This is how it was done 30 years ago, and I think they found that continuing to do it this way makes more money.
Probably the best way forward for someone to try to compete and usurp this series, which would be a tough road even with 2K continuing to shit the bed, would be to make an easily and highly moddable game that gets the sport’s gameplay right from the get-go, so that players can implement their custom teams the way they want without being raked over the coals for the NBA license. There are a handful of American football games out there seeking to do that, but they’ve hardly made a splash compared to the (lately very poorly received) Madden titles, so a game like this would rely on enthusiasts and word of mouth.
This is how it was done 30 years ago, and I think they found that continuing to do it this way makes more money.
Probably the best way forward for someone to try to compete and usurp this series, which would be a tough road even with 2K continuing to shit the bed, would be to make an easily and highly moddable game that gets the sport’s gameplay right from the get-go, so that players can implement their custom teams the way they want without being raked over the coals for the NBA license. There are a handful of American football games out there seeking to do that, but they’ve hardly made a splash compared to the (lately very poorly received) Madden titles, so a game like this would rely on enthusiasts and word of mouth.