The Last Wizard
Member
About time a site picks this up, its been happening for years now with little blowback cause its a sports game. These greedy assholes at 2K need their comeuppance.
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Kotaku: NBA 2K18 is Riddled with Microtransactions
- Thread starter Drillary Clinton
- Start date
buttery fistful
Member
Yup it was bad in 2k16 and I refuse to buy another 2k since I put so much damn time into my character to build him up without paying extra
manzoman96
Member
lol oh I had no idea. Wonder how that worked out for them?
Mister Zimbu
Member
But it's only cosmetic guys and you can unlock it all just by playing
ScaryShark
Banned
No they wouldn't. People prefer 2K by a landslide.
Sora the Cat
Member
That's why I said I wanted to jump back in, implying I haven't played an NBA game in a veeeery long time.
moltonasty
Member
I'm glad I don't bother with MyPlayer mode or anything in the 2k series that needs VC. But damn, this is some serious BS for players who do..good on Kotaku for bringing attention to this.
Waddle Dee
Member
Waiting for the anti-consumer defense force to roll in...
"Bu-but it's just cosmetics!"
"Bu-but it's not a full priced game!"
"Bu-but you can get them if you grind enough!"
"Bu-but I love Destiny/GTAV/Overwatch/NBA2K17! It's OKAY in these games!"
In a decade from now, every game is going to be a $60 title with day-one DLC, multiple preorder exclusives (exclusive to different stores), microtransactions that effect gameplay, and $300 collector's editions that are released a week before the normal version.
"Bu-but it's just cosmetics!"
"Bu-but it's not a full priced game!"
"Bu-but you can get them if you grind enough!"
"Bu-but I love Destiny/GTAV/Overwatch/NBA2K17! It's OKAY in these games!"
In a decade from now, every game is going to be a $60 title with day-one DLC, multiple preorder exclusives (exclusive to different stores), microtransactions that effect gameplay, and $300 collector's editions that are released a week before the normal version.
Reading those bits in the OP.. that stuff has all been in place since at least NBA 2k16 which I still tool around with sometimes thanks to the PS+ inclusion. It takes an absolute shitload of time to upgrade your player and they cap a lot of your skills for some bizarre reason (unrelated to spending.. eventually you just cant raise your dunking any more and after some time you can't upgrade any skills). Clothes, shoes, etc. are all on the same coins and priced at absurd levels fwiw.
Imbarkus
As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
We need some sort of Mad-Men-like College Humor or Mega 64 sketch, where this exact phrase is codified in some kind of catchy jingle. Bonus points if they include a "sound much better coming out of Paul Anka."
I railed against VC when it was first implemented. Felt like they were putting the screws on then in terms of impacting progress, and now the ratio is out of control. One of the more predatory implementations of in game currency in a full priced game that I've come across.
I'll mess with the app for free VC, that can add up over time, and whatever I get from playing. But mostly I stick with MyGM and don't even think about getting invested in growing my custom player into anything special. Real shitty for a $60 product to force me to decide which modes are worth putting time into based on how badly they're bottlenecked by microtransactions.
I'll mess with the app for free VC, that can add up over time, and whatever I get from playing. But mostly I stick with MyGM and don't even think about getting invested in growing my custom player into anything special. Real shitty for a $60 product to force me to decide which modes are worth putting time into based on how badly they're bottlenecked by microtransactions.
If streaming numbers are indication... right now twitch has 11 streams up for live 18, with <30 viewers per stream (most are somewhere around 6).
2k18 has much more, with the most watched at 3.8k.
Not too well is my guess.
Drillary Clinton
Banned
I just wonder why it took so long for these microtransactions to coverage from the gaming press. Destiny adds emotes and they lose their fucking minds but this has been going on for years.
It's more so for the online mode where you take your pro and play with 4 other people against another team.
It's more so for the online mode where you take your pro and play with 4 other people against another team.
NoctisVsStar
Member
Gotcha fam, my bad.
Their base is pretty much dads and cod players...they overlap with each other. These are the type of gamers who only buy 2 games a year.
It sucks and I will not spend a penny on VC but I still enjoy the mode for the character interactions and the many game types within. It is funny that some will spend money so they can be a 99 overall halfway through their first season. You are supposed to be a guy who quit basketball and was spinning records, not the next Lebron James...
The Last Wizard
Member
buttery fistful
Member
But then you try to play online at the Park and get schooled by everyone and their 99 rating while you're still sitting at 73
Randolph Freelander
Member
This seems acceptable to me.
Or maybe someone could explain how it would impact an average joe just taking his or her favorite squad through a season, which is how I typically play sports games (when I do) and how I envision most of everybody else doing it.
If I'm trying to take the Celtics to the 2018 championship, does this get in my way?
Or maybe someone could explain how it would impact an average joe just taking his or her favorite squad through a season, which is how I typically play sports games (when I do) and how I envision most of everybody else doing it.
If I'm trying to take the Celtics to the 2018 championship, does this get in my way?
Probably because they haven't bothered trying Live.
NoctisVsStar
Member
People won't play with you with such a rating either, so that's why you see people squad'up.
If I'm not mistaken, Live was around $44 USD on PSN before launch. Unfortunately for EA, 2K is THE game for digital basketball. The combination of Jesus Bynum and 2K11's quality put the odds in 2K's favor, and they've been running away with it ever since.
This was the year to capitalize on 2K's fuckery, but Live 18 isn't good enough to compete. The microtransactions are fucked, but the actual gameplay in 2K is far superior than Live's offering.
Yeah but they will get their comeuppance. I am a patient man...
Velcro Fly
Member
Would just be nice to enjoy a sports game and not have to deal with this fucking bullshit. And you just know the game is completely built around it too.
My levels of irritation with these types of attitudes gamers have is starting to compete with my irritation of the companies practices themselves. These companies are not your friends people, damn it. They are literally attacking their own best interests.
Zvonimir Boban
Banned
People need to make sure nobody forgets about this, it's absolutely ridiculous.
Yep, this is the worst I've seen in any game I've played and it's not even close. It's going to be a few years before I buy a Take Two game at full price, even if it means waiting for Red Dead or Civilization to turn up on GOG for $10.
Yep, this is the worst I've seen in any game I've played and it's not even close. It's going to be a few years before I buy a Take Two game at full price, even if it means waiting for Red Dead or Civilization to turn up on GOG for $10.
Waddle Dee
Member
If there was DLC for Destiny 2 that had someone in real life come to your house and rob you, at least some people would defend it.
theonerayman
Member
I don't know if it's this year or not but in previous years the GMs had abilities that would help you sign players cheaper. Do better in negotions and things like that. Things the cpu GMs had but you had to buy them. You could earn the vc through playing but you get it super super slow. That was in 2k16 and I felt like I was at a huge disadvantage when trying to resign free agents from my team or sign free agents from the league. And playing in LA with a winning record and playoff runs every year it shouldn't have been so hard to pick up a mid 80s player
SatoAilDarko
Member
Sports games in general aren't really covered heavily in games media.
Violence Jack
Member
Been playing the series since NBA 2K on the Dreamcast, and this will be the first year I'm skipping out on it. The VC was bearable in 2K13, but last year I sent back the game after playing for 3 days. It was ridiculous just how much you had to grind to have a halfway decent created player. It's even more disgusting to think about knowing that for many years, create-a-player was included in every game and you could modify your stats however you wanted for no extra cost.
Any word on NBA Live yet? I'm not expecting the constant 9 reviews 2K seems to get, but I'll pick it up over this.
Any word on NBA Live yet? I'm not expecting the constant 9 reviews 2K seems to get, but I'll pick it up over this.
Because I feel like articles about sports games don't necessarily appeal to the audiences who visit gaming press websites.
Drillary Clinton
Banned
There's a bug that has been deleting people's my career players that these microtransactions are used for. Updated the OP
Sarcastic Poster
Member
Same. They can fuck off.
ScaryShark
Banned
...and anyone who thinks Live is a better game has a minority opinion. I'd be more receptive to the idea if Live was some 'hidden gem' but it's been bad to mediocre for a long time now.
People love 2K, VC and all.
This article is preaching to the choir. It informs those that had no idea about the VC infestation and probably weren't buying the game anyways or it tells those that are playing what they already knew and that doesn't matter since they already bought the game. 2K18 isn't pulling a surprise. It's been this way the entire gen. Why wouldn't it get more and more invasive every year?
Stop waiting for companies to have ethics or morality. The only thing that will change this is if sales drop in a significant way that isn't offset by whales. I'm not holding my breath.
Raging Spaniard
If they are Dutch, upright and breathing they are more racist than your favorite player
Considering how profitable the game already was and how sports teams usually run a skeleton crew PLUS it only has a one year lifespan ... this is just plain greed.
Zero interest in supporting these practices
Zero interest in supporting these practices
OrangeGrayBlue
Member
That seems counterintuitive. People who pre-order the game are probably people more likely to have wanted the game even at full price. Doing it the way they did doesn't seem like the best way to entice new customers.
They release a patch that was suppose to fix it (Well they said the would have patch notes but they never came), and people MyPlayers are still getting deleted
styl3s
Member
I'll defend pure cosmetics to the end of time because there isn't anything wrong with them inheirently. But when you sell stuff that gives you a clear edge in competitive play i have a problem.
And stuff like MUT and the Fifa version that mode is clearly made for grinding and spending money. That is a mode a large % of people play so i don't have a problem with it because it's what fans want and i personally don't give a shit about out. I play h2h in every sports games i don't play any mode where it depends on who spend the most time playing or spent money in.
Oh I agree. I think the hope was more "If we make it competitive pricing on launch, people who are hungering for a basketball game might pick the cheaper one and give us a try!" then use the purchasers word of mouth to sell their friends on it. Guess it didn't work.
Jeronimo Jones
Member
That's usually how I play sports games too. It works pretty well for those purposes, but can be a significant barrier to enjoying other modes.
But, none of that means 2K isn't being greedy by significantly reducing the amounts of VC that can be earned or raising the amount of VC needed for customizing or leveling up players.
I mean ultimately it mainly impacts people playing either MyPlayer or MAYBE MyTeam modes. If you wanna play as an existing team then you're unimpacted. If you wanna play the GM mode you're good too. Still sucks for people wanting to make a player.
Dreams-Visions
Member
gross, man.
