NBA 2K15: Review of Ratings Philosophy with Producer Mike Stauffer

What's the big deal about player ratings in a sports video game? If the game is realistic, the numbers behind the virtual likenesses of our favorite players are vitally important to an accurate simulation of the real sport.

Mike Stauffer understands that, and that's one of the reasons he's working with 2K Sports to produce the most logical ratings the NBA 2K series has seen. This year, fewer players received 90 or above overall ratings, but fewer were ranked in the 60s.

In fact, the lowest-rated players in the game are at 64 (Shavlik Randolph and Bruno Caboclo), and that simply acknowledges that every guy in the NBA is talented.

Players were rated and categorized by their role as opposed to being evaluated on one rather confining scale. For example, the Atlanta Hawks' Kyle Korver is looked at as a spot-up shooting wing player.
This encapsulates his responsibilities and the expectations gamers should have while controlling him in the game.

In previous versions of NBA 2K, Korver's rating would always be extremely low because of his lack of athleticism and dribbling skills, but his impact in the game wouldn't match his mark. As a three-point shooter, Korver could win a game for you in NBA 2K. Thus, a rating in the 60s just didn't seem accurate.

This year, Korver is rated 78.

Clearly, Stauffer understood this was an issue, and that concept is a major reason the game's ratings philosophy has changed. To further augment the realism, an increased focus on player badges—essentially functioning as special skills—help to individualize players on the floor.

Through a ton of time with the game, it's become apparent to me that the new ratings are working. Games are far more realistic struggles with a good offensive/defensive balance. Shooting percentages are more true to life, and great players stand out.

Recently, I got an opportunity to discuss the motivation behind this year's rankings with Stauffer, as well as how he envisions ratings updates to progress through the season.

Though he was battling a cold, Stauffer's passion for the sport, the game and the process shined through. NBA 2K15 is one of the best sports video games to release in a long while. I rated it a 9.3 out of 10, which is consistent with the ratings coming through from other publications.

GameSpot's Josiah Renaudin and USA Today Sports' Nick Schwartz both gave it a nine. A game this good takes a strong team to construct, but make no mistake about it, Stauffer's contributions can be felt in the finished product.

Check out the interview in the video above.

Follow Brian Mazique aka FranchisePlay, the Sports Video Game Journalist.