NBA 2K24 is the upcoming basketball simulation game from 2K Sports and Visual Concepts. The game will be released on September 8th, 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The game will feature several improvements and additions to the gameplay, graphics, modes, and features of the previous instalment, NBA 2K23.
However, not everything is positive for NBA 2K24. A recent leak from a Twitter account called 2KIntel claims that the game will bring back a gameplay feature widely criticized by fans in NBA 2K23: the adrenaline bar boosts.
The adrenaline bar boosts are a mechanic that limits how many explosive moves players can perform in a single possession. Each player has three bars of adrenaline consumed when they use the turbo button to sprint, dribble, or perform other actions. Once the bars are depleted, the player will move slower and have less control over their actions.
The purpose of this mechanic is to balance the gameplay and prevent players from spamming turbo and dribble moves to get past their defenders. However, many fans disliked this mechanic because it restricted their freedom and creativity on the court. They also argued that it made the game less realistic and fun.
According to 2KIntel, the adrenaline bar boosts are returning in NBA 2K24. The tweet simply says: Adrenaline bars coming back in #NBA2K24
Adrenaline bars coming back in #NBA2K24
— NBA 2K24 Leaks & Intel (@2KIntel) July 15, 2023
2K Sports or Visual Concepts has not confirmed or denied this leak, so it should be taken with a grain of salt. However, 2KIntel has a history of leaking accurate information about NBA 2K games, such as the special editions and the cross-play feature of NBA 2K24.
If the leak is accurate, it means that NBA 2K24 will not address one of the fans’ biggest complaints about NBA 2K23. It also means that players must adapt to the same gameplay limitations they faced in the previous game.
Of course, this does not mean that NBA 2K24 will be a bad game. The game will still have many other aspects that fans can enjoy, such as the new cover athletes Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, the improved graphics and animations, the revamped MyCareer mode, the cross-play feature on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and more.
However, it is disappointing that NBA 2K24 will not improve on one of the most controversial gameplay features of NBA 2K23. Hopefully, 2K Sports and Visual Concepts will listen to the feedback from fans and either remove or tweak the adrenaline bar boosts in future updates or patches.