NBA 2K17 is a basketball simulation game which, like the previous games in the series, strives to realistically depict the experience of the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as present improvements over the previous installments.[8][9] The player mainly plays NBA basketball games with real-life or customized players and teams. As such, games follow the rules and objectives of NBA basketball games. Several game modes are available for the player and many settings can be customized. The game contains many presentation qualities that are modelled on real-life presentation, such as crowd animations, commentary, pre-game, halftime, and post-game shows, camera angles, lighting, and player animations.[6] There are eleven different commentators and announcers, including Kevin Harlan, Chris Webber, Shaquille O'Neal, David Aldridge, Brent Barry, Steve Smith and Doris Burke. Different arenas have different commentary teams.[9][10] The menus have also been modified.
Along with playing games with current NBA teams, such as the Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors, other teams are featured, such as the 2016 United States men's Olympic basketball team, the 2016 Australia men's Olympic basketball team, and the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team.[11][12][13] Historic NBA teams, such as the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls, the 2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers, and the 1985–86 Boston Celtics, are also present, as are 21 EuroLeague teams, such as CSKA Moscow, Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Real Madrid.[6][14]
One of the touted improvements is concerning the game's returning MyGM and MyLeague game modes. Both modes have the player acting as the ruling force of all basketball operations for a specific team and allow the player to customize many aspects of the team. MyGM is more focused on maintaining a realistic, functioning team and impressing the owner, whereas MyLeague offers far more customization options. In both modes, the player simulates through seasons, changing personnel, playing in games themselves, and participating in off-season activities, such as the draft. The introduced features focus on league expansion. As well as happening dynamically, the player can start either mode with up to 36 teams and may modify many aspects of every team. The player will go through the process of creating an expansion team in a model very similar to real-life occurrences of expansion teams. As well as creating the logos and jerseys of the teams, an expansion draft is held and other teams must protect a select number of players. The league will automatically adjust the schedule, draft, draft lottery, etc. if expansion teams are created. The player can also download other players' creations.[15]
NBA 2K17 again, for the fifth time in the series, features MyTeam mode, a mode based around the idea of building the ultimate basketball team, and maintaining a virtual trading card collection. Players build their own custom team, selecting the players, jerseys, logos, 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, which give the player random items, with Virtual Currency (VC). Cards are classified by their overall rating including four new gem levels: Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby, and Pink Diamond. In addition, a fifth gem level is added called Onyx, which is exclusively for Free agent cards regardless of their overall rating.[9]
MyCareer mode returns. Like previous iterations of the mode in the series, the player creates a basketball player and plays through their career. The player customizes their player's appearance and upgrades their attributes as they play through a college career and enter the NBA. The player plays basketball games and participates in off-court activities.[16] A storyline, written and directed by Creed scriptwriter Aaron Covington, is also present; it features appearances by actors Michael B. Jordan and Hannibal Buress, among others.[17][18][19]
Development and release[edit]
NBA 2K17 was officially announced on April 13, 2016; the first trailer was revealed.[20] It was released worldwide on September 20, 2016 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. Players who pre-ordered the game received it on September 16, 2016.[1][21] An iOS and Android version of the game was released on September 23, 2016.[7] It is the 18th installment in the NBA 2K series and the successor to NBA 2K16. Aside from the regular edition, a 'Legend Edition' of the game will be available for players to purchase; it features Kobe Bryant as the cover athlete and contains several physical and digital bonuses, such as a poster and Virtual Currency. (Additionally, a 'Gold' version of the 'Legend Edition' is also available, featuring further bonuses.) The 2015–16 NBA season was Bryant's final season in the NBA so a special edition featuring Bryant was developed as a way of paying tribute to what many consider to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time.[22][23][24] As such, NBA 2K17 and its 'Legend Edition' were announced on the day Bryant played his final NBA game in April 2016.[4][25] Bryant was also the cover athlete of NBA 2K10.[25][26] The standard edition cover art for the game, featuring Paul George of the Indiana Pacers, was unveiled in June 2016. George was chosen to be cover athlete because he is an avid player of NBA 2K games. Visual Concepts also wanted a player who grew up idolizing Bryant.[2][3] In Italy, the cover athlete is Danilo Gallinari of the Denver Nuggets,[5] and in Spain, the cover athlete is Pau Gasol of the San Antonio Spurs.[6]
One focus Visual Concepts has for NBA 2K17 is the balancing of NBA players who "break the rules" with their unique styles of play. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors in particular is a player that gameplay director Mike Wang said was problematic to balance in NBA 2K16. In real life, Curry frequently takes, and makes, shots that are historically viewed as bad shots. Examples include half-court or three-quarter-court shots, contested off-the-dribble three-pointers, and heavily contested layups. Wang says that over the course of the NBA 2K series, taking these sorts of shots has been penalized because this makes sense for "99.9% of the league". In an attempt to allow for some exceptions, Wang says Visual Concepts has had to come up with a system that allows certain players to not be penalized for taking historically bad shots. However, this creates further balancing complications as there is the potential to effectively "break the game". Experimentations with such a system were made in May 2016 via an update for NBA 2K16, which modified Curry's shooting ability for a thirty-hour period.
