In the world of NBA 2K25, Visual Concepts decided to surprise everyone with a quirky twist called Gravity Ball last month.
Described as a blend of futuristic basketball, American Gladiators, and paintball, this $8 addition is quite the mix. During a chat about earnings, someone asked Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two Interactive, if this new mode could signal a shift in how big game franchises evolve. Zelnick replied that innovation is key, saying, “I’m really proud that Visual Concepts and 2K decided to innovate with Gravity Ball, most importantly, creatively.” He added that it’s not just about creativity but also a smart business move, and they’ve already learned a lot from it. “It’s a great little minigame, really terrific,” he noted.
https://www.gamespot.com/videos/nba-2k25-official-gameplay-trailer/2300-6464732/
Zelnick mentioned that players are enjoying Gravity Ball, but it’s “too early to call it a trend.” Unlike Fortnite, which has become a massive stage for all kinds of games like Fortnite Festival and Lego Fortnite, Take-Two isn’t diving headfirst into that approach. It’s like dipping toes in water, not jumping in completely.
We love how games keep surprising us with new stuff!
He also pointed out, “It’s too early to say that, ‘OK, our future is paid minigames inside bigger platform-type games.’ But I think it’s a reflection of the fact that our creative teams are open-minded and are willing to try new things and aren’t being precious about the IP that they create.” This shows they’re not afraid to experiment and shake things up, which is pretty cool.
Aside from NBA 2K25, Zelnick had other topics to cover during the earnings call. He talked about the Borderlands movie not doing well but interestingly boosting game sales for the series. He also cautioned against focusing solely on sequels, suggesting it might lead to problems.
NBA 2K25 hit the shelves in September for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. However, if you’re looking to try out Gravity Ball, it’s only available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S right now.
