NBA 2K20 to Feature WNBA Play Now & Season Mode
NBA 2K20 will include the WNBA as both Play Now and Season Mode options.
Among the players mo-capped for 2K20 were Candace Parker, Breanna Stewart, Amaya Valdemoro Madariaga, and Maite Cazorla. The development team focused on specific AI, playbooks, and defensive schemes for each WNBA team as well as player specific details such as tattoos, shorts length, shoes, hairstyles, faces, and more.
One year ago, Parker was a member of the 'NBA LIVE Squad,' presumably paid to help market LIVE 19's female create-a-player feature. Now it would seem she is part of 2K's marketing efforts. After adding the WNBA as part of Play Now in NBA LIVE 18 and female CAP in 19, it is worth watching to see if or how the WNBA expands in NBA LIVE 20 or if 2K20 will surpass EA's efforts in just one edition.
Working on the characters for NBA 2K is a big task. The players, uniforms, shoes, accessories, hairstyles, and tattoos are always evolving, and we are constantly re-evaluating all aspects of our players in-game. We are so excited to be adding the WNBA to our game this year, and want to make sure we give it the attention to detail that the NBA 2K franchise is known for. So how do we start? Research… lots of research! We break the tasks down into manageable pieces, and attack them as directly as we can for each piece. Many of the big picture components, such as uniforms and shoes, are the same between NBA and WNBA, but that’s not enough. We need to dig down to find the specifics of the WNBA, the teams, and each individual player!
We also spent a great deal of time developing specific AI, playbooks, and defensive schemes for each WNBA team to accurately portray their real-life styles. If you are already a tried-and-true WNBA fan you are going to experience the game you love in a brand new way. Cambage and Griner banging down low, Vandersloot and The Point Gawd herself Chelsea Gray slinging passes and everything in between. The grit, the hustle, the precision, the finesse. You’ll find it all in NBA 2K20.
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Blog on WNBA in NBA 2K20. Play Now and Season with their own mo captures.
