It just isn't a great time for pro sports video games right now, with the FIFA and NHL games receiving backlash over no cross-gen support, people calling Madden NFL 2021 a glitchy copy, and the recently released NBA 2K21 now dealing with its own controversies. However, 2K has announced a shooting hotfix for its basketball game, which may be good news to frustrated players.
NBA 2K21 has been out for only a day, but it's already drawing major criticism for the difficulty in using the shot meter. This year's NBA game has different shooting mechanics, and while it was supposed to reward skill-based play, it's just ended up annoying players, including actual pro basketball players like Damian Lillard who find themselves unable to make any free throws.
Although the shooting meter issues isn't the only controversy in NBA 2K21, it is one that 2K is officially addressing, thankfully at a quick pace. @NBA2K, the series' official Twitter account, announced a hotfix coming out this Sunday for Rookie, Pro, and All-Star difficulties that will hopefully improve the shooting mechanics. The tweet adds that shooting won't change on the higher difficulties or on Neighborhood, probably in an effort to preserve the high challenge for those obviously wanting a more difficult game.
Not everyone was against the shooting meter changes, as some people praised the increased focus on skill and argue that this feature just makes the game more challenging in a fun way. However, if even real-life NBA basketball player Damian Lillard can't master the function, then it isn't just newbies and casuals having a hard time, but literal professionals who make a living off shooting the ball.
The official tweet wished "newcomers" well, which isn't being received well in the replies, as many people are claiming the game is "ruined" now or blaming amateur and casual players for asking for this change. Other people in the comments point out that the shooting is only changing for NBA's MyCareer mode and other less difficult modes, so if people still want a challenge they can just stick to the higher difficulties.
Whether or not people like this change, it does show that 2K is listening to the fans, even if it doesn't deliver on everything the community is asking for. The next-gen price hike is still a major disappointment to most people, but that isn't the sort of thing that 2K will want to change if enough people express their discontent on Twitter.
NBA 2K21 is out now for Mobile, PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X versions to follow once those consoles are available.
