With 2K already working on NBA 2K25, there’s still time for the 2K Community to influence the direction of the gameplay. So here are our gameplay ideas and suggestions for how to take NBA 2K25 gameplay to the next level. Many of these apply to MyCAREER, City / Park, The Rec, and Pro-Am, with a focus on creating a more realistic / ‘sim’ and balanced basketball gameplay experience.
(List is in no order)
1. Virtual Reality (VR), Metaverse, & NFT’s
We may be a good while away from a full-fledged NBA 2K simulation videogame in VR and in the Metaverse, but this could be something on the horizon that would be a complete game changer. VR would bring the action on the court to another level of immersion. Shooting, dribbling, running and more actions on the court could be physically performed for a full-body workout, or some sort of hybrid of that could be developed so that users wouldn’t tire out too much. Taking it a step further, there are already exciting new technologies like 360 degree treadmill VR’s (i.e the Omni One and KAT Walk C) in the works, which may be the future of gaming. Down the road, basketball gaming could get about as close to playing hoops IRL as someone could get, without actually lacing ’em up and going to a real court.
Additionally, an ecosystem could be created with NFT’s (Non-Fungible Tokens), derived from player’s playing the game for digital assets, which could then be sold and traded within a Metaverse marketplace that benefits users.
2. First Person Camera Angle
First person shooters (FPS) have been in First Person camera angle since forever, and a classic 2K game – NFL 2K5 – was the first sports game to introduce First Person Mode / camera angle into sports games. Adding this camera angle to the NBA 2K series, which would probably need a lot of tweaks for stabilization and field of vision, could infuse a fresh perspective of the action on the court.
3. Spectator Mode / “Be a Fan” Mode
Spectator mode could work for any game mode, but may especially be interesting for Pro-Am 5v5 and the NBA 2K League to create a more dynamic, immersive, and integrated platform with the 2K Community. Here’s how it could work:
- Real 2K players (MyPLAYERS) could have the option to spectate online Pro-Am games by entering the arena or choosing from a list of games that are about to start or are ongoing.
- Real “fans” could sit in the stands with their real avatar, spectating Pro-Am gameplay in real-time.
- Fans could buy Pro-Am team gear with VC and the VC would go to the teams
- Fans could pay a small VC amount, like 5 VC (that’d go to Pro-Am teams) for seats
- There could be an option to heckle the opposing team
- Players could spectate their friend’s games in any game mode as well
- Players could spectate for fun, to support a friend/team/clan/content creator with VC, to scout players and teams, etc.
- For this to work, the 2K servers would have to be strengthened a lot
4. Dynamic Online Playstyle Badges
NBA 2K already has various Badges that players can earn to customize their MyPLAYER how they see fit. But what about Playstyle Badges that dynamically characterize – good or bad – how users themselves play online?
For example, there could be a “Ball Hog” Badge, “Iso Gawd” Badge, “Dish the Rock” Badge, etc. that would be based on how someone plays. Traits would be determined dynamically by a user’s play style, factoring in elements like user tendencies, advanced stats and metrics, intangibles, how often someone quits, etc. This would give players online more of a unique identity of their playstyle, and let other players know at a glance how someone plays. These badges could be displayed above each player’s avatar or on their 2K Player Card, and it would also differentiate between builds – since an archetype could make a big difference on how someone plays.
5. Eliminate Rep Boosting
Rep boosting has been a problem in NBA 2K ever since the grind to improve MyPLAYERS was introduced, and most notably this year during in-game events. There should be more visible deterrents, such as in-game warnings / notifications, visible consequences (banning), and potentially a detection system where players are booted if they stop playing defense for a pro-longed period of time.
What’d we miss? Be sure to add your ideas for NBA 2K25 to our NBA 2K Wishlist!
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