8 Things We Want to See in NBA 2K22
As the 2021 NBA season winds down, it means NBA 2K22 is coming soon. Will it continue with its same old yet successful formula, or will major changes make it better? Here we list 8 things that we want to see in NBA 2K22!
1. The City Should be Even Bigger and Better
One of the most exciting additions to the Next-Gen release of NBA 2K21 was The City, an expanded and improved iteration of previous modes, The Park and Neighborhood.
The response has been very positive, with many believing The City set NBA 2K21 apart from other sports titles with this single-player experience, but NBA 2K22 can do even more.
NBA 2K21’s Next-Gen releases came later than Current-Gen, but NBA 2K22 now has a full development cycle to take the success of The City and make it even better, and perhaps even bigger.
1). More Boroughs?
We saw the launch of NBA 2K21 had The City hosted four different boroughs, which was already a step up in size for the mode.
With NBA 2K22, we could see an expansion to even more, and this would allow more variety between the areas and give players more choices on where they want to focus.
2). Rival Affiliations
With four boroughs came four Rival Affiliations, and this is another thing that we could see expanded in NBA 2K22.
There’s always a chance NBA 2K22 sticks to the current quartet, but the expansion would give players more choices to decide which Affiliation best fits them.
3). The Power of Mayors
The City introduced Mayors in NBA 2K21, and this came with a democratic process to pick a new Mayor that served a six-week term.
Mayors had the ability to create custom playlists and videos for court areas, adjust court and mural designs, and alter uniform selection, but that could grow in NBA 2K22.
2. Needs to Integrate WNBA into The City
One of the additions to NBA 2K21 saw The W and MyWNBA enter the fray, but now NBA 2K22 has the opportunity to integrate WNBA MyPLAYERs into The City.
With the mode using player-created stars entirely, there’s no reason why male and female MyPLAYERs can’t be brought together in The City with the title’s next release.
3. Rid of Microtransactions
In just the past few years, microtransactions have become a new issue as well. The emphasis on pay-to-win mechanics has never been more prevalent within the franchise than it is right now. NBA 2K21 can feel like a free-to-play game with the suffocation of microtransactions. So what can 2K22 do to turn a corner for the franchise?
Players have a choice to either grind out the Story Mode to improve their character or pay to be better than their opponents immediately. Getting rid of microtransactions completely would be a welcome addition to 2K22, even if it is unlikely due to how much money 2K Games can make from them. Therefore, virtual currencies such as NBA 2K MT and VC are likely still in the game.
4. More Variety of Badges
There is a handful of Next-Gen exclusive badges, of which we are likely to see many more added, whilst we’d also like to see a bit more variety in the current-gen offerings.
5. Improve Guards
The first thing we want to see is an improvement to the way the guards play within 2K.
And that’s not just the AI we’re talking about, and we want to see significant changes to the skillset that the guards possess for when we, as players, are in control.
We’re tired of seeing the same old dribble moves/step-back combination in the Park or within MyTEAM. Guards should be capable of so much more, but there isn’t the scope to currently pick up any other moves.
6. Keep MyTEAM Ticking
NBA 2K21 has had mixed reviews from fans, but one mode largely successful in MyTEAM.
The Ultimate Team style mode has been successful this year, with the induction of a couple of new modes – including the Weekend League-esque Limited – keeping fans on their toes. 2K should be looking to keep MyTEAM ticking along similarly.
7. Next-Gen Improvements
2K made some improvements from the present gen version of the title, but let’s be honest, nowhere near enough to maximize the capabilities of the Next Gen machines. We want to see big improvements on the Next Gen front by the time 2K22 comes around, when hopefully, the consoles will be far more accessible!
8. Perfect Multiplayer Mode
Multiplayer has not received much love in the latest NBA 2K games. It could be improved with less immersion in the game. The idea of loading up an actual park and waiting in line to play games is cute but not practical. There are lengthy barriers for someone who wants to play a game with friends quickly. There is also a giant barrier in the form of lag and latency that will need improvements. Some attention to the multiplayer system could keep the fanbase happy just playing with friends.
As launch day approaches, we will continue to pay attention to NBA 2K22 information, so if you want to know this information, please follow u4gm.com.
