2K to delist and shut down game’s single-player mode after only two years

| Games News Writer Published October 6, 2026 10:35am Updated October 6, 2026 10:35am A career crash out (2K Games) The single-player campaign of one of 2K’s most popular sports sim will be unplayable from 2027, as the publisher tries to shift people onto the latest instalment. While all online games have an expiration date, if they’re a success, it’s usually many years before a publisher pulls the plug on them. When it comes to 2K’s annual sports games, however, it’s a different story. The company has a track record for cutting the lifespan of its games short prematurely – as seen with WWE 2K23 and PGA Tour 2K23 – in order to push more people to buy the latest iteration. In keeping with this trend, 2K Games has now announced it will delist NBA 2K25 from all digital storefronts on October 30, 2026. The basketball sim launched on September 6, 2024, so it’s being stripped from sale just over two years after it came out. Additionally, NBA 2K25’s online servers will be shut down from January 1, 2027. This means the game’s multiplayer modes and MyCareer, the game’s single-player story mode, will be unplayable from that date. The MyCareer mode relies on virtual currency to upgrade your player, so without online servers, it means those features are disabled. Want GTA 6 news? Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for the latest GTA 6 news, reviews of new games you should play and exclusive analysis of the biggest stories of the week. In a statement, 2K Games wrote: ‘As of January 1, 2027, you’ll no longer be able to play multiplayer games or access any online game modes. MyCareer and MyTeam will no longer be available, and it will no longer be possible to earn virtual currency (VC). ‘While you will still be able to enjoy Play Now, MyNBA, The W, and MyWNBA, any features that require a connection to 2K servers will be unavailable. This includes multiplayer, Online Leagues, and community sharing. ‘Thanks for being a part of our community and hope you continue to enjoy NBA 2K!’ While this isn’t out of the norm for 2K (the servers for NBA 2K24 were shut down the same time last year), it’s still a disappointing reflection of the times – and makes you wonder why people would buy a game which will be essentially defunct after just two years. The fact 2K has done this over the past few entries suggests players haven’t kicked up much of a fuss about it – so it’s perhaps reflective of the audience who do buy annual sports games every year and rarely return to prior entries. When it comes to preservation, however, it’s a bleak trend. A slam dunk to the servers (2K Games) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. Arrow MORE: A rough guide to 40 years of Castlevania and the brand new Belmont’s Curse game Arrow MORE: Rockstar co-founder refuses to play GTA 6 but not because of any bad blood Arrow MORE: Marvel Rivals lookalike Project Comet is another free-to-play game coming soon GameCentral Get the latest GTA 6 news, reviews of new games you should play and exclusive analysis of the biggest stories of the week.