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''NBA 2K16'' is a 2015
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K. It is the 17th installment in the '' NBA 2K'' franchise and the successor to ''
NBA 2K15 ''NBA 2K15'' is a 2014 basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It is the sixteenth installment in the ''NBA 2K'' franchise and the successor to ''NBA 2K14''. It was released in October 2014 for Mi ...
'', while also being the predecessor of
NBA 2K17 ''NBA 2K17'' is a 2016 basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It is the 18th installment in the ''NBA 2K'' franchise and the successor to ''NBA 2K16''. It was released worldwide on September 20, ...
. It was released on September 29, 2015, for
Microsoft Windows Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
,
Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
,
Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
,
PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
, and
PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
. A mobile version for
Android Android may refer to: Science and technology * Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human * Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system ** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...
and
iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
was released on October 14, 2015. There are three different covers for the main game, one featuring
Anthony Davis Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. (born March 11, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the power forward and center positions. Davis is an eight-time NB ...
of the
New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
, another featuring
Stephen Curry Wardell Stephen Curry II ( ; born March 14, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, ...
of the
Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
, and the last featuring
James Harden James Edward Harden Jr. (born August 26, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Harden is regarded as one of the greatest scorers and shooting guards in NBA ...
of the
Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
.Makuch, Eddie (June 5, 2015)
"Don't Like Steph Curry? NBA 2K16 Comes With Swappable Covers"
''
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
''. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
A special edition version of the game was also released; it features
Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
on the cover.Sarkar, Samit (June 24, 2015)
"NBA 2K16 Special Edition brings back Michael Jordan on the cover"
''
Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
''. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
Campbell, Evan (June 24, 2015)
"NBA 2K16 Special Edition Features Michael Jordan"
''
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
''. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
''NBA 2K16'' simulates the experience of the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
. Players play NBA games with real or created players and teams in various game modes, such as MyCareer, MyTeam, and standard games. Players may play regular season NBA games, playoff games, Summer League games, and others. Apart from the NBA, EuroLeague teams are also featured, thus simulating the EuroLeague. Players may create their own player and take them through a basketball career with the central goal of being the greatest basketball player of all time. The game offers many customization options for the player; the player may customize the physical appearance, attributes, and skill set of any player. Players may also create, build, and customize their own teams. The soundtrack was curated by DJ Premier, DJ Mustard, and
DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
. It consists of 50 different songs. Director
Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...
was heavily involved in the development of the game's MyCareer mode. Lee's goal was to create a more story-focused MyCareer mode than previous installments. Lee worked with real world basketball players, following them and documenting their experience in high school and college competition, in an effort to more accurately depict the lifestyle of real professional basketball players. Several improvements and new additions were made to ''NBA 2K16'', such as full body scanning, and overall aesthetic improvements. Several versions of the game were released, such as a special edition, which includes several physical and digital extras. If players pre-ordered the game, they received it on September 25, 2015. Players were also able to download a
companion app A second screen involves the use of a computing device (commonly a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet) to provide an enhanced viewing experience for content on another device, such as a television. In particular, the term commonly refer ...
called ''MyNBA2K16'' which allows the player to earn in-game currency among other things. ''NBA 2K16'' was met with widespread acclaim upon release. Many critics praised the overall presentation and gameplay, as well as the large amount of content, the new features, and the developers' ability to still introduce positive changes after many previous installments. However, some critics still experienced online technical issues, while others heavily criticized the MyCareer mode for being far too restrictive. Some critics also felt that changing the controls was unnecessary and criticized the lack of tutorials and the presence of
microtransaction Microtransactions, often abbreviated as mtx, are a business model where users can purchase virtual goods with micropayments. Microtransactions are often used in free-to-play games to provide a revenue source for the developers. While microtransact ...
s. ''NBA 2K16'' shipped over 4 million copies in its first week, making it the fastest selling game in the series.


Gameplay

''NBA 2K16'' is a basketball simulation video game based on the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
. Like past games in the series, ''NBA 2K16'' simulates the experience of the NBA. Players play NBA games with any real life or custom team, and can customize many aspects, such as camera angles, the presentation of players, the sound levels, and the level of realism. Like other ''NBA 2K'' games, ''NBA 2K16'' is marketed as being as realistic as the actual NBA, with all the things featured in NBA games, such as commentary, pre-game shows, halftime shows, post-game shows, replays, interviews, crowds, and real player movement, among many other things. The pre-game, halftime, and post-game shows are hosted by Ernie Johnson with punditry from
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greates ...
and
Kenny Smith Kenneth Smith (born March 8, 1965), nicknamed "the Jet", is an American sports commentator and former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played in the NBA from 1987 to 1997 as a member of the Sacrame ...
. Meanwhile, the game commentary is performed by Kevin Harlan with Clark Kellogg and
Greg Anthony Gregory Carlton Anthony (born November 15, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player who is a television analyst for NBA TV and Turner Sports. He played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Anthony also cont ...
, while Doris Burke is the sideline reporter. The game features several online and offline game modes where players can play alone against the
CPU A central processing unit (CPU), also called a central processor, main processor or just processor, is the electronic circuitry that executes instructions comprising a computer program. The CPU performs basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, and ...
, or against other players online."HOW ONLINE GAMES MATTER IN NBA 2K16"
(September 23, 2015). ''
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
''. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
''NBA 2K16'', like past games in the series, was marketed as being 'better' than the predecessor, as many features were added and improved upon.Bertz, Matt (August 19, 2015)
"NBA 2K16 — 50 Exciting Changes Coming To NBA 2K16's Franchise Modes"
''
Game Informer ''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
''. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
One such improvement, is the tattoos; when creating a player, there are over 1500 different designs available, whereas past games only had a few dozen individual tattoos. Other things that are touted as being improved are the visuals, the player customization (haircuts, accessories, etc.), several of the game modes (particularly MyCareer, which is marketed as a central feature), and the overall gameplay. Many aesthetical improvements are made as well, such as new animations, and redesigned menus. New animations include mouth guards, and
photobomb Photobombing is the act of purposely putting oneself into the view of a photograph, often in order to play a practical joke on the photographer or the subjects. Photobombing has received significant coverage since 2009. In discussing a "stingray ...
s.Harper, Zach (September 22, 2015)
"WATCH: NBA 2K16 has captured the essence of Chris Bosh"
''CBS Sports''. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
Makuch, Eddie (August 24, 2015)
"NBA 2K16's First Extended Gameplay Trailer Also Teases College Basketball"
''
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
''. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
Along with the current real world teams, such as the Oklahoma City Thunder and the
Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...
, and the Classic teams (first introduced in ''
NBA 2K11 ''NBA 2K11'' is a 2010 basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It was released in October 2010 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, and Nintend ...
'') that have been featured before, like the 1985–86 Boston Celtics and the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls, 12 new Classic teams are introduced in ''NBA 2K16''. The 1999–2000 Toronto Raptors, featuring
Vince Carter Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. (born January 26, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who serves as a basketball analyst for ESPN. He primarily played the shooting guard and small forward positions, but occasionally played Powe ...
and
Tracy McGrady Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr. (born May 24, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player, best known for his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). McGrady is a seven-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, two- ...
, the 2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers, featuring
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greates ...
and
Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely r ...
, the 2002–03 Dallas Mavericks, featuring
Steve Nash Stephen John Nash (born 7 February 1974) is a Canadian professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 18 seasons in the NBA, ...
and Dirk Nowitzki, and the 2007–08 Boston Celtics, featuring Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, are some of the new Classic teams. The EuroLeague teams, first featured in ''
NBA 2K14 ''NBA 2K14'' is a 2013 basketball video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. The fifteenth installment in the series, it was released on October 1, 2013, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, and the PlaySta ...
'', return for the third time. Some of the 25 EuroLeague teams include
Olympiacos Piraeus Olympiacós Sýndesmos Filáthlon Peiraiós ( el, Ολυμπιακός Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Πειραιώς, Olympic Club of Fans of Piraeus) is a major multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece. Olympiacos is parent to a number ...
,
Panathinaikos Athens Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos ( el, Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος, literally in English: "Panathenaic Athletic Club" or Panathinaikos A.C.), also known simply as Panathinaikós , is a major Greek multi-sport club b ...
, Maccabi Tel Aviv,
Real Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (, meaning ''Royal Madrid Football Club''), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid. Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally wor ...
,
Alba Berlin Alba Berlin is a German professional basketball club that is based in Berlin, Germany. The club was founded in 1991, and is today the largest German national basketball club by membership figures. Alba Berlin hosts its home games at the Mercedes ...
, and CSKA Moscow. ''NBA 2K16'', for the fourth time in the series, features MyTeam mode. MyTeam mode was first introduced in '' NBA 2K13'', and is based around the idea of building the ultimate basketball team, and maintaining a virtual
trading card A trading card (or collectible card) is a small card, usually made out of paperboard or thick paper, which usually contains an image of a certain person, place or thing (fictional or real) and a short description of the picture, along with other ...
collection. Players build their own custom team, selecting the players, current and past, jerseys, coach, court, and other basketball related things, and play with their team in basketball tournament-style competitions against other players' teams. Players collect cards that unlock players, playbooks, and other items that can be used in their team or sold. Players purchase card packs with Virtual Currency (VC) which gives the player random items. Starting NBA 2K16, cards have different levels that are indicated by their overall rating including: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Amethyst, and Diamond. A player will commonly receive Bronze cards if they purchase cheaper card packs. However, if the player purchases high priced packs, the chances of getting Gold cards are higher. There are also rare cards, such as Amethyst and Diamond cards, that are rarer and better than other cards. The level of a card isn't always the most important factor as the abilities of the actual player, and their rating indicating how good they are, is most often more important. Players can freely customize their team on the fly; players may change the coach, players, jerseys, and anything else at any time. Customization aspects were touted as being the major improvements for the mode. In addition to the MyTeam team customization, players may create their own brand new team from scratch and play 5-on-5 games against other players and their teams online, in the 2K Pro-Am game mode. Similar to previous games' Crew mode, players customize team logos, colour schemes, court designs, jersey styles, and certain other basketball related aspects. Players can create a variety of designs and themes; for example, the player has the ability to create the logos of past NBA teams, such as the Seattle SuperSonics, or create a team which features logos that consists of individual players. Unlike other game modes, Pro-Am teams consists exclusively of MyPlayers. Players may also play 5-on-5 games against other players using regular teams. Regular online games are played in a mode called Play Now. In Play Now, the player essentially levels up as they win games and move through the online ranks. Also returning in ''NBA 2K16'' is the MyCareer mode; MyCareer is a story-driven campaign that first appeared in ''
NBA 2K10 ''NBA 2K10'' is a 2009 basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It was released in October and November 2009 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, ...
''.Martinez, Phillip (September 18, 2015)
"NBA 2K16 My Career Mode Explained In “The Whole Story” Trailer (VIDEO)"
. ''iDigitalTimes''. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
The story is called ''Livin' Da Dream'' and focuses on an up-and-coming basketball prospect. The story starts with the player in high-school, but the player eventually enters college and then the NBA. Players create their basketball player, giving basic information, such as height, weight, position, background information, and name. (Even though the player may choose a name and some background details, the character is mostly referred to as "Frequency Vibrations" and has an African American family. Certain other details about the character are also not customizable, such as the player's personality and birthplace. The character is from
Harlem, New York Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...
and had an underprivileged upbringing.) Players follow the story of being a basketball player as they upgrade their player's abilities with the ultimate goal of becoming one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The mode has a more cinematic presentation than previous games, with more cutscenes and stories. The player character enters the NBA via the draft, but not before playing for the college of their choosing. The player character quickly draws attention for his on-court and off-court actions, as he continues his journey towards superstardom. Players play basketball games in the NBA, interact with other players, which may result in friendship or rivalry, coaches, members of the media, and fans, negotiate contracts, appear in endorsement deals, practice in gyms, upgrade their player's abilities, customize their player's skill set, and customize their player's physical appearance. The player's central hub is a practice arena called MyCourt. As well as upgrading their player and practicing (etc.), the player may customize their court and invite other players to their court to participate in pick-up games, among other activities. The player can also take their MyPlayer to MyPark and play street basketball pick-up games against other players and their MyPlayer.Concepcion, Miguel (September 16, 2015)
"Why a Spike Lee Story is the Next Step for NBA 2K16"
''
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
''. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
Returning from ''
NBA 2K15 ''NBA 2K15'' is a 2014 basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It is the sixteenth installment in the ''NBA 2K'' franchise and the successor to ''NBA 2K14''. It was released in October 2014 for Mi ...
'', players may scan their own face into the game. The MyGM mode returns as well. Instead of only playing with the teams, players customize all the aspects of one team as they are essentially the boss of the entire organization. Players sign new players, complete trades, negotiate contracts with players or coaches, customize prices, add features to the arena, provide better facilities for the players, maintain a good relationship with the team owner, the players, media members, and fans, make a profit, and guide the team to NBA championships. Prior to release, the MyGM mode was said to have been drastically improved, with many new features having been added. For instance, players may relocate their team to a different North American city, a first for an ''NBA 2K'' game. Other additions include redesigned draft presentations, more off-season activities, the ability to customize arenas and jerseys, players that can have multiple injuries at once, three-team trades, and a mini game the player may play while simulating games, to give the player interactivity during simulations.Mazique, Brian (August 19, 2015)
"NBA 2K16: 2K Sports Announces Massive New Additions to MyLeague and MyGM"
''
Bleacher Report Bleacher Report (often abbreviated as B/R) is a website that focuses on sport and sports culture. Its headquarters are in San Francisco, with offices in New York City and London. Bleacher Report was acquired by Turner Broadcasting System in Aug ...
''. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
Manning, Chris (August 19, 2015)
"NBA 2K16 MyLeague/MyGM Dev Diary"
''2K.com''. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
MyLeague mode is touted as a "sandbox" version of MyGM and is more similar to previous games' Association mode. MyLeague features most features in MyGM in that the player controls an NBA organization, customizing basketball aspects, and making money. However, MyLeague features more online multiplayer components, whereas MyGM is single-player only, and has similar customization options to MyTeam. MyLeague features more customization options than MyGM and removes certain 'rules' to allow flexibility for the player. For example, the player can freely relocate their team, trade players, change team aesthetics, and purchase upgrades without restrictions. The player may enter a MyLeague association made up of 30 user-controlled teams, instead of one user- and 29 CPU-controlled teams.


Development

Director
Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...
was involved in the development of the game. Lee is the director, writer, and co-producer of ''NBA 2K16''s MyCareer mode. A "Spike Lee Joint", Lee said of working on the game: "We follow a kid through the trials and tribulations of being a top high school player and the decisions he has to make." Lee also said the experience of video game development was "unique", and stated that he felt he could "push the boundaries of innovative storytelling". 2K spokesperson Ryan Peters said: "We just told Spike, 'You transform the narrative, and we'll change that into digital polygons.' And he did that, bringing a protagonist and antagonist to the story." The cover states "Be The Story" and features pictures of the cover athletes from early in their respective careers, both emphasising the game's MyCareer mode. In an effort to make the game look more realistic, many of the real players in the game had their entire body scanned into the game, as opposed to just the face like in previous ''NBA 2K'' games. A first for the ''NBA 2K'' series, the full body scanning allows the entire body of a specific player to be uniquely different from any other body. In previous ''NBA 2K'' games, a player's face was unique, while the body was generic and predefined. The full body scanning improves details in players' tattoos as well, something that has been criticized in past ''NBA 2K'' games. Cheerleaders, coaches, and fans were also scanned into the game; the designs of cheerleaders, coaches, and the crowd have too been criticized in past games.Robert C. Weich III (June 30, 2015)
"NBA 2K16: 3 Classic Teams Coming, Full Body Scans and More"
''Latin Post''. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
DJ Premier, DJ Mustard, and
DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
curated ''NBA 2K16''s soundtrack. The soundtrack features 50 different songs, more than any other ''NBA 2K'' game. The soundtrack consists of six playlists: one compiled by each of the curators, one that contains songs that aren't necessarily in English, another that contains songs from past ''NBA 2K'' games, and a master playlist that contains all songs. Most songs are licensed for the game but several were created exclusively for the soundtrack. Players can select a playlist or create their own. During broadcasts of the
2015 NBA Finals The 2015 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2014–15 season and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors defeated the Eastern Confe ...
, the first trailers for the game were shown. The trailers are called "Story is Everything" and feature Lee discussing and highlighting the game's MyCareer mode. ''NBA 2K16'' was featured at the 2015 Electronic Entertainment Expo; the same trailers were shown. Extended featurettes of the game were shown at Gamescom 2015. Many of the game's aspects were shown, including the MyTeam, MyGm, and MyCareer modes, as well as some online features. The first official gameplay screenshots were revealed in August 2015. A second official trailer, titled "Beyond the Shadows", was released on August 10, 2015; it features Spike Lee narrating a summary of
Stephen Curry Wardell Stephen Curry II ( ; born March 14, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, ...
's basketball career, and showcases some gameplay footage. Another trailer, titled "James Harden: Believe", was released on August 13, 2015. Similar to the Curry "Beyond the Shadows" trailer, "James Harden: Believe" is again narrated by Spike Lee, but focuses on
James Harden James Edward Harden Jr. (born August 26, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Harden is regarded as one of the greatest scorers and shooting guards in NBA ...
's basketball career. A trailer about
Anthony Davis Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. (born March 11, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the power forward and center positions. Davis is an eight-time NB ...
' basketball career was released on August 20, 2015. The trailer is titled "Rise" and is narrated by Spike Lee once again. An extended gameplay trailer was released on August 24, 2015. It features over two minutes of gameplay and teases the presence of college basketball teams. Another gameplay trailer, titled "Living World", was released on September 2, 2015; it features several of the game's developers discussing the improved presentation. A trailer called "Livin' Da Dream" was released on September 14, 2015. It extensively showcases the MyCareer mode.Owen S. Good (September 14, 2015)
"NBA 2K16's latest trailer looks like a true Spike Lee joint"
''
Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
''. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
A promotional trailer called "Be Yourself" was released on September 22, 2015. Several other promotional trailers were also released, including "The Whole Story", a trailer focusing on MyCareer mode, which also confirmed the presence of college teams. An ''NBA 2K16'' launch party was held on September 22, 2015. It welcomed fans and media members — as well as the main three cover athletes, Spike Lee,
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greates ...
, Ernie Johnson, some of the game's developers, and others — to play the game and conduct interviews.


Release

''NBA 2K16'' was released worldwide on September 29, 2015, for the
Microsoft Windows Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
,
PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
,
PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
,
Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
, and
Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
video gaming platforms. A mobile version for
Android Android may refer to: Science and technology * Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human * Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system ** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...
and
iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
was also released on October 14, 2015. If players pre-ordered the game, they received it on September 25, 2015, four days earlier than those who chose not to pre-order. Players also received several in-game bonuses for pre-ordering the game.@NBA2K (July 17, 2015)
"ICYMI: Here is what you get when you pre-order the #NBA2K16 Michael Jordan Special Edition!"
Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
If players purchase the special edition of the game, they receive the
Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
cover, several physical items, such as a poster, and many in-game bonuses. A companion app for
iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
and
Android Android may refer to: Science and technology * Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human * Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system ** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...
devices was released alongside ''NBA 2K16'' on October 1, 2015. Titled ''MyNBA2K16'', the companion app was developed by
Cat Daddy Games Cat Daddy Games is an American video game developer and a studio of 2K based in Kirkland, Washington. It was founded in the Seattle area by Ryan Haveson, Harley Howe, and Patrick Wilkinson after leaving Microsoft's games division in March 1996 ...
and allows the player to manage various aspects and participate in various games that all tie into the main game. The player may earn VC for use in the main game, purchase accessories and other items for use in the main game, view several statistics, manage their MyTeam, interact with other players, and manage their MyPlayer, among other things. The companion app's cover athlete is
Paul George Paul Clifton Anthony George (born May 2, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "PG-13", he is a seven-time NBA All-Star and six-time member of th ...
of the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...
. When players purchase the retail version of the main game, they receive one of three different cover arts; distributed randomly, players will receive a cover featuring either
Anthony Davis Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. (born March 11, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the power forward and center positions. Davis is an eight-time NB ...
of the
New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
,
Stephen Curry Wardell Stephen Curry II ( ; born March 14, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, ...
of the
Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
, or
James Harden James Edward Harden Jr. (born August 26, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Harden is regarded as one of the greatest scorers and shooting guards in NBA ...
of the
Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
. Although, a foldable insert featuring the other cover athletes is also included, effectively allowing the player to choose their preferred cover. If players purchase the special edition of the game, they will receive the Michael Jordan cover. Copies of ''NBA 2K16'' in France feature Tony Parker of the
San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Southwest Division ( ...
as the lone cover athlete,"French NBA 2K16 Cover Features Tony Parker, Confirms 25 Euroleague Teams"
(August 4, 2015). ''Operation Sports''. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
while Germany's copies feature
Dennis Schröder Dennis Schröder (; born September 15, 1993) is a German professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously played for SG Braunschweig and Phantoms Braunschweig in Germany, befo ...
of the Atlanta Hawks,"Dennis Schröder On Cover Of NBA 2K16 In Germany"
(August 5, 2015). ''NBA.com. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
and Spain's version features Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies, and
Pau Gasol Pau Gasol Sáez (, ; born July 6, 1980) is a Spanish former professional basketball player. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a four-time All-NBA team selection, twice on the second team and twice on the third team. Gasol won two NBA champion ...
of the Chicago Bulls."Brothers Marc and Pau Gasol to star on Spanish cover of NBA 2K16"
(August 18, 2015). ''FOX Sports''. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
This is the first time multiple covers of an ''NBA 2K'' game have been available since '' NBA 2K12'' when
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
players
Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...
, Michael Jordan, and Larry Bird were one of the three cover athletes.


Soundtrack

DJ Premier Playlist *
Papoose Papoose (from the Algonquian ''papoose'', meaning "child") is an American English word whose present meaning is "a Native American child" (regardless of tribe) or, even more generally, any child, usually used as a term of endearment, often in t ...
- Hold The City Down * Gang Starr - Same Team, No Games ft. NYGz, H. Stax *
Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ( ...
- Made You Look *
Living Colour Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band currently consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish (who replaced Muzz Skillings in 1992). S ...
-
Cult of Personality A cult of personality, or a cult of the leader, Mudde, Cas and Kaltwasser, Cristóbal Rovira (2017) ''Populism: A Very Short Introduction''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 63. is the result of an effort which is made to create an id ...
*
Jeru the Damaja Kendrick Jeru Davis (born February 14, 1972), known as Jeru the Damaja, is an American rapper and record producer. He is known for his 1993 single " Come Clean" from his debut album, ''The Sun Rises in the East'', ranked as one of the 100 great ...
- You Can't Stop The Prophet * DJ Premier - Bum, Bum, Bum *
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
- Blitzkrieg Bop *NYGz - Policy * DJ Premier,
Bumpy Knuckles James Campbell (born March 27, 1969), better known by his stage names Freddie Foxxx and Bumpy Knuckles, is an American rapper and music producer from Long Island, New York. Biography Foxxx got his start rapping in the early 1980s. In 1986, he ...
- More Levels * PRhyme - U Looz
DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
Playlist *
DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
- 365 ft. Ace Hood, Vado, Kent Jones *
DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
- We Takin' Over ft. Akon, T.I.,
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
,
Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper from New York City. He began his music career as a member of hip hop group Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.), then forged a sol ...
, Baby,
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
* Ace Hood - Hustle Hard *
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
- The Boss ft. T-Pain *
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
- Where I'm From *
DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
- Black Rims (Instrumental) *
Wiz Khalifa Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 200 ...
-
We Dem Boyz "We Dem Boyz" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa from his fifth studio album ''Blacc Hollywood'' (2014). On February 11, 2014, it was released by Rostrum Records and Atlantic Records as the album's first single. It was produced by Detail and ...
* Ace Hood - Bugatti ft.
Future (rapper) Nayvadius DeMun Cash (born Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn; born November 20, 1983), better known by the stage name Future, is an American rapper. Known for his mumble-styled vocals and prolific output, Future is considered a pioneer of the use of ...
,
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
*
Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ( ...
- Represent *
DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
- All I Do Is Win ft. T-Pain, Ludacris,
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
,
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
DJ Mustard Playlist * DJ Mustard - You Don't Want It ft. RJ *
J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
- Rise and Shine * Fergie - L.A. Love (La La) *
Imagine Dragons Imagine Dragons is an American pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, consisting of lead singer Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee and drummer Daniel Platzman. The band first gained exposure with the release of their sing ...
- I'm So Sorry * M.I.A. - Y.A.L.A. * DJ Mustard - Ball at Night *
MGK Colson Baker (born April 22, 1990), known professionally as Machine Gun Kelly (MGK), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is noted for his genre duality across alternative rock with Hip hop music, hip hop. Machine Gun Ke ...
- Till I Die (Cavs Version) *
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * ...
-
0 to 100 / The Catch Up "0 to 100 / The Catch Up" is a song recorded by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on July 15, 2014, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records. The song was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Associatio ...
* Iamsu! - I Love My Squad * Santigold - Disparate Youth 2K Classics Mixtape * Gnarles Barkley - Going On * Friendly Fires - Skeleton Boy *
LCD Soundsystem LCD Soundsystem is an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2002 by James Murphy, co-founder of DFA Records. The band comprises Murphy (vocals, various instruments), Nancy Whang (synthesizer, keyboards, vocals), Pat Mahoney (dr ...
- Time to Get Away * Santigold - Shove It ft. Spank Rock *
OneRepublic OneRepublic is an American pop rock band formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2002. It consists of lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Tedder, lead guitarist and violist Zach Filkins, rhythm guitarist Drew Brown, bassist and cellis ...
- Everybody Loves Me * RJD2 - Clean Living *
Zion I Zion I was an American hip hop project founded by MC and producer Baba Zumbi (real name Stephen Gaines) in Oakland, California. K-Genius and Amp Live were also project members. Career Originally formed as a group, Zion I released the debut s ...
- Ride *
The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals), Derek Brown (keyb ...
- The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat) * Hogni - Bow Down (To No Man) *
The Chicharones The Chicharones are an American/Canadian alternative hip hop duo, composed of Sleep of Oldominion and Josh Martinez, and are usually accompanied by DJ Zone. They are known for their socially conscious lyrics, energetic live performances and stron ...
- Little By Little Around The World * Rael - Vejo Dopois *
Calvin Harris Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums. His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
- Blame ft. John Newman * Zedd - I Want You To Know ft. Selena Gomez *
Emicida Leandro Roque de Oliveira (born August 17, 1985), better known by his stage name Emicida, is a Brazilian rapper, singer, songwriter and MC. The rapper is known for his impromptu rhymes, that made him one of the most respected MCs in Brazil. Reg ...
&
Féfé Samuël Adebiyi, better known by his stage name Féfé (formerly Féniksi), is a French singer and rapper. Early life and career Féfé was born in Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France on 18 January 1976 to Yoruba parents from Nigeria. He formed the r ...
- Bonjour *
Ana Tijoux Anamaría Tijoux Merino (; born 12 June 1977), commonly known by her stage name Ana Tijoux or Anita Tijoux, is a Chilean-French singer and musician. She became famous in Latin America as the MC of Hip hop music, hip-hop group Makiza during the l ...
- Vengo *
Major Lazer Major Lazer is an American electronic dance music DJ trio, which includes record producer Diplo, and DJs Walshy Fire and Ape Drums. It originates from Kingston, Jamaica, and was founded in 2008 by Diplo and Switch, with Switch leaving after t ...
- Lean On ft.
Karen Marie Aagaard Ørsted Andersen (; born 13 August 1988), known professionally as MØ (), is a Danish singer and songwriter. She signed a recording contract with Sony Music Entertainment in 2012, releasing her debut extended play, ''Bikini ...
,
DJ Snake William Sami Étienne Grigahcine (born 13 June 1986), known by his stage name DJ Snake, is an Algerian French music producer and DJ, first achieving international recognition in 2013 by releasing an instrumentation-oriented single called " Turn D ...
*
Club Dogo Club Dogo was an Italian rap group from Milan (Lombardy) that consists of Guè Pequeno and Jake La Furia, and beatmaker Don Joe. The group was born in 1999 from the friendship between rappers Gué Pequeno (whose stage name was Lucky Luciano) and ...
- Fragili ft. Arisa *AM444 - Lies (Jay Soul Truth Remix) *
Bag Raiders Bag Raiders are an Australian electronic music duo founded in 2006 by Jack Glass and Chris Stracey. They play keyboards, drums, and act as vocalists, producers, and remixers, with Stracey additionally playing guitar, violin and piano. They also ...
- Shooting Stars *
Dynamic Duo Dynamic duo may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups *Dúo Dinámico (Spanish for Dynamic Duo), a Spanish musical duo formed in 1958 and one of the main precursors of pop music in Spain *Dynamic Duo (South Korean duo), a South Ko ...
, DJ Premier - AEAO


Reception

''NBA 2K16'' received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
which gave the game a score of 86/100 from 10 critics for the Xbox One version, and 87/100 from 42 critics for the PlayStation 4 version. Jeff Landa gave the game a positive review for
Electronic Gaming Monthly ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (often abbreviated to ''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews. History The m ...
. He scored it a 9.0/10, praised the overall presentation and gameplay, and stated: "Games like ''NBA 2K16'' will tend to overreach in how it chooses to occupy your time outside of the virtual arena. This is where most players will find the fault with ''2K16'', as not every mode external to game time is as fleshed out or competent as the main course. Not every returning ''2K'' player will welcome the minor adjustments to the control scheme. Some online hiccups will frustrate others, and the addition of a MyCareer that doesn't always feel like yours will split many down the middle. Still, ''NBA 2K16'' remains a refined technical masterpiece that rewards rookies and veterans alike with a showcase that belongs in the basketball hall-of-fame."
Game Informer ''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
's Matt Bertz awarded the game a 9 out of 10, concluding: "''NBA 2K16'' is the first true classic sports game of this console generation. I can only hope other sports games follow Visual Concepts' steadfast dedication to innovating on both the gameplay and game mode fronts." Bertz praised the MyCareer acting, commentary, the visuals, calling it the "best-looking sports game ever made", the "ambitious" changes and "innovations", the "stellar" gameplay, and the depth, saying the game "offers the most value you'll find in a sports game". Devin Charles of
Game Revolution ''GameRevolution'' (formerly ''Game-Revolution'') is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots ...
gave the game a positive review. He scored it a 4.0 out of 5 and praised the "fantastic" presentation, the amount of depth, the "great" soundtrack, and the involvement of
Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...
. Charles did feel as though the controls could have been better and disliked the dialogue in MyCareer mode. Charles concluded his review by saying: " 'NBA 2K16'' ispossibly the most complete game to the series. Truly when picking a title for yourself it's all about your preference. I actually like ''
NBA Live 16 ''NBA Live 16'' is a basketball simulation video game developed by EA Tiburon and published by EA Sports released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on September 29, 2015, in North America, simultaneously with 2K Sports ...
''s Pro-Am more, yet I like the way ''2K16'' presents its product on and off the court. Having options like playing with old-school teams and players further keeps fans interested. ..2K Sports rarely take a step back and this year is no different." Josiah Renaudin from
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
gave the game an 8/10 and wrote: "''NBA 2K16'' draws you in with its welcoming personality and expanded game modes. But it still manages to push you away with unexplained intricacies. A deep tutorial would have gone a long way toward making the new passing and screening maneuvers easier to incorporate into your game, and at this point, it's inexcusable that this game still struggles online. Still, the fact that ''NBA 2K16'' is a great basketball experience can't be ignored. Few sports games come close to providing a more authentic and fun virtual representation of the real thing, and even if this is the least user-friendly entry in years, I can't stop playing it."
GamesRadar ''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', ''Edge'' and '' Computer ...
's Rich Grisham scored the game a 4.5 out of 5 and wrote: "''NBA 2K16'' is absolutely brimming with content; so much so that it's virtually impossible to experience it all. Its core basketball experience is spectacular, and it takes big chances with an expansive story mode, a multitude of online options, and a presentation that is second to none in the sports game space. The only lingering doubt is its ability to keep its online infrastructure up and running from Day One, as many of the game's features are tied to the 2K servers being operational. It's the most ambitious sports game ever made, and a must-play for anyone who's ever picked up a virtual basketball." Michael Huber from
GameTrailers ''GameTrailers'' (''GT'') was an American video gaming website created by Geoffrey R. Grotz and Brandon Jones in 2002. The website specialized in multimedia content, including trailers and gameplay footage of upcoming and recently released v ...
scored the game an 8.5 out if 10 and wrote: "Visual Concepts has done a commendable job with just one year of development. ''NBA 2K16'' boasts many on-court improvements over last year, most notably on defensive that help create a better flow during games. Although the microtransactions devalue certain aspects of the game, and Pro-AM has connection issues, the on-court changes and additions are worth checking out for basketball enthusiasts." In his review,
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
's Mike Mitchell scored the game a 9.0 out of 10 and stated: "''NBA 2K16'' is one of the most complete packages I've ever seen. Developer Visual Concepts continues to raise the sports simulation bar by completely retooling its silky-smooth gameplay, adding brand-new physics systems, and refining its traditional game modes. Not all of the changes work as well as others, most notably the Spike Lee-themed MyCareer mode, but it doesn't take away from the impressive overall package." Mitchell praised the overall gameplay, the AI, the online stability, the depth, and the customization options. Matt Whittaker of Hardcore Gamer gave the game a 3.5/5 and wrote: "Evaluating ''NBA 2K16'' as a whole is actually an interesting challenge. On one hand, this is arguably the most mechanically sound sports game on the market and the gameplay improvements that Visual Concepts made are downright superb. The issue here lies with the decision to make Livin 'Da Dream the focus and backbone of MyCareer falling flat. There are some moments throughout Spike Lee's in-game film that might bring a smile to your face, but this story doesn't lend itself to this franchise's gameplay or the video game medium itself. Yes, basketball fans will likely have a great time playing ''NBA 2K16'' for hours on end, but there are too many small steps back here that can't be ignored. The good news for fans of sports games is that the first misstep in this great franchise is still a very good game, which speaks to how truly fun its gameplay is." During the 19th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, the
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) is a non-profit organization of video game industry professionals. It organizes the annual Design Innovate Communicate Entertain summit, better known as D.I.C.E., which includes the presentation ...
nominated ''NBA 2K16'' for " Sports Game of the Year".


Sales

Within its first week of release, ''NBA 2K16'' shipped over 4 million copies, making it the fastest selling game in the series. Additionally, digital sales of the game for the first week doubled from ''
NBA 2K15 ''NBA 2K15'' is a 2014 basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It is the sixteenth installment in the ''NBA 2K'' franchise and the successor to ''NBA 2K14''. It was released in October 2014 for Mi ...
''. ''NBA 2K16'' was also the best-selling game in the United States for September 2015. At The Game Awards 2015, ''NBA 2K16'' was nominated for Best Sports/Racing Game; it ultimately lost to '' Rocket League''. At the 2015 National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards, ''NBA 2K16'' won ''Game, Franchise Sports''.


References


External links

* {{Michael Jordan 2015 video games 2K Sports games Android (operating system) games IOS games Multiplayer and single-player video games 16 PlayStation 3 games PlayStation 4 games Take-Two Interactive games Video games developed in the United States Video games set in 2015 Video games set in 2016 Visual Concepts games Windows games Xbox 360 games Xbox One games