Tag Archives: MyCAREER

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 why I find it distasteful when video game companies join in with memes and jokes, especially about themselves.

Like any joke or popular fad, online memes eventually run their course. To that end, the general lifecycle of a meme has been astutely lampooned by several people. Last year, Man Carrying Thing posted a sketch that summed up the rapid rise and fall of many an absurd meme that achieves inexplicable popularity. While “OK Boomer” lives on as a common retort, cartoonist Kasia Babis aptly used it as an example of a meme’s lifecycle. Another cartoonist, Alex Krokus, perfectly captured the general response to brands jumping on memes and online trends.

Alex’s comic in particular resonates with me, because we’ve seen more and more brands attempt to join in on viral trends as a marketing strategy. Naturally, this also includes video game developers and publishers. On paper, it makes sense for these companies to angle for some viral positive publicity by attempting to cultivate a fun and relatable image, though this can easily backfire. This is especially true whenever a company tries to lean into jokes and memes about itself. Although it can be a very effective strategy if they end up pulling it off, it can easily fail to achieve the playful vibe that they’re aiming for. All too often, it instead comes across as condescending.

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Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five major problems with open worlds in sports video games.

Since the introduction of The Neighborhood in NBA 2K18, open worlds have been a core part of the MyCAREER experience. Whether an urban complex, a cruise ship, or a beachfront town, they’ve taken MyCAREER and its connected modes from menus to an environment that can be explored. The Neighborhood has since given way to the much larger open world of The City in the flagship version of NBA 2K, although it was condensed slightly in NBA 2K25. Elsewhere, WWE 2K25 now features The Island, and EA Sports are reportedly also looking to bring open worlds to their games.

Now, I have nothing against open worlds in video games. I’m a fan of both the Grand Theft Auto and Fallout series, so I know how much fun the concept can be. However, I don’t believe open worlds belong in sports video games like NBA 2K or WWE 2K. Sure, they can be made to work, facilitating the MMORPG aspects of career modes nowadays. To that point though, I don’t think that it results in a better experience for gamers, particularly anyone who prefers traditional career mode gameplay. With that in mind, here are five big problems that are created when open worlds are forced into sports games, and therefore five reasons why they shouldn’t be a part of those titles!

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Patch 7.0 is out now for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of NBA 2K25. The PC patch will be out by May 17th, in time for the tip-off of Season 7. As always, the update should come through automatically as long as you’re online. If it doesn’t, try restarting your console or Steam client, or checking for updates manually.

As I noted when Patch 6.0 dropped, we’re past the point of major title updates for this year’s game. To that point, Patch 7.o is mostly about preparing NBA 2K25 for Season 7 in MyCAREER and MyTEAM. However, it does include a handful of jersey updates – mostly removing sponsor updates and adding other minor details – and likeness updates for various WNBA players. There are also a couple of minor gameplay adjustments, and the usual bug and stability fixes.

You can find the full release notes for Patch 7.0 below, as well as in the NBA 2K25 update history in our Wiki! Feel free to share any impressions in the comments below, as well as join in the discussion here in the Forum.

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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 reflections on matching MJ in Year 6 of my NBA 2K14 MyCAREER.

Obviously, simply saying that I’m reflecting on matching MJ is a huge spoiler for how Year 6 of my NBA 2K14 MyCAREER turned out! Of course, I’ve already revealed that via my story topic, and a highlight reel of the 2019 NBA Finals. To that end, this column isn’t intended to keep everyone in suspense about the results, but rather to share my thoughts as I continue to play through a full MyCAREER in NBA 2K14 for PlayStation 4. Although I did take a break to play some other games that captured my attention, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I returned to complete my latest season.

While Year 6 did bear some similarities to the Drive for Five in my fifth season, in other ways it once again proved to be a unique journey with its own ups and downs. From vying for statistical feats, to players getting injured, to contending with different matchups in a league that’s seen a variety of changes over the course of six seasons, I was definitely as invested in Year 6 as any prior campaign. Even though the cutscenes didn’t exactly reflect it, I actually felt like a veteran who’s been around the block a few times; a feeling that I enjoyed as it made the year special. And so, on top of matching MJ with six titles, here’s how Year 6 of my NBA 2K14 MyCAREER went down.

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #577 of the NLSC Podcast!

While we’ll never get sick of basketball gaming, we’re taking a quick timeout from the virtual hardwood this week as we join the community in listing and discussing some of the other video games that are currently in our rotations. This includes reflecting on the aspects of those games that are keeping us hooked on them, while also noting some of the similarities to our basketball gaming habits. We also discuss finding new ways to play old favourites including self-imposed challenges and choosing different classes or character builds, and fondly recall the fun we had getting a small taste of some classic games thanks to shareware and demo discs back in the day.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:22:30 — 57.0MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

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 reflections on developing more of an appreciation for MyCAREER stories over the years.

I’ll admit that as a creature of habit, I can be resistant to change. I’d like to think that I’ve grown in that regard. For example, I’m no longer the really picky eater I was as a kid! When it comes to basketball video games, I’ve come to enjoy a number of titles that left a poor first impression, and modes that I never thought I’d be interested in. What still bothers me though is change for change’s sake, or any changes where the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. I think we can all relate to the frustration of having something we really like being drastically changed in a way we didn’t want or ask for.

That brings me to MyCAREER, and the stories that the mode has featured since 2013. Originally, I had no interest in the mode. I was a franchise gamer, after all! However, just as I overcame picky eating habits by deciding to try new cuisine, I came to enjoy MyCAREER after giving it a proper shot in NBA 2K13. A year and a new generation of consoles later, the mode introduced a narrative-driven approach, and I felt that it took away from an experience that I was now enthusiastic about. As such, I’ve been critical of MyCAREER stories, yet also fascinated by them. Now that I’ve finished all of the stories up to NBA 2K20, I now appreciate what they’ve meant for the mode.

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #574 of the NLSC Podcast!

The community has some questions, and fortunately, we’ve got some answers! At the suggestion of listener Rene, this week we’re holding a Q&A with questions taken from our social media. The Q&A covers a little bit of everything: favourite foods, favourite video games of other genres, our preferred strategies on the virtual hardwood, Tom Chambers’ Hall of Fame credentials, experiences meeting NBA players in real life, our top basketball movies, and more. We hope that you enjoy hearing our thoughts on this array of fun topics – and maybe learning a thing or two about us as well – as we definitely enjoyed answering all of your questions!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 58:45 — 40.7MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

Patch 6.0 is now available for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of NBA 2K25, with the PC patch set to drop in time for Season 6 this Friday. As always, the update should come through automatically as long as you’re online. If it doesn’t, try restarting your console or Steam client, or check for updates manually.

This far into the game’s lifecycle, the title updates aren’t making too many major changes or additions. To that point, Patch 6.0 is mainly preparing NBA 2K25 for Season 6 in MyTEAM and MyCAREER, though it does include likeness updates for Patty Mills and Shakira Austin. There are also some minor stability and bug fixes, and a couple of Quality of Life improvements with the MyPLAYER Builder and Exchange menu in MyTEAM.

You can find the full release notes below, as well as in the NBA 2K25 update history over in our Wiki. Feel free to comment below with any thoughts and impressions, as well as join in the discussion here in the Forum.

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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 why we should never say never when it comes to basketball games and modding, even though I probably will.

As a Millennial, Don Bluth movies were part of my childhood. Some of them I saw a bit later on because I was too young (or not yet born) when they first came out, but they certainly had an impact on me. That includes An American Tail, the story of a young mouse named Fievel who is separated from his family during their journey to the United States. It’s a classic children’s film with some memorable musical numbers, one of which is the uplifting “Never Say Never”. It’s one of those iconic scenes from a movie that I watched when I was very young that became embedded in my memory.

I’d like to say that the message also resonated with me. In a way it did, but I’ll admit that as much as I try to be optimistic, open-minded, and imaginative, there have been times when, like Fievel, I’ve resigned myself to the notion of “never”. To that point though, it’s refreshing when your pessimism is proven wrong, and a lesson that we should never say never…well, to some things, anyway! When it comes to basketball video games and modding, I’ve been prone to writing off possibilities out of hand. This has led to some incorrect predictions and reminders to think outside the box! So, while I’d like to pledge that I’ll never say never again, I’m sure that it will happen.

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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 Vic Van Lier from NBA 2K16’s MyCAREER story “Livin’ Da Dream”, and media literacy in general.

When the NBA Centel’s Twitter/X was temporarily shut down in February, it led to an outpouring of support for the satirical social media account. Several teams dedicated their victories on February 26th to NBA Centel, and there was much rejoicing when it was reinstated. Unsurprisingly, the official NBA 2K account jumped on the trend, but took it a step further by including a headshot of Vic Van Lier in their tribute. While I’d normally be tempted to cite Alex Krokus’ “Life of a Meme” comic here, I have to tip my hat to 2K’s social media team for making an enjoyable reference.

Since then, NBA Centel’s account has been reinstated, which means they can go back to fooling alleged analysts into believing fictional stories. And while we’re on the subject of stories and media literacy, let’s talk about Vic Van Lier and Spike Lee’s “Livin’ Da Dream” in NBA 2K16. Quite a few people replied to 2K’s aforementioned post with memories of that tale, paying tribute to Vic Van Lier and referring to his fatal accident as one of the saddest moments in the history of MyCAREER. Look, entertainment is subjective, and we’re all entitled to our opinions. However, when it comes to Vic and NBA 2K16’s story, I have to wonder…did people pay attention?

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #572 of the NLSC Podcast!

The seventh generation saw NBA 2K pull ahead of NBA Live – and for good reason – but which 2K titles stand out as the best releases during that run? This week, we join the community in ranking NBA 2K6 through NBA 2K13 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 – as well as the PC ports from NBA 2K9 onwards – discussing the key strengths and weaknesses of each game, while also sharing some of our personal memories and experiences with them. We also discuss some of the factors that make games stand out as classic and nostalgic releases, such as the season they’re set in, and the presence of fun teams to put on the virtual hardwood years and indeed decades later.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:01:30 — 42.6MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

As you probably know by now, Dee and I are always uploading videos of our basketball gaming sessions, whether we’re playing solo, co-op, or Dee is hitting the virtual hardwood with his brothers. Our latest highlights feature NBA 2K14 MyCAREER on PlayStation 4, and NBA 2K7 for PlayStation 3.

Dee recently hosted our co-op session of NBA 2K7 over Parsec, in which we took on the Minnesota Timberwolves with the Boston Celtics. They’re a couple of underdog teams on the verge of making a blockbuster deal, and it turned into a competitive game with some spectacular moments. As you’d imagine, it was very tempting to take it to the hoop with Gerald Green as often as possible!

Meanwhile, I’ve reached the Playoffs in Year 6 of my ongoing NBA 2K14 MyCAREER, so I’ve put together the best highlights from Games 72-82. I’ll be posting highlight reels from each round of the 2019 Playoffs, before returning to the 10-game reels for the 2020 regular season. You can also follow along with the results of my NBA 2K14 MyCAREER in my story topic in the Forum.

Check out both highlight reels below! As always, we’re open to suggestions of games that you’d like to see us play, so feel free to hit us up. In the meantime, make sure you’re subscribed to the NLSC YouTube channel for more basketball gaming highlights, video essays, the NLSC Podcast, and the weekly Top 10 Plays.

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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 reflections on how the NBA 2K12 intro makes me wistful nowadays.

To celebrate World Basketball Day – which has indeed been declared an official day of observance – I’ve taken to posting the intro from NBA 2K12 on the NLSC’s socials every December 21st. It tends to get some traction with shares, likes, and comments, because it’s one of the very best intros that we’ve seen in a basketball video game. Accompanied by Kurtis Blow’s iconic hit “Basketball” and re-creating some of the best moments in the history of the sport in a way that blends past and present, it truly is a love letter to hoops.

Thanks to the way that Facebook’s algorithms work, the post on our page is the one that achieved the furthest reach out of all our socials, and it’s still being watched and getting regular reactions as of writing. Many of the comments are praising it for being such an incredible intro to a basketball video game, and also calling NBA 2K12 the best game in the series. I’m more inclined to agree with the former sentiment rather than the latter, but nevertheless, I’m glad that I’m not alone in my enjoyment of the NBA 2K12 intro. At the same time, seeing those comments and watching the intro again has left me feeling wistful about changes in basketball and gaming since then.

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Patch 5.0 is now available for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S version of NBA 2K25, with the PC patch set to drop soon. As always, it should come through automatically as long as you’re online. If it doesn’t, try checking for updates manually, or restarting your console/Steam client.

In addition to preparing NBA 2K25 for Season 5 in MyTEAM and MyCAREER, Patch 5.0 includes updates to player likenesses and team jerseys. It also includes fixes for disconnections in multiplayer games, a couple of Trophies/Achievements that weren’t unlocking correctly, and a few other issues.

You can find the full release notes for the latest patch below, as well as in the NBA 2K25 update history in our Wiki. Feel free to share any thoughts in the comments, as well as join in the discussion here in the Forum!

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Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five real events that I wish had happened during the course of my NBA 2K14 MyCAREER.

My offline MyCAREER in NBA 2K14 continues to be a blast. I’m sure that much is obvious from the fact that I’m in my sixth season, to say nothing of how often I’ve talked about it in articles and on our podcast! In any case, it’s been a fun ride so far, and I’m eager to continue the journey. For the most part, there isn’t much that I’d change. Sure, it’s unfortunate that my bid to go 82-0 was thwarted once again in Year 6, but the elusiveness of that goal is now part of the story. As much as I like realism, the unlikely results and fictional moves have made my virtual career enjoyable.

Of course, it’s also been entertaining to see my game mimic real life in unexpected ways, such as LeBron James joining the Los Angeles Lakers (albeit much earlier in this case). This combination of real life and fiction forms the alternate realities that make multi-season play in career and franchise modes so fun and rewarding. All the same, I’d be lying if I said there weren’t any real events that I would’ve liked to have seen come to pass in my NBA 2K14 MyCAREER. Again, I do enjoy the fictional and unusual outcomes as well, but both the on-court experience and the narrative of my NBA 2K14 MyCAREER would’ve benefitted from reflecting a handful of real events.

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