses."
> — **RetroRalph (Jon)**, 1:40-2:20
> _Explains licensing constraints preventing direct NBA Jam branding and references broader IP control issues_

> "You need to get your head out of your ass because there's a bunch of awesome IPs that you're holding on to that we retro guys would love to see made and remade."
> — **RetroRalph (Jon)**, 2:30-2:50
> _Expresses frustration with IP holder licensing practices affecting arcade/retro game development_

> "I'm very excited. It's really all we know right now. And the reason why I don't like doing these news videos is because tomorrow or next week or a couple of days from now, they'll have more information and this video will be null and void."
> — **RetroRalph (Jon)**, 6:30-7:00
> _Acknowledges rapid information change in arcade/gaming industry and meta-commentary on news content lifespan_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Raw Thrills | company | Arcade game manufacturer developing the NBA-themed arcade game; known for producing games for family entertainment centers |
| RetroRalph | person | Content creator and video host covering arcade and pinball news; hosts Tee'd Off Pinball Pursuit; expresses enthusiasm for upcoming NBA game |
| Tim Kittrow | person | Original NBA Jam voice actor known for 'Boom Shakalaka' catchphrase; identified as voicing teaser trailer for new Raw Thrills NBA game |
| Electronic Arts (EA) | company | Believed to own or control NBA Jam IP rights; developed modern NBA Jam games including NBA Jam Live |
| Warner Brothers | company | Holds exclusive licenses to various retro arcade IPs including assets tied to NBA Jam; prevents remakes of classic games like The Grid |
| Dave and Buster's | company | Family entertainment center chain that is primary market for Raw Thrills arcade games |
| NBA (National Basketball Association) | organization | Sports league providing roster and branding for new arcade game |
| Cruising Blast | game | Raw Thrills arcade game praised by host as successful title; later ported to Nintendo Switch |
| Fast and the Furious (arcade game) | game | Recent Raw Thrills game series cited by host as high-quality arcade releases |
| Kaiju (VR game) | game | Raw Thrills VR arcade game shown at Amusement Expo; praised by host as impressive |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Raw Thrills NBA arcade game announcement/leak, NBA Jam IP licensing and ownership
- **Secondary:** Arcade cabinet design and controls, Raw Thrills game quality and market positioning, Warner Brothers IP licensing practices
- **Mentioned:** Family entertainment center arcade market

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.75) — Host expresses genuine excitement about the NBA game project and Raw Thrills' recent arcade output, though tempers enthusiasm with uncertainty about final product details and control scheme. Some frustration directed at Warner Brothers' IP licensing practices, but overall tone is optimistic about the arcade game's potential.

### Signals

- **[design_philosophy]** Uncertainty about single-button control configuration may limit gameplay depth and appeal to traditional arcade enthusiasts (confidence: medium) — Host notes image 'looks like an artist's rendition' with 'joystick and just a single button' but admits 'I can't quite tell if it's one button or multiple buttons. If it's one it could be kind of not as interesting'
- **[licensing_signal]** NBA Jam IP unavailable to Raw Thrills; Electronic Arts and Warner Brothers control licensing, forcing workaround game design (confidence: medium) — Host states 'it's not NBA Jam. But the thing is, it's probably the closest thing they can get to it because I believe someone else owns the rights to NBA Jam'
- **[market_signal]** Raw Thrills positioning NBA game for family entertainment center demographic rather than hardcore arcade community (confidence: high) — Host identifies Raw Thrills' target as 'bigger family entertainment centers like Dave and Buster's. So the demographic is kids'
- **[announcement]** Raw Thrills officially teased NBA-themed arcade game via trailer; subsequent leak via distributor portal revealed gameplay details and cabinet mockup (confidence: high) — Host describes 'Raw Thrills teaser trailer' followed by leak: 'a day later, I don't know who leaked it, but I think a distributor, because there's a special distributor portal'

---

## Transcript

 Hey guys, welcome back to the channel. You know I'm not much of a news and speculation guy, but when I saw this video the other day, I'm like, man, I gotta do a video on this because this really hyped me up. It was a Raw Thrills teaser trailer for a game they're coming out with, and the silhouette of it looked like an NBA Jam because it had this topper that looked exactly like NBA Jam. Now at this time, no other information was known about this other than the trailer, and if you started looking at the trailer and kind of picking it apart, Tim Kittrow's voice is in it. Are you ready to go, superstars? And he's the one that voiced NBA Jim. You know, the Ed Boon Shakalaka guy. Whoa, Ed Boon Shakalaka! Well then, come to find out a day later, I don't know who leaked it, but I think a distributor, because there's a special distributor portal you can log into right now if you are a distributor, and I'm sure they're just showing the distributors the game so they can see if there's interest in it. Now the game, come to find out, looks like this. I'll put a picture of it. This is the only other picture we have of it outside of the teaser trailer, and it is an NBA themed game, but it's not NBA Jam. But the thing is, it's probably the closest thing they can get to it because I believe someone else owns the rights to NBA Jam. I want to say it like maybe Electronic Arts I not sure who owns it anymore But there so many assets tied up in Warner Brothers that were ex licenses It kind of sucks because there a lot of great games The Grid for instance that we could get an awesome modern version of. I don't know what you're doing, WB. I don't know what you're doing. But you got to get your head out of your ass because there's a bunch of awesome IPs that you're holding on to that we retro guys would love to see made and remade and all sorts of things. But anyways, I'm going down a rabbit hole on this. So as I started to sort of look further into this, I'm looking at the picture and of course we like to hyperanalyze all the pictures. Now this does look like an artist's rendition of it, so I'm not sure that it's the actual cabinet, but in it it looks like a joystick and just a single button. If you remember that game that came out, I think it was, um, shoot, I can't think of the name of it right now. It was a fighting game, and in that fighting game it only had one single button. So of course a lot of fighting game people were like, I think it's Injustice. justice. Yeah, so a lot of people are like, oh man, this isn't a traditional fighting game. So Rothenrose tends to make a lot of these games for bigger family entertainment centers like Dave and Buster's. So the demographic is kids. Now, when I first saw this, I'm like, well, maybe, just maybe they're going to make this and make it more of a traditional basketball game. Now, don get me wrong It looks super cool There like a scoreboard up top There a four player configuration but I can quite tell if it one button or multiple buttons If it one it could be kind of not as interesting but I going to want to play it nonetheless. And it looks like what they're going to do is kind of give it sort of this NBA Jam vibe. I'm assuming it's probably going to look like that later NBA Jam game that came out. And I think that one was done by Electronic Arts, if I remember right, or EA, as they're known now. But I think that was done by them, but I think it was called NBA Jam Live or NBA Jam something. I can't remember what it was. I used to play it with my son on, I think the Xbox 360, if I remember right. And it was cool. Like the graphics were cool. It was a modern NBA Jam. So I'm thinking that's probably going to be the graphics type, but from what I can tell, it's going to be the modern NBA roster, which is really cool. Actually, I'm into that, man. I'm cool with a modern NBA Jam themed game with a new roster. That's pretty cool. I'm down for this. So I'm very excited. It's really all we know right now. And the reason why I don't like doing these news videos is because by tomorrow or next week or a couple of days from now, they'll have more information and this video will be null and void. But for right now, this is pretty cool and I'm excited about it. So let me know, what do you guys think? I know not everyone into these Raw Thrills games but I telling you there been a couple of bangers lately Like Cruising Blast is years ago now obviously but Cruising Blast was the bomb and then it did really well on the Nintendo Switch so they can make a really good game The other games that I really like are the newer Fast and the Furious games, they're pretty freaking awesome. The new Kaiju game that they have, the VR game, I played that at Amusement Expo, that was awesome. What I would have hoped to see though, is it would have been kind of cool if at Amusement Expo they had this previewed, so I don't know, It looks like they're going to do it without a lot of hype other than just the online community getting excited about it. But let me know in the comments below. Are you excited for a new NBA Jam-like game? I think it's going to be pretty cool. But I guess time will tell. Will it be one of those traditional, you know, Dave and Buster's games that gets overlooked? Or will it be something that we all are talking about and can't wait to play? It's to be determined, but we will see soon. Thanks so much for watching, guys. If you enjoyed the video, give me a thumbs up. Consider subscribing to the channel. Put your comments below. I want to know what you think of this. And that's it for now, guys. we will see you on the next one.

_(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

---

*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: d7bd8ab7-8b1d-4d49-8617-b59b0417795f*