If you’re like me and you’ve put in an endless amount of hours playing virtual basketball over the years, then you’re probably interested in seeing how NBA 2K24’s gameplay is come launch day thanks to the addition of ProPLAY.
Even as recent as NBA 2K23, most simulation-basketball fans will likely agree that as the sport has evolved in real life—with the latest generation of NBA stars continuing to refine and push the limits of finesse finishes and picturesque stepbacks—this franchise hasn’t quite been able to recreate that magic. Whether it’s due to smothering ghost contests, unreasonably tight green windows, or stiff animations, not only does it seem like NBA 2K hasn’t often rewarded players for taking fadeaway jumpers in recent years, but the animations themselves haven’t felt right either.
According to NBA 2K24 gameplay director Mike Wang and the rest of the dev team, however, it appears some major strides might have been made in this department thanks to the addition of ProPLAY.
What is ProPLAY in NBA 2K24?
Making its debut in NBA 2K24, ProPLAY is a new type of technology that directly translates movements from footage of real NBA possessions into animations in the game. Traditionally, NBA 2K and just about all other popular sports titles have solely relied on the use of motion capture to fuel their animations. But judging on what’s been presented so far with the ProPLAY feature, it does appear that this technology just might be able to add another layer of realism and authenticity to the game thanks to how smoothly and accurately the newer animations are able to be chained together.
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Unfortunately, ProPLAY is said to only be available on the new-gen version of NBA 2K24. For those who do happen to play on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, however, the difference will seemingly be felt anytime you take contested stepbacks, acrobatic layups, or even while you’re just passing the ball or playing defense. More specifically, ProPLAY will introduce a new wave of animations for jump shots, dunks, layups, free throws, off-ball motion, dribble moves, rebounds, blocks, and passes.
Related: When does 2K24 come out – NBA 2K24 release date
Ultimately, if this feature does manage to live up to the high billing that 2K has set for it so far, it seems NBA 2K24 will be adding a level of realism to its gameplay that the devs believe simply wasn’t possible before. Of course, it’s also worth pointing out that EA FC 24 is slated to debut a similar feature—HyperMotionV—that uses data from professional soccer matches to influence player movements in-game. But since NBA 2K24 will be released three weeks earlier, it seems like it could be making its mark on sports gaming first.
