IMHO.

NBA 2K19 vs NBA 2K20

NBA 2K19 and NBA 2K20 both land in Sports, Simulation 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 share Sports, Simulation on Steam. NBA 2K19 (2018) is 1 year older than NBA 2K20 (2019). NBA 2K20 scores higher on Steam reviews (61.4% positive) than NBA 2K19 (50% 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 2K19

Choose NBA 2K19 if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 3,307 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose NBA 2K20

Choose NBA 2K20 if you want the Online PvP, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and Online Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 61.4% positive across 10,195 reviews.

Both NBA 2K19 and NBA 2K20 sit in Sports and Simulation 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 2K19 vs NBA 2K20 — Steam metadata comparison
NBA 2K19 — Steam game coverNBA 2K19NBA 2K20 — Steam game coverNBA 2K20
Released20182019
GenresSports, SimulationSports, Simulation
PlatformsWindowsWindows
Steam DeckDeck VerifiedDeck Verified
PricePrice unknownPrice unknown
Steam reviews50% positive (3,307 reviews)61.4% positive (10,195 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-playerMulti-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op
DevelopersVisual ConceptsVisual Concepts

Side by side

NBA 2K19 vs NBA 2K20 — FAQ

Which is better, NBA 2K19 or NBA 2K20?
On Steam reviews NBA 2K20 scores higher (61.4% positive) than NBA 2K19 (50% 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 2K19 or NBA 2K20 first?
If you want chronology, NBA 2K19 (2018) 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 2K19 and NBA 2K20 similar?
They overlap on Sports, Simulation 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 NBA 2K19 and NBA 2K20 both run on Steam Deck?
Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.