For over a decade, basketball game fans have been left with a void where NBA Street used to be. EA’s iconic arcade streetball franchise gave us above-the-rim action, larger-than-life personalities, and courts dripping with culture. Then it just… disappeared. NBA 2K‘s Neighborhood attempts have never scratched that itch, but Play by Play Studios has been building something that may be able to. NBA The Run is a spiritual successor to EA BIG’s classic set to launch June 9, 2026, and it has the receipts to back up its claim as the true heir to the NBA Street throne.
From Got Next to NBA The Run
- Play by Play Studios was founded by former EA Sports developers, including NBA Street and FIFA Street veterans
- The game was originally announced in July 2024 as The Run: Got Next, featuring entirely fictional characters
- The NBA reached out to the studio around 2024 after catching wind of the project
- The NBA and NBPA licensing partnership was officially confirmed in late 2025, leading to the rebrand
The story of how NBA The Run came to be is one of destiny. In 2021, the studio began working on a streetball game called The Run: Got Next, consisting of entirely fictional characters. The team building it wasn’t just any group of developers—Play by Play Studios includes several seasoned sports game veterans. Mike Young, who worked on the NBA Street, FIFA Street, and SSX series before becoming creative director on the Madden franchise is one of them.
Shortly after the trailer went up, the NBA caught wind of the project and contacted the studio about licensing its teams and players. That moment changed everything. Play by Play Studios founder and CEO Scott Probst spoke of the partnership in a press release: “Our partnership with the NBA and NBPA takes us to a whole new level and we’re beyond excited about the collaboration and the potential of NBA The Run. We’re a small team, but we’re scrappy, focused and relentless about creating an all new smash hit.”
What’s remarkable is how organically the transition happened. The studio wasn’t chasing a license, the license found them. The NBA were just drawn in by the authenticity of what they were building, and us fans win in the end.
NBA Stars, Street Legends, and Knockout Runs
- NBA The Run features 3v3 online multiplayer across iconic global streetball courts
- The core mode is the Run the World Tournament, a four-round knockout bracket
- Over 30 NBA stars are included, with players designed to feel like characters rather than uniform assets
- Street legends like Spin Cycle are unlockable through Profile Rank progression
While the game now contains 32 NBA players from across the league, it retains all the core tenets the team went into the project with—fast-paced, approachable arcade-style gameplay and injecting personality. The approach to player design is particularly inspired. Play by Play Studios approached the players with the idea of making them feel like characters, pulling inspiration from notoriously overpowered players like Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl or Michael Vick in Madden NFL 04.
The result is a roster where matchups actually mean something. Anthony Davis’s size and rim presence translate directly into the game’s above-the-rim rhythm, while LaMelo Ball plays flashy and creative, excelling at finding teammates and keeping the ball moving. Beyond the NBA roster, the game features street legends that can be unlocked through progression. It’s a nod to the original NBA Street‘s beloved street legend system.
Courts stretch from Venice Beach to The Tenement in the Philippines, giving the game a genuinely global identity that matches the worldwide reach of basketball culture.
Pricing & More
- Standard Edition: $29.99 | Deluxe Edition: $39.99
- Deluxe Edition includes Rookie Variants for Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, and Kevin Durant, plus 1,000 CRED
- A second closed beta playtest runs May 16, 2026 from 10:00am–2:00pm PST
- In-game currency (CRED) is earned through play; no loot boxes—purchases are direct
The Deluxe Edition at $39.99 includes a Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors ’09 Rookie Variant, a Luka Dončić Dallas Mavericks ’18 Rookie Variant, a Kevin Durant Seattle SuperSonics ’07 Rookie Variant, and 1,000 CRED. The CRED system is refreshingly straightforward—Shop purchases are simple: you get what you want, no packs to rip. That kind of consumer-friendly approach goes a long way in building trust with a community that has been burned by predatory monetization in sports games for years.
Items available in the shop depend on your Profile Rank. Winning tournaments in style helps raise your rank faster and unlock the most coveted items. The five street legends at launch are earned, not bought.
Final Thoughts
NBA The Run may be the game that finally fills the NBA Street-shaped hole in the genre. The pedigree is real. Play By Play didn’t just love NBA Street, they helped build it. The origin story, transforming from The Run: Got Next to NBA The Run, speaks to the game’s quality. At $29.99, the low barrier should help build the online community this type of game lives and dies by. June 9th should be marked on any basketball fans calendar.
