Spike Lee, the award-winning director behind Malcom X, Inside Man and 2013’s Oldboy remake, is set to cut his teeth in the video game industry by writing, directing and co-producing the career mode within NBA 2K16.
As a self-proclaimed fan of the New York Knicks, Lee certainly has a vested interest in the sport itself, but in partnering with 2K Games, the acclaimed filmmaker is hoping to engineer a truly unique and engaging story mode from “both a visual and narrative perspective.”
Here’s what Lee had to say on the matter at hand:
“Partnering with legendary 2K and [NBA 2K16 developer] Visual Concepts is one of the most unique challenges I’ve had in filmmaking, and allows me to push the boundaries of innovative storytelling. It’s about the trials and tribulations of life on a big stage with the money, fame, temptations, family members, the press, fans, all that stuff.”
Unlike traditional sports titles, fans of the 2K’s NBA will know all to well that the single-player career mode is much more robust than its genre contemporaries, featuring a storyline with various characters and even narrative cutscenes. As such, NBA 2K16 offers Lee an enviable platform to create an engaging plot within a genre – and, arguably, medium – that isn’t traditionally known for it.
Due to release across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC, NBA 2K16 is poised to take to the court on September 29, and ardent fans who are eager to see this year’s iteration and indeed Spike Lee’s contribution will be pleased to note that pre-ordering the game will open up the Early Tip-Off Weekend on September 25.
