Whilst 2K’s NBA franchise has featured loading advertisements before, there’s purportedly been a spike in the number unskippable ads appearing in the game. Though the feature “2KTV” can be turned off in the main settings, some unhappy fans are reporting that even with the option disabled, advertisements continue to play while the game loads.
Allegedly affecting all platforms (thanks, Nintendo Life), hundreds of fans are voicing their dismay to publisher 2K across Reddit and social media. Right now, it’s unclear if the increase in advertisements – which includes one for new FX show “Snowfall” about cocaine addiction – is intentional or not.
“Yeah, my game got to 100% and instead of letting me edit match ups (which you can normally do while the game loads) or letting me go straight to the game, I had to sit there and finish the ad,” said one commenter on Reddit. “Absolutely pathetic from 2k again.”
“There should be 0 ads in a game that comes out yearly and costs 60 bucks,” said another, whilst someone else added: “What does it change if the ad is unskippable anyway? Why are they there at all?” Others are unhappy that the adverts for a 15+ TV show are running in a game PEGI rated as “3”, which deems is suitable for all age groups.
Eurogamer has reached out to 2K as yet the publisher has not responded to requests for comment. The Reddit thread – entitled “Unskippable ads in a 60$ game, f*k you 2k” has since become the top r/NBA2K post of all time.
In other 2K news, former Electronic Arts and Activision executive Michael Condrey has joined 2K to lead its new Silicon Valley studio as president. Condrey co-founded Call of Duty development studio Sledgehammer Games with Glen Schofield back in 2009. Leading the studio’s creative direction, production and business operations, Condrey’s “industry acumen played an integral role in bolstering one of interactive entertainment’s most distinguished franchises of all time”, Call of Duty. He left in February 2018 to take up “new executive duties” in Activision.