The NBA 2K franchise includes a MyCareer story mode with each release, but this campaign should be more than just an afterthought and deserves its own standalone game. The long-running basketball simulation series has always placed a greater emphasis on its multiplayer and online functions, not to mention its controversial microtransactions, which were placed at the center of a recent lawsuit against the NBA 2K games. However, these games could stand apart in the sea of annual sports releases by shifting their focus to well-produced, narrative-driven experiences and away from live-service elements that see very little change between releases.
MyCareer began appearing in the NBA 2K series back in 2009 with NBA 2K10. The campaign mode was introduced as an ambitious and immersive way for players to step into the shoes of a basketball player, starting as a rookie and eventually making their way to the top as a world-famous athlete. A number of innovations were made in MyCareer over the years, including a system of choosing endorsements and dialog options during press conferences.
However, while NBA 2K continues to expand with next-gen gameplay, the MyCareer mode seems to have been more or less left behind. New NBA 2K games still include this mode, but the storytelling and role-playing elements are simply not up to par with other contemporary, AAA, narrative-driven games. These shortcomings could have a number of conceivable causes, but it seems that the developers at 2K do not consider the actual MyCareer campaign to be a priority, and the mode has been marred by some of the most egregious microtransactions in the gaming industry. If future NBA 2K games could put this basketball-centric story mode ahead of the multiplayer and competitive online features, it could result in unique, enjoyable gaming experiences with broad appeal.
NBA 2K’s MyCareer Is Ruined By Microtransactions & Development Time Constraints
Before 2K can make an interesting and engaging MyCareer stand-alone game, it needs to understand what makes current MyCareer campaigns fall flat. Despite releasing numerous pre-order bonuses, NBA 2K games are infamous for their shameless integration of in-game purchases, even to the detriment of the game itself. This damage can be observed in recent MyCareer campaigns, as 2K has incrementally removed much of what made free progression through MyCareer stories satisfying with each release; VC earned in-game has been drastically truncated, and gameplay incentives like the VC boost that players receive for playing on higher difficulties have been removed entirely.
To make matters worse, recent 2K games have applied level caps for each skill, and the only way for players to increase these caps is to either make in-game purchases or engage in frustrating, rote minigames that require an unreasonable time commitment before yielding any benefits. The results of these changes are basketball campaigns that serve up unsatisfying gameplay before offering a system of additional in-game purchases to fix this issue. All of this is further exacerbated by the fact that new NBA 2K games cost $70, which should lead consumers to expect a comprehensive product.
Despite the fact that these microtransactions have likely been incredibly lucrative for 2K and its parent company Take-Two, a year cannot pass without a new, stand-alone entry in the 2K series. Almost all story-based video games take multiple years to develop, and this comparably rushed timeline can be felt in how MyCareer campaigns are presented. While modern titles like God of War, The Last of Us Part 2, and Red Dead Redemption 2 boast movie-level directing, acting, and animation, MyCareer campaigns feel haphazard and vapid, with little purpose behind how characters are presented, how scenes are edited, how the virtual camera is positioned/moved, and how actors deliver their lines. While it’s unreasonable to expect all games to match the quality of industry-leading titles like those mentioned above, putting a greater level of care and thought into how a dramatic narrative experience is presented can go a long way. New NBA 2K games have ray-tracing and recent campaigns have even featured celebrities like Idris Elba, which suggests that money is not an issue in development. However, what these games need is time and passion, not a huge budget.
How A Standalone MyCareer Can Help NBA 2K
With all that said, there is plenty of potential in the idea of a narrative-driven light RPG centered around the story of a basketball player. Basketball, perhaps more so than many other sports, is one that places a heavy emphasis on the individual player both on and off the court; it’s not uncommon for avid basketball fans to speak of their favorite players as if they were their friends, connecting deeply with their stories leading up to their pro careers and reflecting on their legacy. This is something that the film and television industries have long been aware of, and it’s about time that the games industry gave these stories the same level of care and effort as last year’s gold-plated NBA 2K22 PS5.
Assuming a standalone MyCareer can fix the current issues of rampant microtransactions and a rushed, unpolished presentation, there are several ways that it could flourish. Players could create a custom character like they currently can in MyCareer, but a greater level of effort could go into developing the personality of this character, as the MyCareer protagonists of the past have ranged from nondescript to annoying in many cases. A standalone MyCareer game could also better highlight the trials and tribulations that real-world professional athletes face, such as getting injured, traded, and dealing with a sudden increase in fame and visibility. Admittedly, these are issues that MyCareer campaigns have addressed in the past, but they never linger on them for long, clearly anxious to move on to more lighthearted and flippant elements of the pro-basketball fantasy.
NBA 2K21 was offered for free on the Epic Games store last year, and it’s not uncommon for new NBA 2K games to see massive drops in price just weeks or even days after they release. This is to say nothing of what happens to the value of these games a year after their release when they effectively become obsolete by the release of a successor. This annual release schedule combined with the minimal changes between releases is wasteful, and a standalone MyCareer – or at least an NBA 2K game that focuses primarily on MyCareer – would alleviate this problem. 2K Games could work on this MyCareer game for a few years rather than just one, giving the development team more time to craft something special and desirable to consumers, making their work last longer in the public eye while improving game sales, which could perhaps eliminate or lessen the incentive of including predatory microtransactions. The NBA 2K series is still making Take-Two a good deal of money, but the longevity of its profitability will depend on its ability to evolve and innovate. A standalone MyCareer game would accomplish both these ends.
