NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

[Jhawkfootball06]

The story around NBA 2K18 since its release just over two weeks ago has largely centered on consumer reaction to the aggressive monetization and the influence that microtransactions have had directly on the game’s design. Mainstream gaming media and Youtube personalities have covered and escalated the situation which involves the most popular and promoted mode.

It’s also not just user-reviews on Metacritic and Steam that have slammed NBA 2K18. The game is now the lowest-rated NBA 2K game since 2007’s NBA 2K8 by professional reviewers on Metacritic. The sole reason for that are the microtransactions and their harmful effects which several outlets have penalized the game for with low scores, citing the MyPlayer based modes in particular which have been designed in a way to pressure people into spending money to unlock the fun and ability to compete online.

For a game as highly anticipated as NBA 2K18, and a series which has been a media darling for years, it’s surprising to see such an uproar and unified response from consumers and coverage from the media that recognizes why they are unhappy. Another course-correction on the monetization front is sure to come both in the short and the long term, and it’ll have to be far more significant than the first gesture of lowering the price for character hair cuts and facial hair.

There are a few immediate actions 2K Sports could take to improve the situation. They could heavily increase the amount of VC earned from playing the game or they could reduce the cost of upgrading attributes and/or purchasing cosmetic items, with the former probably being the cleanest and most sensible temporary solution. However the more fundamental changes that have to be made such as starting MyPlayers at a higher Overall Rating, creating online matchmaking that avoids putting low rated characters in games against high rated characters, and separating currencies (both by mode and skills vs cosmetic items) will have to wait for 2K19.

Source: http://www.pastapadre.com/2017/10/02...es-in-a-decade

[SixGod]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

It's ironic because it is probably one of the best 2Ks in terms of gameplay but as the article states, the VC-intensive design has put a damper on the game.

Some transactions just don't make sense to me. For example, upgrading bars on certain MyPlayers costs a lot of VC especially if you're close to your cap but yet the stat doesn't increase? So I'm forced to give away my hard-earned VC (doesn't matter if grinded for or bought) and get nothing in return?

[Jhawkfootball06]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

Unfortunately for 2K18 the actual developers that have worked extremely hard to create a very good game had little to nothing to do with the monetization strategy which has overshadowed their impressive efforts. Sales of 2K18 are unlikely to be affected in any measurable manner but there was always going to come a time where the series hit its peak – whether due to something self-inflicted or having reached market saturation – so 2K will have to make a concerted effort next year to demonstrate how they’ve adjusted things to get back to offering a game which has a primary directive to please consumers first rather than go directly for their wallets.

This last paragraph is everything.

[Hornetz]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

I'm very surprised to the community's response to the "aggressive monetization." Personally, I'm always under the belief that badges are everything in MyCareer and overall stats mean a bit less. I do understand the issues of rewarding less virtual currency than the past and it becoming harder to obtain, however, most people don't like a challenge? Or am I interpreting the situation incorrectly?

To create a simulation-esque MyPlayer environment that resembles real basketball there has to be some good, bad, highly rated, and lowly rated MyPlayers. I'm not quite sure of a solution, because giving everyone heaps of VC/game might not be the option. I'm not sure of the solution and am very interested in others' response.

Also: Is it really fair to discredit the entire game, making it the lowest rated in such years, due to one game mode? Plenty of people enjoy PNO, All-Star Team Up, My GM, Online Leagues, and the Ultimate Team as well as MyCareer.

[nuttyrich]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

This game has a lot of promise but certain parts feel great but overall the game is broken.

It'ss not fun unless you just want to play a broken arcade game because bad Shooters should not be deadly shooters regardless.
This game is Just a seesaw of chucking up shots with momentum swinging back and forth but not in a realistic manner, just a bunch of runs where defense doesn't even matter anymore.

When CPU decides to go on a scoring run there's nothing you can do you can be an All star on defense and they will still score it is completely scripted.

While yes rebounding feels great and playing with the big man seems great it feels authentic.

Guess what you can't use them because they're chucking up 3-pointers and just running by everybody so you can't actually have a legitimate defense the assignments are left all the time and the game is just broken.

This is surely the worst 2K to ever be released especially with the 2K VC robbery that's just salt in the wound.

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[ksuttonjr76]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

I'm very surprised to the community's response to the "aggressive monetization." Personally, I'm always under the belief that badges are everything in MyCareer and overall stats mean a bit less. I do understand the issues of rewarding less virtual currency than the past and it becoming harder to obtain, however, most people don't like a challenge? Or am I interpreting the situation incorrectly?

To create a simulation-esque MyPlayer environment that resembles real basketball there has to be some good, bad, highly rated, and lowly rated MyPlayers. I'm not quite sure of a solution, because giving everyone heaps of VC/game might not be the option. I'm not sure of the solution and am very interested in others' response.

Also: Is it really fair to discredit the entire game, making it the lowest rated in such years, due to one game mode? Plenty of people enjoy PNO, All-Star Team Up, My GM, Online Leagues, and the Ultimate Team as well as MyCareer.

The VC earning is definitely a problem. I've been playing since early release, and I just got to 69 in MyPlayer. It'll probably be late January before I reach 90 while wearing the same clothes since Day 1.

EDIT: Basically playing 1-2 games in either MyPlayer or PNO allows me to raise one attribute for whatever rating.

[NINJAK2]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

This is easily the best playing 2k imo hands down regarding offline vs cpu(Still has it's issues). 2k11 being the best overall package 2k(It still had it's issues) Microtransactions has been the virus that has been slowly killing this franchise though. The minute they realized they hit a gold mine with this VC it has slowly creeped into every game mode creating all kinds of problems. 2kTV which was a cool way to earn some quick VC has also been handicapped as you now earn 50% less for each right answer. The game seems to be hell bent on making people spend money. I don't believe Czar, Wang, and OG are spearheading this VC focus.

[OrlandoTill]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

I feel like 2K18 is the NBA Live 06/07 of the basketball game community. A great game with some innovations but enough flaws that has the community clamoring for the competitor. The difference today is that Live is so far behind 2K(compared to 2K6 and 2K7 to Live 06/07) in so many different aspects that people are either deciding to just buy 2K or drop it completely. I don't think the backlash will affect 2K critically or financially (especially in the short run) but these user reviews and comments might cause a small rising tide in the long run.

[ph33]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

Also: Is it really fair to discredit the entire game, making it the lowest rated in such years, due to one game mode? Plenty of people enjoy PNO, All-Star Team Up, My GM, Online Leagues, and the Ultimate Team as well as MyCareer.

All the other modes you listed have significant flaws within them right now, except maybe PNO, but even that mode had the timeout non-sense from earlier in the year.

Some people choose to overlook the flaws, that's fine, to each their own. But there's some really glaring ones that put a hamper on the overall title.

And MyCareer pretty much encourages you to do a ridiculous grind or put some money into it. They've been reeling in tons of micro transaction money since 2k14---it's really not too much for the consumers to ask for servers that work and for there to be better communication. They keep patching things stealthily and I don't think this is ok to do. The one mode that reels in the most money should be at the very least, functional. If it isn't, they deserve to be hammered for it.

[Jrocc23]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

Yeah, like SixGod said, that's funny because gameplay wise this is maybe the best 2K I've ever played. Even better than 2K11. Still give 2K11 the edge mode/fun factor wise.


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[ILLSmak]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

It's ironic because it is probably one of the best 2Ks in terms of gameplay but as the article states, the VC-intensive design has put a damper on the game.

Some transactions just don't make sense to me. For example, upgrading bars on certain MyPlayers costs a lot of VC especially if you're close to your cap but yet the stat doesn't increase? So I'm forced to give away my hard-earned VC (doesn't matter if grinded for or bought) and get nothing in return?

How much better does it play, seriously? It looks like the same game to me, more or less. I keep thinking maybe I was too hard on 2k, but then I watch some gameplay of it, or I read a thread talking about it takes 50 minutes from creating a dude until you can upgrade him... I dunno.

I'm sure that it's better than 17. I dunno how much I have liked any of the recent 2ks, but they were good enough to play. I always found the high level competitive gameplay to be lacking. It was too based off of one or two things. Isn't it still that way? Because, if it is, I dunno how it'd be that much better.

2k is 2k. Dribble moves, missed lay ups, pick effectiveness, 30 footers, getting ripped in the post... all of that was frustrating, but I could get over it. However, it all came together and made the game just not play like real bball... at all, when you were really trying to win, and I hated that. I dunno how, in the absence of that, it can be a good game.

I guess the point is, I feel like when I read people say, "It really is a good game" while saying it's too bad things are the way they are (cutscenes, vc), it seems like people are saying it's REALLY amazing as a game. Like it's mind blowing, and I don't understand how that is, or what I'm missing.

-Smak

[ksuttonjr76]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

Yeah, like SixGod said, that's funny because gameplay wise this is maybe the best 2K I've ever played. Even better than 2K11. Still give 2K11 the edge mode/fun factor wise.


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Honestly, it kinda pisses me off that the microtransactions are overshadowing this game. To me, it's the best game that I've played when it comes to gameplay.

To everyone else...I don't care about the flaws, because the flaws DON'T impact me in the modes that I play.

[itsGameOverKM]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

I'm very surprised to the community's response to the "aggressive monetization." Personally, I'm always under the belief that badges are everything in MyCareer and overall stats mean a bit less. I do understand the issues of rewarding less virtual currency than the past and it becoming harder to obtain, however, most people don't like a challenge? Or am I interpreting the situation incorrectly?

To create a simulation-esque MyPlayer environment that resembles real basketball there has to be some good, bad, highly rated, and lowly rated MyPlayers. I'm not quite sure of a solution, because giving everyone heaps of VC/game might not be the option. I'm not sure of the solution and am very interested in others' response.

Also: Is it really fair to discredit the entire game, making it the lowest rated in such years, due to one game mode? Plenty of people enjoy PNO, All-Star Team Up, My GM, Online Leagues, and the Ultimate Team as well as MyCareer.

The issue lists for people who enjoy some of those modes are longer than even the mycareer issues list.

[swac07]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

Honestly, it kinda pisses me off that the microtransactions are overshadowing this game. To me, it's the best game that I've played when it comes to gameplay.

To everyone else...I don't care about the flaws, because the flaws DON'T impact me in the modes that I play.

The street mode has overshadowed the NBA part of 2k(smh)....so while the sims are loving the game the casuals hate it and well thats where we are with 2k

[Smallville102001]

Re: NBA 2K18 - Officially The Lowest Rated Edition In A Decade (Professional)

How much better does it play, seriously? It looks like the same game to me, more or less. I keep thinking maybe I was too hard on 2k, but then I watch some gameplay of it, or I read a thread talking about it takes 50 minutes from creating a dude until you can upgrade him... I dunno.

I'm sure that it's better than 17. I dunno how much I have liked any of the recent 2ks, but they were good enough to play. I always found the high level competitive gameplay to be lacking. It was too based off of one or two things. Isn't it still that way? Because, if it is, I dunno how it'd be that much better.

2k is 2k. Dribble moves, missed lay ups, pick effectiveness, 30 footers, getting ripped in the post... all of that was frustrating, but I could get over it. However, it all came together and made the game just not play like real bball... at all, when you were really trying to win, and I hated that. I dunno how, in the absence of that, it can be a good game.

I guess the point is, I feel like when I read people say, "It really is a good game" while saying it's too bad things are the way they are (cutscenes, vc), it seems like people are saying it's REALLY amazing as a game. Like it's mind blowing, and I don't understand how that is, or what I'm missing.

-Smak

The game plays way better then ever before and I am not even the biggest 2k fan the game plays extremely realistic. About the only thing that is not realistic is none shooting fouls and subbing. The game is mind blowing good.