Tag Archives: MyCOURT

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 a confession: I can’t (totally) hate the open worlds in NBA 2K.

I’ve discussed the problems with MyCAREER incorporating open worlds before. I dedicated a Monday Tip-Off column to explaining how it gives the mode an identity crisis, forcing an ill-fitting concept into a genre that doesn’t need it. I further outlined some of the major issues with mixing open worlds with sports games in a Friday Five article. From pointless time wasting to propping up recurrent revenue mechanics to putting an end to offline MyCAREER, there’s a lot to dislike – even hate – about NBA 2K’s open worlds. I stand by all of that criticism.

However, I have to confess that I can’t and don’t completely hate the open worlds of The Neighborhood and The City! That’s not to say that I believe they’re absolutely necessary, because again, I stand by my previous criticisms. Nevertheless, I do have a certain appreciation for them, and they ultimately didn’t prevent me from enjoying my time with MyCAREER in NBA 2K19. Granted, you don’t have much choice except to grow accustomed to the open world approach if you want to play MyCAREER! Still, when it’s done right, the concept definitely has its moments. And so, I won’t deny that I’ve found The Neighborhood and The City to be engaging and enjoyable…at times.

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As you probably know by now, we welcome mod releases for basketball games new and old, and today we have one for NBA 2K15! NFThaCreator has made a Jordan Rec Center that replaces the original MyCOURT, which you can pick up at the link below. Please note that it isn’t compatible with Blacktop mode.

NFThaCreator
Jordan Rec Center

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and Mod Releases bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

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 how the lines between Triple-A gaming and mobile gaming have well and truly become blurred.

We’re living in the age of hot takes, clickbait, and extreme opinions. With that being said, as much as algorithms may not reward it, I prefer to steer clear of hyperbole and reactionary viewpoints in my content. To that end, if I express a strong and potentially controversial opinion, it’s because I mean it. I don’t want to devalue adjectives, be they positive or negative. If you call every new release the best, or frequently declare games to be garbage without further explanation, then eventually you undermine your credibility. Well, your credibility should be in question, anyway!

Mind you, sometimes harsh, unvarnished criticisms that may seem like hyperbolic insults are in fact fair and accurate. A good example is the assertion that Triple-A games are becoming more and more like mobile titles. There’s plenty of evidence that the suits at major studios have taken notes on mobile gaming’s ability to milk gamers for recurrent revenue, and pushed for those mechanics to be incorporated into console and PC games. As such, it hasn’t gone unnoticed how games like NBA 2K now have features and economies akin to free-to-play titles. Recently, I had an experience that made it clear just how blurred the lines are between Triple-A and mobile gaming.

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This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at MyCAREER in NBA 2K15, and the experimental approach that it took.

After going back and finally playing through that first cinematic MyCAREER story in NBA 2K14 – and getting completely hooked on it – that left NBA 2K15 as the only eighth gen game whose tale I hadn’t completed. There are a couple of reasons for that. In 2014, I still hadn’t warmed up to the idea of a narrative-driven MyCAREER mode, and unfortunately, the NBA 2K15 MyPLAYER isn’t the most likeable protagonist to take control of! I was also trying to give NBA Live 15 a fair chance to impress, and actually ended up playing a lot of Ultimate Team that year.

However, you don’t produce a feature like Wayback Wednesday unless you’re willing to give games a second chance, and dive into the history of the virtual hardwood! To that end, I have gone back and finally properly played through MyCAREER in NBA 2K15. It does have its issues, in terms of both the story and the general experience, and some of my initial impressions were on the mark. At the same time, there is an enjoyable experience there, and the approach that it took was definitely an interesting experiment. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at the three locations for our MyCOURT in NBA 2K17.

Look, I’ll be one of the first to agree that MyCAREER, and career modes in basketball and sports video games in general for that matter, doesn’t need an open world. As I’ve explained before, it misses the point of the open world approach, essentially being a glorified loading screen and vehicle for advertisements rather than a true extension of gameplay. Conversely, I will advocate for and admit to enjoying having MyCOURT as a player hub. Sure, I scoffed at it when it was announced for NBA 2K15, but it’s now something that I really miss when I’m playing MyCAREER in NBA 2K14!

It was MyCAREER in NBA 2K17 that really sold me on MyCOURT. I’d spent quite a bit of time on MyCOURT in NBA 2K16 – both mine and my friends’ – as it was the method of squadding up for 2K Pro-Am games. It was fun shooting around during those sessions and customising the area for our mutual enjoyment, but I truly came to appreciate MyCOURT during my playthrough of NBA 2K17 MyCAREER. From its integration into the story and overall journey, to the different courts that we could unlock, it absolutely added to the experience. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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With NBA 2K25 dropping next week, the latest Courtside Report provides an insight into what to expect from The City. For anyone who is unaware, The City is the open world hub of MyCAREER that was introduced in NBA 2K21 New Gen, expanding on the concept of The Neighborhood.

As someone who has been critical of The City in the past, it does appear that NBA 2K25 has made a couple of improvements based on gamer feedback. As previously mentioned in the MyCAREER Courtside Report, MyCOURT is making a welcome return. The City has also been condensed, with fewer buildings that serve no purpose.

The connected modes also feature ranked and unranked areas, with overhauled aesthetics. Classic parks will return as part of Seasonal events, and there are new stomping grounds for the Rise and Elite park affiliations. A squad finder has been added, the Streetball sidequest returns, and the Rep system is also back.

That’s just a brief overview, as I’ve summarised the key points from the NBA 2K25 Courtside Report on The City below. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, and jump into the discussion here in the Forum!

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #541 of the NLSC Podcast!

The latest NBA 2K25 Courtside Report has delivered the details on MyCAREER and MyPLAYER in this year’s game. While some of the news is definitely promising on paper, we still have our doubts. Indeed, the lengthy grind and pushy recurrent revenue mechanics remain an elephant in the room that far too many content creators and influencers don’t want to acknowledge, and sometimes even actively downplay. Nevertheless, we join the community in reacting to the latest NBA 2K25 previews. We also asked the community what they’d pay for a home port of NBA Superstars, and recap some of the excellent retro pickups that a couple of our fellow gamers have recently scored.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:05:01 — 45.0MB)

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!

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 things that should never cost VC to equip or use.

When we talk about what basketball video games should and shouldn’t do, it does pay to think about the business side of things. Granted, that shouldn’t be our concern as consumers, but as far as feasibility or the likelihood of certain ideas, it’s something we have to keep in mind. After all, “get rid of all microtransactions” would be a fantastic suggestion in my book, but it’s just not going to happen! Sadly, including freemium mechanics in Triple-A games has proven to be too profitable for companies to not do so if they can get away with it, so it’s not a realistic request or expectation.

With that being said, I’m ultimately always going to advocate for value for money, fairness to consumers, and a quality experience when it comes to basketball video games. Again, I’m going to tailor any suggestions based on what we know is highly unlikely or unrealistic, but I’m on the side of gamers, not the suits and billion dollar corporations. Unfortunately, there are too many people who excuse or even outright shill for recurrent revenue mechanics, which has emboldened NBA 2K to place more and more content behind VC paywalls. It’s done nothing to enhance the experience for us, so to that end, here are five things that we should never have to spend VC on.

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As promised when the roadmap for the NBA 2K25 preview season was revealed, the latest Courtside Report is all about MyCAREER and MyPLAYER. Much of the blog discusses the MyPLAYER Builder system, Takeovers, Badges, and so forth, but there are also some interesting insights into this year’s story and other aspects of MyCAREER.

One of the key points about the NBA side of MyCAREER in NBA 2K25 is that it’s centred around the concept of building an all-time great dynasty. MP’s backstory is told in flashback, which means that the story portion of MyCAREER is optional and can also be played at any time. However, completing it unlocks rewards and a boost to progression, so it’s at least worth considering.

MyCOURT is also returning, and Season XP can be earned in NBA games, meaning that you don’t have to play online to earn rewards. Takeovers and Badges have been revamped, and more information will be made available in the MyPLAYER Builder.

It’s a lengthy read compared to the gameplay blog, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re a keen MyCAREER gamer. With that being said, I have summarised the key information from the MyCAREER Courtside Report, which you can check out below. Feel free to share your impressions in the comments, and 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 provides five further corrections to some of my previous articles.

Many years back, I was having a spirited conversation in the Forum with one of our veteran members about some current event in the NBA. I mistakenly believed that I accurately recalled a statistic off the top of my head, which was the whole basis of my argument. I had no choice but to concede when I was fact-checked, at which point said Forum veteran – who frankly had an unhealthy love of debate and dislike for ever agreeing with anyone – scolded me for giving up too easily. I asked him, what did he want me to do? My position was based on an error. Debate over, first round knockout!

Unfortunately, online discourse is too frequently about performative debate. I wasn’t about to double-down on my own fallacious argument that had been disproven, and that meant I wasn’t playing the role that was expected of me. That’s too bad, because I have no interest in getting roped into that game! Similarly, I never want to be one of those content creators that refuse to admit when I’ve made a mistake, and I do make them! As I said when I previously made some corrections to a few of my articles, I like to think that I know my stuff and do my due diligence, but I have slipped up. As the saying goes, “fess up when you mess up”, so here are five more corrections!

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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 things that I miss when I go back and play older basketball video games.

Retro basketball gaming is awesome, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! That isn’t to say that newer games aren’t great too, and I certainly sink hours into them as well. However, don’t let the naysayers tell you that all previous releases were inferior to their modern counterparts, and it’s only myopic nostalgia that allows you to enjoy them. Whether it’s the pervasive presence of recurrent revenue mechanics, a grind that feels more like tedious work than a fun and challenging journey, or a questionable design choice in the gameplay, newer is not always better.

By the same token however, it’s true that not everything was better in the “good old days”. Some ideas, or entire games, have aged poorly. We can also forget that even the classics have problems of their own. If nothing else, there are enhancements and additions in more recent basketball games that I miss when I go back and play old titles. Their absence doesn’t render those old games unplayable or unenjoyable, but you definitely do miss the fun and/or convenience that they added. Even if there’s an old approach that still has merit and would work fine, we’ve grown accustomed to a new way of doing things. Whatever the case, I miss these five things in old games.

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This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at 2K Pro-Am in NBA 2K16, as well as how the mode has changed since then.

There was a time when I was very reluctant to play online. Technically that refers to the present day as well, as I no longer find the scene appealing in NBA 2K. To that point though, for a while I was far more enthusiastic about online play. I’d dabbled with it in the past, but was generally content to play franchise modes, or stick to the NBA side of MyCAREER. However, when Kenny invited Arcane and I to play 2K Pro-Am in NBA 2K16 along with community members The X, Valor, and zzcoolj21, we were hooked. NLSC THRILLHO was born!

Although some improvements were made to 2K Pro-Am following its introduction in NBA 2K16, I’d still say that the original incarnation of the mode is one of the best. The novelty of it being a fresh new experience certainly contributes to my nostalgia for it, but many of the changes to MyCAREER and the online scene since then have taken it in a disappointing direction. Once again though, that first version of 2K Pro-Am in NBA 2K16 was a blast, and that also carried over into NBA 2K17. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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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 the five best additions to NBA MyCAREER.

These days, it’s not fashionable to play NBA MyCAREER. It’s usually seen as a means to an end; a way of familiarising yourself with the mechanics, and grinding for VC and Badge XP to level up your player in preparation for the online scene. This is unfortunate, as MyCAREER once provided an extremely enjoyable alternative to franchise play, placing gamers in the shoes of an aspiring NBA player. Sure, the story-driven approach has been hit and miss, but some of the better tales were well-told, with impressive production values and fun mini-games.

Those aspects are still there as of NBA 2K23, though there’s been a detrimental shift in focus. The downfall began last generation, and swiftly progressed following the introduction of The Neighborhood and later The City. Still, NBA MyCAREER does remain a fairly robust mode; at least until the servers are shut down and it disappears forever! Reflecting on the history of NBA MyCAREER and the days when it was more than just a legacy mode that most use as a stepping stone to the online scene, there have been some great additions that benefitted the traditional career experience. Having played the mode extensively over the years, I’m picking these as the five best.

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Following on from the MyCAREER trailer, the latest developer blog provides our first look at The Neighborhood in the Current Gen version of NBA 2K23. Once again, this year’s open world in the PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch version of the game will have a nautical setting, as the GOAT Boat replaces the Cancha Del Mar.

The layout of this year’s virtual luxury liner has been revamped, and more courts have been added. There are also no-wait gameplay options, new Seasonal excursions, and an updated quest system with NPCs in The Neighborhood.

As always, I’ve summarised the key information below, but check out the GOAT Boat blog for the full scoop on The Neighborhood in NBA 2K23 Current Gen. What are your thoughts? Share them in the comments below, and join in the discussion here in the NBA 2K23 section of the NLSC 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 my thoughts on how having a personal court is an underrated feature in career modes.

As you can probably glean from how often I’ve talked about an extended playthrough of MyCAREER in NBA 2K14, I’m enjoying the experience immensely. For years I snubbed the mode, and NBA 2K14 in general. I’m not too proud to admit that I was wrong about both of them. While NBA 2K14 does have its quirks, its gameplay still holds up tremendously well in 2022. As for that first MyCAREER story, it isn’t as “on rails” or as intrusive as I’d long believed. Again, I do have some criticisms, but after finally giving it a chance, my impressions and experiences are largely positive.

On the subject of my criticisms however, there’s the matter of what I do between games in NBA 2K14 MyCAREER. I check the league leaders of course, as well as the stats for my MyPLAYER and my teammates. I keep tabs on the standings and the emerging Playoff picture late in the season, envisioning my likeliest path to the NBA Finals, and the opponent that I’ll probably face for the championship. I’ll check the news, and track career milestones. Something that I don’t do, however, is partake in a shootaround. I don’t do that because, quite simply, I can’t. For all the great aspects of NBA 2K14 MyCAREER, it unfortunately doesn’t have a court that you can call home.

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