The folks over at 2K Sports just can't help themselves. First they got Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams to be an executive producers for the soundtrack, then they get Spike Lee to direct the create-a-player story mode, now they have an expansive online session with The Park where players can take their talents against the world in 2-on-2, 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 formats on the playground and in the famed Jordan Rec Center.
Now in NBA 2K16, to take the 5-on-5 play in the Jordan Rec Center to the next level, 2K Sports has unveiled a new Pro-Am Game Mode which will be featured in the newest release. Here's the trailer.
Here's additional details per B/R's Brian Mazique:
Pro-Am is a new mode for MyPLAYERs in NBA 2K16. Grab your friends, design your own logos, jerseys and arenas for full branding of your team. After your identity has been stamped, rise up the leaderboards with your team to compete against the best in the world in five-on-five matches on full-sized courts with NBA rules in a venue that supports 40 players playing simultaneously.
As someone who's played NBA 2K15 ad nauseum with friends, one of the biggest frustrations is trying to get on the court and actually play. It sounds like in NBA 2K16 this will be fixed and allow for more games to happen. Good for everyone involved.
The cool thing will be the inclusion of leaderboards and stat-tracking as well, which could eventually bring the opportunity for 2K Sports to get into the e-sports market similarly to games like League of Legends and World of Warcraft. Keeping track of stats will also help, as I know that when I play with my friends there's usually always one person turning the ball over and tricking the game off for the team. That person is usually me.
The e-sports business has boomed, and tournaments all across the world have begun to spring up with big money being tossed around by sponsors to get into the action. The NBA 2K series already does well in promoting brands like Nike, adidas, Gatorade and Sprint in the game, but taking the game onto big screens and tournaments could be a huge revenue stream for the company. Maybe Pro-Am mode is the first step.
Plus, it will be cool to see users decorate the uniforms and courts, until folks go overboard and make playing basketball on customized courts truly a task. Just seeing Steph Curry emblazoned everywhere on the jerseys and court feels like overkill, but maybe if they put Stephen Jackson's mug everywhere it'd make me happier.
Are you geeked about the newest features in NBA 2K16? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
Eddie Maisonet is the founder and editor emeritus of The Sports Fan Journal. Currently, he serves as an associate editor for ESPN.com. He is an unabashed Russell Westbrook and Barry Switzer apologist, owns over 100 fitteds and snapbacks, and lives by Reggie Jackson’s famous quote, “I am the straw that stirs the drink.”
