SimulationSports
NBA 2K21
The first 3 hours are a test
Gets good by 3h almost every game dips in hours 2–3
Fully opens up by 10h rated like by long-time players
Started playing 67% of owners
Steam reviews 42% positive of 38,790
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours most reviews are negative (81%); after 20h it's 1 in 2 (56%).
- Fully opens up by hour 10.
- The opening is criticised more than in 99% of games we track.
- The game has no story achievements, so drop-off points can't be measured.
- Only 67% of owners have even the first achievement — the rest barely played.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 38,975 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 294 reviews: 171.9h for positive, 86.7h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (67.4% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
This game has no story achievements, so we can't tell where players quit.
All achievements (50)
story milestone ending side
- Now Do That Every Time Make 1 Green Release shot in any game 100%
- Cover The Spread Win any game by more than 10 points 92%
- No Contest Win a game by more than 20 points 87%
- Good Call Coach Make an on-the-fly defensive coaching adjustment during any game 76%
- Got What It Takes? Declare for the draft in MyCAREER 75%
- Just Right Make 5 Green Release shots in any game 75%
- Hard Work Pays Off Get drafted to an NBA team in MyCAREER 73%
- Here We Go Again Play an NBA game in MyCAREER 68%
- Triple Threat Make 10 three-point shots in any one game 66%
- Rough It To Class Make it to college in MyCAREER 63%
- Not Too Shabby Score 10 points in a MyCAREER NBA game 62%
- Taking Over Activate your MyPLAYER’s Takeover Meter 58%
- Contender Score 20 points in a MyCAREER NBA game 55%
- And The Award Goes To Be named Player of the Game in a MyCAREER NBA game 54%
- Helping Hand Get 5 assists in a MyCAREER NBA game 54%
- Undeniable Make 5 free throws in a MyCAREER NBA game 53%
- Clutch Score 30 points in a MyCAREER NBA game 50%
- Welcome To The Next Level Level up during any Season in MyTEAM 50%
- Double Trouble Record a double-double in a MyCAREER NBA game 45%
- Thief Get 3 steals in a MyCAREER NBA game 43%
- Executive Assistant Get 10 assists in a MyCAREER NBA game 42%
- Timing Is Everything Make 10 Green Release shots in any game 42%
- The I In Team Score or assist on half your team's points in a MyCAREER NBA game 41%
- Tre' Bomber Make 5 three-pointers in a MyCAREER NBA game 38%
- Makin' Moves Accept a Trade in MyLEAGUE 35%
- True Gamer Enter the arcade in MyCAREER 31%
- Deny, Deny, Deny Get 3 blocks in a MyCAREER NBA game 28%
- Go Ahead And Jump Create a jump shot in MyCAREER 28%
- I'll Take That Get 3 offensive rebounds in a MyCAREER NBA game 26%
- Five Finger Discount Get 5 steals in a MyCAREER NBA game 26%
- Life's A Beach Enter the Beach Life MyCOURT in MyCAREER 26%
- I Choose You… Evolve an Evolution player in MyTEAM 26%
- Schumacher Create a Pair of Shoes with Shoe Creator 26%
- Punish Their Mistakes Get 10 defensive rebounds in a MyCAREER NBA game 23%
- All Rise Record a triple-double in a MyCAREER NBA game 21%
- Hall Of Famer Achieve an overall rating of 90 in MyCAREER 20%
- Not On My Court Get 5 blocks in a MyCAREER NBA game 14%
- Paladin Get 5 offensive rebounds in a MyCAREER NBA game 12%
- Movie Critic Select and watch an Episode of 2KTV 11%
- Badged Up Apply a Hall of Fame badge to any player in MyTEAM 9.9%
- Make A Trade Acquire a card on The Exchange 9.9%
- Dynamic Play a game with two players who form a duo in MyTEAM 8.8%
- Geologist Collect a player card of every gem color in MyTEAM 8.2%
- Challenge Completed Complete any Spotlight Challenge set in MyTEAM 7.4%
- Motivational Speaker Play a game in MyGM 7.1%
- Ladies' Choice Play a WNBA Quick Game 3.6%
- Social Distancer Perform an emote from a vehicle in MyCAREER 3.3%
- Bling Bling! Earn a season ring from any Season in MyTEAM 2.1%
- Weekend Warrior Win 5 or more games of Limited in MyTEAM 1.8%
- I’m A Star Earn all 594 stars in Domination mode in MyTEAM 0.6%
Steam page Updated: 2026-10-18.