NBA 2K24 is slowly approaching, with a release set for September. The developers recently released a roadmap showing when their content reveals take place. We'll get to see the new additions to modes like MyCAREER, The W, MyTEAM, and more.
But out of all the new things coming to NBA 2K24, there's one feature many fans want adjusted. That's the implementation of Virtual Currency, or VC.
VC was introduced back in the console versions of NBA 2K13 at a time when microtransactions slowly crept into the video game industry. At first, nobody batted an eye, but over time players became frustrated at how much the currency was taking over the game.
Nowadays, almost every major sports title has microtransactions:
- FIFA contains both FIFA Coins and FIFA points
- Madden NFL contains both coins and Madden points
- WWE 2K contains VC similar to NBA 2K
- NHL contains Ultimate Team Points
It's no surprise that NBA 2K, the most popular sports video game series in the U.S. has microtransactions. But at what point do these transactions become too much to bear? And what's the solution for players who don't like the feature but still want to play their favorite sports game.
NBA 2K24 Must Address The Virtual Currency Issue
NBA 2K23's microtransactions were outright egregious. You earned very little VC by just playing the game, forcing players to resort to purchasing VC packs. Did you know that it costs over $100 in VC to finish building a player from scratch? That being said, using VC to upgrade your player takes away from the experience of seeing them grow, but for those who don't want to wait, you're paying a hefty sum.
Let's look at current VC packs and prices at NBA 2K23:
- $1.99 – 5,000 VC
- $4.99. – 15,000 VC
- $9.99 – 35,000 VC
- $19.99 – 75,000 VC
- $49.99 – 200,000 VC
- $99.99 – 450,000 VC
For reference, 450,000 VC costs the same amount as the Michael Jordan Edition of the game, which already comes with 100,000 VC, 10,000 MyTeam points, and more.
One may argue that inflation is to blame, and that video game prices should be higher than the standard $60-70 dollar price tag. But we don't know how inflation could be imposed on a digital asset that's existed for years and rarely needs tweaking or adjusting.
2K could easily just ignore the issue, considering they bring the best NBA gaming experience out there. EA Sports tried to revive NBA Live but failed miserably, keeping 2K at the top. But hopefully they notice the issue is bugging fans, and perhaps there's a solution for both sides.
Possible Solutions
There's a 0% chance that Visual Concepts completely rids the game of microtransactions. But there's other compromises that could make it more fair for both sides.
Being able to transfer your VC from one game to the next would be a big help. Currently you can't even transfer any VC you paid for or earned to the next NBA game. And with the power of next-generation systems, you think it'd be possible. We understand this would mean less money in the pockets of 2K games, but why not at least let players transfer a portion of their VC?
For example, The Crew Motorfest allows people to transfer their own vehicles and vanities from The Crew 2. It doesn't even matter which console you play the new game on. Your Ubisoft Connect account remembers what you have, making the import process much easier.
Another solution would be adjusting the prices of items, player upgrades, and VC packs to make it less financially burdensome on the consumer. For example, redditor GoatJamez why pointed out a shirt costing 7,500 VC. For just a black shirt with four letters on it in a video game, you're spending close to $5. And do these clothing items transfer to the next game? Nope.
And that's not the only item with an outrageous price in the game. Just visit any of the shops in the game and you'll understand what we mean even more.
For fans, the ultimate solution is to stop spending money on VC. It may take awhile to upgrade your MyCAREER character without it, but it's a necessary sacrifice if you really want to spread the message to 2K. We don't want to discourage people from playing the game, but perhaps hold off on buying VC until the developers get the message.
Just think about it like this: Do you really want to spend money on character upgrades and cosmetics on a game you may not play a year later? Just food for thought.
The difficulty with this is convincing enough people to stop spending money on VC, but so many people are trapped by the fear of missing out that they almost need to buy spend the extra money in 2K23. But don't let that discourage you from doing so if you really want to see a change.
NBA 2K24 Release Date
We know there's other concerns fans have for the series, including the return of Seasons and the PC version remaining last-gen. However, we feel addressing the game's virtual currency is a good start to prevent upsetting the consumer. We'll see what the developers have in store for us as the content reveals roll out this August. Our fingers are crossed hoping there's some sort of solution to the issue.
NBA 2K24 is currently available for pre-order for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Kobe Bryant is the game's cover athlete for both the standard and Black Mamba Editions of the game.
For more info on the upcoming game, check out ClutchPoints Gaming.