The new NBA 2K game is just on the horizon, and with many promised new features, it's looking to be a great installment.
With rebalanced gameplay to make any build you want feel strong, a new Up and Under jump shot to confuse the defense, and new layup animations using machine learning to determine the angle of the shot. As well as the new layup system, 2K is expanding the dribbling system to include 29 animation packages that can be chosen by the player. If you want Steph Curry’s behind-the-back escape but want to use a different cross escape, now you can.
A new badge and Takeover system are also featured in this edition. As you play, you will be ranked on how well you are doing in 5 disciplines: Shooting, Finishing, Playmaking, Defense, and Rebounding. As you do well in one or more, your rating will go through 6 rankings in real time. Once a meter is maxed out, your chosen Takeover ability will trigger automatically, putting your team over the top and making some fun plays.
As for badges, there are now 53 badges in the game, 19 of which are new for 27. The Badges will be split into 6 different disciplines, and as you play, you will earn badge points allowing you to slot in badges to complement your build. 2K27 will also allow you to create Badge loadouts so you can swap what badges are equipped just before game time. This will save you the tedium of having to go through and swap everything out when you see what opponents you are up against.
The City will still be the main hub where you can interact with other players and pick the game mode. Now the city will be fully Co-Ed. If you want to create a female MyPlayer you can now bring them into the city and interact with all elements of The City. All MyPlayers are created on the same framework, so gender will not affect your gameplay.
2K is also introducing a daily rivals leaderboard; every day you and 39 others will be put against each other. By playing any mode, you will accumulate points, and at the end of the day you will get rewards for how you ranked. Don’t worry, even the lowest ranked player will still get a reward, so just logging in once a day will get you something.
There will be plenty of new places to play, including 5 new Rec environments on launch with a newly modeled Rucker Park at the forefront.
One of the new features I'm most excited about is the introduction of Casual Corner. NBA 2K has gotten very competitive, and it can be hard for new players to jump into online play, as you will play against some very good players. Casual Corner is a new area where newer players can dip their toes into online play before fully jumping into the chaos that can be 5v5 games. It will start them playing against the computer, and as your ranking advances, you will be put into 1v1 all the way to 5v5s.
There is a new story for MyCareer called “Fire and Concrete.” Play as MP, a top high school prospect committed to Duke until a car crash throws all that planning away. The main story will rejoin MP 2 years after the car crash, now healed, and join him on his journey to make it to the NBA. Along the way, you will be encouraged by your cousin Cam, mocapped and voiced by Vince Staples.
With a new story also comes a hotly requested feature: co-op. MyCareer for 2K27 will be fully co op, as well as MP, you will be joined on the court by a running mate. For solo mode, you will level up and customize your running mate through the story, but at any time you can invite a friend and they can take control and play along. The changes don’t stop there, as the new story will cover 11 chapters that will include Mp’s rookie year in the NBA, making this the longest story to date.
Eras is also coming to MyCareer, for the first time in MyCareer step outside of the modern NBA and choose one of five Eras to play in.
● The Magic vs. Bird Era: Begins in 1984, placing you in the league right at the moment Michael Jordan enters as a rookie on the Chicago Bulls.
● The Jordan Era: Begins in 1991, at the dawn of the Bulls' legendary first three-peat.
● The Kobe Era: Begins in 2003, intersecting with one of the greatest draft classes in history as LeBron James enters the league.
● The LeBron Era: Begins in 2010, shifting the balance of power as superteams take center stage.
● The Steph Era: Begins in 2016, where the 3-point revolution completely changes how the game is played.
Choosing an Era will lock historical rosters, and change presentation details with older Eras having wood lockers and other changes like, era specific score bugs, stat overlays, and CRT filters to make you feel like you're taking part in history. Take your MyPlayer through history and play against the all time greats.
Have you ever wanted to take a single MyPlayer through a multi-year legacy franchise, getting better every year? Well, in the new MyNBA legacy mode, you can do that. Choose a single player, either a MyPlayer or an existing person, and in an RPG-like format, play through years of franchise play. Sooner or later, you can retire and continue building your legacy with your children for up to 100 franchise years. Try to make a totally busted player that will be forever enshrined as the eternal G.O.A.T.
MyTEAM is also getting some new features including a streamlined interface and a unified Auction House allowing you to auction your cards between Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. One of the biggest changes is the introduction of a dedicated Player XP allowing all your Player Cards to level up, giving them boosts from Evolution, Dynamic Duos, and Coach Cards. The Exchange has also been revamped allowing you to exchange any of your Player Cards (Free Agent cards excluded) for elite rewards. This ensures every card pull feels meaningful and helps you build your dream MyTEAM lineup.
Early launch time for the game begins August 26th, so look forward to getting on the court soon.
