Here are five new features for NBA 2K25 that’d take the MyCAREER experience (City, Rec, Pro-Am, etc.) to the next level.
(List is in no order)
Improve REC Mode: Matchmaking, Plates, Bans
Although the much-needed addition of Solo Rec mode this year was long overdue, it has birthed new issues and a need for a better matchmaking process. Visible MyPLAYER Performance Tiers, or “plates,” (which range from black to purple) have created a tangible bias between higher-tiered plates and lower-tiered plates. Anyone who’s played Solo Rec can tell you exactly what happens 99% of the time when a yellow or purple plate enters a lobby with black or brown plates – they back out over and over. This repetitive cycle can lead to long wait times to start a game, as well as lop-sided matchups. One of the main reasons for the appeal of Solo Rec was to have a true random “pickup game” type of feel to it. When players predictably exploit the system, Solo Rec can turn into a nightmare of finding decent games.
Improve matchmaking so that plate tiers are paired with their own range of tiers more (i.e. yellow and purples with yellow and purples). While also factoring in things like overall rating, record, field goal percentage, etc. This would likely improve wait times (less backing out) and make for more fair matchups.
Another issue (with not just REC but other modes) is long suspensions / bans of an hour or even two hours for quitting. Yes, 2K added this feature to counteract the issue of quitting games in a multiplayer mode, but the problem with this system is the punishment doesn’t fit the “crime” of quitting (a two-hour ban for a game you paid for is ridiculous). Furthermore, not all quits are a player’s fault. Plenty of players get kicked from a game due to 2K’s server errors, freezes, or other reasons.
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 possibly 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.
First Person Mode / 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.
Eliminate Cheating & Rep Boosting
Rep boosting has been a problem in NBA 2K ever since the grind to improve MyPLAYERS was introduced, and most notably during City 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.
Another, bigger issue, is shot-making cheats. There’s been rumblings of cheaters using Cronus Zen or Titan scripts to make greens automatic – undermining the integrity of the game. Any YouTube search for cheaters in NBA 2K can point to someone making unrealistic and insane shots in the game, which raises the suspicion of people cheating.
Beyond whether someone is cheating or not, even the appearance of it is bad news for 2K because 1) If someone isn’t cheating, the gameplay shouldn’t be that arcadey (half court shots, heavily contest shots, etc.) and 2) The multiplayer system that’s been created (and their bread-and-butter) is dependent on fair-play. If anyone wants to know how bad this can get, just take a look at the state of the game on PC – the forgotten and neglected child of NBA 2K – mainly because MyCAREER has become a laughingstock with all the rampant cheaters.
Reduce Microtransactions / VC Cost
It’d be great if NBA 2K25 has less nickel-and-diming, less pay-to-play, and more emphasis on the user experience. 2K has been pushing out the same-old business model for several years – and making a ton of money from it – but there are signs the player base is starting to get burnt out from it (sales are down this year). NBA 2K25 should explore a new direction of keeping users engaged – and not pushing away customers by squeezing them for every last penny. Reducing the costs to make a MyPLAYER Build, items, etc. would mean more money that could be spent on many builds rather than a few. Ideally, more builds for less VC would still mean big profits from VC, but users may play the game further into the game cycle if build costs are relatively cheap to level up to 99. But without any competition in the market, or much change to 2K’s bottom line, things will probably stay the same – but it’s something worth exploring for 2K.
Conclusion
There you have it! What new features do you want to see in NBA 2K25? Let the 2K Community know here!
