NBA 2K18's Microtransactions Are The Worst of Any Game on The Market

Microtransactions have become a dirty word in video gaming.  For good reason.  Many game developers and publishers have been very aggressive and quite greedy in their application of microtransactions.  Gamers have seen everything from game progression to content completion locked behind paywalls lately, very much creating a pay to win environment.  This has created a serious backlash with gamers openly expressing anger and frustration at the current state of microtransactions.  Many high profile games have been called out for their practices, most notably games like Star Wars Battlefront II and Grand Theft Auto V(Online).  But there is one game that is flying inconspicuously under the radar.  A game who, in this writer's personal opinion, is far and away the WORST offender.  A game that is wildly popular but no one is talking about it.

That game is NBA 2K18.

Let me start by saying NBA 2K18 is an outstanding basketball sim. The presentation is second to none, graphically it is a visual treat, and the gameplay is currently without peer.  That said, NBA 2K18 is easily the most egregious example of an almost predatory pay to win system.  Yes I said pay to win. Everything from the advancement of your team and/or player to cosmetic looks to advancement in gameplay modes is tied to what 2K18 refers to as "virtual currency" or "VC".  No matter what you are doing in 2K18, chances are you need VC to do it.  It's almost astonishing how important VC is to your success in the game.

The game's most popular mode "My Career" is where 2K's exploitive and egregrious practices really take center stage.  Literally anything you want to do to improve your player in My Career costs VC.  Want to level up?  VC.  Want to change your outfit?  VC.  Want to buy shoes?  VC.  Want to customize your player's look(haircut, facial hair, etc)?  VC.  Want to boost your player's abilities?  Yeah...you get it.  It's a bit shocking when you put thought to it.  Want to design your own custom shirts and shoes?  Cool.  You'll need VC to actually buy them and wear them.  Yes, you have to spend VC on the items you customize.

Now 2K's developers will tell you that you don't have to spend real life money to advance in 2K18 or earn VC.  Technically they are correct.  In My Career you can earn VC from playing games and other activities.  That said, the VC you earn is so meager that in order to advance your player you will be grinding for quite a long time.  In the meantime, your player will be terrible.  Your player starts with very low abilities and statistics and you will not be very competitive in your career.  No one is going to want to run with a 65 rated PG who cannot shoot, drive, pass, or play defense so you can forget about multiplayer park and Pro Am games.  Players will higher ratings are going to destroy you, regardless of your gameplay skills or basketball IQ.  If you want to be competitive, you are almost forced to buy VC.

How NBA 2K18 gets away with this is a mystery.  It's fans are vocal but they still support the game.  This is largely due to the fact that 2K18 is the only viable basketball sim on the market.  While NBA Live continues to improve, it is still leagues behind 2K18 in terms of quality.  This plus the fact that most gamers that play 2K18 are also serious NBA fans leads me to believe this is why the community is so tolerant.  But even that I believe, has it's limits.

So we can talk about Battlefront II and we can talk about GTA Online. But in my personal view NBA 2K18 is easily the most outlandish and most outrageous example of a microtransaction system designed to gouge players.  It is pay to win in it's purest form and I honestly wonder how long 2K can get away with it.

Written by OG Sinn