| NBA 2K18 | |
|---|---|
 Cover art featuring Kyrie Irving | |
| Developer(s) | Visual Concepts |
| Publisher(s) | 2K Sports |
| Series | NBA 2K |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows PlayStation 4 Xbox One Nintendo Switch PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 |
| Release date(s) | WW September 19, 2017 Early Tip-Off: September 15, 2017 |
| Genre(s) | Sports |
| Rating(s) |  : E (Everyone)
|
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Series information | |
| <- NBA 2K17 | |
| NBA 2K19 -> | |
NBA 2K18 is a basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It was released on September 19, 2017 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Kyrie Irving serves as cover athlete for the regular edition of the game, Shaquille O'Neal is the cover athlete for the special editions, and DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors is the cover athlete for the game in Canada. It is the 19th installment in the NBA 2K franchise and the successor to NBA 2K17. While a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers when selected for the cover, Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics prior to the game's release. As a result, a new cover depicting Irving in a Celtics uniform was revealed alongside the original cover.
Gameplay[]
NBA 2K18 is a basketball simulation game which, like the previous games in the series, strives to realistically depict the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as present improvements over the previous installments. The player mainly plays NBA games with real-life or customized players and teams; games follow the rules and objectives of NBA games. Several game modes are present and many settings can be customized. In terms of commentary, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett appear as guest commentators.
Along with the current season's teams and players, previous games in the series have featured NBA teams from past eras, such as the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls and the 1985–86 Boston Celtics. NBA 2K18 adds seventeen more such teams, including the 2007–08 Denver Nuggets and the 1998–99 New York Knicks, as well as 'All-Time Teams', teams for each franchise consisting of the greatest players in the respective franchise's history.
A staple of the series, MyCareer, returns as one of the available game modes. MyCareer is a career mode in which the player creates their own customizable basketball player and plays through their basketball career. The mode features a storyline which plays out as the player competes in games as well as off-court activities. The creation tools have been overhauled – new hairstyles and body archetypes are available for the player to make use of, among other things.
The game's returning MyGM and MyLeague game modes, which task the player with managing all basketball operations for a specific team, were a point of emphasis during development. MyGM is more focused on realism, whereas MyLeague offers more customization options. MyGM mode attempts to introduce more cutscene-style interactions than previous games in an attempt to give the mode a storyline, which is dubbed 'The Next Chapter', similar to the series' MyCareer mode. Additionally, several additions have been made to the mode which cater to the NBA's latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the NBA G League, the NBA's official minor league basketball organization, is present.