NBA 2K sales jump in Europe

Sales of NBA 2K11 leapt 30 per cent over the previous title – cementing 2K Sports as the No.1 basketball game publisher.

That sets the company’s October sequel up for good things. And it’s in stark contrast to the big daddy of sports video games, EA, which canned its own basketball game for 2011.

NBA 2K has been a big success across Europe, thanks in part to the growing popularity of the sport across the continent.

NBA has a European office and wants to grow,” 2K Sports marketing director Chris Snyder told MCV. As NBA grows we grow. It has done a marvelous job of growing in Europe, and we are hoping to follow in those footsteps.”

2K’s UK marketing manager Simon Turner added: The NBA 2K franchise has grown year-on-year. This coincides with an increase in popularity of the sport in general, which has been supported by the NBA’s aggressive marketing campaigns across Europe.

The sport has attracted new fans thanks largely to live games being played at the O2 Arena and we expect to see a further increase in popularity this year, given our focus on the greatest NBA players and teams of all time.”

NBA 2K12 , due on October 7th, will be supported by TV ads during Premier and Champions League matches, as well as campaigns on 18- to 34-year-old male oriented TV channels and sports radio.