SimulationSports
NBA 2K18
Give it 10 hours
Gets good by 10h then rated almost like by veterans
Fully opens up by 35h rated like by long-time players
Started playing 76% of owners
Steam reviews 29% positive of 18,721
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours most reviews are negative (88%); after 35h it's most (68%).
- Fully opens up by hour 35.
- The opening is criticised more than in 100% of games we track.
- The game has no story achievements, so drop-off points can't be measured.
- 76% of owners got the first achievement.
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 18,760 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 298 reviews: 133.2h for positive, 82.9h 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 (75.7% 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
- I Got You Throw a long pass using Maximum Passing. 100%
- Makin' Adjustments Make an on-the-fly defensive coaching adjustment during a game. 89%
- Let Doc Do His Thing Get a haircut from the Barber Shop in MyCAREER. 58%
- Badge of Honor Earn a badge in MyCAREER. 58%
- My Every Day Player Become a starter in the NBA in MyCAREER. 56%
- Puttin' In Work Complete a full-team practice in MyCAREER. 54%
- Unleash Chaos Have two consecutive breakout games in the NBA in MyCAREER. 53%
- Man With A Plan State your intentions for your franchise in MyGM. 53%
- Just Say No Purchase a Card Pack in MyTEAM. 49%
- Like A Top Perform a spin with the Dribble Move button. 47%
- Half Court...Check Play a game of Downtown, King of the Court, or Dunk Off in MyCAREER. 42%
- I Spy Spalding Find the Spalding IQ equipment in the team practice facility in MyCAREER. 36%
- The Juice is Loose Get a juice from the Juice Stand in MyCAREER. 32%
- More Work? Complete a checklist goal in MyTEAM. 32%
- Thanks, But No Thanks Renounce the rights to one of your players in MyGM/MyLEAGUE. 32%
- Rat-A-Tat-Tat Get a tattoo from the Tattoo Shop in MyCAREER. 29%
- My All-Star Be named an NBA All-Star in MyCAREER. 27%
- Development Time Send a player down to the G-League in MyGM/MyLEAGUE. 26%
- No 'I' In Team Join or Own a 2K Pro-Am Team. 26%
- The Draft And Stash Draft a player that will remain overseas in MyGM/MyLEAGUE. 25%
- In The Zone Score 50 points in the mini basketball game in the 2K Zone in MyCAREER. 24%
- What's It Going To Be? Make the pivotal decision for your franchise in MyGM. 22%
- Draft, Schmaft Win the Rookie of the Year award in MyCAREER. 20%
- Call-Up Time Sign a player from the G-League to a contract in MyGM/MyLEAGUE. 20%
- Fish Knows Best Listen to the fish in your MyCOURT. 18%
- Marathon Man Run 26.2 miles in the streets in MyCAREER. 13%
- Grindin' Away Achieve an overall rating of 90 in MyCAREER. 13%
- Metric Analysis Perform a stat plot using the Analytics Tool in MyGM/MyLEAGUE. 13%
- You Do Know Jack Correctly answer a trivia question in the 2K Zone in MyCAREER. 11%
- Hope And A Dream Sign a player to a Two-Way contract in MyGM/MyLEAGUE. 10%
- Gimme A Boost Purchase a skill boost at the Newsstand in MyCAREER. 9.4%
- On The Dotted Line Acquire a Signature Player in MyTEAM. 9.1%
- Double Trouble Play a game with two players who form a duo in MyTEAM. 9.0%
- Badge of Extreme Honor Level up a badge to Hall of Fame in MyCAREER. 8.2%
- Capped Out Max out all of your badges in MyCAREER. 8.1%
- I Got This Win a bet with Doc in MyCAREER. 6.3%
- Get Your Feet Wet Complete a 2K Pro-Am Walk-On game. 4.9%
- The First Of Many Earn a Call-Up in Play Now Online. 4.6%
- Ringer Beat a Tier 1 team with a team from a lower tier in Play Now Online. 3.3%
- One of... Acquire a Numbered Player in MyTEAM. 3.2%
- 297 Problems and Domination IS One! Earn 297 Stars by completing all Domination modes in MyTEAM. 2.4%
- You Been Working Out? Use every piece of gym equipment in MyCAREER. 2.2%
- Sweet Sapphire Complete a Round ranked Sapphire or higher in MyTEAM Super Max. 1.6%
- Inception Play a game of NBA 2K18 against a friend in your MyCOURT. 1.2%
- Perfection Win all 10 games of 'Greatest of All-Time' in Play Now Online. 1.1%
- On The Rise Win as a member of a Pro-Level or higher 2K Pro-Am team. 1.1%
- Ruby Reign Complete a Season ranked Ruby or higher in MyTEAM Super Max. 0.9%
- Work Complete Complete all checklist goals in MyTEAM. 0.8%
- It Isn't Over Yet Use a lifeline in Pack and Playoffs in MyTEAM. 0.8%
- King of Kings Achieve a 10 game win streak on King of the Court in MyCAREER. 0.8%
Steam page Updated: 2026-10-18.