NBA 2K22 puts the whole basketball universe in your hands, and that is both its promise and its problem. Visual Concepts shipped the 23rd entry in the NBA 2K franchise on September 10, 2021, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. It sold over 10 million copies by May 2022. It also shut its online servers down on December 31, 2023.
Trailer, via IGN.
MyCareer and the Rise to the NBA
The modes are the argument. MyCareer builds a pro journey from nothing to the NBA. MyTeam mixes today’s stars with yesterday’s legends. MyGM and MyLeague hand you the front office and ask whether you can run a basketball operation better than the people paid to do it.
That is a lot of ground for one disc, and it is where NBA 2K22 earns its keep.
Real NBA and WNBA Teams
Play happens in real NBA and WNBA environments, against authentic teams and players. The WNBA presence is not decoration. It is a second league with its own rosters, and it widens what the game can be about.
Anyone, anywhere can hoop. That is the pitch, and on the court it mostly holds.
MyTeam, MyGM and MyLeague
Ranked by what actually holds up:
- MyCareer — the personal rise still carries the most weight.
- MyGM and MyLeague — the executive fantasy is deeper than it looks.
- MyTeam — the card chase works, though it leans on the same pull.
- Online play — the mode with the shortest life, by design.
The Server Shutdown
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | NBA 2K22 launches |
| October 19, 2021 | Arcade Edition hits Apple Arcade and Android |
| May 2022 | Sales pass 10 million copies |
| December 31, 2023 | Online servers shut down |
That last row is the one that matters now.
What 10 Million Copies Buys
A 7.3 out of 10 is a fair place to land. NBA 2K22 is a competent, broad simulator that does several jobs at once and does none of them perfectly. The single-player and management halves are the parts worth your time. The multiplayer half is a lease, not a purchase, and the lease expired.
The camera work, the rosters and the executive suite are real. The shelf life is not.
This is a good basketball game with an expiry date printed on it.
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