When I reviewed NBA 2K14Â back in 2013 I gave it a 6/10, partly because of how integral an online connection was for the single player. If you started a career mode while connected online then the game automatically saved all your progress online, so if the servers went down or your internet did then you couldn’t access that file. It was a terrible decision by 2K then, and now that choice by the company is even worse for consumers.
At the end of March 2K turned the servers off for NBA 2K14, just 15 months after the game’s launch. 2K stated that online careers would be transferred to offline so player’s could continue their progress unhindered. It turns out 2K has failed to implement such a system, and instead has sent out e-mails stating that players will have to restart their careers instead if their old one was saved on the servers.
“This means that if you had created a MyCareer or a MyGM online save file that was once connected to our servers it too sadly has retired and is no longer available for use and it would be necessary to re-create these files as offline saves.
Sadly this may come as an inconvenience to some of you and if so we truly do understand and can feel for how upsetting this may seem as there always is a special bond that occurs between a player and their MyCareer save but all good things must come to an end and rest assured your MyCareer or MyGM went out while on top!”
That seems like a bad response to send to paying customers, and seems more like the company is pursuing an aggressive policy to force people to upgrade. That case can be argued for especially when the studio had the following line in the email.
“We hope you enjoyed your amazing experience with NBA 2K14‘s online services and you can look forward to the continue experience  they provide in NBA 2K15!”
This shouldn’t fill any customers with confidence in the company’s product, and there doesn’t appear to be a reason for the server shut down other than making players upgrade. NBA 2k14 was also a game that pushed micro transactions and all that items that were bought with that money will be lost too. NBA 2K13’s servers were shut down soon after the launch of 2K14, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the same happens to 2K15 when 2K16 launches. At least in 2K15 saves don’t require an online connection.
Source: Polygon
Starman
Sounds like they’re actually taking the mick –
“can feel for how upsetting this may seem as there always is a special bond that occurs between a player and their MyCareer save”
2K have been quite a crappy company lately.
Youles
Wow, what a bunch of pricks. That’s terrible, and reinforces why I hate these kind of forced-online things.
And to advertise their newest game in the same email is just a kick in the groin.
Jag
I always heard that 2k made some of the best sports games but this completely puts me off buying anything from them.
As a casual sports fan one game (per sport) usually lasts around three years due to the minor year on year differences.
NBA 2k14 was also one of the earliest next gen sports games so I’m sure lots of people bought it for something to play on them.
While you may still be able to create offline saves (and restart your career you spent countless hours playing) the optics to paying customers is really bad and could very well turn them away from the entire 2k brand.
hazelam
is this an example of “the power of the cloud”?
JR.
Yes, but apparently it’s clear skies from here on out :P