{"id":2235974,"date":"2024-05-02T20:00:03","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T00:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wow-company-accused-of-using-the-memory-of-kobe-bryant-to-keep-gamers-engaged\/"},"modified":"2024-05-02T20:09:46","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T00:09:46","slug":"wow-company-accused-of-using-the-memory-of-kobe-bryant-to-keep-gamers-engaged","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wow-company-accused-of-using-the-memory-of-kobe-bryant-to-keep-gamers-engaged\/","title":{"rendered":"Shocking: Company Allegedly Exploiting Kobe Bryant&#8217;s Memory to Retain Gamers"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwow-company-accused-of-using-the-memory-of-kobe-bryant-to-keep-gamers-engaged%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2235974&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article by Bryan Chai discusses\u200c the controversial\u2062 practice \u200dof card\u2062 collection modes in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mlb-the-show-video-game-introduces-women-players\/\" title=\"MLB The Show' Game Now Includes Female Players\">sports video games<\/a>, where players acquire virtual player cards via digital packs. These modes often involve real-money purchases to obtain \u200cdesired player cards, leading to criticism for their gambling-like\u200b nature. The piece\u2062 also \u200chighlights the recent uproar in\u200d the\u2064 gaming community over a\u2062 reneged promise of a Kobe \u200bBryant card in NBA 2k.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/entertainment\/\">  Entertainment <\/a>   <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/bchai\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/bchai\/%20\"><span>Bryan Chai<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   May 2, 2024 at 1:23pm <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>It shouldn\u2019t be this hard to run an inherently predatory video game mode.<\/p>\n<p>If you haven\u2019t played a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nyt-john-madden-was-the-mastermind-of-an-8-billion-gaming-franchise\/\" title=\"NYT: John Madden Was the Mastermind of an  Billion Gaming Franchise\">sports video game<\/a> in the last dozen or so years, you\u2019ve thankfully missed the rise of card collection modes that have become a pillar of any modern <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fauci-says-mask-wearing-must-continue-until-virus-not-a-threat-at-all-likely-into-late-2021\/\" title=\"Fauci Says Mask-Wearing Must Continue Until Virus \u2018Not A Threat At All,\u2019 Likely Into Late 2021\">sports game<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>These modes will generally have you build your team via player cards obtained from opening digital \u201cpacks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Want to have Joe Montana throw to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/taylor-swifts-boyfriend-travis-kelce-gets-extension-worth-millions-becomes-highest-paid-tight-end-nfl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Travis Kelce<\/a>? Want to have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/larry-bird-2-0-nba-superstar-accomplishes-feat-mj-wilt-magic-lebron-kobe-never\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Luka Doncic<\/a> throwing alley-oops to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/barack-obama-laments-michael-jordan-not-supporting-democratic-political-causes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Michael Jordan<\/a>? Want to have Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby fly around the ice as teammates? It\u2019s all possible in these card collection modes.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s easy to see the allure of these modes as a sports fan.<\/p>\n<p>The issue, however, is that if you want a Montana, Kelce, Doncic, Jordan, Gretzky or Crosby on your squad, you\u2019re going to have to effectively gamble to acquire them, more often than not.<\/p>\n<p>Just like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-derangement-porn\/\" title=\"Trump Derangement Porn\">real-life counterpart<\/a> it\u2019s inspired by, you have to buy digital packs \u2014 with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-derek-chauvin-trial-coverage-to-ninth-day\/\" title=\"The Derek Chauvin Trial \u2013 Coverage to Ninth Day\">real money<\/a> being the easiest way to buy them \u2014 and hope that you pull one of those coveted player cards.<\/p>\n<p>As an example of how predatory this can be, in NBA 2k\u2019s MyTeam mode, there\u2019s typically a less than one percent chance of pulling the best possible card in a given pack.<\/p>\n<p>And to offer an idea how quickly this pricey practice can add up, in NBA 2k24, it\u2019s currently $49.99 to buy 200,000 Virtual Currency in MyTeam. 200,000 VC will get you 20 of their premium card packs. Twenty stabs at less-than one percent odds is not particularly favorable for the consumer, especially at 50 bucks a pop.<\/p>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Do you play sports video games?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>And yet, the mode\u2019s popularity across all sports (\u201cMadden Ultimate Team\u201d mode is a key staple of the omnipresent NFL video game) has persisted, despite the predatory practices getting worse with each passing year.<\/p>\n<p>Things may have finally reached a tipping point, in at least one game\u2019s card collection mode.<\/p>\n<p>The aforementioned NBA 2k franchise is in hot water after it seemingly reneged, last-second, on a promised Kobe Bryant card for players that was due in April.<\/p>\n<p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/nba.2k.com\/2k24\/courtside-report\/myteam\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">blog<\/a> post leading to NBA 2k24\u2019s release, the company offered a mysterious Bryant card as an award for hitting a certain \u201ccollector level.\u201d You achieve those collector levels by acquiring <em>a ton <\/em>of those aforementioned cards \u2014 including the sub-one-percent cards.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCollector level rewards have always been important in MyTEAM, and last year the rewards came as surprises with a hidden end goal,\u201d the blog post reads. \u201cSo let\u2019s look forward a few months and reveal that Kobe Bryant will be the top reward in the Collector Level, and this reward will be available in April, during Season 6.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a late Tuesday post (which would be the last possible day to hit that aforementioned April deadline) on the NBA 2k Community Discord, as reported on by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/paultassi\/2024\/05\/01\/nba-2k-players-furious-about-kobe-bryant-collector-level-reward-removal\/?sh=25a74d024b65\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forbes<\/a>, the company offered a sudden change to the previously promised Bryant card:<\/p>\n<p>\u201c2K strives to deliver the very best NBA 2K24 MyTEAM experience to the community. Please note that a change to a reward has occurred. Players who achieve a top Collector Level will now receive an Option Pack for two picks out of ten previously released 100 OVR Cards. We appreciate that players have dedicated time and effort throughout the year to achieve this reward and 2K is committed to ensuring players continue to earn valuable content as their reward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fans are furious with this bait-and-switch, as Forbes, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gameinformer.com\/2024\/05\/01\/nba-2k24-removes-collector-level-reward-kobe-bryant-at-last-second-sparking-fan-outcry\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Game Informer<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.themirror.com\/sport\/basketball\/nba-2k-kobe-bryant-fury-465469\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Mirror<\/a> have all documented.<\/p>\n<p>Forbes\u2019 Paul Tassi actually expressed incredulity at how badly 2k botched the language of this sudden and unexplained change:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-conversation=\"none\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">do you know how nuts something has to be for me to write about a sports game? 2K promised Kobe as a reward for players in April, and with literal hours to go they switched and said they were pulling him without saying why. Players are livid<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Paul Tassi (@PaulTassi) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PaulTassi\/status\/1785660004042760272?\">May 1, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Some of the game\u2019s online content creators are vocally expressing their collective discontent with the mode. Some even went so far as to swear off the game altogether.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I don\u2019t care about all of the pre-launch promo we\u2019re going to see for 25<\/p>\n<p>Unless the blog starts with \u201cThe auction house is back\u201d (it won\u2019t) I will not be hyping anything before launch!<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s going to take a LOT for 2k to earn any trust back and I can\u2019t see it happening<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 DBG (@DBGyt_) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DBGyt_\/status\/1785976447963746623?\">May 2, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Terrence Ross is a real one \ud83d\udcaf<\/p>\n<p>2K you have NBA players who don\u2019t even wanna play the mode anymore.<\/p>\n<p>Time for a change <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/K2a4pyxkQe\">https:\/\/t.co\/K2a4pyxkQe<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 lethal2K (@LethalPasquale) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LethalPasquale\/status\/1786030768575123896?\">May 2, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>As The Mirror documented, some fans online have went so far as to accuse the NBA 2k developers of \u201cusing\u201d the memory of Kobe Bryant (who passed away in 2020) as a dangling carrot for players to continue the lengthy \u2014 and costly \u2014 grind of acquiring all those player cards.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement to The Washington Post\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HerbScribner\/status\/1785797749557936157\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Herb Scribner<\/a>, 2k has declined to comment on the controversy.<\/p>\n<p>According to Forbes, due to NBA 2k24\u2019s terms of service, any legal recourse is unlikely.<\/p>\n<div id=\"author-info-44778\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/bchai\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-44778\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-44778\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-44778\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-44778\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Bryan Chai has written news and sports for The Western Journal for more than five years and has produced more than 1,300 stories. He specializes in the NBA and NFL as well as politics.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>  Bryan Chai has written news and sports for The Western Journal for more than five years and has produced more than 1,300 stories. He specializes in the NBA and NFL as well as politics. He graduated with a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. He is an avid fan of sports, video games, politics and debate. <\/p>\n<p>  Birthplace <\/p>\n<p>  Hawaii <\/p>\n<p>  Education <\/p>\n<p>  Class of 2010 University of Arizona. BEAR DOWN. <\/p>\n<p>  Location <\/p>\n<p>  Phoenix, Arizona <\/p>\n<p>  Languages Spoken <\/p>\n<p>  English, Korean <\/p>\n<p>  Topics of Expertise <\/p>\n<p>  Sports, Entertainment, Science\/Tech <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a recent article by Bryan Chai on May 2, 2024, at 1:23 pm, he highlights the challenges of managing predatory video game modes. The emergence of card collection modes in sports video games over the past decade has significantly reshaped the gaming landscape, adding complexity and controversy to the experience<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2015,"featured_media":2235975,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Black-and-White-Kobe.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2235974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Black-and-White-Kobe.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2235974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2015"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2235974"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2235974\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2235975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2235974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2235974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2235974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}