NBA 2K21 players who are struggling with the revamped shot meter should not feel alone, as even Portland Trailblazer star point guard Damian Lillard is having trouble with it.
Lillard, the cover athlete for NBA 2K21‘s standard edition, is known for his shooting touch, with career averages of 43.7% on field goals, 37.3% on three-pointers, and 88.9% on free throws. Those percentages, however, apparently do not carry over to NBA 2K21.
Am I the only one struggling with this shot meter ? 🤦🏾♂️ and I ain’t made a free throw yet
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) September 4, 2020
The shooting mechanic in NBA 2K21 was overhauled after feedback that it was too easy on NBA 2K20. The developers may have made shooting too difficult though, with players replying to Lillard’s tweet with their own struggles with the game’s shot meter.
The shot meter has also received its share of supporters, with some claiming that players will get used to it over time. The complaints with the feature, meanwhile, have already previously pushed NBA 2K21 gameplay director Mike Wang to share tips for the feature, while asking players to “be patient.”
Shooting tips for 2K21:
🎮 Tap the left trigger at the ideal release time for a boost
🎮 If you’re using the Shot Button, turn off Shot Meter for a boost
🎮 Green release is harder this year, be patientOR turn off Shot Aiming if you want Shot Timing on Pro Stick like last year
— Mike Wang (@Beluba) September 4, 2020
The publicity generated by Lillard’s tweet likely helped raise the issue with 2K. The developer revealed that it will be implementing adjustments to shooting in NBA 2K21, but only for the lower difficulty levels.
2K21 shooting hotfix will hit tomorrow 9/6 for Rookie, Pro, and All-Star difficulty levels 🔋
Shooting stays the same on higher difficulties and Neighborhood 🌴
Hope this helps the newcomers. Keep the feedback coming! 🙏
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) September 5, 2020
NBA 2K21 on next-gen consoles
NBA 2K21 previously generated controversy due to the price of its PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions. The game will cost $70, representing a $10 increase from the usual price of games for the current generation of consoles.
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick later clarified that the publisher will consider a $10 price increase for next-generation console games on a “title-by-title basis,” amid increasing development costs.
