NBA 2K23 players slam “greedy” monetization after seeing how much builds cost
2K SportsNBA 2K23 players are voicing their displeasure over the amount of VC needed to finish MyCareer builds, labeling the entire process “greedy” on the part of 2K Sports.
MyCareer is a staple in the NBA 2K series experience. Players get to take the plunge into a pro hooper’s lifestyle with a custom character, take on all kinds of over-the-top experiences in the Neighborhood, and even challenge each other in modes like ProAm and The Rec.
This is the area where the vast majority of players spend their time so it should come as no surprise that it’s also the most heavily criticized area of the game each year. This time around though, even the most dedicated fans are having a hard time wrapping their head around the price of a maxed-out build for their players after seeing the final price.
NBA 2K23 players label 2K Sports “greedy” over VC microtransactions
A graphic from AllCityLiveTV shows off exactly how much it takes to finish off a Playmaking-Shooter build. The two highlight categories require roughly 270,000 VC to max out, with Finishing, Physicals, and Defense/Rebounding adding another 200,000 to top it off.
When broken down into how much money one needs to spend, that’s over $100 worth of purchased VC just for a single player.
After discovering this information, the fandom had quite a lot to say on the matter.
“500k to complete a build and you get 500 VC per stupid story quest line. They don’t care about the gamer. They care about the kids who use their parents’ credit card to buy VC,” one angry commenter suggested.
Another fan pointed out that this price is incurred even after buying the game at retail price, which isn’t a common thing elsewhere in the industry. “Most games are free to play, pay to compete. 2K is the only game I know that is pay to play AND pay to win/compete.”
The number only grows bigger when the premium editions of the game get factored into the equation, and one commenter noted that the $100 Michael Jordan edition of the game only came with enough in-game money to reach a 78 overall on one character as well.
These microtransactions have been a huge part of 2K’s identity but it’s clear that some members of the community are reaching their boiling point with the system.