NBA 2K23 selling fewer copies than NBA 2K22, but more VC

The latest Take-Two earnings call has given us new information about how NBA 2K23 sales have gone so far.

With last year's figures in mind, we're taking a look at how NBA 2K23 and NBA 2K22 have compared when it comes to fan interest and sales.

NBA 2K23 has sold fewer copies than NBA 2K22 (so far)

Thanks to the latest official earnings reports by Take-Two Interactive, we now know how NBA 2K23 has fared on the market compared to its predecessor NBA 2K22.

According to Take-Two, NBA 2K23 sold "nearly 5 million units" between the title's release date of September 9, 2022 and September 30, 2022.

Looking back to last year, NBA 2K22 had sold "over 5 million units" between its release date of September 10, 2021 and September 30, 2021.

This leaves a clear winner as it's evident that NBA 2K23 sales are down compared to NBA 2K22 with fewer players purchasing the latest installment.

We could see those numbers level out in the coming months as holiday sales begin, but as of now, NBA 2K23 has not managed to outsell its predecessor during the first three weeks after launch.

The exact reason is debatable, but frequent glitches around launch and the increased in-game pressure to purchase Virtual Currency may have pushed some players away.

NBA 2K23 boasts higher VC sales and a higher 'average selling price'

Despite the overall numbers being down, the revenue flow to Take-Two hasn't necessarily been all bad news on their end.

Take-Two has boasted a higher "average selling price" compared to NBA 2K22, which is likely a result of the NBA 2K23 Championship Edition, a much higher-priced $150 version of NBA 2K23 which included a 12-month subscription to NBA League Pass.

On top of that, they've stated this year's game saw "significant growth in virtual currency sales" and a "4% growth in average days played," but they notably did not tout growth in the title's "daily active users" as they did for NBA 2K22 in last year's report.

With all of this in mind, it's clear that while adjustments in NBA 2K23 may have driven some users away, those that stayed were more willing to spend extra money.

2K Sports appears to see some value in jacking up prices, as we saw this year that the in-game VC cost to max out your MyPLAYER in MyCAREER nearly doubled compared to last year.

Unfortunately, the overall results of these changes may incentivize 2K Sports to go even further with NBA 2K24 and beyond, but they do so at great risk.

There's likely a precarious tipping point of player trust, and once they've crossed it overall player engagement and daily users could tumble off a cliff.

We'll have to wait and see how next year's game looks, but MyCAREER could become even less accessible for players unable to buy extra VC if current trends continue.