2K Football Is Coming Back… With A Catch

2K and the NFL have announced a new multi-year partnerships to bring new football video games to the market. This sounds like awesome news on the surface, but the new 2K football video games will be “non-simulation football game experiences,” so they will not be like the NFL 2K games of yesteryear.

 

EA Sports and the Madden franchise has had an exclusive license on NFL video games for well over a decade, and an NFL football game from 2K has not been out since all the way back in 2004 with the all-time classic NFL 2K5. This new deal between 2K and the NFL apparently ensures the upcoming games will not directly compete and step on the toes of Madden.

 

“The NFL is one of the most successful sports brands in the world, known for creating incredible entertainment for fans,” said David Ismailer, President of 2K. “We’re thrilled to be back in business with the NFL in a partnership that will span multiple video games centered on fun, approachable and social experiences. It’s exciting to bring together 2K’s expertise in creating award-winning sports games with the NFL’s renowned status as a world-class entertainment and sports organization.”

 

Senior Vice President of Consumer Products at the NFL, Joe Ruggiero, added: “Expanding the NFL’s presence in the world of gaming has become a focus for the League as we look to grow the next generation of our fanbase and reviving our partnership with 2K was a natural step in that effort. 2K is a worldwide leader in sports video games, with a proven track record of creating best-in-class and award-winning games and we look forward to sharing more about the projects we are working on with them in the future.”

 

It’s unclear exactly what type of game 2K and the NFL want to release, but an NFL Blitz-like game could be a possibility. Fans might enjoy an NFL Street-style video game, but that series was created by rival EA. The most realistic scenario might be a “MyPark” inspired game where users can gather together and play with friends, perhaps in a 7-on-7 setting. However, the NFL license almost certainly means some type of 11-on-11 gameplay will be included, despite the non-sim style.

 

The first new NFL 2K football video game is set to release in 2021, presumably on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 consoles coming this holiday season.