Why is NBA 2K24 one of the worst reviewed games on Steam?

NBA 2K24's worldwide release couldn't have had a more polarizing effect regarding reviews and appreciation from the player base. On one hand, the new additions of ProPLAY, the return of Mamba Moments, and a brand new MyCareer city have excited those who are playing on the PS5 and Xbox Series XlS.

On the other hand, the game's current rating on Steam, arguably the world's biggest PC digital store, stands at a lowly 2/10 at the time of writing.

This outcome can be confusing for many who need to be made aware of what has transpired. By any stretch of the imagination, NBA 2K24 could be a better video game, and developer Visual Concepts has already dropped two post-launch patches.

However, it's amply clear that the concentration of the developers has been entirely towards the current-gen version. This has left PC players in a lurch, and they're unhappy.

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NBA 2K24 being old-gen on PC has been a huge problem

It was late 2020 when the PS5 and Xbox Series XlS consoles emerged on the market. Since then, 2K Games has been publishing two separate versions of NBA 2K games - one that works on the newer consoles and the other that works on the rest. For some inexplicable reason, PC was clubbed in the same group with Xbox One and PS4.

This strategy was followed by other developers in the realm of video games as well, so that's normal. However, publishers like Electronic Arts have changed their strategy in the last few years.

Both FIFA 23 and Madden 24 were clubbed with the PS5 and the Xbox Series XlS consoles. It feels the most natural thing to do, given that most modern-day gaming PCs can perform at higher levels than the old-gen consoles.

However, Visual Concepts has yet to budge from its old practices, which means that NBA 2K24 on PC is an old-gen version. More importantly, it has received very little modifications. In fact, the PC version is a refurbished version of NBA 2K23's next-gen client. This has created a lot of furor in the PC gaming community as players can't use their hardware's true potential.

Moreover, none of the new additions made to NBA 2K24 are available on PC. MyCareer is a pale shadow on PC, with no new storyline to keep players engaged. The badge system has stayed the same, and Visual Concepts hasn't bothered to remove some of the older bugs.

PC also doesn't have crossplay, which is nothing but a cardinal sin at this point. Every major sports video game has crossplay ability on PCs, and it has become an industry norm. Irrespective of the logic behind Visual Concepts' decisions, it feels very odd.

The amount of hatred NBA 2K24 has received from Steam users might seem extreme, but it is justified, given their pain. Modern-day PC hardware should be powerful enough for players to enjoy the same PS5 and Xbox Series XlS features. Yet, that's not the case, and at this rate, 2K Games might also not budge next year.

No matter what the developers do at this point, it's unlikely that the ratings will recover. This is a blow, 2K Games and Visual Concepts will have to take on the chin and carry on.