Take-Two Interactive President Karl Slatoff noted in an earnings call that the first game in 2K’s “non-simulation” NFL series has been delayed beyond a previously scheduled fiscal year 2022 release. 2K Games announced its return to the world of licensed NFL games in March 2020, after inking a deal with the league that allows 2K developers to craft “non-simulation football game experiences.”
The NBA 2K publisher’s last foray into the licensed football domain hit stores in 2004 with the release of NFL 2K5. Electronic Arts has ruled the space in the 15-plus years since then, courtesy of exclusive rights to simulation NFL titles. Needless to say, the EA Sports crew continues to take full advantage of the license year in and year out, annually rolling out Madden NFL games without pause. This long-standing tradition won’t likely cease anytime soon, but competition of some sort is peaking over the horizon.
According to VGC, Karl Slatoff, President of 2K parent company Take-Two, revealed the first entry in 2K’s non-simulation NFL series is no longer on track for a fiscal year 2022 release. Thus, the publisher’s untitled arcade game will now launch on an unspecified date beyond March 31, 2022. Slatoff disclosed the following during an earnings call this past Tuesday:
“While we are very excited to once again be working with the NFL and the NFLPA, our first title under new these partnerships is no longer expected to be released during fiscal year 2022. 2K will have more to share their plans for their football plans going forward.”
Slatoff did not share a reason for the delay, though COVID-19’s lingering effects on the gaming industry could play a part. But the push may be a simple case of developers requiring more time to fully explore the possibilities. Again, 2K hasn’t created a football game in well over a decade; the time needed to acclimate to a completely new endeavor cannot be understated.
2K Games remains mum about what its new NFL games will entail. Since simulation is categorically off the table due to EA’s exclusivity rights, fans are hoping for something along the lines of the NFL Blitz series – arcade games that shirked realism to emphasize an exaggerated interpretation of the chaos that happens on a football field.
2K’s untitled NFL game still lacks a release date.
