The Playground
The Playground (originally called The Park and later MyPARK) is an online game mode in the NBA 2K series. As the name would imply, it is essentially a virtual basketball park, with multiple street courts. Gamers take part in pick-up games using their MyPLAYER, with streetball rules.
To join a game, users must stand in the "Got Next" box, and wait for both the court and enough players for a game to be available. While this approach realistically simulates the experience of waiting to play basketball at a real park, it has also been criticised for making it difficult to jump in and have a quick game.
NBA 2K15 expanded upon the concept, with gamers now pledging their allegiance to one of three teams: the Rivet City Rough Riders, Sunset Beach Ballers, and Old Town Flyers. Each team has their own home court and specific player boosts. Performing well earns MyPARK rep, which in turn unlocks various upgrades specific to the mode. NBA 2K15 also introduced the Jordan Rec Center for gamers who prefer to play indoors, and The Stage, where Virtual Currency can be wagered. The Stage was originally a PlayStation 4 exclusive for 30 days.
In NBA 2K17, MyPARK became more event driven, with different types of events and tournaments, revamped Park Cards, and MyPLAYER badges that are specific to the mode. Player upgrades can now be earned in MyPARK, and indeed, users must play in MyPARK to raise their MyPLAYER above 95 Overall.
With the introduction of The Neighborhood in NBA 2K18, MyPARK was renamed to The Playground. There were no longer any park affiliations, with all gamers belonging to the same Playground.
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