Choose NBA 2K26
Choose NBA 2K26 if you want the Camera Comfort, Custom Volume Controls, and Stereo Sound side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 74.7% positive across 8,820 reviews.
NBA 2K26 vs NBA 2K27
NBA 2K26 and NBA 2K27 both land in Sports on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Sports games on Steam. NBA 2K26 (2025) is 1 year older than NBA 2K27 (2026). NBA 2K26 scores higher on Steam reviews (74.7% positive) than NBA 2K27 (51.1% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose NBA 2K27
Choose NBA 2K27 if you want the DualShock Controller Support, DualSense Controller Support, and Gamepad Recommended side of the pairing. 2,703 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both NBA 2K26 and NBA 2K27 sit in Sports on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 NBA 2K26 |  NBA 2K27 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2026 |
| Genres | Sports | Sports |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 69.99 USD | 69.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 74.7% positive (8,820 reviews) | 51.1% positive (2,703 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op |
| Developers | Visual Concepts | Visual Concepts |
Side by side
- Both are Sports games on Steam.
- NBA 2K26 (2025) is 1 year older than NBA 2K27 (2026).
- NBA 2K26 scores higher on Steam reviews (74.7% positive) than NBA 2K27 (51.1% positive).
- NBA 2K27 is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than NBA 2K26 (69.99 USD vs. 69.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- NBA 2K26 is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; NBA 2K27 has no Deck rating yet.
NBA 2K26 vs NBA 2K27 — FAQ
- Which is better, NBA 2K26 or NBA 2K27?
- On Steam reviews NBA 2K26 scores higher (74.7% positive) than NBA 2K27 (51.1% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, NBA 2K26 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play NBA 2K26 or NBA 2K27 first?
- If you want chronology, NBA 2K26 (2025) came out before NBA 2K27 (2026). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are NBA 2K26 and NBA 2K27 similar?
- They overlap on Sports on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both NBA 2K26 and NBA 2K27 have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: NBA 2K26 ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; NBA 2K27 ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op.
- Does NBA 2K26 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — NBA 2K26 is rated Deck Verified by Valve. NBA 2K27 doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.