Tag Archives: Game Development

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #632 of the NLSC Podcast!

Although we’ve been playing basketball video games for decades now, the hobby is still capable of surprising us. To that end, what are some of the biggest surprises – both positive and negative – in basketball gaming in 2026? This week we’re sharing and discussing what amazes and astonishes us when it comes to the virtual hardwood, from the quality of the games and modern design philosophies, to the lack of competition and changes in community attitudes. That includes touching on the shift in modding culture, and the general discourse when it comes to basketball gaming issues. Our listeners also weigh in with what surprises them the most – for better or worse – with basketball video games today.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 58:50 — 40.8MB)

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on the attainability of the NBA license for video game developers and publishers.

As Dee and I discussed on last week’s NLSC Podcast, we have some concerns when it comes to NBA The Run. While we’re happy to see another basketball video game in the space – one that has the NBA license, no less – we’re not so thrilled about it being an exclusively online PvP title. The snippets of gameplay that we’ve seen so far have also left us feeling sceptical. Irrespective of how successful NBA The Run turns out to be – and again, we absolutely want to see alternatives to NBA 2K – it may not be the game for us. That’s just the way it goes, sometimes.

However, in a way, NBA The Run has already enjoyed a measure of success. What began as an unlicensed streetball game comprised solely of fictional characters now has the NBA license. More to the point, the NBA reached out to Play By Play Studios to discuss a partnership. Obviously that was great news for the game that started life as The Run: Got Next, but it also bodes well for other developers, and ultimately us as gamers. It demonstrates that the NBA isn’t interested in an exclusive deal with 2K or any other developer, and that they’re willing to work with smaller studios. In short, if you’re developing a basketball video game, the NBA license appears to be attainable.

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