Reviewing an NBA 2K game is, surprisingly, something I’ve been doing formally for nearly a decade. As a keen consumer of any sports game on the market, NBA 2K has always been the best overall offering, even if I have my own personal preferences. Still, it’s as predictable that a game will come out every year as it is that fans will either love it or hate it. For me, NBA 2K26 feels like a nice return to form after a few unmemorable years. Let’s dive into my review of NBA 2K26 for the Xbox Series X.

First things first: the shot meter. In the past two games, I’ve detested the way that the shot meter has operated. This was particularly due to its inconsistent spectrum of in-between inputs, which take away the player’s onus to actually know what kind of shot he or she was putting up. Now, the shot meter is green-or-miss. It’s a change that, alone, makes NBA 2K26 so much better in my eyes than the past two years. Other options, like easier-to-execute floaters, layup motions, and jumpshot physics make this entry the best-looking title in recent memory.

Of course, every time they change things up, it’s tough to unlearn what you just spent a year doing. The Learn 2K mode of the game features new intermediate tutorials, which I find to be much more helpful than beginner exercises that are way too elementary for seasoned players. Hopping into a few of these (however trivial) helped me quickly pick up on the way this entry feels. There are new elements, such as eurosteps, multiple pass deviations, and techniques like up and unders, which are better fleshed out here than in online matchups.

Many folks will flock to The City when they boot up the new game, so let’s talk about that next. It’s never been easier to find what you’re looking for in The City. There’s also a new option to form a Crew with up to 50 players and a ton of customizable options like logos, jerseys, and custom branding. You work with your Crew, or solo, to raise new mode-specific leaderboards, which are a great add-on for the competitive-minded players eager to spend most of their time head-to-head against other players.

For me, The City is not where I spend most of my time, but I did find it more compelling this year. At launch, you still have the folks who will drop hundreds of dollars to have a leg up on everyone else immediately. I just won’t dedicate the time to reach that level, nor will I spend that money, so this isn’t a game mode for me. One area where I spent a considerable amount of time was on My Career and the new Out of Bounds storyline, which is a real highlight.

Working your way through an AAU-like league to play in Europe before your NBA Draft debut, this MyCareer story is one of my favorites ever. I felt like the eye-rolling dialogue we’ve come to expect was less prominent. There’s also a fun incentive to compete with other top prospects in matchups that have you eyeing your competition the whole game, making for an added buy-in to outscore and outplay your rivals. Overall, MyCareer fans will have a great prelude to explore before working into their NBA career and gaining VC to level up their attributes.

Another nice addition this year is the Offseason Scenarios of MyGM mode. Over 30 setups help you pick a team and look to achieve three goals unique to the roster and club you’re controlling. There’s an integration to the draft lottery, free agent signings, and more that helps add some life into your MyGM experience. As my most played game mode in this franchise, adding something like this to MyGM is a fun way to expand what you’re able to do in terms of customization and play God in a fictionalized universe of the league.

Additions to the WNBA gameplay, including press conferences, GOAT challenges, and more, also help this to feel like a full-fledged mode instead of an afterthought addition. All of this said, it’s not a perfect game by any means for a few reasons I can’t let go of. The primary concern is defense. So many additions to offensive animations and motions have left me feeling outmatched on defense in a way that surpasses player skill or character attributes.

Although 2K claims redesigned interior defense and collision tech enhances defense, I found the lopsided additions to the offensive side of the ball to add too many weapons to one side of the game. I’m sure this will get patched to a fairer balance, as all NBA 2K entries do, but for now, it’s a bit too stacked to the offense.

Due to its inability to be monetized, I also wish to see greater gains in MyGM. The inclusion of Banners and other accolades for your GM career is nice, but where are the adjusted AI balances that make the league feel realistic? I understand you can play with sliders to adjust things like trade frequency, logic, and other CPU-controlled action in the league, but it’s often just beyond reason. I think the improvements you’ve seen in realism and management sim mechanics in Madden NFL 26 surpass those of 2K in this capacity.

Lastly, if you’ve read my NBA 2K reviews, you know I spend virtually no time in MyTEAM. I find it overrelient on microtransactions, and the in-game competitions and tournaments enourage the purchase of modern-day loot boxes in a way I can’t support. It’s great to see the WNBA integrated here, but it’s simply too predatory, especially for younger players, to be something I spend a lot of time in.

NBA 2K26 is rooted in many steps toward the right future, but lingering priorities that lean toward profits over deeper, more meaningful league experiences still hinder it from greatness. The game is out now for Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, PS5, and PS4. Let us know in the comments if you’re enjoying this year’s entry of NBA 2K!

An Xbox Series X review copy of NBA 2K26 was provided by 2K for this review.

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NBA 2K26

69.99

8

Score

8.0/10

Pros

• MyCareer has a standout prelude this year
• Greater integration of the WNBA
• The shot meter is the best it has been in years

Cons

• Way too many microtransactions (tale as old as time for NBA2K)
• Weak MyGM gains, despite a fun Scenarios mode
• Defense needs balancing to the onslaught of offensive weapons