NBA 2K22 is going to be the first game in the long-standing franchise made with next-generation technology in mind, which is going to be exciting for a lot of fans of the series. New technology means a smoother experience, more to do, and new animations.
We’ve seen that a competitor of 2K, EA Sports’ FIFA series, is using the new technology to try and make their game one of the most realistic looking simulations out there through new animations. It’s an example of how far the technology has come. So how is 2K responding? Well, this made shot celebration they advertised on Twitter is neat!
Sneak Peek at a new Jumpshot Celebration in 2K22 😳 More new ones coming too
5 days away from #2KDay pic.twitter.com/6RRHAb7i3c
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) September 5, 2021
A few ways that this new spin kick animation might find use in 2K22 is during the less formal games that players can take part in. It seems unlikely that we’re going to watch Steph Curry break this out after hitting a 3-pointer, but we may see it from someone in Park, Blacktop, or ProAm. Maybe we’ll see it as well in some of the postgame celebration lineups.
It’s hard to really understand what the purpose of a player being able to spin kick the air into a split is, but as a big fan of JRPG’s, I can’t say I disapprove of the opportunity to get more anime in my basketball. We’ll obviously need to see how this animation looks in the actual game, and what the context will be, but out of context with nothing more than a motion capture suit, it just looks odd. Of course, we can’t fault them for trying to add more fun ideas to the game, even if this one is a little weird.