NBA 2K22: The W gets new features on next-gen
Introduced last year, The W was NBA 2K’s attempt to give player’s an authentic WNBA experience. The next-gen exclusive mode was sports video gaming’s first single-player career mode for women’s sports, allowing you to create your own WNBA MyPLAYER and experience a career in the WNBA. It was a welcomed addition to the franchise although we can acknowledge that it left a lot to be desired.
In NBA 2K22, even more depth and details are being added to The W. Unfortunately, the mode will once again be exclusive to next-gen consoles, so only Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.
One of the key areas of improvement is player progression. in NBA 2K22, you can freely customize your player’s badges, giving you more flexibility to create the kind of superstar you want to be. When creating your MyPLAYER, you’ll have badges available next to your attributes in the categories of Finishing, Shooting, Playmaking and Defense. As you play games and fill the meters in each category, you’ll earn badge points which can be used to equip and upgrade badges.
The off-day experience is also getting three new playable experiences designed to truly replicate what it’s like to become a WNBA pro. One of the key new features is contact workouts, which allow you to actually build connections with some of the WNBA’s biggest stars, such as Candace Parker, A’ja Wilson and Nneka Ogwumike. You can challenge them to 1-on-1, 2-on-2, or 3-on-3 games of 21. Each contact specializes in different areas of of the game and will help you improve your badge categories.
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The W Online is returning with some highly requested features and quality of life improvements. You’ll now be able to play online with your friends and link up with them before you begin the matchmaking process. Earning Season XP will level you up and unlock new prizes and rewards inspired by the WNBA’s brightest stars and biggest teams. You can even unlock historic contacts from the Houston Comets and New York Liberty. These contacts will be updated throughout the season to keep things fresh.
While I’m admittedly not an avid WNBA fan, I respect 2K’s attempt to draw more attention to the league. Believe it or not, there are people who enjoy the WNBA and giving them a fresh experience should be celebrated. It’s great to see 2K continue to build upon The W. Now if only the mode was offered on all platforms and not just next-gen.