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Reviewed and published by trentmaziarz, May 11, 2026. Discovered and drafted by our automated research pipeline.

2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive, deployed ProPLAY — a proprietary technology that uses machine learning to translate real NBA broadcast footage into realistic in-game player animations — in NBA 2K24 (2023) and expanded it in NBA 2K25 (2024) and NBA 2K26 (2025).

Details

ProPLAY was introduced in NBA 2K24 for next-generation consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X|S), replacing the prior system of manually directed motion-capture sessions. According to 2K's official newsroom and developer interviews, the system ingests real NBA game footage and converts it into thousands of in-game animations covering dribbling, shooting, defense, and off-ball movement. In NBA 2K26, 2K explicitly stated that a 'new machine-learning technology' powers an 'all-new Dynamic Motion Engine' that provides 'more precise, lifelike movement.' The VP of NBA Development at Visual Concepts (a 2K studio) confirmed that 'ProPLAY allows us to increase the library of animations we're able to ingest at a much faster rate.'

Products affected

NBA 2K24NBA 2K25NBA 2K26

Sources & Evidence

Company Disclosure

NBA 2K26 Gameplay Courtside Report

2K (nba.2k.com)·Jul 2025

https://nba.2k.com/2k26/courtside-report/gameplay/

Company Disclosure

NBA 2K26 Debuts New Gen 9 Gameplay Improvements Including an All-New Dynamic Motion Engine Powered by ProPLAY

2K Newsroom·Jul 2025

https://newsroom.2k.com/news/nbar-2k26-debuts-new-gen-9-gameplay-improvements-including-an-all-new-dynamic-motion-engine-powered-by-proplay

News Article

Game Recognize Game: A Closer Look at NBA 2K25's ProPLAY System

Microsoft Developer Blog·Sep 2024

https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/articles/2024/09/closer-look-at-nba-2k25-proplay-system/

Cite this record

Trace Foundation. (2026). Take-Two Interactive: 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive, deployed ProPLAY — a proprietary technology that uses machine learning to translate real NBA broadcast footage into realistic in-game player animations — in NBA 2K24 (2023) and expanded it in NBA 2K25 (2024) and NBA 2K26 (2025) (data as of 2026-05-11) [Data set record]. AI Trace. https://www.aitrace.org/r/practice/8aca9acd-cbeb-4196-ab4e-847ce2ccf90c. Accessed October 3, 2026.

Stable link: https://www.aitrace.org/r/practice/8aca9acd-cbeb-4196-ab4e-847ce2ccf90c
Data as of: May 11, 2026
Last verified: Not recorded

How to cite AI Trace

Other practices by Take-Two Interactive

ProductivityTake-Two Interactive deployed generative AI tools across hundreds of internal pilots and implementations company-wide, including within its game studios, to reduce costs and automate mundane development tasks. CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed this publicly in a February 2026 investor earnings call.Data AnalysisTake-Two Interactive disclosed the development and use of AI in its products as a material risk factor in its 2024 SEC annual filing, and expanded that disclosure significantly in its 2025 filing.Creative GenTake-Two deployed AI to create levels within mobile games, with CEO Strauss Zelnick confirming in a 2025 interview that some mobile game levels had been 'created largely by AI.'

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