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The first gameplay reveal of NBA 2K26 had plenty to unpack in terms of changes coming to this year’s game, and there are widespread refinements across multiple areas.
ProPLAY, which was introduced to current-gen versions previously, will be the backbone of all actions on the court. However, the technology has evolved from what we were used to a couple of years back. This guide will provide you with all the highlights of the reveal.
NBA 2K26 ProPLAY Motion Engine explained
The new and evolved ProPLAY will promote dynamic motion in the game, which will be directly influenced by real-world NBA footage. The new game engine is said to be the biggest change since NBA 2K21, and will focus on utmost realism.
There will be machine-learning technology in the background, which will reportedly be the biggest difference as far as general gameplay is concerned. Thanks to the evolution of the feature, expect realistic on-and-off-ball movements from the NBA stars on the virtual court.
NBA 2K26 Enhanced Rhythm Shooting
NBA 2K25‘s Rhythm Shooting is back and better this time around. You’ll have complete control over every shot without any significant changes in the controls. However, your Shot Timing and Tempo will manipulate how a throw looks visually. There will be a noticeable difference when you manage to time a shot and when you fail.
While this allows you more freedom when it comes to making shots, it also lets you counter a defender unexpectedly.
Offense
- Green or Miss Shot Timing will be universal across all NBA 2K26 modes. Greened shots with excellent timing will have the highest odds of being a basket, but shot timing windows will scale by difficulty and will be less forgiving in competitive modes.
- New signature go-to post shots.
- Mix and match layup styles from various signature packages with greater layup customizations.
Defense
- More reliable player-to-player collisions compared to the older system.
- Redesigned interior defense to get easier body pumps in the air while contesting finishers at the rim.
- New rebound timing feedback to help you time your rebound attempts better.
Control
- Initiate Quick Protect using the left trigger to evade attempted steals. The rate of success will depend on your timing.
- Hold the left trigger while receiving the ball to square up and catch the ball high, and then seamlessly transition into your shooting motion.
- Both slow-motion Euro-Steps and Signature Size-Ups have been revamped for better control during ball movement.
NBA 2K26 AI enhancements
The enhanced AI will adapt to every move you make and react accordingly.
- Offensive AI will be more proactive when trying to find scoring opportunities.
- Help defense intelligence will dynamically adapt movements based on on-ball and off-ball defensive pressure applicable to the assigned instructions.
- AI teammates will consider your position on the court when playing as MyPlayer, even if you don’t have the ball.
There are plenty of finer changes noted on the patch notes, and they should translate into better gameplay in NBA 2K26.
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