“In the NBA 2KVR Experience, players will join NBA 2K17 cover athlete and All-Star Paul George as they step onto the court at the Indiana Pacers’ stadium, Bankers Life Fieldhouse,” 2K said in the official announcement.
The game will be released simultaneously on PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, and Samsung Gear VR — the Oculus Rift is omitted, which is curious considering Oculus’ technology powers the Gear VR headset.
Less of a full-fledged basketball simulation than a mini-game collection, the entire game will be paired with commentary from Paul George, who will “guide the player” through challenges like the three-point shootout, “a speed and accuracy skills challenge,” and the time-sensitive buzzer beater challenge.
NBA 2KVR Experience also features fairly heavy cross-branding with Gatorade. Players can purchase (using in-game currency) power-ups for their upcoming challenges. A “Gatorade Thirst Quencher” drink will improve shot accuracy, while protein bars offer boosts to stamina and quickness.
2K describes the game as “the first virtual reality basketball game immersing players in a new, entertaining NBA environment,” but this is slightly misleading. While it’s the first VR basketball game to feature the NBA setting and challenges, you do have other VR options for shooting some baskets. Hoops VR on HTC Vive, for instance, allows you to practice your free throws until you’re better than Shaq … actually, you probably already are.
NBA 2KVR Experience is out tomorrow for $12 on all three supported platforms.
