NBA 2K19 rolled out and once again are seeing a number of complaints from players. They range from gameplay mechanics, visual bugs, predatory microtransactions, and more. And these issues led to negative feedback from the community but what’s worrisome is that NBA 2K series hasn’t had a positive Steam rating in the last 4 years. It just gets to show NBA 2K developer and publisher aren’t listening to community feedback, a community that is pissed at this point.
NBA 2K Series Steam Reviews Since 2015
- NBA 2K16- 2015 – Mixed
- NBA 2K VR – 2016 – Mostly Negative
- NBA 2K17 – 2016 – Mostly Negative
- NBA 2K18 – 2017 – Mostly Negative
- NBA 2K19 – 2018 – Mostly Negative
Games prior to NBA 2K16 are no longer available on Steam (at least in my region), but if we look at Metacritic scores they don’t paint a very positive picture.
- NBA 2K15 (PC) – 2014 – User Score 5.2
- NBA 2K14 (PC) – 2013 – User Score 5.0
- NBA 2K13 (PC) – 2012 – User Score 6.8
- NBA 2K12 (PC) – 2011 – User Score 7.1
Complaints are similar year-over-year so are the user reviews on Steam and Metacritic.
One of the main complaints in the last 3 years has been predatory microtransactions. The situation sparked so much backlash that Govts around the world had to get involved. But it all started with Star Wars Battlefront 2, the game that broke the camel’s back and not only got EA under investigation, but 2K and Activision faced collateral damage.
In desperation, 2K went as far as begging fans to call Govt officials to make policy changes in Belgium.
The Belgium Gaming Commission (BGC) has stated that games which include certain ‘loot box’ style mechanics violate gambling laws in Belgium. While we disagree with this position, we are working to comply with the BGC’s current interpretation of these laws. As a result, we have made some local changes to the MyTeam mode.
These changes are necessary in order for us to accommodate the BGC’s interpretation of the Belgian Gaming Act. Specifically, we will be turning off the ability to purchase packs with premium (non-earned) currency/VC.Gamers are still able to acquire packs with MyTeam points. We will be continuing conversations with the BGC in order to explain our view on how NBA 2K and MyTeam pack purchases already comply with local laws. If you agree, we recommend that you contact your local government representative to communicate your opinion. We will keep the community posted on any developments. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Loot Boxes and similar mechanics are linked to gambling around the world which is why 15 countries joined to create regulatory policies.
