NBA 2K25: A Year in Review

A Slam Dunk in Badge Design, a Brick in Everything Else

NBA 2K25 is a game of sharp highs and frustrating lows. When the mechanics work, the momentum builds, and a green from deep feels electric. But just as quickly, you're queued up in a dead park, blocked by RNG gates, or discovering that the 2k24 cover athlete - Kobe Bryant - is missing from the mode. It's a game that wants to be bold but forgets its fundamentals. And after 726 hours of play, I've felt both the thrill and disappointment firsthand.

Gameplay: When Strategy Shines but Flow Falters

Let's start with the good: badges finally make sense again. 2K25 trimmed down the bloated badge system and introduced Legend Badges, bringing meaningful enhancements that shook up MyTeam's meta. Most notably, Legend Limitless Range let shooters green from near half court, transforming spacing and creating highlight moments you could actually earn.

But that streamlined brilliance collides with fundamental problems. The removal of Clutch Time Online and Triple Threat matchmaking stripped away the fastest, most rewarding ways to play online. Without them, players were left waiting in Triple Threat Park queues, often longer than the games themselves.

Dribbling lost its finesse. Combo chaining became clunky and unpredictable. And the shooting? Even with Takeover activated, draining three shots in a row with the same card was unreliable, no matter the difficulty. That's not momentum - it's artificial restraint.

That said, PC players saw a win with solid anti-cheat support. Across my 726 hours, I didn't encounter a single hacker, making PC a viable competitive platform for the first time since next-gen parity. It's long past time to enable full crossplay between PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S - the infrastructure and safeguards are already there.

Rewards: Skill Takes a Backseat to Luck

This year's reward structure revolved around random number generation (RNG) - and it showed. Whether opening packs or grinding modes, duplicates and subpar pulls dominated. It wasn't until June that some of the grind-heavy rewards started feeling worthwhile. By then, most players had already tapped out.

Even standout events like Triple Threat Park Sundays, while promising 25,000 MT or Dark Matter cards, came gated behind five consecutive wins - a feat few could consistently pull off. The result? Frustration, not motivation.

More jarring was the complete lack of NBA Moments cards. No recognition for:

Luka's 73-point explosion

Jokic's triple-double heroics

Steph's half-court game winner

These are the moments MyTeam was built to celebrate. Instead, 2K25 shrugged them off. And locker codes? Nearly gone. What used to be weekly drops turned into rare, short-lived events with marginal value. The social heartbeat of the community barely pulsed.

Auction House: Freedom Comes With a Catch

After being axed in 2K24, the Auction House returned - and players rejoiced. Flipping cards and building lineups finally felt strategic again. But the execution stumbled.

There's a persistent escrow delay: after purchasing a card, you wait 20+ minutes before you can use it. This stalled gameplay, ruined event timing, and killed lineup momentum.

Even worse, bid logic remains flawed. Take this example: I listed a Diamond Jaren Jackson Jr. with 14 Hall of Fame badges. Bidding drove the price to 420,000 MTP - then 2K's system canceled the sale without warning. Support told me to "list under 100K" and I disregarded and relisted again. The card eventually sold for 300,000 MTP, costing me a massive 120K and even more if I had taken the advice of a manager at support. It's broken logic that discourages trading entirely.

For the Auction House to thrive, 2K needs to:

Cut validation delays to under 5 minutes

Fix bid cancellation logic and offer clear transaction feedback

The Missing Mamba: Kobe's Legacy Fades Out

In what might be the most baffling decision of the year, Kobe Bryant was completely missing from MyTeam. No cards. No rewards. No collector milestones.

While speculation points to a licensing breakdown with the Bryant estate, the silence was deafening. Kobe wasn't just a marketing icon - he was expected to anchor the season's grind. His absence deflated the collector economy and stripped the mode of one of its deepest emotional links.

You can't build a legacy mode and forget the legend.

What NBA 2K26 Must Do

NBA 2K25 was never unplayable - it just forgot what made the series great. With the right tweaks, 2K26 could be the year everything clicks. Here's what needs to happen:

Restore Clutch Time Online and Triple Threat matchmaking

Fix shot logic and revive fluid dribbling

Reward effort with guaranteed paths - not just chance

Bring back NBA Moments cards to honor real-world greatness

Reinvigorate locker codes with consistent drops and real value

Repair the Auction House - no delays, no cancellations for genuine fans

Enable full crossplay for PC, PS5, and Xbox

Secure Kobe Bryant's rightful place in MyTeam

NBA 2K25 has greatness simmering beneath its surface. When Legend Badges transform a card, or a deep green flips the momentum, it feels magical. But stripped-down modes, broken rewards, and legacy omissions keep the game from ascending. If 2K26 learns from these missteps and builds on the right foundation, it still has time to be legendary.

Thanks for reading - and here's hoping next year doesn't forget the ones who built it.