Every year, the NBA 2K franchise tries to churn out new content to keep fans engaged and wanting more in upcoming editions, and NBA 2K23 is no different. The push for development has led to advancements in the popular MyCareer mode, where players get the chance to embark on their quest to become the simulated Greatest of All Time. For the past few years though, some less popular modes have seen very little attention from 2K Sports, leaving fans wondering why these modes were even being added to the game anymore. In the latest edition of the franchise, NBA 2K23, the franchise is out to change that. Fans are now being treated to exciting improvements to the MyNBA mode.
NBA 2K, like most sports games, has largely only been interested in the future of sports. The game's main attraction has always been to try to simulate the career paths of young NBA prospects. In this new edition, 2K Sports has introduced something new. For the first time, players can go back in time and play out different scenarios. Fans can directly influence the game's history by altering some of the biggest "What-Ifs" in basketball, along with reliving the glory days of NBA legends. And this is not just in the form of classic teams like the 1996 Bulls or 2008 Redeem Team that fans are already used to, either. This mode allows players to use every franchise available in the game to create their simulated history.
Experience the Glory Days of NBA Legends With MyEras
There are three eras available, discounting the widely played Modern Day NBA. The Magic v Bird era, starting in 1983 - most popularly referred to in the world of basketball as the era that saved the NBA - is available for players to experience. Gamers get to relive the Lakers-Celtics rivalry at the peak of their powers. Coincidentally, this was the year Michael Jordan "His Airness" got drafted into the league.
If anybody has ever wondered how Jordan's career would have turned out if he had been selected by another franchise, this era is the perfect simulator. The next playable era is, of course, the Michael Jordan era. The MyEras game mode would be incomplete without the chance to play as the consensus Greatest of All Time. The final throwback era begins in 2002, the superstar breakout year of the legendary Kobe Bryant. Each era has a few differences in gameplay.
The Magic v Bird era permits players to get very physical on defense, and Zone Defense is illegal. The Jordan era introduces Zone Defense as well as Hand Checking. Other fun things to experience in this game mode include the new franchise simulator hybrid, which gives players more leeway to manipulate the past. They can change the foundational rules of the game ranging from draft pick selection to the number of seconds on the shot clock.
Along with these changes, fans can keep their favorite teams from moving cities as they did in real life. NBA franchises such as Sacramento Kings and the Oklahoma City Thunder were previously based in Kansas and Seattle respectively, and players have the option to experience these teams in their old cities. This new feature is a refreshing addition to an already-loaded sports game. The unique challenges, like the Jordan Challenge featuring in the NBA 2K franchise for the first time since 2011, make for an immersive experience.
Fans have lauded these developments, with more players choosing to spend time in these eras than in the more popular MyCareer mode. It creates a throwback that older basketball fans can relate to, signifying that the gaming world is not only for the young but also for the young at heart.
NBA 2K23 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Android and iOS versions will release on October 18.
