NBA 2K22 has promised to deliver the most immersive basketball video game this year and players are holding them to that. This creates a tremendous amount of responsibility on 2K Sports this year.
Considering players from all over the globe play the popular basketball game, the weight on 2K Sports is warranted.
There are issues players of NBA 2K21 are still struggling with, and hopefully, those get ironed out in the next installment. Let's go into detail as to how NBA 2K22 could make or break the franchise.
Pre Order sales are key for NBA 2K22
This is a huge but somewhat overlooked indicator as to how well a game is received. For instance, say pre order sales are down, some could attribute it to lack of marketing.
However, more than likely it's due to a lack of excitement. That doesn't mean anything is wrong with the game per say, just that players are waiting until the game fully releases before commiting.
Considering next gen console games are on the rise, players are having to spend more money to play their favorite games. If the pre order sales are low, players are likely holding onto their money instead of jumping on the ship early due to the price point.
The pre order sales are already active for NBA 2K22, even before a trailer has been released. This indicates that 2K believes they've really broken the mold with NBA 2K22.
The features alone they've brought to the game is enough to get players excited for the release on September 10, 2021.
If you're already considering a pre order, you can find more details here on each edition to decide which version might be right for you.
Will 2K do anything about the servers?
One of the most common gripes among players is the 2K servers. This has been an issue circulating around NBA 2K for some time and hopefully it's addressed by NBA 2K22's release.
Whether it's adding more servers, or optimizing the one's they have now, something needs to be done. A quick trip to the NBA 2K subreddit will show that a commonality among players is they expect nothing to be done about this problem.
2K Sports could show the players how much they truly care by finding a way to improve the servers on NBA 2K22.
Better connectivity means more fun for online players and less lag time. Nothing's worse than a lag while you're guarding the opponent's best shooter.
Skill gaps in Rec games
This is something that could be adjusted in NBA 2K22, just to prevent more player frustration. Currently, everyone is lumped into the same lobby, creating massive skill gaps and angering new players.
The last thing 2K wants is for a new player to feel overwhelmed and embarrassed, that's a guaranteed way to lose a player. After another year of player recommendations and testing, the skill gap in this game mode should be reduced.
If this isn't addressed, 2K could lose out on players in the future. Although it seems they have a stronghold on basketball gaming, they need to listen to players suggestions and make changes.
Next Gen takeover
Something the franchise is doing right is making it beneficial to own a next gen console. Some titles don't cater much to the next gen users but 2K made sure to do something special.
Instead of making all versions of the game similar, 2K decided to save any next gen features solely for next gen consoles. That means even PC players won't have access to the same features as PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players.
This might feel like it's alienating PC users, but the company has stated it wanted to bring these features to next gen consoles first. If you're a next gen owner, you likely feel pretty special.
Inclusion is crucial
Something that NBA 2K22 did that made everyone happy was having a woman on the NBA 2K22 cover for the first time ever. This sets a promising precedent that the company is dedicated to representing everyone. Not only that, it inspires more people to buy and play the game.
They chose Candace Parker as their cover athlete, a great choice. This is what Candace Parker had to say about being chosen:
It's great to see such a storied athlete happy to be a part of a moment in history. Hopefully, 2K is setting an example for the rest of the world when it comes to inclusion in sports.
Head here for some more information on how to pre order the special WNBA Edition of NBA 2K22.