Following behind several other games in the series, NBA 2K25 is getting delisted just two years after its initial release from digital storefronts. This will render the game completely unplayable, including the title’s single-player mode, MyCareer. Initially launched back in 2024, 2K is set to pull the title from sale on October 30, 2026. Online servers will remain active until January 1, 2027. This means that as of that point, every mode within the game, both online and single-player, will be rendered unplayable. Players who purchase the game before October 30 will be able to access offline modes like MyNBA or MyWNBA.
The reason for this is most likely due to a feature known as The City, which was originally introduced as The Neighborhood in NBA 2K18. The feature serves as a hub world that connects the online features with the elements of MyCareer, having the player create a baller, then be dropped into a world in which other players are freely exploring as well. Since the server shutdown will render this portion nonfunctional, any mode attached to it will be unplayable as well, punishing players just looking to unwind with some career play after a long day.
2K stated:
As of January 1, 2027, you’ll no longer be able to play multiplayer games or access any online game modes. MyCAREER and MyTEAM will no longer be available, and it will no longer be possible to earn Virtual Currency (VC). While you will still be able to enjoy Play Now, MyNBA, The W, and MyWNBA, any features that require a connection to 2K servers will be unavailable. This includes multiplayer, Online Leagues, and community sharing.
It isn’t completely uncommon for a studio to delist servers from older games, especially in annualized franchises; 2K Games has been on sort of a spree when it comes to delisting NBA games, with NBA 2K24 and NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 meeting the same fate. Most likely, these games have seen a dip, with the fans of the franchise moving on to newer entries. If you have purchased one of these games, though, and not felt the need to upgrade, this will leave you in the position of either moving on or playing a limited experience.
This also comes during a time when players are concerned about the prospects of an all-digital future. Sony has announced an end to physical media for the PlayStation 5 by 2028, a move following shortly after Grand Theft Auto VI, the biggest release of the last decade, was announced to not be released on Disk. A lot of people have pointed out that in an all-digital future, you don’t really own your games, with this being a perfect example, though I would point out that disk owners of NBA 2K25 will fare no better.
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