NBA 2K26 feels like a course correction from last years controversial changes

Date:
Sat, 06 Sep 2025 21:00:00 +0000

Description:
Polishing the court to a sheen

FULL STORY ======================================================================

When five-time NBA champion Dennis Rodman was interviewed during Netflix's Last Dance documentary, he explained how he'd have friends shoot hoops from all angles well into the morning just to more accurately track rebounds and work out where he needed to be to scoop up possession. Review info Platform reviewed: PS5 (on PS5 Pro)
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Release date: September 5, 2025 (Early access one week prior)

Why do I bring that up when talking about basketball game NBA 2K26 ? Because, as much as rebounds are less show-stopping than acrobatic dunks, they're the basis on which successful teams build attacks, and every single late-night session predicting angles and flight paths led to Rodman becoming an NBA legend.

While NBA 2K26 may not hit those heights (at least not yet), what's here plasters over some of the cracks in last year's game to offer the best
digital basketball experience in years. No More Bricks (Image credit: 2K/NBA)

I enjoyed my time with NBA 2K25 , but I know Im in the minority for that. A big reason that the community found itself divided by last years game was 2Ks commitment to revamping a core part of the experience, which weve been used
to over the last decade and change: the shot meter.

While last year put an awful lot of emphasis on the ever-present danger of shooting a brick and fluffing your lines, this year its much more forgiving. Its not quite a walkback to earlier games, but it feels like Visual Concepts has done an awful lot to rework the act of shooting the basketball, or
driving to the rim, this time around.

Youll still throw some absolute honkers if youre not careful, but you always feel more in control, whereas last year things felt a little too random.

Last year, it took a major shine off of the otherwise stellar animation
system that did a better job of making players feel like they were moving
more realistically, and in vastly improving offense this year, the whole game feels like its faster. Its not quite arcadey, but its a more exciting sim
than its been in years.

Now, youre not missing easy layups or having to spam dribbling moves to find
a tiny opening, because all players feel much more capable of scoring points from anywhere, and player locomotion feels just a little slicker.

That also ties into the long-running player builds system. Last year, unless you invested a ton of stat points into your player (or real currency), youd find yourself missing simple shots. This time around, the new MP (your
in-game avatar in MyPlayer) feels much more like the talented prospect theyre supposed to be at the start of the story. Rags to Riches (Again) (Image credit: 2K/NBA)

That brings us nicely to MyPlayer, the mode from which many of NBA 2K26s others flow. Lets start with the good: Visual Concepts commitment to having a single, central created player remains something I wish rivals would adopt.

Its awesome to be able to build up your version of MP in one mode before taking them online, and while the story here is pretty predictable, it
remains a fun way to build your players legend from high school to the NBA.

Cutscenes look better, although they naturally pale in comparison to the on-court action, but whats here is more of the same.

Theres a downside to that, too, and its VC. Youll earn currency through playing, but as with any NBA 2K instalment, you can spend plenty of real cash to grow your player quickly and into one of the in-game archetypes.

My Small Forward has enjoyed a meteoric rise (at least according to the MyPlayer storyline), but hes still nowhere near as impressive as anyone whos thrown their currency of choice at the game.

Elsewhere, MyGM remains one of my favorite ways to play despite not having
any major improvements this year after its re-emergence in 2K25 . There are fresh long-term goals called Offseason Scenarios, and they feature real-world examples like a Bulls rebuild or weighing up how to follow up the Warriors Steph Curry era. Best Bit (Image credit: 2K/NBA) Jettisoning the
controversial shooting meter from last year, NBA 2K26 feels like a game full of subtle changes that make scoring points more fun than ever, whether youre in the paint or shooting from distance.

Theyre not the kind of things that youll necessarily be entirely drawn into, but theyre a neat addition that gives you something to strive for. Still, for a longstanding NBA fan, the continued support for MyNBA Eras remains
something that puts rivals to shame. You can now copy a MyPlayer into a classic era of the NBA, letting you rub shoulders with Larry Bird or Michael Jordan.

Speaking of dream scenarios, MyTeam is back and, as always, its very easy to throw VC points at pack openings. I do appreciate that the mode is pretty rewarding when it comes to offline play. Im decent at 2K, but the games fervent community could slap me six ways to Sunday, so its nice to be in control of what I play if I want to push for better players for my squad.

This year sees the debut of the WNBA in the mode, which is a huge move thats been a long time coming. EA FC has seen plenty of success by adding the
womens game into Ultimate Team, but the nature of basketball as a sport where height makes a big difference means that its not uncommon for one player to absolutely tower over another.

It perhaps wouldnt be a huge issue if you could rotate your squad to place smaller, faster players in more attacking roles rather than expecting them to stop a 7ft 7 juggernaut, but thats at odds with having players with roles and positions assigned to them when theyre fresh out of packs. Back to the city (Image credit: 2K/NBA)

Look, Ill be honest: Ive never really enjoyed The City. The mode has always felt like a good idea thats had too much executive input, designed to draw players in to drop their VC to build their player and buy clothing and shoes.

Last year took the smart step of finally shrinking the playspace, and NBA
2K26 goes one step further with interconnected areas that make it much easier to get to where you need to be.

Perhaps the best thing I can say about The City is that performance is vastly improved. Last years game got a PS5 Pro update, but it always felt laggy on Sonys newest system. This year, its still not as responsive as playing on the court, but its noticeably easier to navigate.

That brings us, finally, to NBA 2K26s presentation. Put simply, this is the best-looking sports game around, at least on PS5 Pro. When Visual Concepts boasted about being able to see the pores on players' faces ahead of launch,
I scoffed. As it turns out, you really can see the pores on player faces, as well as stitching on shoes, and those all-important reflective surfaces like the shiny court. Should you play NBA 2K26? Play it if...

You sidestepped last year
If youre a keen basketball fan, NBA 2K26 is the most fun the series has been in literal years. If you fell off with last years game, this is a great time to come back.

You want a sports game that shines on console
On PS5 Pro, NBA 2K26 looks staggeringly good, with a whole host of subtle broadcast package effects and lighting tweaks that make it look magnitudes better than NBA 2K25 , which was already impressive.

You want the best virtual basketball experience going
NBA 2K26 is the best basketball game in years, even if youre looking to play it offline in MyGM or tooling around in MyNBA Eras. Don't play it if...

Youre hoping for a MyTeam overhaul
This years MyTeam mode feels mostly the same as it did last year, outside of the long-awaited introduction of the WNBA, which itself causes some balance issues that are diametrically opposed to the way MyTeam operates (and has operated for years).

You dont want to spend VC
VC still makes the world go round, and if youre worried about wanting to
spend money here and there for a few stat points or some new digital shoes, you might want to consider keeping your payment card out of sight. Accessibility

NBA 2K26 has a few accessibility features. You can adjust shot timing windows and visual cues, while there are difficulty settings, too. Vibration and DualSense triggers can be tweaked, too.

Perhaps most impressively is that the shot meter, which can be tricky to spot in the chaos of an ongoing match, can be customized with a variety of
options. Its not strictly there for accessibility purposes, but that customization could be a huge boon for those who need extra visual clarity. (Image credit: 2K/NBA) How I reviewed NBA 2K26

Having reviewed multiple NBA titles across different platforms in recent years, I played this one on my PS5 Pro , with the standard DualSense wireless controller , the Astro A50 X headset , and on a Sky Glass TV.

Ive most recently played NBA 2K25 in the last couple of months, so I have a good grasp of whats changed. I built up a decent starting line-up in MyTeam during this current review period and spent some time working my way through the ranks in MyTeam.

I also explored The City, was destroyed by other players in pick-up games,
and began the journey to take the Chicago Bulls back to a new era of dominance.

First reviewed August-September 2025



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/gaming/nba-2k26-review


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