The sports game, released in 2023, will lose its online functionality just two years after release. After the servers are shut down, all network functions will become unavailable. The decision is due to the publishing cycle typical of sports series: licenses expire quickly, and old installments give way to new annual releases.
NBA 2K24 has already been removed from digital stores since October, which was a direct signal of the imminent end of support. Publishers like 2K rarely maintain server infrastructure for past installments when more profitable new versions are already on the market. Owners of physical copies will be able to launch the game further, but after the servers are shut down, it will effectively be reduced to local modes, and its value will drop significantly. The situation once again underscores the problem of the short lifespan of modern sports simulators, which quickly lose key functions after purchase.
NBA 2K24 was not considered a successful installment in the series. The game was actively criticized for its aggressive microtransaction system, which many reviewers and players called one of the worst in the history of the franchise on the current generation of consoles.