Publisher 2K has announced some innovations and changes for NBA 2K23. What changes and what is completely new introduced in the basketball simulation – an overview.
2K goes into the hot announcement phase with their basketball simulation. In the run-up, the cover stars of the new part were already presented. Now the publisher is unveiling some innovations in terms of gameplay. In addition, animations and player builds are to provide a “more authentic and particularly realistic experience”.
“We put a lot of emphasis on community feedback when deciding what the next edition of NBA 2K should look like. And the gameplay innovations this year reflect what was most requested by the community,” said Mike Wang, gameplay director at developer Visual Concepts:
“From a focus on how players can attack the basket, to more realistic on-ball defence, to a new tiered badge system, all of the features we’ve brought to life in the game this year will create a more authentic gameplay experience for everyone to enjoy. “
More personality and adrenaline rushes
The most important change this year is said to be the introduction of throwing features. Each signature jump throw is to have its own throw values that determine its effectiveness. Five new throwing displays will be available to choose from, with 15 more to be unlocked in Seasons over the coming year.
Improvements to the Pro Stick are said to offer more precision on dunks and open up new possibilities for the playmaker in both throwing and ball handling. In addition, new gesture combinations are available in NBA 2K23.
The latter are intended to give players more options in ball control and throwing on the offensive end. By means of the new adrenaline boosts, unrealistic continuous dribbling is to be prevented. These would be used up if, for example, an explosive sprint start was executed. If all three boosts were used, “significant losses” must be accepted during the rest of the possession.
Timing essential
On the defensive side, players in NBA 2K23 will have to get used to a more predictable, but – according to 2K – also a more realistic interpretation of the simulation when it comes to blocks and steals. Perfect timing is particularly important here.
The newest part also introduces a graduated badge system. On PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series XS, 16 badges per attribute category will be available. Eight in level one and four each in levels two and three. Gamers will thus need to equip a certain number of badges from the lower tiers before the highest tier badges can be used.
Revised Takeovers and AI
While primary and secondary takeovers have been carried over unchanged from the predecessors, the team takeover in NBA 2K23 is said to have been completely redesigned. This functions as a “cooperative team system where the entire team shares a screen. “
The redesign is meant to be more comprehensible and represent “what it means to take over the game as one unit in a team.” The AI has also been reworked for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series XS: It shows “improved ball handling, pick-and-roll execution, defensive strategies and coaching decisions”.
Whether the aforementioned gameplay improvements in NBA 2K23 contribute to its eSports-readiness can be determined from 9 September 2022 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series XS, Nintendo Switch and PC. However, some innovations publisher 2K is calling exclusive to the latest console generation.
