NBA 2K has just made a major announcement that it is pretty sure will be the talk of the town among the community of basketball video game players. The iconic Sunset Beach from NBA 2K16, this time with a touch of modern, not only that but also a generous 25% REP boost across the board for all games played there. This weekend flashback experience and the novelty factor will be exclusive for the weekend starting Friday, so, all players will have the chance to relive one of the best parks in 2K history and give their characters the quickest level-up ever.
The official NBA 2K Twitter account’s announcement was a complete surprise for the players “Sunset Beach is back in Season 3 🏝️” they just said and put up a stunning image of the newly designed beach court. For players who did not experience the heyday of NBA 2K16, Sunset Beach was probably the park with the most visitors, mainly because the gameplay was very smooth and the beach-side atmosphere was the perfect place for earning REP without even noticing it, almost like playing basketball at the beach.
Nevertheless, there was a catch—the players met the news with mixed reactions of not just excitement but also caution. The comment section of the announcement is telling the tale of mixed feelings, excitement vs. frustration. It’s as if 2K has given everybody a new luxurious toy to play with but forgot to mention that the batteries come separately.
The presence of cheaters was a major concern that immediately came up in the minds of many players. Indeed, there were so many comments on “zenners”—which is the term that the community uses for the players that cheat using Zen devices—implying that this is going to be the case and that thus the park experience is going to be ruined, within minutes after the announcement. A user going by the handle @ttvG_icegaming was so furious that he even wrote in all caps in his comment that 2K “has let it become shit” by not banning the cheaters at the start of the season. The raw sentiment in that comment seems to echo the community’s feelings—a big part of the player base is looking forward to the new content but at the same time they feel the company hasn’t managed the issue correctly.
Somewhat calmer but still sure of their position, @Losing_Isaiah_ said: “This is great but if you are not dealing with ‘devices’ you might as well close this right now.” They surely do not exaggerate? It is hard not to ask what the point was of creating such a beautiful new park and giving away REP boosts if the players are just going to be beaten by those who have unfair advantages?
However, the nostalgia factor is powerful and real, @Imm_Saver confessed that the announcement “brought tears to my eyes” before he/she reminded that they “will still be playing weirdos.” That roller coaster of emotions is very much the NBA 2K experience in 2024—moments of happiness and connection to the past of the game, followed right away by the harsh reality of current gameplay problems.
Others are even doubting if there is still anyone playing park mode on a competitive basis. @RealTyler12011 commented that besides he is “ok with that,” “nobody plays park except zenners and sweats” which…ouch. But on the flip side, if the competitive scene has indeed turned to super-dedicated players or simply cheaters, then it is very understandable where the user is coming from.
The same is true for the international community which is also feeling the hype—the French comments that were being translated included “it’s crazy what they just did there, you don’t realize” which is in line with the idea that the love for Sunset Beach is worldwide. Conversely, some players are already criticizing the chosen art direction, with @Olivebrake32219 calling it “trash” and claiming “this ain’t sunset f— rivet city lol” which shows that it is impossible to please everyone when it comes to the return of classic content.
What is more, the fact that NBA Live is not competing in the market anymore is being pointed out by many comments. @xTalkmyshii straightforwardly remarked “2k so fkn lucky nba live dont make games anymore istg id been on tht mf” which translates to “I swear to God I’d been on that motherfer” – to put it simply, he means that they would switch over to the rival game if it existed. @buddhaa__ would be boosting similar views and saying that 2K is “lucky nba live doesn’t make games anymore.” The passive feeling of being stuck with 2K because there is no real alternative adds another layer of complexity to the frustration.
It is hard to argue against the REP boost being a very smart move—the 25% extra reputation points mean players can level up faster, and NBA 2K players have been asking for more rewarding gameplay. The PlayStation and Xbox communities are both excited about this limited-time event.
