NBA 2K22 Arcade Edition: The series hasn’t been as good as it is now on the iPad in a long time

So as not to give the wrong impression: Of course, NBA 2K22 on the consoles is the more complete, extensive game. The technology is more advanced than in the (still very nice) arcade version and the latter certainly lags behind in terms of technology and gameplay innovations. I still have a lot more fun on the iPad than in the “real” version of this game.

The reason is simple: the game may be smaller and less mature overall on Apple Arcade, but thanks to Apple’s “no microtransactions” policy, it’s the complete experience right from the start, which doesn’t hold its fun hostage for a second with microtransactions. Even the dreaded Virtual Currency is available for free on Apple’s subscription service so that you can use this currency to shape a player to your own taste. It feels like a regular video game that you can access in its entirety once you install it. Actually absurd that this is the biggest compliment I can imagine for an NBA 2K.

Sure, there are some losses to complain about. The first thing you notice is that there are no more comments. Also gone are the pre-game talk shows and the neighborhood, the open-world aspect between matches. And speaking of history: it has also been deleted without replacement. But if you’re honest, the story has been incredibly boring in recent years and stretched the experience out tough. This also applies to the Neighborhood, which was basically more badly than veiled permanent advertising.

In terms of gameplay, the only thing that is actually important is the elimination of icon passing, with which you could play to your teammates directly. But I got over that after a while. Why not, when apart from that I’m getting a nimble, no-frills, and for a change generous NBA game that’s better suited to in-between times. Gameplay-wise, this is closer to recent PS4 appearances than the first 2K releases on PS5 and Xbox Series. But they were already mature and more than solid. And that’s all I need, because with the elimination of microtransactions, there’s suddenly a lightness in it again that I would have long forgotten in sports games.

It’s been four years since EA’s NBA Live 19 reminded me (I’d like a comeback, by the way!) of how it should be. Because after a game I already have the feeling that my player has made a little progress. And I’m not even sure if the VC economy has been adjusted to make it faster. The mere absence of this aggressive monetization layer no longer makes you feel tamed and tethered.

While this, to be honest, makes me a little angry, for me right now 2K22 Arcade Edition is the best way to experience Visual Concepts’ basketball and a proof of concept of how liberating the game could actually feel. I’m not even against microtransactions in principle. Games like 2K22 in particular would be in an ideal position to charge extra for bling such as cooler sneakers, jewelery or extravagant outfits and to leave gameplay-relevant aspects untouched by monetization.

So please, 2K, take an honest look in the mirror and ask yourself which game you would rather play. One that rewards all players equally generously, or one where it takes money to keep your career from feeling like work?

It’s rare enough that the video game industry can learn something from a mobile title. This is one of those moments. Don’t write this lesson to the wind…