After shaking the new generation of consoles, the NBA 2K series aims to build an ambitious foundation for the NBA 2K22 (release date: September 10). In a brief preview of the Visual Concepts, I was delighted to hear that many of my complaints about NBA 2K21 were handled in NBA 2K22. For example, a city that used to feel empty is full of non-playable characters and interactive buildings. However, the shadow of microtransactions and their effect on all new properties is large. It is difficult to say whether there have been any changes in this regard, and if history has taught us anything, it is probably best to assume the worst.

However, it is optimistic that all the most interesting changes will include The City and MyCareer. In NBA 2K22, MyCareer rejects the movie experience we’re used to and advocates a more open search system in The City. I was skeptical at first, but this doesn’t sound like surgery. Instead, the focus seems to be that the city feels busier and more popular. One of the main complaints in NBA 2K21 has been how empty the city has always been, and the changes in NBA 2K22 promise to change that. Buildings are more interactive, and NPCs are available for different missions.

Similarly, hardcore Rookieville was cut from the NBA 2K22. This is a significant change because it allows me to jump straight into the best parts of MyCareer City: play with my friends and explore the newly populated areas. There’s also the freedom to explore business outside of the NBA, and new opportunities to develop clothing lines or even become a hip-hop star. It remains to be seen how well these transmission lines will materialize, but it seems like an interesting step towards a better role experience.

There is not much talk about gameplay. Almost all of the above focused on focusing more on “management” - something the NBA 2K21 did was really much better. It seems that the aim is to grow with the help of a redesigned block and heel systems to entertain the defense. Likewise, focusing on the attack seems to reward higher skill levels rather than the dice for which the series is known. Some of this sounds promising, but without a lot of detail, it’s hard to know what these concepts will look like in action.

Fatigue has been a part of gaming that has received some attention, and how this can be combined with a focus on load management in MyNBA. This year’s NBA playoffs have a widespread pool of injuries, so NBA 2K22 focuses on how strong focus on a single-star player can jeopardize injuries or extreme fatigue. The new fatigue system takes into account, among other things, high-voltage switches and the type of players shooting in the middle of the game. Giving players rest days and enough time is now central to deep playoffs without injury.

Another interesting development is the addition of "seasons" to all aspects of NBA 2K22. The seasons were first used on MyTeam in NBA 2K21 as a way to re-engage players about every six weeks. Now this concept is applied throughout the game. Visual Concepts promises major updates over a similar six-week period - including a holiday update that adds unannounced space to MyTeam. While they haven’t provided details of exactly what this might look like, it was promised that the first season’s game would look quite different from season two or three.

The last thing that stood out to me at the press event was the dedication of Visual Concepts to both the previous and current generations of consoles. When they talked about MyCareer, they eagerly talked about the differences between the two of them. For example, The Neighborhood (exclusively from the previous generation) includes playing on a cruise ship with trips to places like Egypt. Likewise, there seems to be a focus on the real parody game between the two generations, with an emphasis on not leaving the previous generation behind. While this is somehow impressive, I was a little confused that the focus hadn’t shifted primarily to the best versions of the game on the Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, and S.

Likewise, it seems that the storytelling experience is still available from the previous generation version of NBA 2K22. While the additions of 2K22 to City seem more interesting to me, the door seems to be open for the new generation of NBA 2K22 to feel less. More information is promised in August, so it may be safe not to make any assumptions until then. While progress through the generations is still available, it seems that both versions of NBA 2K22 are getting dedicated development time. I just hope it doesn’t leave this new generation as impressive as it should be.

After all, NBA 2K22 seems to play it safe in many ways. After a massive change from neighborhood to city, it seems appropriate that visual concepts take the opportunity to build on what already exists. In the current situation, I can’t wait to hear more about NBA 2K22 and how it builds on its ambitious label a year ago. NBA2king will provide more and cheaper NBA 2K22 MT for loyal customers!