When it comes to sports gaming, there’s just a certain familiarity with some of the most popular games. When you think of NBA games, you think of 2K. When you think of the NFL or FIFA, you think about EA Sports, and when you think of baseball, you immediately think of San Diego Studio.
MLB The Show had its first release back in 2006, and it never looked back. At that time, it competed with MLB 2K and EA Sports’ MVP NCAA Baseball. The Show was sort of the overlooked game behind MLB 2K and NCAA Baseball, although it was arguably the best baseball game right out of the gate.
It was not only a major hit on console, but it was a home run on the PSP as well, which made it stand out from its opponents. Fast forward, and MLB The Show is heavily regarded as the best sports sim going today. Whether you’re a hardcore baseball fan (go White Sox) or a casual fan, it’s regularly a quality sports gaming experience stepping to the plate in The Show.
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But, believe it or not, the folks at SDS once made NBA games as well. The name changed a few times, but the core gameplay and style remained. First came the game simply called NBA, which was exclusive to PSP. Then came NBA The Life: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, which were for consoles. Finally, they settled with NBA The Inside, which they ran with until the series last release of NBA The Inside 10, and the final installment returned to its roots as it was once again a PSP exclusive. So, with all of that being said, should San Diego Studio jump back into the basketball market?
Currently, 2K is the only company with a true simcade basketball game and the only company to hold the NBA license exclusively, at least for simulations. This means that other companies can create arcade and mobile NBA games, but not console simulations.
And while it’s good that arcade and mobile NBA games can still be made, that just doesn’t seem like something San Diego Studio would be interested in doing. So, if they wanted to hop back into the world of basketball, how could they create a sim without the NBA license?
Well, there are a few different things they can try that can potentially do well on the market, even without the NBA name attached to it. Sure, it might seem risky, but there’s undoubtedly a ton of NBA 2K players who would love to have another quality basketball simcade to play. The City/Park is arguably the most popular mode in 2K, and there’s no NBA element to it unless you deck your MyPLAYER with NBA gear, which a lot of players don’t really do. Park is simply 3-on-3 basketball. Not an NBA element in sight.
So this goes to show that, although 2K players love the NBA, they really just want a fun basketball game in the end, and can live without the NBA license. Here are a few ideas for San Diego Studios to consider if they decide to work on a fresh new basketball experience.
FIBA Game
Basketball is a global game. Sure, we can say that about a lot of sports, but the impact hoops have had on the world has been major. Basketball courts are scattered all over the globe and are accessible, which adds to the game’s popularity. Not to mention, NBA stars frequently visit other countries, which deepens that bond.
FIBA is a basketball celebration of all of those things, and so a San Diego Studio game based around this association would be pretty epic. And gamers around the world can play with their home country in-game. Plus, for you Park players, FIBA has been doing their cool 3X3 games, which are played on staged courts in many beautiful locations. This would be more than perfect for a video game.
High School Hoops
I would say college basketball, but it seems 2K has that on lock, though they don’t necessarily have exclusive rights. So if SDS wanted to go back to school with their basketball video game, they’d have to take it down a level from college.
Getting most of the real-world high schools would be a Herculean task, however, as there are way more high schools with basketball than colleges. Plus, getting real-world players would require a lot of work as well, though personally, I don’t mind not having real HS players. Getting the schools would be cool, but again, a massive task.
Big 3
Going back to professional hoops, we have the Big 3, Ice Cube’s league that has been around for nearly a decade, celebrating its 10th anniversary next year. A Big 3 game by San Diego Studios could check a lot of boxes for 2K players wanting an alternative.
One, just like with FIBA, it provides a 3-on-3 style, which is very popular among most NBA 2K players, so it satisfies that Park/Theater itch. Another thing is that the league features past NBA players, which would be appealing to those who want an NBA-type experience. Some notable players who’ve been a part of the Big 3 include Allen Iverson, Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, Baron Davis, Jermaine O’Neal, Jason Richardson, and Amar’e Stoudemire, among many others.
Unrivaled
Unrivaled is in a similar situation as the Big 3 in that the league features WNBA stars while still being its own entity. Since 2K has exclusive rights to NBA simulation console games, that means the WNBA is under that license as well, but Unrivaled breaks free from those shackles.
Created by current WNBA superstars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the league provides a classic, professional basketball experience. I understand that women’s hoops may not be super popular in gaming, but if the game plays great, then gamers who are anxious for an NBA 2K alternative may dive in. And if it’s made by San Diego Studio, then you can expect solid quality, not only for Unrivaled, but for any of the other possibilities we mentioned.
