The NBA 2K game logo clearly conveys dynamism, as it is associated with one of the most agile sports – basketball. Any delay here threatens a miss. To avoid a marketing misfire, the game’s creators visually linked the emblem to the theme it is dedicated to.
NBA 2K: Brand overview
Meaning and History
The original version of the basketball simulation game was released for Dreamcast. The main character was Allen Iverson from the Philadelphia 76ers, who graced the cover next to the brand logo. The first four releases featured fictional commentators Rod West and Bob Steele, voiced respectively by Rod Brooks and Bob Fitzgerald, who are presumably prototypes of these characters. In NBA 2K20, commentators included Bill Simmons, Kevin Garnett, and Kobe Bryant. The legendary athlete on the cover was Los Angeles Lakers player Anthony Davis. This game was released in 2019 and became the first to feature all 12 WNBA teams.
What is NBA 2K?
NBA 2K is the title of the first release in a series of sports video games dedicated to basketball. They share a common name but have individual numbering. The simulator offers to dive into the world of the National Basketball Association and get energized, taking on the role of legendary athletes. The franchise debuted in 1999, and since then, 2K Sports has annually presented a new development, updating its catalog. The video game is adapted for almost all popular platforms, including Xbox, PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Dreamcast, Android, GameCube, iOS, and others. Initially, Sega Studios was responsible for the publication.
2017 – today
The NBA 2K logo is visually divided into three parts. The first place is given to the official symbol of the National Basketball Association – a vertical blue-red rectangle featuring a white silhouette of an athlete dribbling a ball. It is believed that this image was modeled on basketball player Jerome Alan West, who played his entire career for the Los Angeles Lakers and scored 33,643 points. The emblem appeared in 1969 and remains relevant to this day.
The second element is the abbreviation NBA. It is set in a bold, massive font in uppercase. The two-dimensional design makes the logo easy to perceive despite the presence of complex symbolism. The third part represents the name of the video game publisher – 2K. This inscription is also bold, massive, and grotesque, but it also has a slight right tilt, visually distinguishing it. This effect is enhanced by the red color with a gradient from neutral to dark shades.
NBA 2K20 Logo
The white figure of Jerome West effectively divides the vertical rectangle with blue and red backgrounds into two unequal halves. They form the three colors of the U.S. flag as a reminder that basketball is a national sport in the United States and that it should be followed, whether by watching televised events, supporting from the stands, or at least playing it on digital gadgets. This is what the publishing company, whose name is indicated next to the NBA sports symbol, offers. Following it, as usual, are the abbreviation National Basketball Association and the release number. “2K” is presented in a red gradient, while the number “20” is in total black.
Font and Colors
The first part of the text (with “NBA”) is set in a bold typeface reminiscent of Helvetica Neue Black Extended Oblique, a sans-serif with powerful uppercase letters. It was created by Eduard Hoffmann & Max Miedinger and first published by Linotype. The second half contains an inscription in a font similar to Agency FB Wide Black by David Berlow from Font Bureau.
The color scheme follows the style of the American flag, hence combining blue, white, and red. Designers wanted to emphasize the national significance of basketball in the U.S. and support the patriotic spirit. They are harmoniously balanced by classic monochrome – black and white. In some areas of the red color, a light gradient is visible.