This generation’s highest-rated basketball video game has sold-in more than 10 million units cementing legacy with major milestone.
NBA 2K18 featured the Boston Celtics’ star point guard, Kyrie Irving and 2016 Basketball Hall of Famer, Shaquille O’Neal on the covers of the Standard and Legend Editions, respectively. This is a major milestone in 2K’s 19-year history of delivering the most thrilling NBA basketball action.
“NBA 2K18 is our highest-selling sports title ever, and a testament to the tireless hard work and innovation of the team at Visual Concepts,” said Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive. “The ability to improve consistently upon an annual series and grow its audience reflects the team’s drive to remain on the leading-edge of pop culture and finding new and exciting ways to captivate and engage players.”
The NBA 2K franchise features all the exciting on-court action that comes from a real NBA game, and NBA 2K18 introduced The Neighborhood – an online, connected world inside NBA 2K, allowing players to immerse themselves in the off-the-court lifestyle of an NBA star.
“Without the tremendous passion, ambition, and dedication of the entire team at Visual Concepts, a milestone of this magnitude wouldn’t be possible,” said Greg Thomas, President, Visual Concepts. “It’s incredibly rewarding that the team’s hard work and desire to achieve greatness in NBA 2K has reached so many fans around the globe, and now we look forward to the challenge of setting new benchmarks with the upcoming release of NBA 2K19.”
In addition to the state-of-the-art simulation that NBA 2K is known for, the franchise has remained on the cutting-edge of pop culture by partnering with the hottest celebrities in film, music and pop culture, such as Michael B Jordan, Spike Lee, Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams, Drake, DJ Khaled and Justin Bieber, and has featured in-game partnerships with top brands including Nike, Gatorade, Ruffles, Jordan Brand, Reese’s Puffs, Under Armour, Foot Locker, New Era, State Farm, Spalding, Tissot, Mountain Dew, Mitchell & Ness, JBL, Adidas, and Kia.
NBA 2K is sold in over 122 countries and has reached local audiences with regional releases including NBA 2K Online and the upcoming NBA 2K Online 2 in Asia. In 2018, Take-Two formed a joint-venture with the NBA to form the NBA 2K League launching the first-ever professional eSports league built around a simulation sports video game.