STACK #239 September 2024

GAMING FEATURE

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IT’S TACO JAY! At just 26, NBA 2K25 ’s cover star, Boston Celtics forward Jayson

Tatum, is already a five-time NBA All-Star, and has made All-NBA selection four times. He recently signed a five-year extension to his deal worth a cool US$314 million. It’s the richest contract in NBA history.

The game that basketball buffs hang out for every year is with us this month.We went one-on-one with Erick Boenisch,VP of NBA 2K Development at Visual Concepts, to find out more about NBA 2K25 . Words Amy Flower

MyPLAYER’s journey to the NBA from high school to FIBA games in a new flashback story called Heart of a Dynasty . Finally, Key Games are back and upgraded to give players more choice and control over how they progress through their MyPLAYER’s career. How is the WNBA space shaping up this year? Are there any exciting new developments? This year, we’ve deepened the immersion and authenticity of The W, as we’ve worked with the league to scan more WNBA players, making it as true-to-life as possible. We even reworked our engine to ensure smaller details, such as eyelashes and an increased library of

animations, including 150 new signature motion styles.

Will there be any individual celebrations this year, along the lines of NBA 2K24 ’s Mamba Moments or previous Jordan Challenges? NBA 2K25 introduces the Steph Era in MyNBA, where fans can relive or rewrite the championship-studded legacy of Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

A new year brings tweaks to controls/ gameplay – what do you think are the most significant ones in NBA 2K25 ? For NBA 2K25 we expanded our ProPLAY animation library, implemented a brand-new dribble engine, and improved the gameplay on both offense and defence. We can’t wait for players to experience the all-new dribble engine - the biggest change to our gameplay engine in many years. Now, with the power of ProPLAY, NBA 2K25 's dribble engine generates dynamic motion from real-world NBA footage to create a new and more authentic feel. It goes beyond animations, and turns movement with the ball into one holistic, dynamic piece of motion, one-to-one with how players dribble in real life. MyCAREER in NBA 2K25 is all about building the next great dynasty. Ranked against the best dynasties in NBA history, players will vie to make deep playoff runs and win championships in order to climb the Dynasty Rankings and etch their legacy above the best. Before winning it all, players can lay the foundation of their career and relive their What’s in store for us in this year’s MyCAREER?

• NBA 2K25 is out Sep 6

Players can relive the legendary run alongside superstar teammates Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant, or attempt to rewrite history by challenging one of the greatest dynasties ever assembled in professional basketball. ProPLAY was a big hit last year. Have you evolved that at all this year, and if so, how? ProPLAY is realised in an even greater way in NBA 2K25 . Using new ProPLAY animations, which have been directly translated from real-world NBA footage, gameplay becomes even more authentic as we replace traditional motion-captured animations with ProPLAY animations.

hairstyles, would be properly represented. As players start their W career, they’ll be dropped into the captivating 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year race as they compete against players like Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, and Kamilla Cardoso in the overarching narrative of their first season. New updates also include changes to The W Online, an all-new Mentorship feature and, now available in The W, players can partake in press conferences. It’s hard to pick just one! From the all-new dribble engine to the return of the MyGM and MyCOURT, four new modes in MyTEAM, the added Steph Era in MyNBA, a new and more intimate City, the list just goes on. We’re also excited to introduce Learn 2K - the one stop shop for all 2K players from beginners to veterans to up their game in NBA 2K25 . What do you personally think is the coolest new feature is in NBA 2K25 ?

We've added 9,000 new ProPLAY animations in NBA 2K25 , including 1,500 dribbling animations, 1,100 signature shot

Basketball was first played in 1891, in Springfield, Massachusetts. DYK?

animations covering most rostered players from the 2023-24 NBA season, and over 1,300 new off-the-ball

10 SEPTEMBER 2024

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