Believe it or not, the "NBA 2K" series is now on its 28th installment with the release on "NBA 2K27." The question is, is the game a winner for fans and critics?
'NBA 2K27'
Released on September 24, 2026, "NBA 2K27" is developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K.
Compared to its predecessor, "NBA 2K26," "2K27" features a redesigned dynamic Dunk Meter, smarter AI defense, and expanded MyPLAYER customization. In addition, the game also brings new nighttime aesthetic for MyCAREER and The City, a unified Auction House for MyTEAM, and he addition of Rucker Park as a major streetball location.
Below is the official gameplay trailer for "NBA 2K27" to give you a better idea of how the game looks and what it has to offer.
What Do the Critics Say?
Critic reviews have ranged from average to somewhat positive. IGN's Nico Vergara gave the game a score of six out of 10, noting that "'NBA 2K27' is a reflection of the budding prospect who couldn't quite put things together. Sure, it made a splash at first, with a smooth on-court experience that's better than in recent years, but it fails to follow that up with anything meaningful."
On Metacritic, "NBA 2K27" has a score of 77 based on 32 critic reviews as of press time.
"With a myriad of improvements and new additions to both gameplay and modes, 'NBA 2K27' is a brilliant recreation of the popular sport," GameSpew said in its review, scoring the game 80 out of 100. "But as ever, some may find what's on offer here a little familiar, and its monetization off-putting."
ComicBook gave it a score of 60, saying that "It has plenty of good ideas, but doesn't go far enough to really make them shine as they should. Of course, it doesn't help that long-running issues and ever-present microtransactions continue to weigh things down."
'Mixed' Reviews on Steam
As for Steam, "NBA 2K27" has more than 2,000 user reviews as of press time, which the platform has categorized as "Mixed."
"If you like basketball and you know what you're in for, you'll like this game. But...that isn't to say it's without issues," walnut2007 said in a Steam review. "Several factors make the game a little unpredictable and the AI can be on point or trash, and it seems to be RNG."
"This game is awful, borderline copy paste of '2K26.' Same city. Same graphics, same everything," Greatnorth510 said in a separate review. "Somehow, they actually managed to downgrade everything that made '26' fun."
