Choose NBA 2K17
Choose NBA 2K17 if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 55.4% positive across 1,791 reviews.
NBA 2K17 vs NBA 2K18
NBA 2K17 and NBA 2K18 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 1 year older than NBA 2K18 (2017). NBA 2K17 scores higher on Steam reviews (55.4% positive) than NBA 2K18 (32.9% 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 2K18
Choose NBA 2K18 if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 2,817 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both NBA 2K17 and NBA 2K18 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 2K18 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2017 |
| 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) | 32.9% positive (2,817 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player |
| Developers | Visual Concepts | Visual Concepts |
Side by side
- Both are Sports games on Steam.
- NBA 2K17 (2016) is 1 year older than NBA 2K18 (2017).
- NBA 2K17 scores higher on Steam reviews (55.4% positive) than NBA 2K18 (32.9% positive).
- Steam Deck: NBA 2K17 is Deck Unsupported, NBA 2K18 is Deck Verified.
NBA 2K17 vs NBA 2K18 — FAQ
- Which is better, NBA 2K17 or NBA 2K18?
- On Steam reviews NBA 2K17 scores higher (55.4% positive) than NBA 2K18 (32.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, NBA 2K17 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 2K18 first?
- If you want chronology, NBA 2K17 (2016) came out before NBA 2K18 (2017). 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 2K18 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.