NBA 2K19: Breaking Down Best New Features for This Year's Game

Like its cover star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA 2K19 series continues to redefine what it means to be atop the sporting game market. 

This continued evolution has been apparent both via gameplay and other features in the past, with notables such as the story modes sticking out and even causing competitors to dive into that area, like EA Sports with Madden. 

But coming off the monster success that was NBA 2K18, the team at 2K Sports had to find ways to innovate with another yearly release, this time trying to hit on every possible angle. 

Some of the best new features this year come on the court itself. New this year is the Takeover system, which is exactly what it sounds like. Just like the way some of the game's biggest stars such as LeBron James take over games on their lonesome, users can now experience this same thing for the first time. 

If this sounds like an "on fire" mechanic from games of old, it is. But 2K Sports doesn't want a player who normally struggles shooting from deep to suddenly start hitting them left and right, so this on-fire meter of sorts involves player archetypes to keep things realistic. 

But this year's game isn't content to only address the offensive end of the court. Defense gets some love via a long-awaited change to the steal system, which puts some of the skill back into the equation. Game Informer's Matt Bertz touched on this recently: 

"Successful steal opportunities are now governed by a zone system that judges vulnerability. Defenders who recognize prime stealing opportunities where the ball is exposed – during open-bodied hesitation dribbles and when post players aren’t protecting the ball from secondary defenders, for example – will be rewarded for their smart timing."

As always, customization is an important facet of the user experience for 2K Sports, so the developers are responding to feedback by offering up options for the shot meter. Not only does it make a return for layups, users can now choose which one they want to use based on past iterations. 

Elsewhere, MyGM: The Saga returns and offers a story in the vein of an expansion team. MyLeague Online gets a facelift this year as well, opting for live events for staples of the offseason such as free agency and the draft. 

And, no, this isn't limited to major events, as the game's official blog wrote the following: "Since we are now a real-time full-on MyLEAGUE Online mode, you now also have real-time Staff Signing, a real-time NBA Draft, real-time League Meetings (voting on rule changes), real-time everything. It's a whole new MyLEAGUE Online."

In many ways, it sounds like the goal with NBA 2K19 is putting power back in the hands of users, offering more freedom to play the game the way they choose.

Which isn't to say the usual checklist items aren't here. Tuning sliders will receive more depth additions. Creating players will have more depth. Graphics and physics will see upgrades, as will the A.I. in an effort to make the game more true to real life. 

But the bulk of NBA 2K19's promotion seems to focus on the bigger talking points mentioned above, which is important for a series trying to stay atop the mountain while keeping fans happy, innovating in the online landscape and even continuing to push an esports league. 

Fans can get their hands on the game September 11.