the saga NBA 2K fell from grace long ago. Due to a lack of competition, Visual Concept and 2K Games have stopped caring for the basketball simulator that dazzled the Dreamcast two decades ago. Now it barely innovates, it introduces micropayments and advertisements that cannot be ignored, and on top of that, its PC version seems to be rather abandoned. Unfortunately for basketball lovers, little or none of that seems to improve at least in the NBA 2K23 PC version.
One of the main complaints of the PC version of NBA 2K22 is that its graphics engine was based on the one used by the penultimate generation of consoles (PlayStation 4 and Xbox Series), and everything indicates that this will continue to be the case in NBA 2K23 according to the following statement from 2K Games: “This is something the team is passionate about, and will continue to investigate what is possible for the franchise in the future. For now, the focus was on ensuring NBA 2K23 was optimized for the new consoles (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S)while also making sure the experience stays fresh and innovative for players on other platforms.”
That statement from 2K Games lines up pretty much with what it said two years ago, so it looks like PC users will continue to have a better experience. old gene on equipment that can become clearly more powerful than PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series. In other words, and if what is to come is confirmed, the PC version of NBA 2K23 will be another rehash based on old technology and, once again, will be sold with a base price of 59.99 euros on Steam.
PC users seem to be second class when it comes to sports titles, since Electronic Arts decided to follow the same path with its well-known FIFA, which will be renamed and that in the 22nd edition also decided to provide an experience old gene to PC users.
The laziness of both 2K Games and Electronic Arts points to having its origin in the lack of competition. NBA Live, Electronic Arts’ basketball title, ceased to see the light of day a few years ago, while Pro Evolution Soccer, now eFootball, seems to be more lost than an octopus in a garage with the release of more than questionable deliveries. FIFA 22 seems to have satisfied Steam users, but NBA 2K has been riddled with negative reviews for many installments.
PC gamers who love sports do not deserve such treatment and that we are charged 60 euros for rehashes made under the law of minimum effort, but seeing that negative reviews do not affect 2K Games, the only solution lies in the fact that quality competitors appear that are capable of displacing the current sagas.
