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Earlier this year, Play by Play Studios – a studio comprised of former EA developers – announced The Run: Got Next, a spiritual successor to the NBA Street series. Since then, Play by Play Studios has been able to acquire the NBA license. As such, the game will now be titled NBA The Run, and is slated for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2026.
The game will still feature 3v3 action, with a more casual, arcade-style approach to virtual basketball. The original characters now star alongside NBA players in a series of Knockout Tournaments staged at iconic street courts around the world. Tournament rounds last 2-5 minutes, and feature randomised rules such as “Dunk Fest” and “Speed Round”. As was the original plan with The Run: Got Next, NBA The Run is strictly an online game, though the developers are apparently leaving the door open for local and head-to-head play. New York DJ Bob “Bobbito” Garcia, the announcer for NBA Street Vol. 2, will be calling the action.
In a post over on the PlayStation Blog, Creative Director Michael Young describes NBA The Run as skill-based, equally fun on offense and defense, and a nonstop highlight reel. He touts the fluidity of the controls, rollback netcode for a smooth online experience, and the goal of creating a game that’s easy to pick up but rewarding to master. Young also describes it as “a game with spirit, a game with soul”, and refers to the characters having stories that will create a “living basketball universe”.
Although an online game may not be what most of us were hoping for, with EA backing out of developing a college basketball title, it’s good to know that other alternatives to NBA 2K are in the pipeline. Check out the teaser trailer below, as well as an overview of the features from the Steam listing. Dee and I will naturally discuss this development on an upcoming episode of the NLSC Podcast, but in the meantime, please share your thoughts in the comments, and join in the discussion here in the Forum!
NBA The Run Features Overview
We’re taking it back to the streets. NBA THE RUN is a fast-paced, online 3v3 street basketball game, played above-the-rim and packed with posterizing moments, ankle-breaking tricks and a unique, signature style. Take your favorite NBA stars to iconic streetball courts around the world and stack wins, earn cred and become the GOAT of THE RUN.
DON’T GET KNOCKED OUT
Play Solos or Squads, the choice is yours. Face off against the best of the best in online multiplayer Knockout Tournaments spanning the globe on legendary streetball courts from Venice Beach, to The Tenement in the Philippines, and more. Lock in, win, advance, repeat.
BECOME THE GOAT
Gameplay is fast, fluid and responsive. Powered by true rollback netcode, your moves on the sticks will sync instantaneously – cross up an aggressive defender, switch to a layup mid-dunk to avoid a block, or throw up a lob out of a spin move for a game winning alley-oop.
DEFENSE WINS CHIPS
It’s not only about the high flying dunks, stepback logo 3s and ankle breakers – in NBA THE RUN, defense is just as fun, and powerful, as offense. Thunderous blocks, diving for loose balls, huge steals, and all-out physicality on D can lead to a W and will get you just as hyped.
STREETBALL WITH STYLE
Everything about NBA THE RUN is handcrafted and stylized to deliver a completely unique look and feel. Authentic to the sport of basketball and visually in a lane of its own – there isn’t another basketball game on the market that looks, feels or plays like NBA THE RUN.
Teaser Trailer
Although iam a 5 on 5 sim player myself iam excited to see how adding another nba game to the market does and if someone will bring out a nba sim video game again to rival nba 2k
The fact that a smaller studio is able to get the license and willing to throw their hat into the ring should send a message to EA. Having enjoyed my time with NBA Live 19 as of late, I really wish they’d continued to build on what they had, even if they needed to correct course a bit as far as having greater focus on the NBA side of things.
In the meantime though, this is definitely intriguing. If it succeeds, hopefully they do add an offline mode and H2H gameplay.
Its definitely encouraging isn’t it mate I agree there,
Hey Andrew as a collector will you try and get your hands on a copy of the unreleased nba live 2020, I never knew it was in production until I saw Prime upload some videos to YouTube
I’m actually not sure what the deal is there. I don’t think many copies have made it into circulation, and they’re probably out of my budget anyway! There’s a reason why I stick with the NBA Elite 11 demo or the emulated version of the full release. 😉
Lol yeah the Elite 11 game prices are unreal and get why, its a cancelled game but I think Live 20 would at least be more playable
Sadly another What If. I think I’d have enjoyed the ninth generation so much more if I’d been able to alternate between NBA Live and NBA 2K…though I don’t regret my retro gaming tendencies!
I dont blame you mate, I think ive gotten as much as I want from live 18 & 19 although they both are in my rotation I want to at some point get another ps2 and play some live 06 but other than that iam actually still enjoying 2k26 which is crazy to say when it only came out less than 2 months ago but I definitely fell out of love with 2k25 alot sooner.
In an ideal world another 5 on 5 nba licensed game will hit the market in the next couple of years
Absolutely. The more competition, the better!
I’m enjoying Ultimate Team in NBA Live 19 right now since I’m able to play with some Legends, so that’s a novelty; especially for that generation of NBA Live games. NBA 2K26 is a bust for me, so I’m sticking with old favourites and seeking out some new ones.
Do you not think there is anything 2k26 can do to pull you back in, season mode perhaps or is it the overall gameplay and shooting mechanics that your not taking too?
I have yhe odd person telling me iam bad at the game because I use real player % for all shooting but honestly it gives me an old nba live vibe playing it this way and I enjoy it more that way
At this point I don’t think the gameplay is gong to win me over, even with some slider and settings tweaks. I just don’t enjoy the feel or the mechanics, and the need for a competent MyNBA Eras roster makes it difficult to play with the content I want.
Ive heard alot about the eras rosters being a let down, TheX has started editing his own rosters on the switch adding missing players himself since there are not many people making rosters on that platform which i feel for him as the out dated ps4 community is dying breed in itself
Hopefully maybe a patch or someone makes the god slider sets of all time pull you back in mate, the game is far from perfect and there are many issues with gameplay i know, one of my biggest pet peves is that I cant really challenge a call as the ps4 version (it may happen on next gen) but upon challenging a call the game selects a completely different play to review which is frustrating as its happened a few times down the stretch and ive make the decision to challenge only for them to show a play from 10 mins ago where the ball clearly went off me so is a guaranteed failure lol
I’m sure I’ll check in on the game from time to time. The problem for me is that it’s the culmination of being underwhelmed for an entire generation of NBA 2Ks, so outside of content creation and commentary, I don’t feel much of an incentive to get into it. I really wish we had an alternative in NBA Live, but for now, my old favourites and new kicks will do the trick.
You and me both brother!
I really miss nba live and there being a rival game on the market
A shame about the impending NBA Live 19 server shutdown early next year, but at least I’ve still got some time with Ultimate Team before then. Then it’ll most likely be back to some older releases in the series!