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NBA Playgrounds 2 Announced; Coming Summer 2018

NBA Playgrounds 2: Legends

In a post over on the official PlayStation blog, Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karcher has announced that NBA Playgrounds 2 will be released in Summer 2018. The sequel to last year’s release will feature new modes and content, as well as other enhancements based on fan feedback.

Two of the most significant additions in the upcoming game are intended to expand the experience both online and offline. First of all, NBA Playgrounds 2 will include a worldwide online league called the Playgrounds Championship, featuring several divisions supporting both solo and co-op play. The game will also have dedicated servers for better matchmaking and a smoother online experience. Four-player online co-op has also been added.

Second, offline play has been expanded with a new Season Mode. The mode will see users take their team through the regular season and Playoffs, all the way to the NBA Championship. NBA Playgrounds 2 will feature over 200 current and former NBA players, which will again be unlockable by collecting them in card packs. The blog also mentions enhancements to player models, improvements to the artificial intelligence, some expanded gameplay mechanics, and additional music tracks.

A teaser trailer has also been released, which you can check out below:

What do you think? Did you enjoy last year’s game? Are you looking forward to the sequel? Have your say in the comments section below, and feel free to join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum.

NLSC Podcast – Episode #244

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Episode #244 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we discuss the submission of our Wishlists for NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19, a new event involving NBA Playgrounds, the beginning of the 2018 NBA Playoffs, and Our Week in Basketball Gaming.

On this week’s show…

  • As mentioned earlier in the week, our official Wishlists for NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19 have been submitted to EA Sports and Visual Concepts respectively. Since the topics are still open for discussion, we once again touch on what we’d like to see from the upcoming games in both series.
  • Saber Interactive are partnering with Jack Daniel’s for an NBA Playgrounds promotion. While it’s put the game back into the spotlight, it feels like Saber has missed a lot of opportunities with last year’s arcade hoops title.
  • Our Week in Basketball Gaming saw some trial and error as we continued to incorporate some more structured playcalling into our gameplan during our most recent session of 2K Pro-Am. Meanwhile, new cards and challenges should hopefully keep the Ultimate Team experience fresh.
  • Whether you want to say that they’ve tipped off or kicked off, the 2018 NBA Playoffs are underway! We give our thoughts on the first four games of this year’s postseason, and offer up our predictions for the first round as a whole.
  • We wrap up Episode #244 of the NLSC Podcast with the feel good story of the 2018 season, Andre Ingram.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

NLSC Podcast – Episode #233

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Episode #233 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! It’s kind of an experimental episode this week as I’m actually hosting solo, as Arcane and Kenny unfortunately weren’t available to record. So, join me as I share my thoughts on some recent basketball gaming topics, including the latest NBA Live 18 patch, an interesting Reddit post regarding NBA 2K18, and more.

On this week’s show…

  • We’ve tipped off our Wishlist topics for NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19. Get your constructive feedback in ASAP, so that we can send it along to the development teams at EA Sports and Visual Concepts!
  • Patch 1.10 has been released for NBA Live 18. It’s mostly a bug and stability fix, though that’s still most welcome a few months into a game’s life cycle.
  • A Reddit post from a former EVE Online developer has highlighted some of the problems in NBA 2K18’s approach to player retention. Will 2K take note of these concerning issues?
  • Following up on last week’s discussion of a new NBA Jam game, it doesn’t sound like a new title is all that close after all. However, there’s hopefully still cause for optimism.
  • My Week in Basketball Gaming included dusting off NBA Playgrounds, and a great pull from a Legends pack in NBA Live 18 Ultimate Team. Also, some modding talk.
  • Episode #233 of the NLSC Podcast wraps up with some thoughts on the 2018 All-Star starters. Fingers crossed this year’s game turns out better than it has over the past few seasons.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

NLSC Podcast – Episode #231

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Episode #231 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane, Kenny, and myself as we tip off a new season of the NLSC Podcast by catching up on all of the NBA Live 18, NBA 2K18, and NBA Playgrounds news from the holiday season, and look ahead to another year of basketball gaming.

On this week’s show…

  • LIVESTRIKE events have been keeping gamers busy in NBA Live 18 over the holidays. They’ve even offered the opportunity to win some real swag!
  • The new City Edition uniforms have been unveiled, and are now available in NBA Live 18 and NBA 2K18. What do we think of Nike’s new secondary alternate jerseys?
  • Patches 1.07 and 1.08 have resolved a handful of issues in NBA 2K18. Some new historical players have also been added to the roster.
  • Game Informer has named NBA 2K18 as the Sports Game of the Year for the second year running. The response from the community has been…less enthusiastic.
  • With the NBA 2K League qualifiers underway, we talk about the controversy regarding the number of spots that are actually open to members of the community.
  • An Enhanced Edition of NBA Playgrounds has been released for the Nintendo Switch, alleviating the problems Saber Interactive has been having in pushing through new content on the platform.
  • Our Week in Basketball Gaming included what may be our last session of 2K Pro-Am in NBA 2K18, online Head-to-Head in NBA Live 18, and an assortment of LIVE Events. We also talk about our basketball gaming plans for 2018.
  • We wrap up Episode #231 of the NLSC Podcast with a discussion of some recent achievements by our fellow Australians in the NBA.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

NBA Playgrounds Enhanced Edition Released

NBA Playgrounds Enhanced Edition

Saber Interactive has released an Enhanced Edition of NBA Playgrounds for the Nintendo Switch. Announced late last year, the new version includes all of the post-release content that the original has received, including over 100 new players, the three-point contest, additional versions of players on alternate teams, and all the various gameplay fixes and enhancements.

NBA Playgrounds Enhanced Edition is free for all users who purchased the original game on Switch. It is a standalone title, so users are advised to delete the old version after downloading the Enhanced Edition. Existing game saves will carry over to the new game however, so be sure not to delete them if you don’t want to lose your progress. Note that online functionality will remain active for the original version, but you will need to upgrade to the Enhanced Edition to play against users who have the new version of the game.

If you haven’t picked up the game yet, it’s available at half price through January 18th in the Nintendo eShop. Please note that the Enhanced Edition is not available on PC, PlayStation 4, or Xbox One, as those platforms have been receiving new content as intended since launch. The Enhanced Edition is ultimately a solution for the issues Saber has been having pushing through new content on the Nintendo Switch.

As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. You can also join in the discussion about NBA Playgrounds here in the NLSC Forum.

Monday Tip-Off: Basketball Gaming Questions for 2018

James Harden Drives in NBA Live 18

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with some basketball gaming questions that are going to be answered over the course of 2018.

It’s the beginning of a new year, which means we’re heading towards the halfway point of the NBA season, and we’re also a few months into the lifecycle of the most recently released basketball games. By the end of 2018, we’ll have at least two new releases – NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19 – but we’ve still got several months of basketball gaming before then. Needless to say, as we compile our Wishlists for the development teams at EA Sports and Visual Concepts, we’re naturally hoping to see our most desired improvements in the new games come September.

However, it’s also fair to wonder about the current basketball games, and hope that they’ll hold up until their successors are released. Personally, I do feel a sense of optimism about the future of basketball gaming, but at the same time, I also have a few concerns. I’m sure that I’m not alone in that regard, and with that in mind, it’s crucial that we speak up when we have the opportunity to provide constructive feedback. The questions I’m posing here, I feel, cover some of the most pressing issues regarding NBA Live, NBA 2K, and NBA Playgrounds. Whatever the future holds, we’re sure to get an answer to some of these questions by the end of 2018.

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The Friday Five: 2017 Year in Review

The Friday Five

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown. This week’s Five is a recap of the year 2017 here at the NLSC, and a look ahead to 2018.

It’s the final Friday of 2017, which means we’ve also reached the final Friday Five of the year. As we’ve mused several times on the NLSC Podcast, the year seems to have just flown by, and it seems like only yesterday that I was writing the Year in Review for 2016, as well as our traditional New Year’s greetings. Either we’re all getting older, or we’ve just had a lot of fun over the past twelve months. Nevertheless, I’m going to assume that my calendar is correct, which means it’s time to look back at the year that was here at the NLSC.

2017 was another eventful year across the board, especially as we had three new games to play. Those releases had their highs and lows, with a little bit of controversy and a couple of surprising additions along the way. In our community, we saw a lot of great mods released for games new and old, and some interesting discussions take place in the NLSC Forum. We maintained our regular schedule of original content throughout the year – for the most part – and managed to cover some topics that have been on the To Do list for some time. We’re looking forward to our 22nd year in operation in 2018, but before that, let’s take a look back at what happened in 2017.

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New Version of NBA Playgrounds Coming to Nintendo Switch

A game of NBA Playgrounds

It’s fair to say that so far, NBA Playgrounds has had a troubled launched on the Nintendo Switch. Saber Interactive have encountered a lot of technical difficulties in trying to push through updates, resulting in the Switch version falling behind the other platforms in terms of content and fixes. In order to rectify the issue, Saber will be releasing a new version of the game:

A new version of NBA Playgrounds on the Switch is heading to certification within a week – the team has been working hard on this radical solution to include all the free updates the other platforms received, so that all Switch players can receive those free updates.

We’re sorry it took this long, we haven’t forgotten about you, but making additions to the game was more complicated than we thought. We aren’t giving up, and will share more news on this including details as soon as we have it!

This is obviously good news for Nintendo Switch users, who have understandably been frustrated at the lack of updates compared to the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions of NBA Playgrounds. Hopefully, if there are any further content updates for NBA Playgrounds, this new version will allow the Switch to receive them at the same time as the other platforms. The previously released Hot n’ Frosty DLC will also be made available for the Switch version in the Nintendo eShop.

A reminder that if you’d like to discuss NBA Playgrounds in the NLSC Forum, we’ve got a topic here in the Other Basketball Games section. While a few community members previously expressed interest in modding the PC version of the game, unfortunately it seems that those plans have fallen through. Nevertheless, if you’ve got any resources or information to share in that regard, by all means feel free to post in the aforementioned Forum topic.

NBA Playgrounds Patch 1.41 Released

Russell Westbrook in NBA Playgrounds

On the heels of Patch 1.4 and the Hot N’ Frosty downloadable content, Saber Interactive have pushed through another new title update for NBA Playgrounds. The new patch (v1.41) addresses an issue with the previously released Roster Unlock DLC, ensuring that it will unlock the 45 new players that were added free in the previous patch. It also optimises performance when playing on the new Miami playground, which is only available if you have the Hot N’ Frosty DLC. As previously noted, the eight Class of 2017 rookies are also exclusive to the DLC.

I can confirm that the patch has been pushed through for the PlayStation 4 and PC versions of NBA Playgrounds. If the patch is not showing up, try restarting your console or Steam client. It isn’t mentioned in the notes, but it appears as though the patch may have also corrected an issue where the new tournament content was marked as being available in the main menu despite the Hot N’ Frosty DLC not being installed.

As always, feel free to share your thoughts on the latest patch and NBA Playgrounds itself in the comments section below, as well as in this topic in the Other Basketball Games section of the NLSC Forum.

NLSC Podcast – Episode #225

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Episode #225 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and myself as we discuss the past week in basketball gaming news, including topics related to NBA Live 18, NBA 2K18, and NBA Playgrounds. As always, we also recount our most recent experiences on the virtual hardwood.

On this week’s show…

  • Patch 1.04 has been released for NBA Live 18. In addition to addressing some key technical issues, it’s made some pleasing improvements to the feel of the game. There is, of course, still room for improvement.
  • As it turns out, NBA Live 18 was one of the most downloaded games on PSN in September, which bodes well for a strong comeback for the brand.
  • Xbox One users are facing some technical restrictions in terms of uploading media from NBA 2K18. Once again, we discuss the frustration with the lack of sound recording on both Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
  • It seems that player face scans are being used for AI players in 2K Pro-Am. As such, it seems like a perfect opportunity to have some fun with wacky scans.
  • NBA Playgrounds has received a new patch, and more controversially, paid DLC which adds eight Class of 2017 rookies and three new playgrounds. The move seems to lack the goodwill that Saber Interactive has previously demonstrated.
  • We wrap up Episode #225 of the NLSC Podcast with Our Week in Basketball Gaming. We’re not quite done with MyCAREER or 2K Pro-Am yet, so the grind continues. Also, we lay out some more plans for both NBA Live 18 and NBA 2K18.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

NBA Playgrounds Receives New Patch, Hot N’ Frosty DLC

Kawhi Leonard in NBA Playgrounds

It’s been a while, but NBA Playgrounds has received a new patch, as well as some paid downloadable content. Both are currently available for the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions of the game. If the patch does not download automatically, try restarting your Steam client or console. At this time, Saber Interactive are still working on getting all of the latest updates to Nintendo Switch users.

As well as making a few fixes, Patch 1.4 adds a total of 45 new players to the NBA Playgrounds roster, with the selection including both current and former players. Additionally, 15 more players are now playable on a second team, though as before, those cards must be collected separately. Five more YouTubers also join the Playgrounders squad, and support for voice chat has been added. Please see below for the full player listings and patch notes.

The new paid DLC, titled “Hot N’ Frosty”, is available for $9.99 USD across all platforms. It adds eight Class of 2017 rookies to packs, three new basketballs, and three new playgrounds with their own tournaments: Toronto, Miami, and Rio de Janeiro. See below for more details, as well as a trailer.

While it’s great to see NBA Playgrounds receive more content, it’s also disheartening to see that the new tournaments are being offered as paid DLC. The offline experience has been lacking in depth since launch, forcing gamers to attempt a tedious grind to unlock players once they’ve completed all the tournaments. With that in mind, Saber previously released roster unlock DLC to a mixed reaction from NBA Playgrounds gamers.

As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. If you’re looking to join in the discussion about NBA Playgrounds in the NLSC Forum, you’ll find the official topic here under the Other Basketball Games board.

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NLSC Podcast – Episode #216

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Episode #216 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we discuss the news of the past week, including the NBA Live 18 demo and WNBA teams, the NBA Playgrounds Roster Unlock DLC, and a couple of NBA 2K18 snippets. And as always, we tell a few stories about our past week in basketball gaming.

On this week’s show…

  • The NBA Live 18 demo will be coming out next week, August 11th. We’ve also found out a little more about The Streets portion of The One.
  • EA Sports has also announced that all twelve WNBA teams will be included in NBA Live 18. We feel it’s a pretty good idea, and speculate on the future of additional content in NBA Live.
  • The latest NBA 2K18 screenshots are looking very good, with some noticeable improvements to a couple of players. For what it’s worth, we’ve also found out a few more player ratings.
  • A couple of interviews have provided us with some snippets of information regarding improvements to gameplay and MyPLAYER Archetypes in NBA 2K18, as well a few additional details on the new story in MyGM.
  • Saber Interactive has released a Roster Unlock for NBA Playgrounds. The idea definitely has merit and it’s something gamers have been asking for, but not everyone is happy about it.
  • NBA 2K17 is the highest selling Take Two sports title to date. It’s also raking in higher than expected revenue from microtransactions.
  • Our Week in Basketball Gaming has included some fun moments and satisfying victories in 2K Pro-Am and MyPARK, and more enjoyment out of an old school fantasy approach in Play Now.
  • We wrap up Episode #216 of the NLSC Podcast with some NBL talk. Yes, really!

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

NBA Playgrounds Roster Unlock Now Available

Saber Interactive has released a Roster Unlock add-on for the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions of NBA Playgrounds. The add-on allows gamers to automatically unlock all current players, as well as every free player that will be added to the game in the future. It’s available at a cost of $9.99 USD.

In a previous interview, Matthew Karch indicated that a pay-to-unlock add-on was a heavily requested feature, and mentioned that it would be something they would be exploring, despite his general aversion to such an approach. However, several gamers have expressed their displeasure with the move on social media, blasting the decision on the game’s official Facebook and Twitter.

If I may offer my own take on the matter, while I am leery of microtransactions and pay-to-win mechanics, I do feel there is merit to offering the Roster Unlock add-on. One of NBA Playgrounds’ biggest weaknesses is its lack of offline content. If you’re chiefly an offline gamer, it becomes a massive grind to level up and earn packs once you’ve completed the Tournaments. Naturally, if you’ve already gone through the tough grind, you may feel a bit cheated by the release of the add-on, and there are always going to be concerns about online balance. A move like this is always going to be controversial, but the sparse amount of offline content almost makes it a necessity.

An important point to remember here is that a lot of NBA Playgrounds gamers did ask for this, despite Saber’s initial reluctance to adopt microtransactions. While the move is not going to be to everyone’s liking, I personally feel that NBA Playgrounds is a game that’s still worth supporting, especially if new content can continue to be added. Whichever decision they made on this issue, one side of the fanbase was not going to be happy. It’s a problematic approach in some respects, but arguably a necessary evil, and something that was indeed heavily requested.

What’s your take on add-ons such as this? Is it appropriate here, given the lack of modes and offline content in NBA Playgrounds? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion of the game here in the Forum!

NLSC Podcast – Episode #215

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Episode #215 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Arcane and I have plenty to talk about this week with the first proper previews for NBA 2K18 coming out, along with the latest content update for NBA Playgrounds. There’s also Kyrie Irving’s trade demand, a short article on shoes in NBA Live 18, and more.

On this week’s show…

  • The first NBA 2K18 screenshots have been released. What do we think of this year’s aesthetics?
  • We received a ton of information about MyLEAGUE and MyGM by way of the first developer blog. This year’s franchise modes sound awesome!
  • Did the 2K TV finale drop a hint about additional retro teams in NBA 2K18? We believe it’s a possibility.
  • Sole Collector published a short article about shoes in NBA Live 18, which also went into the history of EA Sports getting authentic shoes into their game.
  • The next big content update for NBA Playgrounds has come through. While there are still a few issues with the game, it continues to get better and better.
  • Not surprisingly, the five copies of NBA Elite 11 listed on eBay for $30,000 USD didn’t sell. They haven’t been re-listed, but another copy is still available…for $4,000 USD.
  • Our Week in Basketball Gaming included some of the most enjoyable sessions of online play we’ve ever had, in both 2K Pro-Am and MyPARK. Also, grinding for packs in NBA Playgrounds, MyTEAM Domination, and fantasy exhibitions.
  • Kyrie Irving has surprisingly demanded a trade. We wonder where he’ll end up, and whether Visual Concepts will do anything about the NBA 2K18 cover if he’s dealt.
  • We wrap up Episode #215 of the NLSC Podcast with some information on the latest NLSC merch by Arcane Apparel.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

NBA Playgrounds Patch 1.3.0 Released (PS4 & PC)

Online Menu in NBA Playgrounds (1.3.0)

As noted in yesterday’s bulletin, the next big patch for NBA Playgrounds was expected “later this Summer”. However, it turns out that PlayStation 4 and PC users didn’t have to wait very long at all, as the new update, Patch 1.3.0, has been pushed through on both platforms. It should download automatically as long as you have an active Internet connection, but if you encounter any problems, restart your console or Steam client.

The patch adds over 30 new players to the game, including commentators E.J. Johnson and Ian Eagle, as well a few more YouTubers. Additional versions of several players have also been added on other teams that they played for. Key feature additions include an online three-point shootout, a friends invitation system, rebounding indicator, and additional online play options. Notable adjustments and fixes include the difficulty of tournaments, the amount of XP gained in tournament games, and resolutions for a couple of technical issues.

See below for the full patch notes. Feel free to share your impressions in the comments section below, as well as in the NBA Playgrounds topic in the NLSC Forum. There’s no word on when the patch will hit the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, but hopefully it shouldn’t be too much longer.

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