NBA 2K21 players are not happy with 2K, and the game has come under fire from its fans for a valid reason. NBA 2K21 has allegedly added unskippable ads into its pre-game loading screens. As reported by Stevivor, the game has inserted unskippable video ads that play during pre-game loading screens and between matches. The worst part in NBA 2K21 is that you cannot even skip through them. The game features video ads for Oculus Quest 2 and appear on all versions of the game across all platforms, including the PS4, Xbox One, and Windows PC.
In-game ads are usually added to free games or are seen in free-to-play titles. However, NBA 2K21 is not a free but a full-priced game. Some versions of this game may cost even up to $100, but still, it has embedded ads inside. Here is a video recorded by Stevivor that clearly shows the ad playing for the Oculus Quest 2.
NBA 2K21 Plays Ads in MyTEAM Season 2
As you can see in the video above, 2K has attached the unskippable video ad to the pre-game loading screen titled “MyTEAM Season 2, Episode 7.” The ad starts automatically on the loading screen and provides no option to skip even after the ad runs full. Stevivor says that it takes longer even on a PC that runs from an SSD drive. This thing has irritated a whole lot of players as they’re seeing ads even after paying for the game, full price.
This is not the first time the NBA 2K series has received criticism from gamers. It has already faced such backlash for its focus on monetization beyond the initial cost of the game. This unnecessary step from the 2K will likely make things worse if it does not remove these ads. Though, it is still unclear whether 2K will keep these in-game ads long-term or do something else with them.
