2K Have Added Unskippable In-Game Adverts To NBA 2K21

In perhaps one of the least surprising pieces of news in 2020, 2K have now decided to add unskippable in-game adverts to NBA 2K21, just one month after the game’s launch and before the game has even been made available on next-gen consoles.

 

What Kind Of Adverts Are We Talking About?

First reported on by the outlet Stevivor, NBA 2K21 now features adverts during the pre-game loading screens, with the above video showcasing an advert for the Oculus Quest 2 during a video package called MyTeam Season 2, Episode 7. Crucially, you cannot edit your team’s line-up while the in-game advert is playing and even playing the game on PC via SSD will still leave you waiting for the adverts, meaning you’re at the mercy of capitalism until the advert concludes.

 

Have 2K Done This Before?

Of course they have, they pulled the exact same stunt with NBA 2K20, and it went down horribly then too. However, the implementation of in-game adverts, beyond the usual billboards and product placement, has become way more egregious over the past few years. 2K have been the worst for it, but EA were also caught adding in-game adverts to UFC 4, before quickly rolling back that change.

The problem with all this is that these unskippable adverts are being introduced into a game people are already paying £50-£60 for, or $60-$70, and that’s not including the cross-gen bundle that costs about $100. Couple that price with the fact that NBA 2K21 is riddled with microtransactions, 2K just come across as greedy in this situation.

It’s like they adopted the Hungry Hungry Hippos approach to monetisation, and it’s affecting the overall user experience. When players can’t experience the benefits of the SSD they’ve purchased because of an in-game advert, that’s a problem. Considering that reduced loading times are set to be a huge benefit for next-gen consoles, this approach feels incredibly anti-consumer.

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