Is 2K Sports Fit for Survival?

Feature Article

Submitted on: 01/24/2012 by Thomas Surovy

2K Sports has survived in the shadow of industry leader EA Sports since its origin as a developer of games for the Sega Dreamcast. Over the years, 2K Sports has produced some highly regarded sports games, including its NBA 2K series, NFL 2K5 and College Hoops 2K8. With the exception of the NBA 2K series, the sales figures for 2K Sports have not matched those of EA Sports. Since 2K has discontinued a handful of their titles, and the low sales of NBA 2K12, sports gamers are beginning to wonder how much longer the company's window will stay open.

We’ll take a look at each sport and where 2K Sports stands at the moment and my outlook for the developer based on that analysis.

NBA 2K is the final stronghold for 2K Sports.

NBA 2K

The NBA 2K basketball series is far and away 2K Sports’ most successful franchise. Its success led to the demise of its competitor NBA Live and a two-year break from releasing NBA games by EA Sports. NBA 2K11 was a tremendous success, spending nine consecutive months among the top-10 best-selling video games. 2K Sports was not able to replicate that success with its follow-up, NBA 2K12, as the game was only in the top-10 for one month. While some of the blame can be placed on the NBA lockout,NBA 2K12 didn’t provide the next step in NBA gaming that many were expecting. The NBA’s Greatest Mode was a welcomed new feature, but it didn’t generate the excitement that NBA 2K11 provided with the addition of Michael Jordan and his greatest games.

2K Sports’ monopoly on the NBA simulation market is expected to be broken in 2012 with the release of EA Sports’ unnamed NBA franchise. EA definitely has some work to do to regain the trust of NBA gamers after the complete failure of the first NBA Elite demo, but the mere presence of a competing game has to the NBA 2K team. The future of the franchise could depend on whether 2K13 represents a big step forward like 2K11, or a modest one like 2K12.

College Hoops 2K

2K Sports’ College Hoops 2K8 ranks among the most beloved games here at Operation Sports, and many sim gamers would welcome its return with open arms and wallets. However, the series did not produce the sales numbers to justify the expensive cost of the NCAA license, which is why the franchise has been dormant ever since. The college basketball market is not as lucrative as the NBA, as even EA Sports has been absent from the NCAA basketball market for the past two seasons.

In a previous article, I suggested that a later release date, further from the NBA 2K release and closer to March Madness, could help sales of the College Hoops series. If the developers were able to build on the strong foundation that they created with College Hoops 2K8, there would be an opportunity for 2K Sports to strengthen its hold in the basketball gaming market. Unfortunately, 2K Sports has given no indication that they are willing to jump back into the college basketball gaming market again.

MLB 2K12 might be the swan song of the series if prior comments by Take Two brass say anything.

MLB 2K

After EA Sports secured a third-party exclusive license with the NFL in 2004, 2K Sports obtained its own exclusive third-party license with Major League Baseball the following year. The arrangement has been a disappointment to both 2K Sports and baseball gamers. Sales figures have been disappointing even with MLB 2K being the only MLB simulation available for Xbox 360. On the Playstation 3, Sony’s MLB: The Show series dominates the market in sales. The MLB 2K series has been plagued with gameplay issues that really hurt the series’ reputation among gamers. While the more recent versions of the series have improved on those issues, the damage to the series has been done.

2K Sports’ exclusive third-party license runs out in 2012, and Take-Two executives have suggested that the company will get out of the baseball market unless the terms of the next contract are more favorable. With EA Sports and their highly-regarded MVP Baseball series waiting to get back in the baseball market, MLB 2K12 will very likely be the last game in the series and represent another defunct series in the 2K Sports family.

2K Sports also utilized the MLB License to develop other baseball games like The Bigs and Front Office Manager. The Bigs is an arcade-style of baseball with over-the-top features while Front Office Manager was a sports management simulation. The Bigs series has been generally well-received, and The Bigs 3 is scheduled for release in 2012. However, 2K Sports’ relationship with MLB after 2012 will probably determine that franchise’s future. Front Office Manager was tagged by most critics as a broken game and 2K Sports’ effort to draw fans of text-based simulations like Out of the Park Baseball was viewed as a complete failure.

NFL 2K

EA Sports’ exclusive license agreement with the NFL brought about the end of the NFL 2K series. 2K Sports tried to remain in the market with All-Pro Football, which featured fictitious teams and real-life NFL legends. However, the lack of real NFL teams, players and missing features proved to be too large of an obstacle to overcome. 2K originally planned to release the football game every other year, but shelved those plans and got out of the football gaming market altogether. While the EA/NFL agreement expires in 2013, it’s hard to imagine that the league will abandon the best-selling sports franchise and allow 2K to get back into the NFL market.

NHL 2K went before it's time -- likely never to return.

NHL 2K

After several years of falling behind EA Sports’ NHL series in sales, 2K Sports cancelled its NHL 2K11 game for all platforms except the Wii, based on the rationale that the company wanted to focus on that console and return with improved games on all consoles in 2011. However, 2K Sports decided not to release an NHL 2K12 for any console, which led most observers to believe that 2K Sports was finished with its hockey franchise.

Other Sports

2K Sports has released games for other sports like tennis and boxing. Its most successful franchise among these sports has been the Top Spin tennis series, based on 2K Sports’ commitment to producing several games in the series. The most recent edition, Top Spin 4, was released in 2011 to modest sales. 2K Sports also tried its hand at boxing with Don King Presents: Prizefighter in 2008.

Final Thoughts

As 2K Sports’ library continues to dwindle, questions about its future will be raised. 2K Sports has a multi-year licensing agreement with the NBA and it may take EA's NBA several years to recapture the sales lead, so the 2K’s flagship franchise appears to be safe for now.

2K Sports and Major League Baseball are likely to end their affiliation this year, and with the video game industry as a whole going through a bit of a down period, it is very doubtful that 2K Sports will revive any of their discontinued franchises or attempt to start any new ones. There also remains the very real possibility of EA Sports purchasing 2K Sports from Take-Two and integrating the NBA 2K series into its stable of games.

However, if that purchase doesn’t occur, and as long as NBA 2K remains a successful franchise, I think 2K Sports will survive, even if it is the developer’s only remaining sports game franchise.

What do you think the future holds for 2K Sports? Are you optimistic that they will bring back some of their beloved franchises? Will they be acquired by EA Sports? Or will they continue along as a one-franchise developer?

Member Comments

# 41 pharaoh_00 @ 01/26/12 12:36 AM

First of all if EA buys 2K we have to boycott them. Also I didn't know EA only has a third party exclusive, so can Sony or Microsoft make an NFL game?

# 42 eye guy @ 01/26/12 01:47 AM

In my opinion 2K Sports needs to bring in titles of sports that aren't on shelves. They need to reach out to other sports that aren't just American past-times. For example, Rugby League, Surfing, BMX, etc, etc... Some may argue that the market wouldn't justify making other titles, but we're talking about the world here!

NBA 2K needs an overhaul in terms of game-modes. Get rid of anything not related to what we see on the hardwood, add to the ASW games that are missing and focus on a simulation product, not a mixture of sim/arcade... Why is there even a street mode? I haven't touched it this iteration, and spent maybe 10mins on it last year! I'm sure i'm not the only one.

Acquiring smaller developers in outside countries would boost their library, like Sidhe based here in NZ.

They need to expand in other ways... Look at how EA's Fifa has suceeded! And it's not an American pastime.

# 43 ksuttonjr76 @ 01/26/12 02:47 PM

Call me ********, but EA Sports has a LOOOOOONNNNGGGGG to go to being even a OPTION for NBA basketball videogames. EA is NOT going to wipe's 2KSports' market share overnight. 2KSports will be around for a while as long NBA 2K sells games. Does it really matter that 2KSports is not lucrative in other sports? Show me the rule where 2KSports HAVE to make multiple sports titles.

Personally, if 2KSports only exist for the sole existence of the NBA 2K franchise, then I would be perfectly happy with that. Minus NBA Live 10, the NBA Live series has been dying since the move to next-gen. To some degree, you could eliminate NBA Live 10 since Mike Want was part of that project. IMHO, NBA 2K unpatched games are still better than NBA Live's best efforts.

The only advantage that EA Sports have with NBA Live/Elite is that they have the marketing funds to make people believe that their version of basketball is better than NBA 2K. I'm pretty sure that 2KSports is aware that EA Sports is working hard on NBA Live 13 (basically a 2-year development cycle), and they're putting just as much effort into NBA 2K13.

# 44 archangelkatana @ 01/26/12 06:22 PM

I love nba2k, and mlb 2k...I would really enjoy them putting out mlb2k13 with a greatest mode like they did with the nba. They could greatest teams...a few from each era should do...so you could measure teams against world series champions from different years. Or even the AL and NL champs if it went 7 games in that world series.That would be an epic way to end the mlb2k series if this is their last run at it.

I enjoy top spin as well, but once I maxed out my character it got really hard. Its like the game got harder at that point. I could beat serena wiliams and some other players on the way up to level 20, but once I got up to level 20, then even the first round of a tournament got really difficult. But the journey to maxing out a character was fun.

I would love to see them just do roster updates to college 2k8 that are official every year. They could use the same game engine: some of us still play it. I see people make unofficial rosters every year. And I download them. If they made official ones: I would be willing to put some microsoft points towards it, and that could encourage others to buy the software.

I have seen recent private programmers make downloads for apf2k8 football...that made it possible to play with some of the current nfl teams. If the nfl wont let you make a new game, it doesn't mean you cant just do official roster updates and charge microsoft points for them. If they dont have to build a new game engine it wont take as much work for the 2k team. People wont pay 60 bucks for a roster update. But like a shrewd business man told me 100% of nothing is still nothing. It's better to get 1% of what 1000 people do than try to get everything. So if they charged like 5 bucks or 7 dollars for a roster updates, I am sure that has to be worth a couple thousand or more to 2ksports bottom line...and the better the update and if more people play..word gets around ya know....

2k doesnt have to be the best at every sports game, just make sure the sports games they make are outstanding and they will do just fine.

# 45 Retropyro @ 01/26/12 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thbends


	It's a shame. 2k had so much potential... but EA played dirty like Microsoft has been known to do and basically shut them down. I won't even go in to the NFL thing. We all know how low that move was by EA and how it changed the sports game landscape forever.

Maybe I've forgotten my history here but was it not the NFL & NFLPA who wanted to go to an exclusive license to have more power over the games being made and each company had a chance to bid?

# 46 mlp111 @ 01/27/12 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retropyro


	Maybe I've forgotten my history here but was it not the NFL & NFLPA who wanted to go to an exclusive license to have more power over the games being made and each company had a chance to bid?

thats the problem, yes each company had a chance to bid, but who has the money to compete with EA, smaller companies like 2k and etc can't win a money battle against EA, FIFA alone brings in more revenue than 2ksports probably can on half its games.... there is no competing with EA on a the money aspect, they have too many games thay make that sell and they also advertise for many great games (crysis) that bring in revenue..

# 47 woody2goody @ 01/27/12 02:19 PM

It's a little unfair to judge NBA 2K12 because of the lockout, when sales would have been at their highest at the start of the season. 2K should focus on Tennis and Basketball and be done with baseball as to be honest, they haven't really shown the same flair for the genre as SCEA have done.

# 48 Boogiemanjay @ 01/27/12 09:57 PM

If they make a march madness 2k12 with 2k11 engine
And allow my plays to go #1 in 2k13 everyone will buy
Both games from alums to NBA players

# 49 Haval93 @ 01/28/12 12:01 AM

2K will be around for years to come. Most people forget 2K is owned by Take-Two who not just own 2K Games and 2K Sports but also Rockstar Gaming and other companies who make them a ton of money. It doesn't matter if 2K13 only sells one copy, which it won't; Take-Two stills has two games called Bioshock Infinite and GTA V which will give them record revenues this year. 2K is safe as long as Take-Two owns Rockstar Games and other developer teams that give them quality games. 2K Sports is safe to stay.

# 50 Slava Medvadenko @ 01/28/12 02:33 PM

I hope 2K Sports sticks around for a long time. The NBA 2k series is one of my favorite game franchises. I'd like to see them stop going for new franchises and put their resources into their current properties. Don't go chasing waterfalls 2K lol.

# 51 steeluser @ 01/28/12 05:56 PM

NCAA Basketball. 'Nuff said.

# 52 casual.gamer23 @ 01/30/12 05:00 AM

I have to bump* comment number 8. I love 2K developers for the simple fact that they are a lone underdog with a MASSIVE hold on a market in gaming that is very popular--NBA 2K series--and the only one that EA SPORTS cannot touch. I root for the underdog and hope 2K can continue to hold on to their NBA 2K series, because I couldn't stomach being forced to play EA SPORTS' loosey-goosey style of basketball (NBA Live series other than 05 06). Don't get me wrong, I don't want to come across as biased because in the soccer (futball) market, EA has got it locked down with a fabulously fantastic re-creation of the beautiful game on a video game. I just don't think it will be good for the Video Game Industry to have one monopolizing company creating all sports games. As seen with Madden, the yearly progress has not been what it was since 03-05 when EA had competition and motivation to keep them on their toes in areas of innovation, fun factor, gameplay responsiveness and physics, and even sales at the release time. I continue to find countless numbers of people who mention that NFL 2K5 is the greatest football game to date other than graphics. I have played and enjoyed many an EA game (namely EA sports games) and continue to enjoy them, but I do not agree with flexing your powerful and financial muscle for the purpose and principal of simply being able to. I understand the Video Game Industry is a business and businesses must make money, but video games entire purpose is for consumer enjoyment; and if the "REASON" for video games--enjoyment--is lost in the fray of a financial war of "big bank take little bank," then what is going to happen to the variety provided by friendly competition? I certainly hope that what happened to the Football (American version, not soccer) genre of video games does not happen to the Basketball and even Baseball genre of video games. Even NHL 12 being a great Hockey simulation has taken a dip into the Madden "recycled modes, bugs, and lack of single-player enjoyment and quality experience" cliche. When all is said and done, I hope the Video Game industry can settle to put consumer enjoyment above personal financial gain, otherwise, some great opportunities could be lost in the balance (a la College Hoops series... etc.) I love and grew up on most EA sports games, but I can't bring myself to agree with buying out because we can approaches to gaming. I hope the video game industry can take a lesson from Rodney King and agree to say "Can't we all just get along!?." Ha ha.

# 53 Behindshadows @ 02/01/12 07:31 PM

2ksports can survive, their animation capabilities are outstanding...Their gameplay mechanics in the past have always been top notch...I know it's feeling outdated due to bugs here and there and slow time getting patch fixes out. But they are still number one in that area.

As far as the graphics, the mannequin cheerleaders and cartoon like graphics are finally getting old, from blurry accessories to incorrect color palettes they are being left in the dark....EA is killing them in that area.

And with the likeness for EA to return with NCAA Basketball along with a NBA game in 2013 series.....Might hurt and dominate 2k.

2k needs to pull a Backbreaker like effort and give people a fully customizable Football game with their history of great gameplay and presentation, no more restrictions.

2k needs to choke up the license dollars and bring back College Hoops so we can have accurate draft classes.

and overall 2k needs to take their incredible graphics artist and start enhancing the death out of their models, stadiums, accessories and so forth. Tired of the pixel like graphics with low frames on small details...

They are more than fit to survive, they just need to decide where they need to survive at.

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