2K Sports just made it official. They're bringing college basketball back to gaming. The announcement came during the NBA 2K26 launch, which confirms what's been an ongoing rumor for months.
The publisher announced they're developing a college basketball game featuring over 100 programs "from powerhouses to Cinderella stories," in a recent tweet. 2K is targeting a 2027 launch window for this game, but the devs are already teasing "a few surprises coming in early 2026."
Basketball and Its Commercial Success
We've all witnessed the rise of basketball over the past decade, and whether you're an NBA fan, WNBA fan, or if you're rooting for your home country in a FIBA world tournament, what's clear is that basketball has reached global milestones with magnitudes of success that now far exceed the NFL and MLB.
This success has also infected college basketball with the NCAA experiencing commercial success that's driven by broadcasting and marketing rights, and its players securing brand-exclusive shoe, apparel, and other endorsement deals the likes of which we've only seen in the pro levels.
It's a stark contrast for video games, however, since college basketball has been absent for more than a decade, with the last major release being NCAA Basketball 10 back in 2009.
If you don't know why, the NCAA Basketball video games disappeared due to legal battles over player likeness, and it has been a tough and uphill battle. However, changes in college athletics, the NCAA's commercial success, and recent changes in regulations have now opened doors for a comeback.
Why College Basketball Video Games Disappeared
To get into the nitty-gritty of the hows and whys of the NCAA Basketball franchise disappearing from commercial shelves, we need to take a brief look back in 2009 to trace a lawsuit that changed everything.
It's when former UCLA player Ed O'Bannon became the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against the NCAA for using his likeness in NCAA Basketball '09 without compensation, which is a clear violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
The ruling determined that NCAA rules, which prevent student-athletes from receiving payments, violated these antitrust laws. It was a big issue back then, and EA, which was originally part of the lawsuit, settled for $40 million to former athletes whose likenesses appeared in games.
It was such a legal fallout that major publishers avoided any other college sports games like the plague. The NCAA ultimately stopped licensing its brand for video games, and the market for other college sports titles has also dried up. That's until recently, when changes in Name, Image, and Likeness regulations created new opportunities, and that includes video games.
Just last year, a bidding war started between EA and 2K for the sole licensing rights of college basketball, where 2K emerged as the winner and will be the sole developer of college basketball video games for years to come.
What to Expect in 2K's College Basketball?
2K's announcement mentions that more than 100 programs will be featured in the game. To give you a bit of context on how large this undertaking is, the NBA only consists of 30 teams. 2K's College Basketball is three times larger than what NBA 2K has been releasing year after year.
So, while it's expected that UCLA, Duke, Kentucky, Texas Tech, Michigan State, and other major powerhouse teams will be in the game, so are the smaller schools. This means that this game will have tons of players and a lot of teams to choose from.
2K's timeline puts the release date in 2027, and whether that's sufficient enough time to cover a lot of schools, only the actual game itself can tell. Although the devs did say that there would be a "few surprises coming in early 2026," which could range from teaser trailers to gameplay demos. Despite that, 2K hasn't yet provided any specifics and whether it would cover previous NCAA seasons or not.
Personally, I think it would be exciting to get past seasons of the NCAA, and there could be many reasons, including where NBA stars have played before, but for me, it's for one and only one reason - Zion Williamson.
The former Duke alumnus and 2019 #1 overall pick for the Pelicans was supposed to be the next face of the NBA and franchise player for New Orleans. That is, until his shoe exploded on him just 30 seconds into a college game against North Carolina, and some could argue he wasn't the same ever since. Playing him at his best version would make this game all the better for me.
That said, 2K's announcement for college basketball is like the light at the end of a very long tunnel. However, whether they can deliver on their very ambitious promise in just 3 years remains to be seen, but having the NBA 2K team behind the project doesn't hurt their chances.
Stay tuned to RealSport101.com: The Home of Sports Gaming News, Guides, Leaks, and Reviews!