A spiritual successor to the classic era of PlayStation 2 sports games has received a release date.

What PS2 spiritual successor is out soon?

NBA The Run, a brand new basketball game from an independent team of veteran developers within the sports world, is set to release sometime in June on PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC. A closed beta playtest will begin on May 1, 2026 from 12-3 p.m. EST on PC, which players can sign up for that now.

Developer Play by Play Studios includes former EA Sports developers who are looking to dive back into the world of street basketball made popular by games like NBA Street.

Players will not only be able to do some incredible high-flying moves, but also play as some of the biggest stars in the league. The game features NBA stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lamelo Ball, Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, Anthony Edwards, and Cooper Flagg, with 30+ NBA stars and five fictional streetball legends set to be in the game at launch.

Also at launch, the game will feature the following modes:

• Knockout Squads: Play on a Squad of 3. You control 1 player on the Squad, fill out your team with friends/other players and find the competition.
• Knockout Solos: Build your own Team of 3. You control your team and go head to head against other players and their teams of 3.
• Knockout Friends: Your own Private Tournament. Play alone against the AI, crew up w/ friends against the AI, or go head to head against anyone you want to invite in (up to 48 players at Launch).

“NBA THE RUN captures the spirit of the video game classics that inspired generations of fans to fall in love with basketball,” said Nikki Pozzi, Vice President of Licensing at THNK450, the licensing, partnership, and innovation arm of the NBPA. “We are excited to be giving fans yet another way to deepen their connection with our players and the sport through gaming.”

Players will be able to play NBA The Run in either solo or squads and will compete in Knockout Tournaments on legendary streetball courts to become the GOAT of the run. To match the vibe of NBA Street titles of the past, NBA The Run has enlisted the help of legendary New York DJ Bob “Bobbito” Garcia, the iconic voice of the NBA Street series, to help out in this game.

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