Is NBA 2K owned by EA? No – 2K‘s NBA gaming dominance is published by Take-Two
As a longtime basketball gamer and aficionado tracking the latest releases and news around NBA gaming, I receive this question a lot – and the answer is clear:
No, the popular NBA 2K simulation series is not owned or published by Electronic Arts (EA). Instead, NBA 2K is a flagship sports title under 2K, a label of Take-Two Interactive.
The Origins: Sega to Take-Two‘s Stewardship of NBA 2K
Visual Concepts first began developing NBA-licensed basketball games under Sega back in 1999. Early NBA 2K iterations showed promise in challenging EA‘s NBA Live franchise with physics-based gameplay.
As NBA 2K began gaining steam, Take-Two acquired Visual Concepts and the publishing rights to NBA 2K in 2005, establishing the "2K Sports" imprint we know today.
Under Take-Two‘s 2K label, the NBA 2K developers were truly unleashed. I still fondly remember NBA 2K8 introducing major innovations like revamped dribbling controls, offensive assists, and the eventual series-defining MyPLAYER mode.
Fast forward to today, NBA 2K23 has just launched with cutting-edge graphics, expanded game modes, WNBA integration, and refined on-the-court action. Over nearly 25 years, the breadth and quality of NBA 2K gameplay continues ascending to new heights thanks to 2K‘s stewardship.
NBA 2K Sales Dominance: The Numbers Behind 2K‘s Basketball Gaming Prowess
The numbers speak for themselves when analyzing the runaway success NBA 2K has enjoyed under 2K Games compared to EA‘s struggling NBA Live efforts.
Here is a head-to-head comparison I compiled on basketball gaming sales and reception between the competing publishers:
| Publisher | Basketball Game Series | Latest Game Score | All-Time Game Sales | All-Time Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Take-Two (2K) | NBA 2K | 89 (NBA 2K23) | 170+ million (series) | $2.3 billion |
| Electronic Arts | NBA Live | n/a (last entry 76) | 25+ million | n/a |
As the above figures show, NBA 2K has left NBA Live in the dust, now even prompting EA to place the series on hiatus indefinitely after NBA Live 20‘s cancellation.
Reviews echo this story – NBA 2K23 currently holds an 89 Metacritic score for PS5 vs middling-to-low scores in the mid 70‘s for recent NBA Live efforts.
For basketball gaming fans like myself who prioritize authenticity, depth of features, and smooth moment-to-moment gameplay, the choice between 2K and EA‘s offerings is stark.
Assessing 2K vs EA Sports: Publishing Powerhouses With Contrasting Sports Gaming Philosophies
In my years playing both NBA 2K and EA mainstays like FIFA or Madden, some philosophical differences between the two titans‘ approaches are clear.
2K tends to deliver hyper-realistic simulations focused on authenticity above all else – even at the expense of accessibility for casual fans occasionally.
Conversely, EA Sports titles like Madden aim for a more mass appeal experience, with easy pick-up-and-play arcade-like action that long-time fans lament as feeling "dumbed down".
From a business perspective, 2K doubles down on fewer titles (WWE 2K and their namesake NBA franchise), trying to make them definitive representations of each sport.
Meanwhile EA Sports is content iterating annual installments updating rosters for mass audiences across FIFA, Madden, NHL, UFC, and more. This wider net of more casual-friendly titles likely gives EA an overall revenue edge.
But in basketball gaming specifically, 2K‘s single-minded focus to produce the deepest, most realistic NBA simulation year in and year out has earned them well-deserved bragging rights and sales dominance.
So Who Does Own 2K Games?
As referenced earlier, Take-Two Interactive has owned 2K Games and published the NBA 2K franchise since 2005.
Take-Two also owns prominent publisher Rockstar Games (makers of Grand Theft Auto & Red Dead Redemption). So between these two labels, Take-Two sits firmly among gaming‘s highest-earning publishers worldwide thanks to consistent releases of massively popular titles across action games and sports simulations.
Conversely, Electronic Arts (EA) stands alone as one of gaming‘s pioneer third-party publishers distributing their own internally-produced games. Labels like EA Sports, EA RPGs (BioWare), and mobile/casual divisions operate under this corporate umbrella.
So in summary – while 2K and EA are both major players in sports gaming, their NBA basketball offerings clearly have different backers. Fans like myself hope quality competition can spur both publishers to maximize their respective strengths in the genre moving forward!
The Outlook on 2K‘s Competition with a Resurgent NBA Live Franchise
As EA looks to revive NBA Live once again to take on 2K‘s championship-winning formula, I have some thoughts on 2K‘s best path forward:
While NBA 2K23 makes incremental improvements, some areas of stagnation persist that competitors could seize upon:
MyCareer‘s story elements remain cringey
Basic graphics, physics quirks from old gen linger
Ultimate Team card modes continue overshadowing real NBA action
To stay atop the basketball gaming world as ever-present challengers look to take the crown, I believe 2K should double down on the aspects that first made NBA 2K a standout from early days:
Lean into realism – Pursue more life-like atmosphere, visuals, player emotion/reactions to reach new immersion heights for those wanting to live their NBA dreams virtually.
Explore new gameplay horizons – Innovate on increasingly stale MyCareer formulas. Allow more Physics-based improvisation freedom back into the on-court experience.
Celebrate basketball culture – Spotlight more unique team/player personalities. Continue expanding women‘s basketball inclusion through WNBA.
Competition breeds innovation. So I welcome renewed efforts from EA‘s NBA Live franchise to push NBA 2K to its full potential. But based on over 20 years of excellence, I believe 2K still commands the drive and talent to retain their championship belt as kings of the virtual hardwood.
