NBA 2K17 News Post

NBA and Take-Two Launching NBA 2K eLeague in 2018, Teams Operated By NBA Franchises

01:22 AM - February 9, 2017 by bostonchipster

As pictured in the image above, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, joins NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, at the league’s headquarters in New York, N.Y. on Wednesday, February 8th, 2017, as they announce plans to launch the NBA 2K eLeague, a new, professional competitive gaming league. NBA 2K eLeague will bring together the best basketball gamers in the world, and marks the first official eSports league operated by a U.S. professional sports league.

Read the official press release below. More details are scheduled to arrive later today.

NBA AND TAKE-TWO TO LAUNCH NBA 2K eLeague

First Official eSports League Operated by U.S. Professional Sports League Set for 2018 Debut

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) today announced plans to launch the NBA 2K eLeague, a new, professional competitive gaming league that will bring together the best basketball gamers in the world. This marks the first official eSports league operated by a U.S. professional sports league.

Set to debut in 2018, this groundbreaking competitive gaming league will consist of teams operated by actual NBA franchises. The founding teams, each composed of five professional eSports players who will play the game as user-created avatars, will be announced in the coming months. The NBA 2K eLeague will follow a professional sports league format: competing head-to-head throughout a regular season, participating in a bracketed playoff system, and concluding with a championship matchup.

“We believe we have a unique opportunity to develop something truly special for our fans and the young and growing eSports community,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “We look forward to combining our best-in-class NBA sports team operators with Take-Two’s competitive gaming expertise to create a brand new league experience.”

“We are proud to expand our strong relationship with the NBA and co-create the NBA 2K eLeague,” said Strauss Zelnick, Chairman and CEO of Take-Two. “Through the NBA 2K series, which is renowned throughout the world for capturing the authenticity of the NBA and the passion of its fans, we have a proven track record of highly successful collaboration. With this new venture, Take-Two and the NBA aim to fuel the accelerating growth of eSports and take the thrill of competition to exciting new heights.”

The relationship between NBA and Take-Two dates back to 1999, with the NBA 2K series selling over 68 million units worldwide. The most recent release, NBA 2K17, is the highest-rated annual sports game of the current console generation and the highest-rated title in the history of the NBA 2K series.(1) To date, NBA 2K17 has sold-in nearly 7 million units, and is poised to become 2K’s highest-selling sports title ever.

In December, 2K launched its second official eSports competition, NBA 2K17 All-Star Tournament, which offers teams of gamers the chance to win a trip to NBA All-Star 2017. The 5-on-5 tournament, featuring a $250,000 grand prize, will culminate on Feb. 17 in New Orleans.

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Member Comments

# 21 stillfeelme @ 02/09/17 12:06 PM

5 myplayers and a bench of real players? I read something not here that they will follow the real nba schedule. I think this would be much better if all the teams are comprised of real NBA players. Basically have a Draft so that the teams are somewhat balanced. I also think think they would be wise to have all of this local basically the gamers should travel and have home and away games like real NBA. This should not be left up to 2 k Servers

# 22 DocHolliday @ 02/09/17 12:35 PM

So you think anyone who "makes" a team should consider this a full time job? Everyone needs to pull back on the reigns a bit LOL.

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 23 ksuttonjr76 @ 02/09/17 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocHolliday


	So you think anyone who "makes" a team should consider this a full time job? Everyone needs to pull back on the reigns a bit LOL. Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

That's the part that's confusing me. However, the Korean "stars" treat their gaming status like a professional. I would imagine the drafted people are not going to be your Average Joe's. Whomever they draft would have to be dedicated to this which brings up another question. Are players getting paid for this?

# 24 NYCDaFuture @ 02/09/17 12:54 PM

Players are getting paid for this once you get drafted.. What I want to know is how do we qualify to be in the draft? Is it through playing regular head to head games like Play Now Online? Then whoever is ranked the best then they draft us? If so I like that a whole lot better cuz it relies on your own skills to get that far..

# 25 E The Rhymer @ 02/09/17 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bostonchipster


	The most recent release, NBA 2K17, is the highest-rated annual sports game of the current console generation and the highest-rated title in the history of the NBA 2K series.(1) To date, NBA 2K17 has sold-in nearly 7 million units, and is poised to become 2K’s highest-selling sports title ever.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 26 alabamarob @ 02/09/17 02:25 PM

They should use real nba rosters and have 1 player from every city play as that team. Let the real Nba team pick theuser.

Make the user go to the arena to play the game.

# 27 ssimpsons3 @ 02/09/17 03:02 PM

Real eSport games that have professional leagues is 100% a full-time job.

League Of Legends, DOTA, CS:GO, Rainbow 6, and Overwatch all have professional leagues where they PAY the players. People don't know the legitimicy of eSports in 2017...and its huge. Beyond huge. Niche market, but they are rockstars and make BANK in their profession.

And since this is fueled by the actual NBA...you're looking at 5 figure contracts...at least. This has potential to be waaaay more popular than any league listed above, because of the ties with the NBA.

But...this priority from 2k needs 3 things...that every other pro game has...

1.) The end of yearly releases. They need to constantly be updating and balancing the game engine being used. They can't switch up things every year and expect pros to adapt. All pro games are NOT yearly releases.

2.) No leveling up, all class based. There can be NO VC in this. None, except for all cosmetic stuff. Real pro games use class system, not the guy who leveld up has the advantage. Everyone is equal and true skill and focus win the day. Current system in PvP like MMOs. Will not work for a pro league.

3.) TRANSPARENCY. Massive patch notes with % of boost/nerf. WE NEED NUMBERS AND CONSISTENCY TO GO HAND IN HAND. There needs to be exact percentages for different shots, moves, badges...everything. HAS TO BE. No more RNG to determine outcomes, has to be consistant to reward skill and not 2k luck. Everyone who has ever played 2k knows exactly what I mean.

# 28 tril @ 02/09/17 03:14 PM

Only way that I can see this working is if the developers implement a player star based system similar to APF2k8. That along with the player attributes will most likely create a better balanced league.

# 29 jyoung @ 02/09/17 03:32 PM

Quote:


	I can't see people being that interested in watching games where people are exploiting 3's and screens while playing "hectic" basketball.

Pro Am's gameplay had a lot more variety and tactics last year before 2K went full arcade and decided to add these ridiculous hall of fame badges and grand badges to the mode.

Screens, ankle breakers, and three pointers weren't nearly as effective in 2K16 Pro Am, so the meta didn't revolve entirely around those three things like it does in 2K17.

This year, 90% of the teams in elite 1 through elite 6 just zig zag behind hall of fame brick wall screens until the defense stumbles/falls down/runs out of stamina.

# 30 howboutdat @ 02/09/17 03:35 PM

Sounds cool, if i didnt have a life, no job , no wife, no kid, might be something i would have time to try to get into . Outside of that, with all the above mentioned, i dont forsee me taking what little time i have to sit and watch some cats try to play one another for money.

# 31 Inzombniac @ 02/09/17 03:57 PM

I haven't seen this brought up and maybe the two have nothing to do with each other but I wonder if this has anything to do with the Legend status in the Park and being immortalized in 2K18? Given the rarity of getting to that level, perhaps this is part of that process. Not that I at all agree with that being a benchmark for it nor do I even see myself getting there but it does intrigue if we finally got a hint as to what that even means.

# 32 ksuttonjr76 @ 02/09/17 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssimpsons3


	Real eSport games that have professional leagues is 100% a full-time job. League Of Legends, DOTA, CS:GO, Rainbow 6, and Overwatch all have professional leagues where they PAY the players. People don't know the legitimicy of eSports in 2017...and its huge. Beyond huge. Niche market, but they are rockstars and make BANK in their profession. And since this is fueled by the actual NBA...you're looking at 5 figure contracts...at least. This has potential to be waaaay more popular than any league listed above, because of the ties with the NBA. But...this priority from 2k needs 3 things...that every other pro game has... 1.) The end of yearly releases. They need to constantly be updating and balancing the game engine being used. They can't switch up things every year and expect pros to adapt. All pro games are NOT yearly releases. 2.) No leveling up, all class based. There can be NO VC in this. None, except for all cosmetic stuff. Real pro games use class system, not the guy who leveld up has the advantage. Everyone is equal and true skill and focus win the day. Current system in PvP like MMOs. Will not work for a pro league. 3.) TRANSPARENCY. Massive patch notes with % of boost/nerf. WE NEED NUMBERS AND CONSISTENCY TO GO HAND IN HAND. There needs to be exact percentages for different shots, moves, badges...everything. HAS TO BE. No more RNG to determine outcomes, has to be consistant to reward skill and not 2k luck. Everyone who has ever played 2k knows exactly what I mean.

From Wikipedia....
The global eSports market generated US $325 million of revenue in 2015 and is expected to make $493 million in 2016; the global eSports audience in 2015 was 226 million people.[11]

I guess it is bigger than I originally thought. The NBA is forward thinking, and they're trying to cash in on that untapped potential. EA might want to try to do something with their Madden and particularly FIFA games.

# 33 Dyslexicphish @ 02/09/17 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssimpsons3


	Real eSport games that have professional leagues is 100% a full-time job. League Of Legends, DOTA, CS:GO, Rainbow 6, and Overwatch all have professional leagues where they PAY the players. People don't know the legitimicy of eSports in 2017...and its huge. Beyond huge. Niche market, but they are rockstars and make BANK in their profession. And since this is fueled by the actual NBA...you're looking at 5 figure contracts...at least. This has potential to be waaaay more popular than any league listed above, because of the ties with the NBA. But...this priority from 2k needs 3 things...that every other pro game has... 1.) The end of yearly releases. They need to constantly be updating and balancing the game engine being used. They can't switch up things every year and expect pros to adapt. All pro games are NOT yearly releases. 2.) No leveling up, all class based. There can be NO VC in this. None, except for all cosmetic stuff. Real pro games use class system, not the guy who leveld up has the advantage. Everyone is equal and true skill and focus win the day. Current system in PvP like MMOs. Will not work for a pro league. 3.) TRANSPARENCY. Massive patch notes with % of boost/nerf. WE NEED NUMBERS AND CONSISTENCY TO GO HAND IN HAND. There needs to be exact percentages for different shots, moves, badges...everything. HAS TO BE. No more RNG to determine outcomes, has to be consistant to reward skill and not 2k luck. Everyone who has ever played 2k knows exactly what I mean.

Love this post as it highlights my biggest complaints about 2k moving in to eSports. The only thing I would add would be stable servers. Right now 2k's servers are an absolute joke especially for what they are trying to do.

From your list the only thing I can maybe see happening is #3. It has always irked me that they have never released the concrete numbers in terms of what badges actually do. #1 and #2 will probably never happen (though I wish they would) because they make 2k far too much money. From the press release where it says players using user-generated avatars it seems that they are keeping the current model for the foreseeable future.

# 34 tril @ 02/09/17 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksuttonjr76


	From Wikipedia.... The global eSports market generated US $325 million of revenue in 2015 and is expected to make $493 million in 2016; the global eSports audience in 2015 was 226 million people.[11] I guess it is bigger than I originally thought. The NBA is forward thinking, and they're trying to cash in on that untapped potential. EA might want to try to do something with their Madden and particularly FIFA games.

that's a huge market, but if you were to break that number down a bit further, folks would realize that the audience is probably less into sports games and more into, shooters, fantasy and fighting games.

its a good risk for the NBA though. Its low investment and high reward.

# 35 FixEverything2k @ 02/09/17 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssimpsons3


	Real eSport games that have professional leagues is 100% a full-time job. League Of Legends, DOTA, CS:GO, Rainbow 6, and Overwatch all have professional leagues where they PAY the players. People don't know the legitimicy of eSports in 2017...and its huge. Beyond huge. Niche market, but they are rockstars and make BANK in their profession. And since this is fueled by the actual NBA...you're looking at 5 figure contracts...at least. This has potential to be waaaay more popular than any league listed above, because of the ties with the NBA. But...this priority from 2k needs 3 things...that every other pro game has... 1.) The end of yearly releases. They need to constantly be updating and balancing the game engine being used. They can't switch up things every year and expect pros to adapt. All pro games are NOT yearly releases. 2.) No leveling up, all class based. There can be NO VC in this. None, except for all cosmetic stuff. Real pro games use class system, not the guy who leveld up has the advantage. Everyone is equal and true skill and focus win the day. Current system in PvP like MMOs. Will not work for a pro league. 3.) TRANSPARENCY. Massive patch notes with % of boost/nerf. WE NEED NUMBERS AND CONSISTENCY TO GO HAND IN HAND. There needs to be exact percentages for different shots, moves, badges...everything. HAS TO BE. No more RNG to determine outcomes, has to be consistant to reward skill and not 2k luck. Everyone who has ever played 2k knows exactly what I mean.

This is IMPORTANT!!!!! 2K will get dropped off soo fast if they don't sober up their gameplay.

# 36 ksuttonjr76 @ 02/09/17 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tril


	that's a huge market, but if you were to break that number down a bit further, folks would realize that the audience is probably less into sports games and more into, shooters, fantasy and fighting games. its a good risk for the NBA though. Its low investment and high reward.

I might be assuming, but I think those numbers are more international than US. However, the US might be "catching up" to the rest of the world when it comes to eSports. The NBA and Take 2 is doing the right thing by blazing the trail. The Madden Bowl was HUGE back in the day, and you knew about it even if you wasn't a football fan. I had friends who would drive to multiple cities to try to qualify at a chance for the prize money.

Hmmmmmm....I kinda wish that they would do that with regular NBA teams, but the tournament would just end up being about who was the best Cavs or GSW user. Going the MyPlayer/ProAm route makes the most sense. No matter what...five human players have to communicate in some shape or form to be successful.

Honestly, this idea will be interesting to say the less.

# 37 ssimpsons3 @ 02/09/17 04:42 PM

The more I read, and think about this...its really amazing. This game is about to be legitimized beyond belief from the affiliation with the NBA.

Most dedicated sports gamers, myself included, put too much time into sports video games...and sports in general...to ever be able to play at a pro level for the current eSports games. Plus, all of them are on PC.

Now us, lowly console gamers, that play these scoffed at sports games, get a chance to be similat to...NAY...LEGIT professional basketball players. 1,000s of us will never make it...but yo we have something. MOBAs? That's cute. WE PLAY PRO BASKETBALL.

Please 2k, do this right.

I'm 100% going for this, in whatever capacity I am able. 5'11 bro-niner signed by the actual-legit-for real Cleveland Cavs? I mean cmon...that. is. nuts.

# 38 ssimpsons3 @ 02/09/17 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirGaryColeman


	Anyone think the way to qualify for this will be remotely fair? How would it even work? Local 1 on 1 competitions? This sounds great for the 150 people that get in, but I sure hope they figured out some new features for the rest of their customers.

This is from the article on NBA.com...

'Gamers will be chosen through a recruiting process by NBA teams and Take-Two. They'll go through a virtual version of a combine and be selected in a draft, which Silver says will either be televised or streamed online.'

But yes, I also hope that 2ks focus on a professional level of gaming, benefits offline gaming as well as other modes.

# 39 NoLeafClover @ 02/09/17 06:00 PM

Why would I not just watch the real NBA instead? This seems idiotic.

It's not like League of Legends or something in which there is no real life version that does everything about it better... People will seriously watch a terribly played and buggy digital version over the real thing?

I weep for humanity.

# 40 ksuttonjr76 @ 02/09/17 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoLeafClover


	Why would I not just watch the real NBA instead? This seems idiotic. It's not like League of Legends or something in which there is no real life version that does everything about it better... People will seriously watch a terribly played and buggy digital version over the real thing? I weep for humanity.

How many people watched the games last year? I'm pretty sure that Take Two has data to justify this endeavor with NBA, and for the NBA to back it up. Plus, you have to take in consideration the additional exposure they'll get from this. They're basically giving people a genuine chance to become a professional gamer in a different genre that's not a fighting, RTS, or FPS game.

Real talk, if I thought my skills were good enough in the MyPlayer arena, I would try out myself. I've played against people when money was on the line when I thought I was one of better players at NBA 2K. Let me tell...You haven't seen "skills" until you played in a tournament.

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