As video game publishers adapt to market changes, the continued popularity of sports games could provide a potential lifeline. 2K, the publisher of prominent sports titles such as NBA 2K and WWE 2K, has a head start in the race for sports real estate and is aiming to dominate in 2024.
On Tuesday, 2K unveiled “Top Spin 2K25,” the latest edition of 2K's popular tennis game series. This is the first Top Spin title since 2011's Top Spin 4, and the latest in a series of sports games that 2K has released over the past year. According to 2K's official website, seven of the publisher's last eight major releases have been sports games, including last month's WWE 2K24.
Ahead of the release of Top Spin 2K25, Digiday spoke with Bryce Yang, 2K's senior director of sports brand marketing, about why and how 2K is investing in its sports game portfolio.
This conversation has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
About 2K's recognition as a sports game publisher
Jan:
When most mainstream people think of 2K, they definitely think of sports. But if you look at some of the biggest franchises in 2K's history, like Borderlands, Bioshock, and Civ.[ilization], “XCOM” – These are titles that aren't actually sports. So I think that within the endemic gaming space, a lot of people are actually thinking about non-sports titles, but in the more general cultural mainstream, there's a close connection to sports. So I think it depends on the person asking the question.
DIGIDAY:
Sports games are attractive to game publishers because they can go beyond the typical gaming audience and better capture the attention of non-gamers who are fans of traditional sports. “NBA 2K” has been a virtual rite of passage for teenagers for years, and games like “PGA Tour 2K” feature the faces of famous players such as Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas. often.
As gaming in general goes mainstream, 2K maintains a strong connection with its core gamer audience thanks to popular titles like Bioshock and Borderlands. With the Borderlands movie set to be released on August 9th, 2K's non-sports portfolio could see a similar boost to what the Fallout series enjoyed after Amazon Prime's TV adaptation. possible to experience.
Regarding the decision to revive “Top Spin” for the first time in 13 years
Jan:
If you look at our portfolio, both in sports and outside of it, we have continued to grow over the last few years. If you look at our entry into golf with PGA Tour 2K21, that franchise has been a huge success. So you need to seriously consider what other opportunities are out there. And if you look at tennis itself, tennis is at a turning point in the sport, right? A changing of the guard ceremony is being held. It's very exciting to see. Because when that happens, sometimes it involves the birth of a new star, and the new star drives many sports and entertainment businesses.
DIGIDAY:
Yang's answer to this question reflects 2K's firm grasp of the potential connection between the traditional sports space and the gaming market. Tennis is certainly at a tipping point among younger viewers, with old legends like Roger Federer and new stars like Carlos Alcaraz stepping into the spotlight. At the same time, television series such as Netflix's “Break Point” introduced a new generation of gaming personalities.
The change of guard in tennis was reflected in the marketing activities of “Top Spin 2K25”. The game's main cover features veteran players Federer and Serena Williams, while its “deluxe edition” cover features new stars Iga Swiatek, Francis Tiafoe and Alcaraz. , the latter two are promoting the game on their official Instagram page.
Regarding the possibility of in-game advertising in “Top Spin 2K25”'
Jan:
Let's take golf and tennis as an example. In-game branding is authentic, as many golf tournaments and tennis matches feature sponsor logos throughout. “Proud Partner of the PGA Tour” or naming rights: “Waste Management Open”, BNP Paribas. It's just a small part of the space.
So if you look at our games, the tournaments are named exactly as they appear on the sign, rather than in an intrusive way. But when you're playing on the court, you see the logo, right? And if it was nothing, it would probably feel pretty weird. Because that's the unique space of this sport.
DIGIDAY:
For all of the reasons listed above, sports games are a natural environment for in-game advertising, and Yang's answer reflects an understanding of this potential revenue stream. Top Spin 2K25 won't feature programmatic advertising, but 2K has intentionally partnered with tennis tournaments like the Indian Wells Open and incorporated brands from sponsors like French bank BNP Paribas into the game.
As gamers' spending habits increasingly shift away from premium titles and towards free-to-play games, the natural advertising opportunities within sports games make this an attractive option for publishers looking to deepen their revenue streams with in-game advertising and in-game purchases. The genre could be even more appealing. .
