@Archaotic: He'd become Kwame Brown?

The Folding Chair Security Intern

@tralfaz23: @Moonshadow101: easy there tigers, if you read my whole post i'm trying to show what a great contrast this really is, between tired old b-ball and a truly unique new way of playing.

but it is cute to see your feathers ruffled ;)

F22

they dont remove any animations its just the stats that are affected and the rosters ive seen that feature in action

GRECS

@KaneRobot:
It'd be awesome if someone hacked into that system and turned off all animations for Kobe Bryant, so all he can do is stand in place and never touch the ball.

I'd laugh my ass off if that happened.

Archaotic

...if a player starts to suck, will they REMOVE animations? That would be pretty awesome.

KaneRobot

@F22: You sound like the person who just figured out that pro wrestling is scripted.

"IT'S A SHAM! YOU'RE ALL BEING LIED TO!"

Moonshadow101

@F22:
No argument here. Look at that box art up there, KG looks like a giant douche on it, and I'm a Celtics fan!

Sports players need to get their heads out of their asses and realize they exist to provide Americans with entertainment, not ego.

Interesting system 2K's come up with though. We'll see if it actually works, or if it's just another "INNOVATIVE NEW FEATURE" that will be shuffled under the rug next year, Madden-style.

Archaotic

@TheAngryHeretic:

I can see where people do want the updated rosters to start a franchise. But would I like--and something they could easily do, would be to go to the end of the last season.

I'd like the opportunity to sign some of the FAs my real team didn't, and redo their draft. Basically start off with all the "off season" stuff you do between seasons in the franchise, I want to start with it, and not just start at the first preseason or season opener.

ramenite

@F22: did you just figure that out now? :)

tralfaz23

Sounds like what NBA Live announced they were doing months ago

kingdong6

Exactly what NBA Live is doing. Old.

LULCATS

IMO pro basketball (or any pro sport for that matter) is full of way too overpaid, narcissistic jackasses who think they are gods gift to mankind.

but this Living Roster concept, i must say, is a very cool idea.

F22

Real time facial hair growth is a feature of NHL 2k9. They will grow playoff beards in the playoffs, getting larger as you advance.

ramenite

Even as someone who hasn't played sports games since NFL Blitz on the 64, I still think that this is extremely cool. Kudos to 2K Sports.

KenzinFive

@xAnarChisTx:

Probably just pull them out of the rosters. I think Madden did that when Korey Stringer died.

Nik in NOLA

I want them to have live roster updates. I hate how in 2K8 when a roster update comes out, I can not apply it to my current franchise. Please fix this 2K.

TheAngryHeretic

An awesome sounding feature, good to see it being put into more games

excel_excel

This makes me wonder what would happen if, say, one of these players were to die in real life. Would they just stamp a giant "DECEASED" sign over their picture on the roster?

xAnarChisTx

The announcement of this feature is irrelevant until we get an over the top Kevin Garnett press release about it.

Get with it 2K

mva5580

now all they need to fix is the freaking franchise mode...

N0Skillz

Like Live 365 and DNA. Yes. But those services for FIFA are a trial for subscription. This is EA ppl.

The adidas Live Season service is downloaded into FIFA Soccer 09 each week and will run from the launch of the game to the end of the 2008-2009 season. Gamers will have access to one league of their choice for a free trial from the moment they activate it to the end of the 2008-2009 season.

The likely hood of the EA service being free is poor.

I'll stick with 2K9. Structured team play emphasis. more realistic individual player performances.

dadeisvenm

@F22: their salary depends on demand. People are willing to pay x$ for a ticket, companies pay x$ for tv rights, etc.

There's only room for 15-30 people in any pro sports team. each must be the best that the team can afford. they can afford this with their income, being good makes them more competitive and their income depends on it.

Now I don't understand if you'd rather have only the owner benefit from all that money like in the early 1900 when it's the players that keep the game alive.

they may be overpaid but they deserve their fair share of the pie, and not every pro player makes 20 millions a year, only the very best and they're hard to come by.

interstate78

@F22: Where ya been?

To be fair, the media and common fan are the ones who put these athletes up on said pedestal. I'd guess it's hard to remain grounded, when you can, for example, talk your way out of speeding tickets just by promising to sign a few autographs. (I've tried that before, it didn't go so well...) And of course, when a pro athlete does do something decent, the media doesn't really report it... (insert player name here) getting a DUI or flipping the bird to a crippled kid is, for some reason, WAY more newsworthy.

@2KSports: File under: 'Long Overdue'. I'm surprised you aren't making us purchase a 'roster updates license'.

dae_giovanni

Animations are not removed when a player sucks its just the sliders for that players stats so when a player sucks the sliders are lowered so they are limited to fancy dunks crossovers etc.... they dont remove animations

GRECS

So why bother with NBA 2k10? After all, the only excuse for the yearly iterations was to update the rosters. Now they've made a game that does it without a yearly polish. Or will the roster updates suddenly stop coming out in 12 months, forcing you to upgrade or suffer with outdated player statistics?!

linoth

Eh. I actually am a fan of sports games, but I don't think it's pessimistic on my part to point out that no one will give a damn about this feature in a year when 2k10 (??) comes out. Which is pretty depressing. There should just be one _____ sports game that gets updated every year, with maybe an overhaul every several years to switch to a new engine.

Sadly, that'll never happen.

man in gauze is king ramses II, actually

@F22: As opposed to someone who acts on a movie for 3 months and gets S25 million right? We all know how humble movie actors are... You sure your problem isn't with the shade of their skin?

Sweetsauce

@The Folding Chair Security Intern: Ouch, zing.

...who's Kwame Brown again?

Archaotic

This is a cool feature, but if it's automatic then I could see it getting a LOT of people upset as the in-game roster moves and decisions they make get "overwritten" when a player they trade for is stat-dropped because of real-life performance.

TRT-X

they have had that feature since that game went into production

GRECS

@Sweetsauce: #1 moviestars are another matter and thats not the topic here.

#2 you can sit here and honestly say that pro sports players (ESPEC. basketball players) don't act like they think they are indispensable to the world? You sure your problem isn't just trying to start some shit on this post?

F22

As long as they are right up to date with this feature, it should work out well. There is always some no-name dudes that comes in and play really well, but their ratings don't reflect their talent, hopefully this will rectify that.

jedi420

honestly, sounds like NBA Live 09's Player DNA with unlockable animations...

I dunno, I am still not sold. Live 09 has a 24 hour system update. Which means it will continue to change everyday which I really like. If its gonna be the same for NBA 2k9, (up to date doesnt mean everyday)then you know what, im probably gonna buy this instead.

kingme

@linoth: of course, sports games never update for the year after they are released, once the 08-09 season is done you won't get any more updates with 2k9

pharcotix

@kingme: @kingme: I saw an interview with a developer and he said that it will not be 24 hour info streaming like Live 09. It will be more of updates when necessary to reflect the real life counterpart. I will get NBA2k9 because it is a better basketball game. Not for stat tracking minutia.

jackal888

Sounds tight. If KG wasn't on the cover I'd pick it up.

His comment about being "indifferent" when the Celt's won the Eastern Conf Finals coupled with Boston fans chanting "Bullshit" repeatedly on national television every time one of their guys got called for a foul throughout their entire playoff sprint soured my opinion on the Celtics and Boston fans in general.

At least when that dumbass at the Palace picked a fight with Artest it was one jackass that ruined the game rather than 5,000 in a collective showing of classlessness.

BigPanda

can't wait to get 2K9. this feature just sealed the deal. EA may have won the pigskin wars,(madden09=great), but the hoops belongs to 2K9.(sorry NBA Live)

zanzibarlegend

@pharcotix: I have a 2009 hockey game here with improved hitting, a ton of added animation, online leagues, a new mmo-like career mode, faaar less errors during online play in general in addition to the roster updates you're talking about.

I'm really glad I got it. Any sports game I get I usually put over 50 hours into them whether it's in season mode / online / local multiplayer.

interstate78

I think I might finally jump into next gen sports games with NBA2K9. I loved the series back on the Dreamcast and original Xbox. I think they've consistently released good games, just too much of the same recently. This feels like the year where they're really hitting their stride on this generation of consoles. I'll see if that holds true when some of the reviews come out.

Also, I don't care what features Live has, I'm sorry. The gameplay is light years behind 2K's. No one nails basketball fundamentals like 2K sports does. Maybe I just like my basketball more sim like. NBA Live flat out just does not feel natural when it comes to pure gameplay.

SG_Mahonay

@dsigns:

Let me ask you, have you played Live recently?

SG_Mahonay

Sounds like they are trying to copy Live. I had 2k8 and it wasnt all that. I think im going to get live this year.

dsigns

@jedi420: I always thought the 2K series did this pretty well. case in point: Trevor Ariza, his rating is pretty low in 2k8 but if you actually use him in a game, he'll snag some very impressive offensive rebounds and posterize big name players

d-guy

Almost read that as "Roosters." Imagine a basketball video game with roosters??

Anyhow... so you can download real-time stats that will update the actual players on the court? Sounds like a neat idea.

Cola-In-A-Mug

and the 2k series does it again,I know EA has the feature similar to this but the 2k series has GREAT gameplay and features,that is why the 2k series is king

reaper208

Sounds like Chris Paul is going to get A LOT of DLC. :)

diuqil

Real time facial hair growth would be crazy... You're in franchise mode and your weird young center has some crazy facial hair going on. Your owner bugs you to make him look more presentable, you ask him to shave his beard, he refuses, you fine him everyday until he shaves his beard.

That is the basketball game i want to play.

foxhound417

Sold. Seriously, I think this just sold me on it. I was already wanting this game as it is but this just sealed it.

kadaj24

I just want Jordan and some classic teams in this game

telekinesis

Okay, when I saw this picture, I immediately thought of Messiah (the game, not the person) what with the B&W wings 'n all.

Chef

@Archaotic:
he didnt take the picture for the box art..he is focused while in a game theres a difference from having a ego and being prepared for the game

ImSoMeh

I lol'd

John845

This is a welcome feature, and Live is doing the same think with Dynamic DNA and Live 365. For the first time in a long time, NBA Live is looking better than 2K in my opinion.

shooks81

@F22:

Sounds like you are a depressed jealous out of shape fat kid.

John845