NBA 2K18 The Neighborhood & Road to 99 Explained

NBA 2K18 will be introducing some changes to the game’s mechanics. Players will be able to enjoy new modes, which basically serve to unite several different aspects of gameplay into coherent wholes. These are called The Neighborhood and Road to 99. The Neighborhood is almost like an MMORPG, while Road to 99 will calculate your overall progress, helping you reach an overall rating of 99.

Fans of the NBA 2K series will be happy to know that the developers are planning to do more with the newest installment than just improved visuals and updated rosters. They’re planning to introduce two brand-new aspects of gameplay, called The Neighborhood and Road to 99.

First, let’s cover The Neighborhood. It appears that this mode will mash up MyCareer, Pro-Am and MyPark into one immersive experience. Like the name implies, your MyPlayer and others will be put into a neighborhood together. There, you’ll be able to visit several different locations and meet NPCs and other players. You can compete in The Playground, visit a tattoo parlor and barber shop, listen to music, just chill with other MyPlayers, and more. You might even come across Kyrie Irving and other real-life NBA stars. Both your experience and ratings will differ based on your actions, turning The Neighborhood into almost a kind of MMORPG.

President of Visual Concepts Greg Thomas is pretty proud of the new mode, saying about it:

We’ve elevated the NBA 2K experience to new heights by putting players at the center of a fully-immersive basketball environment to explore, socialize, and most importantly compete. We can’t wait to see what this means for the future of the brand, and for fans to get their hands on NBA 2K18 starting September 15th.

Road to 99, on the other hand, is a new meta-game addition. It will feature a unified badge system across MyCareer, Pro-Am, and MyPark. Basically, it will combine everything you do in the game, no matter which mode you decide to play, and give you your overall rating. This includes badges, animations and attributes, and it will assist you on your journey to become a 99-rated player.

NBA 2K18 is coming out on September 15th, for the PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, and Nintendo Switch. On September 8th, a free downloadable demo, called The Prelude, will launch. It well let players sample the game out for themselves, including The Neighborhood. All progress from The Prelude will carry over into the full game, if you choose to buy it.