Is the NBA 2K League Dead? CEO Lays Off Staff
Fans of the NBA 2K League have been left quite concerned after a recent update that points towards its demise.
In a recent tweet, esports insider Jake Lucky shared that the NBA 2K League CEO had an "eight minute Zoom call" that ended with laying off "the entire league". This comes after a concerning press release was shared earlier today that seems to point at the esport being completely restructured to be, well, not an esport at all.
Is the NBA 2K League Dead?
The NBA 2K League may very well be dead. The new CEO had an 8 minute Zoom call pretty much laying off the entire league, and they are going on a hiatus with rumors to reformat the league with NBA players and celebrities instead… pic.twitter.com/W1jLr8P2WJ
— Jake Lucky (@JakeSucky) July 2, 2024
In a press release published earlier today, NBA and Take-Two announced that the NBA 2K League was being completely reimagined as a "global digital entertainment business." The "bold new vision" seems to be geared more towards pop culture, video games, and basketball than esports.
One of the big changes includes the 2K League becoming more "accessible." This means that instead of top players competing at a high level, Take-Two envisions the league featuring basketball players and celebrities. This will make it more focused on entertainment and fandom rather than high level esports.
The other changes include targeting younger fans with social media content aimed at entertainment. This could mean posts, content series, and more that have a larger focus on content creators and influencers in the NBA 2K space rather than a serious tone aimed at hardcore esports fans. The live events will also reflect this, changing from intense tournaments to "playful environments" with basketball and pop culture focuses.
The response from esports fans has been unsurprisingly negative. Many comments in response to the news accused the 2K League of not knowing what they're doing or relying on "influencer culture." Others saw the vision, however, noting that sports games are not very popular esports.
Olivia is a long-time esports journalist and editor who covers just about every game but has a deep love for the FGC. Her goal is to find community-driven stories that bring a new perspective to the esports scene. In the past, she has worked for Team Liquid, Rogue, Inven Global, Dot Esports, Upcomer, and more. Outside of esports, Olivia enjoys Kirby, Pokemon TCG, Fallout, and writing science fiction. She can be found trying out new foods, traveling, or hanging out with her two orange cats. Fun fact: Olivia can do some video game and cartoon impressions!