NBA 2K25's $8 Futuristic Minigame Is "Exciting," But Not Necessarily "A Trend," Says Take-Two Boss

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that NBA 2K25 has managed to pique my interest with their innovative approach to basketball gaming – Gravity Ball. This futuristic spin on a classic gameplay mechanic is a breath of fresh air in the sea of annual sports game updates.


In NBA 2K25, basketball is the main game, but developer Visual Concepts recently introduced a twist called Gravity Ball. This $8 expansion pack, released last month, was described by the studio as a fusion of American Gladiators and futuristic basketball with elements of paintball.

During a meeting regarding Take-Two Interactive’s earnings, an analyst inquired whether NBA 2K25 might incorporate a futuristic mode and if this could be a new approach for main series moving forward. In response, CEO Strauss Zelnick highlighted their strategy consisting of three parts, with innovation being one of them. He expressed his satisfaction that Visual Concepts and 2K had chosen to innovate with Gravity Ball as part of this strategy, particularly from a creative standpoint. Secondly, he mentioned that they’ve also learned valuable lessons about its potential impact on the business model. Zelnick further described Gravity Ball as an engaging mini-game, truly impressive in quality.

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Zelnick pointed out that consumers have shown a strong preference towards Gravity Ball in NBA 2K25, but he cautioned against labeling it as a definitive trend just yet. Unlike Fortnite, which has expanded to accommodate various games such as the Fortnite Festival and Lego Fortnite, Take-Two isn’t necessarily committing fully to that approach.

Zelnick stated, “It remains uncertain if our future lies in integrating mini-games within larger platform games, but it showcases our creative teams’ adaptability and eagerness to experiment with novel ideas, rather than clinging to the intellectual properties they produce.

During the earnings conference, the CEO of Take-Two had more than just NBA 2K25 on his mind to discuss. Zelnick addressed the underperformance of the Borderlands movie, but interestingly pointed out that it actually boosted sales for the game series. Moreover, he emphasized the potential risks of solely concentrating on sequels in the industry.

In September, NBA 2K25 was released for play on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. However, the newly introduced Gravity Ball mode can currently be accessed only on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S platforms.

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2024-11-07 20:10