Choose NBA 2K17
Choose NBA 2K17 if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 1,791 Steam reviews back the pick.
NBA 2K17 vs NBA 2K20
NBA 2K17 and NBA 2K20 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 2K17 (2016) is 3 years older than NBA 2K20 (2019). NBA 2K20 scores higher on Steam reviews (61.4% positive) than NBA 2K17 (55.4% 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 2K20
Choose NBA 2K20 if you want a Simulation game with Online PvP, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 61.4% positive across 10,195 reviews.
Both NBA 2K17 and NBA 2K20 sit in Sports on Steam and both list Multi-player and Shared/Split Screen, 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 2K17 |  NBA 2K20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2019 |
| Genres | Sports | Sports, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Verified |
| Price | Price unknown | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 55.4% positive (1,791 reviews) | 61.4% positive (10,195 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | 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 2K17 (2016) is 3 years older than NBA 2K20 (2019).
- NBA 2K20 scores higher on Steam reviews (61.4% positive) than NBA 2K17 (55.4% positive).
- NBA 2K20 has co-op; NBA 2K17 does not.
- Steam Deck: NBA 2K17 is Deck Unsupported, NBA 2K20 is Deck Verified.
NBA 2K17 vs NBA 2K20 — FAQ
- Which is better, NBA 2K17 or NBA 2K20?
- On Steam reviews NBA 2K20 scores higher (61.4% positive) than NBA 2K17 (55.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, NBA 2K20 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 2K17 or NBA 2K20 first?
- If you want chronology, NBA 2K17 (2016) came out before NBA 2K20 (2019). 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 2K17 and NBA 2K20 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.