Information on NBA 2K22 was lacking ahead of its September 10 release, but a Gameplay Update post the week before launch finally revealed numerous changes coming to the game. The additions and upgrades outlined, ranging from shooting and finishing to defense and the Career Mode's player builder, suggest NBA 2K22 could be the franchise's most skill-based entry to date.
Prior to this announcement, there were only updates about upgrades to the game's modes. Seasons within MyTeam and MyCareer give players goals to strive for and things to unlock. In the City, players can branch out from their basketball career to the fashion or music industry. The City in NBA 2K22 is only available on current-gen, while last-gen will feature the 2K Cruise.
It took some time to get gameplay information on NBA 2K22, but it appears it could be worth the wait. In a post on the 2K website, gameplay director Mike Wang detailed the many changes on the way, including reworks to signature dribbling combos and more. Ahead of its release later today, here's what changes players can expect to find in the game.
New Gameplay Features For NBA 2K22
Shot Contest Adjustments & Fixes
NBA 2K22's engineers rebuilt the shot contest system to ensure there are no more "ghost contests" by players that aren't even looking at the ball. On the flipside, great defensive positioning will now lead to more missed shots than before. Animations where the ball handler would get sucked into the defender and "bump steals" have also been decreased, meaning defenders will need to stay locked-in to keep the offense in front of them.
Dribbling Changes & Signature Packages
Dribbling is a part of basketball video games that's always under a microscope, and NBA 2K22 improves this with players, such as putting Kevin Durant's sweeping crossovers and the Curry Slide directly under the player's control, rather than being a preset, automatic move. The speed stick is back from 2K21, so flicking the stick faster will result in quicker dribbles. New dribble combos and move chains can help keep even the best defenders off-balance. All dribble moves and signature packages will be the same across last-gen and current-gen consoles.
New Shot Meter Timing
Like every new game in the series, NBA 2k22 features a new shot meter. The make window expands when taking good shots with good shooters and shrinks when taking bad shots with bad shooters. Shot timing will still bring a skill gap to online play, but there has been a lot of emphasis placed on shot quality this year. Finishing has also become more skill-based, particularly with dunking. Gamers can now force their player to attempt an aggressive dunk, but it will require perfect timing on the new dunk meter. However, it can make for a memorable moment in 2K22's The City. Dunk meter timing also comes into play with alley-oops, which have been overpowered in the past but should now be more balanced.
Career & MyPlayer Customization
Career builds and badges are always a hot topic of conversation. In NBA 2K22, players have a marked increase in badge points available for use. There are 80 total badges this year, including 17 that are completely new. Gamers can now create multiple badge loadouts for their player that can easily be switched between games on the 2K Cruise or in the City. Takeover perks make their debut this year to help make player takeovers even stronger.
Source: 2K
