Finally, arcade basketball is back on PS5!
Play by Play Studios – the indie dev led by EA Big veteran Mike Young – has confirmed a June release window for its previously announced NBA The Run, an arcade-style 3v3 basketball game inspired by classics like NBA Street and NBA Jam.
Excited? You won’t have to wait long to try it for yourself, as sign-ups are open for a closed beta right now, which is scheduled to officially get underway on 1st May.
Here’s the blurb, which should give you a bit of insight into the game:
“At launch, players will take to the courts as one of over 30 NBA stars, along with five fictional streetball legends, each with different playstyles, and each uniquely handcrafted and stylized. Gameplay is fast, fluid and responsive, powered by true rollback netcode, ensuring every crossover, dive for loose ball and alley-oop syncs simultaneously for every player in a seamless online experience.”
Real-life players featured include Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Steph Curry, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
There’ll be three modes in the title at launch, as outlined in its press release:
- Knockout Squads
- Play on a Squad of three. You control 1 player on the Squad, fill out your team with friends / other players and take on the competition.
- Knockout Solos
- Build your own Team of three. You control your team and go head to head against other players and their teams of three.
- Knockout Friends
- Your own Private Tournament. Play alone against the AI, crew up with friends against the AI, or go head to head against anyone you want to invite in (up to 48 players at Launch).
We know it looks a little janky in this latest gameplay trailer, but this is all about feel, isn’t it? As long as the controls are snappy and those slam dunks feel strong, we’re not overly fussed about the odd unrealistic animation.
In an early gameplay preview, YouTuber SoftdrinkTV says the gameplay feels great, with defence just as rewarding as offence. He notes that it’s more accessible than NBA 2K, but there’s still depth.
Crucially, he also points out that the title is using rollback netcode, similar to modern fighting games like Street Fighter 6. This means the multiplayer gameplay should be responsive and lag-free, and feel like you’re playing locally. Obviously, the aforementioned beta will be an important test of that.
Is this the kind of sports game you’ve been itching for? Sink that wide-open three in the comments section below.
