NBA 2K14: My GM Virtual Currency Rewards Slashed by 40%

Feature Article

Submitted on: 03/21/2014 by Jayson Young

Earlier this week, NBA 2K14 quietly installed a server-side update that has reduced the amount of virtual currency PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gamers receive for completing owner goals in the My GM game mode.

All season milestones which had previously awarded 200 VC and 250 VC, such as selling out 32 home games or winning the NBA championship, will now yield just 100 VC once they are completed.

It is unclear whether this reduction is a temporary, unintentional bug or a permanent "fix" designed to curb the productivity of virtual currency "farmers."

Forum speculation supports that second theory, as developer Visual Concepts is undoubtedly aware that NBA 2K14's most popular user-created roster file, "Youtube: Doogshere," currently has 356,488 downloads on the PlayStation 4 -- almost twice the amount of the next most popular roster, "Official w/Transactions 3/19" (186,601 downloads).

The latter file's creator, iTofutastic, has been offering up-to-date transactions alongside the 2013-2014 NBA season. His foil, TheDoooogs, has simply placed Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, Julius Erving, Karl Malone, Shaquille O'Neal and Bill Russell onto the Oklahoma City Thunder, while tossing every other team's superstar players into free agency.

Prior to this week, simulating a season with the "Youtube: Doogshere" roster would typically produce 1,850 VC:

200 VC -- Sell out 32 home games.
200 VC -- Finish first in division.
200 VC -- Finish first in conference.
200 VC -- Reach top 10 in attendance.
200 VC -- Don't let team chemistry drop below 67%.
100 VC -- Sweep your playoff opponent.
200 VC -- Reach the conference finals.
250 VC -- Win the NBA championship.
100 VC -- Release or trade Karl Malone.
100 VC -- Hire an assistant GM with the recruiter badge.
100 VC -- Hire an assistant coach with a "B" or better defense rating.

Now that all goals give 100 VC, regardless of their difficulty, a typical season's earnings have dropped to just 1,100 VC.

This week's My GM changes are not the first time that Visual Concepts has adjusted NBA 2K14's in-game reward systems. What's alarming, is how every change the company has made thus far has negatively impacted the game's fans.

Back in January, Visual Concepts decided to alter My Team's Domination mode so that team card packs could only be earned once. During NBA 2K14's first two months on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, gamers could replay Domination games and continue earning team packs endlessly. That sudden change drew pages of criticism from upset My Team players.

My Team's gold tournament rewards have also declined in value since NBA 2K14 launched, as the 5,200 My Team points you could have earned during the game's opening months have now diminished to 4,500 MT.

Most upsetting, is how Visual Concepts continues to tilt NBA 2K14's economy while ignoring actual game issues like players with no shot feedback, disappearing player contracts and dysfunctional signature skills.

Whereas developers like Turn 10 Studios, makers of Forza Motorsport 5, were quick to pacify the public's outcry that a $60 retail game could employ free-to-play mechanics, unnecessary paywalls and an unbalanced marketplace, Visual Concepts, at least for NBA 2K14, seems content to ignore its critics and continue mining its newfound streams of real currency.

Do you believe that NBA 2K14's reward system is playing fair or committing a foul? Make the call in the comments below.

NBA 2K14 Videos

Member Comments

# 41 siraulo234 @ 03/21/14 07:53 PM

So they took out the only decent way to farm to make this gm playable?

Sorry 2k im not getting another bball gm from you again at least in a nother couple of years until cg and ng 2k14 is absolutely unplayable

# 42 siraulo234 @ 03/21/14 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremym480


	Pretty shady, 2k. Luckily, it doesn't effect me too much because I actually play a lot of my games. Also thanks to the My2k app I have plenty of VC at my disposal. Of course, it's ridiculous that I have to do that, but it's better than spending real money.

I also havent abused the farming too much

But its handy when u just want that quick 1000+ vc once in a while

# 43 JazzMan @ 03/21/14 08:20 PM

If this game didn't have the best gameplay I've ever played in a basketball game, I'd be trading it in and getting current-gen 2k14.

So many restrictions in the game and downright greedy moves that they're making.

# 44 ERA @ 03/21/14 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERA


	Trading 2K in after school. I've had it with VC. Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk now Free

UPDATE: I have traded 2K in and used the money towards Live.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk now Free

# 45 johnlnames @ 03/21/14 08:26 PM

It's a perfect time for live to get their act together.

# 46 @marcusjiles @ 03/21/14 08:40 PM

I dont really have a problem with this. It's business. Shady business, but good business for them because they are boxing you into buying VC. I dont play MyTeam, I dont have time to play the game relentlessly to earn massive amounts of VC all to be lost increasing my MyPlayer speed from 82 to 85 lol. But, if you bought next-gen 2K14, you bought a next-gen system -- meaning you're not broke. So you'll throw 10 bucks, 15 bucks here or there for VC. You'll threaten to not buy the game.. HA! especially with NBA Live 14 as bad as it is, and as mediocre as Live 15 will probably be, you'll buy. ONLY thing I have an issue with is the ignoring of ALL those issues that 2K seems dead-set on not even addressing via twitter. It seems they'll plug this MyTeam BS till the Finals which then will be the time to introduce 2K15.

I think the thought process is; "If we dont answer anything, they'll stop asking" which generally speaking is probably right, but nonetheless annoying. Bottomline is; they're forcing you to buy VC or play the game for hours everyday. Sour, but... oh well.

# 47 agreene7 @ 03/21/14 08:49 PM

This is the worst time to do this because live is back and now more people will consider buying that instead and just hopping live improves graphics and gameplay. I know I will.

# 48 knick9 @ 03/21/14 08:51 PM

With more next-gen releases coming out there is no way they can continue to milk consumers more and more every year. I'm even willing to bet they won't make this much on VC again because they had basically no competition on launch and we were all pretty much caught off-guard by how they integrated VC.

# 49 VDusen04 @ 03/21/14 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by @marcusjiles


	I dont really have a problem with this. It's business. Shady business, but good business for them because they are boxing you into buying VC. I dont play MyTeam, I dont have time to play the game relentlessly to earn massive amounts of VC all to be lost increasing my MyPlayer speed from 82 to 85 lol. But, if you bought next-gen 2K14, you bought a next-gen system -- meaning you're not broke. So you'll throw 10 bucks, 15 bucks here or there for VC. You'll threaten to not buy the game.. HA! especially with NBA Live 14 as bad as it is, and as mediocre as Live 15 will probably be, you'll buy. ONLY thing I have an issue with is the ignoring of ALL those issues that 2K seems dead-set on not even addressing via twitter. It seems they'll plug this MyTeam BS till the Finals which then will be the time to introduce 2K15. I think the thought process is; "If we dont answer anything, they'll stop asking" which generally speaking is probably right, but nonetheless annoying. Bottomline is; they're forcing you to buy VC or play the game for hours everyday. Sour, but... oh well.

I respect your stance on the manner. For me personally, a next generation system would be a huge purchase. On the heels of such a pickup, I wouldn't be able to afford to throw out random cash for additional virtual currency.

In terms of threatening not to buy the game, I'd venture to say a lot of these threats are not going to be hollow. For starters, after a decade of opening day 2K purchases, I skipped on current gen and next gen 2K this year. People can and will find other interests. Even as an NBA diehard, I didn't miss 2K as much as I thought I would. It actually gave me a little more free time than normal.

I'd love for 2K to get things back in line, but I'm not sure I'm ready to say they're immune to revolt.

# 50 dal_hawk @ 03/21/14 09:06 PM

Screw it. Either I'll get Live or get no basketball. This greed is utterly disgusting. If you want these micro-transactions, don't charge for the game. If you charge 60 dollars up front, throw everything else out.

# 51 dal_hawk @ 03/21/14 09:17 PM

lets get #2kgreed trending

# 52 ahuffman @ 03/21/14 09:40 PM

It's just amazing how badly they screwed this crap up. Before this year I put the 2k devs in the same category with the Show devs, now they might as well work for EA. Just amazing how greed has become their focus with just this one game, what a disaster.

# 53 RangersCruz @ 03/21/14 10:00 PM

Well if NBA live comes out next yr and sucks no NBA game for me

# 54 ggsimmonds @ 03/21/14 10:17 PM

Well I was unsure before, but now I am almost certain that they will continue with this virtual currency path that they seem to be on. I was hoping that they would abandon the pay to play approach after the negative feedback.

I am done with NBA 2k for the foreseeable future.

# 55 VDusen04 @ 03/21/14 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RangersCruz


	Well if NBA live comes out next yr and sucks no NBA game for me

Hey man, if I may ask respectfully, what was your breaking point this year? I cannot recall for certain, but you initially liked 2K14, yes?

# 56 DJ_Solis @ 03/21/14 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERA


	UPDATE: I have traded 2K in and used the money towards Live. Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk now Free

Let me know how that goes for you. I was actually thinking about trying Live myself. I might wait till Live 15 tho because this one doesn't look too great.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 57 Moegames @ 03/21/14 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kadzier


	WTF? If anything they should be giving us MORE VC payout, not less!! Seriously, W. T. F.

# 58 SteelerSpartan @ 03/21/14 11:23 PM

This is coming from a long time supporter of NBA/NFL 2k

quite frankly I wont buy another game from them until this stuff is curtailed and the options and features we had last gen return.

Also I hope the OS Media guys who do the interviews with them dont chicken out and get them on record about the business model they're trying to force onto people

# 59 The 24th Letter @ 03/21/14 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazzMan


	If this game didn't have the best gameplay I've ever played in a basketball game, I'd be trading it in and getting current-gen 2k14. So many restrictions in the game and downright greedy moves that they're making.

I HATE women comparisons with games...but it's kind've like dating a fine girl who treats you great, but you keep hearing about how bad she treats your/her friends...you wonder if it will eventually be you too, lol

Right now, with the modes I play, MyTeam and quick games...I have a lot of fun...and that's what I am all about....I don't care to analyze the direction of the series and all of that, I just want to put in my disc and have fun...VC hasn't had an effect on any of that yet (but DRM has)....I still play often and enjoy myself...but it still sucks to hear this kind of stuff on behalf of the community...

2k really needs to take a long look in the mirror in the 'offseason'

# 60 Phreezy P @ 03/21/14 11:53 PM

Damn and I was sitting here thinking it couldn't get any worse.

SMH.

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