Don’t get me wrong, I’m not tearing it up online and gearing for a spot on an esports team, but I’ve hit more three-pointers than I probably have in the history of…well, ever. But by contrast, and seemingly by design, I’m getting less close-range buckets.
That’s down to NBA 2K26’s Paint Defense system where, basically, the defensive players are more alert, more in tune and ready to steal at a moment’s notice. It’s not that easy to slam dunk anymore, but from further out the court, I found myself scoring for fun.
And I like it. It absolutely should feel as rewarding, satisfying, but equal measures challenging to score in close quarters. Players shouldn’t feel like pushovers or zombies, and another factor that I really felt more this year that played a part in this is size. The taller my dude, the slower, but equally the harder to push around he was. And that likely also factored into my scoring range, too.
This helped me steal balls out of buckets, gave me improved leap and when trying to block out my opponents, my guy was like an impassable tank at times depending on who he was up against. But on the flip side, I got wrong-footed quite a bit and rightfully so, just couldn’t match the pace and speed of some of the smaller players.
NBA 2K26 just feels more natural to me than it has in the past. I understand the mechanics, I feel more in control of them, I know, for the most part of where I need to be on the court, and everything just seems to flow, move and gel together in an authentic way.
By now, 2K need to feel pretty comfortable and confident with this formula. They’ve already successfully built a sports game that feels extremely close to the sport itself, from the in-arena atmosphere, the effects, the individual player characteristics, the drama on the sidelines. Even the commentary and overall presentation. Everything feels flashy, in your face and exactly as you’d hope to find on TV.
But that equally extends to the overall UI of the game, 2K have really simplified the menu screen to a list of options at the top that briefly explain what’s offered and let you dive in at the tap of a button. No nonsense, just simplified text on screen and you’re in.
And that’s the immediate takeway is there is just so much here now. Over the course of years of building these games, 2K have just implemented one system after the next. From Quick Games to Historic Teams, MyTeam, MyCareer, WNBA and even Season and 2KTV. And that’s not even including the vast, massive expansive City – which I’ll get to shortly.
This years’ career was quite fun, even if it follows a lot of tropes of previous years. This time out, you’re a potential prodigy who joined the league a little late and live in a fairly remote, out of the way state where it’s harder to get noticed. So here you’re building your attitude and discipline, as well as trying to make up for lost time that takes you away from the typical college format and takes you right into the heart of Europe’s toughest basketball leagues to make a name.
I like the approach and angle as it lends a bit of the ego and testosterone we’ve seen before but also adds a bit of a human side to your character and the folks you’re competing against, rather than just looking up at the folks you aspire to be more like.
I spent a good chunk of time in the mode and it not only really helps introduce you to the changes in game, but it really felt like the game itself has really mastered the on-court feel and flow, renewing the energy in the franchise and just generally making for a more enjoyable game.
That said, there were definitely some qualifications moments ahead of NBA that felt a little questionable in terms of my player being along for the ride. You don’t always get played in some matches with the stipulation being made to win and sometimes your scoring is really hit and miss, meanwhile the opponent just doesn’t miss. And with games running so long, it can become really tedious if you’re in this continuous failing loop, so there’s certainly some balancing issues to watch out for there.
The whole player feel really comes down to NBA 2K26’s ProPLAY Motion Engine which essentially makes the animations smoother, sharper, more realistic and really recreates the feeling of players. You see this in full effect on the menu screen as players just dance about the court in poetic motion, bouncing the ball, using fancy footwork, brief moments of acceleration, slight body turns and side strides, all while doing fun gestures to celebrate moments of triumph.
It looks great as a showcase, but in practice it also just lends itself beautifully to the action and it helps players and characters stand out in their own way, exhibiting their own aura and ability and making sure matches play out in their own ways while also being just incredibly enjoyable to move and play. As mentioned, size also plays a big part in this and I really felt like my big clumsy character at times, but equally like a fast paced speed-demon in others.
The thing to know about NBA 2K26 – and the franchise in general, though – is the experience is more and more catered to its online community. It makes sense, these games go year to year, they stay in tune with the on-season, tracking up to date stats, and players generally dive into these games now to compete against others and test their skills. While the Career Mode is a blast and the other modes like MyGM have some nice variety with different settings and arena types, they’re also kind of grindy.
Often boiling down to completing x amount of tasks and really making you work for these with overly long objectives to fill the time doesn’t feel as wholly satisfying as the Career mode and somehow detracts from the excellent on-court experience which NBA 2k26 does so well.
But for me, the biggest adjustment and improvement is The City. My goodness, I remember far back to when 2K first brought this in. The idea was sound and the ambition was clearly vast, but in execution it felt rough, it was laggy, cluttered and confusing. But now, today, in 2K26, I think I can finally, confidently say this was the goal.
For starters, it seems to be handling the vast swathes of people that are there day one. But there’s also cross-play, meaning you’ve got an even larger base to draw from. But it’s the structure of the city that just feels complete now, with clearly marked hub areas, a full map that is bustling with activity, from Daily Rewards, to Kart Racing, to massive ongoing tournaments where you can win VC – also more on that later!
You’ve got Seasonal Rewards, quests and challenges and of course the option to build out your crew and player. The hub itself is just filled with characters kitted out in the quirkiest ways, from dressed up as mascots to wearing bright vibrant colours, wild haircuts, hazmats suits, and, of course branded clothing.
There’s a Nike and Puma shop so you can get your custom fit. Buy some Jordans. Or whiz around on a skateboard in your Default wares. There’s a Tattoo Parlor so you can give yourself some distinct body art and of course episodes of 2KTV with some new hosts along for the ride.
The City – simply put – might just be one of the best online hubs I’ve seen in any game. It’s coherant, connected, there’s loads to do, it’s interactive, beautifully designed and just feels exciting to be a part of. You just want to go out, explore, see what it has to offer and even stumble upon cool surprises. It’s 2K’s magnum opus, at this point – though I could have really gone for some fast travel – and I feel confident in saying, that ambition has been fully realised. But as you’ll see, it’s also where the future of the franchise is and less in the modes that have previously defined the series.
There’s always live, active competitions going on to earn VC. You can also stumble on a court and randomly just play a 3v3 with someone you’ve never met. There’s just content for days, but the thing with City and NBA 2K26 in general, though, you can see how much they’ve leant into the dark, VC element of the game. Which, unfortunately, seems to be a staple now.
Let’s face facts, NBA 2K is a money vacuum. While there’s a lot of content out of the gate for the flat fee, you’ll soon find – as you have before – that you’ll run out of VC and you either try to earn it, slowly, by organically progressing through the game or paying for it. VC controls almost everything, from your Player Progression, to the apparel you want to wear out in the big wide world to unlocking boosts, and even animations for your character.
The thing here is, 2K have found ways to successfully monetise this game twice – and do it annually – making it an extremely costly experience that, honestly, is leaning more and more toward the core NBA fans who are able and willing to put that investment in.
Don’t get me wrong, you can absolutely play NBA 2K26 without spending a penny and still have a great time, there’s a lot here, but those who really want to maximise the game, who are not willing to wait around and spend hours grinding and just want to unlock everything as fast as possible, while also kitting themselves out the way they want to, you’re almost forced to put some additional spend into this.
When I look at what’s been achieved in NBA 2K26, the quality of gameplay, the solid Out of Bounds Career, and the fully realised City that is the best it has ever been, as well as the reliable modes of years past, I see a lot of great work gone into this game, but I also see the inevitable future of major tournaments with massive cash prizes and seasons that force you to grind and spend more and more money to get everything – only to then replace the game with a new one next year and lose that progress. Something about that just doesn’t quite sit right with me.
The reality is, NBA 2K26 and all future titles are not going to be for everyone anymore. The game has changed exponentionally over the last ten years, in many ways for better, in some ways for the worse. And while you can absolutely enjoy an out of the box experience and have a great time in a vast, wide open world, that, I hope, continues to grow, it’s time to accept that with that growth comes things not everyone is going to love. And will inevitably mean, that only a small number of people will ever get to see and experience the game to its absolute full. When you’re paying $70 for a game already, that’s a tough pill to swallow.
Verdict
NBA 2K26 offers some really impressive overhauls over previous years, with a really enjoyable on-court experience, a satisfying feeling around scoring that really nails the feeling of character animation and playstyle, complimented by some quality modes and a thoroughly enjoyable Career. This is all brought together by the vast ambition of The City finally, fully realised in its best possible form as intended and as always, some of the most stunning visuals of any game. Unfortunately, the VC obsession is deeper than ever and while there’s a solid out of the box experience, you’ll likely miss out on all the game’s content unless you’re willing to pay more. Which, unfortunately, is becoming more the rule, than an exception for the franchise.
+ Stunning visuals as always with truly life-like player characters
+ Animation and play on the court feels fantastic
+ The City has fulfilled the ambitions 2K set out for the series and is one of the best online hubs I’ve ever seen
+ Career Mode is a hit!
Cons
– Difficulty and balance seems a bit off at times
– The VC money burn is back, worse than ever and seems set to stay.
NBA 2K26 is out now on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Switch 1/2
Played on PlayStation 5
Code kindly provided by 2K for review purposes