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NBA 2K22 — Player Creation: Attribute System Redesign

  • Writer: Albert Carmona
    Albert Carmona
  • Jun 4, 2022
  • 2 min read

Updated: Jan 14



The Problem

New players were struggling with character creation, a critical first step in NBA 2K's career mode. The attribute selection system presented 68+ stat options simultaneously, creating decision paralysis and confusion about long-term character progression.


Key challenges:

  • Users needed to understand both immediate stats and future potential

  • Information overload led to rushed decisions and player regret

  • No clear path between "beginner-friendly" and "expert-level" detail

My Role

Lead UI/UX Designer working directly with game designers and engineers to redesign the attribute evaluation interface. Owned the full design process from concept through implementation.

Design Process

Discovery & Constraints I partnered with game designers to understand the system requirements and user mental models. The core constraint: we couldn't reduce the number of attributes (gameplay requirement), so the solution had to be in the information architecture.


Exploration Created multiple wireframe approaches testing different organizational strategies:

  • Single-screen density variations

  • Tabbed navigation between stat categories

  • Progressive disclosure patterns

  • Comparison views between builds


Key Insight Through iteration, I identified that users fell into two groups: players who wanted quick recommendations and players who wanted full control. Rather than force a single path, the interface needed to support both.

Solution

Designed a two-tier information architecture with Simple and Advanced views:

Simple View (Default)

  • Showed core attributes and immediate impact

  • Reduced cognitive load for new players

  • Clear "expand for details" affordance

Advanced View (Optional)

  • Revealed full stat breakdown and future potential

  • Allowed expert players deep customization

  • Maintained context from simple view


The expandable pattern let users progressively disclose complexity as they gained confidence, rather than presenting everything at once.


Implementation

Art directed the visual design with a concept artist and collaborated with engineering to ensure smooth transitions between views and clear hierarchy.

Takeaways

What Worked:

  • Progressive disclosure reduced information overload without sacrificing depth, paying respect to advanced and returning users

  • Designing for two user personas simultaneously improved experience for both groups

  • Tight collaboration with engineering ensured the interaction model was technically feasible

  • The feature shipped in NBA 2K22 and became a template for similar information-heavy interfaces in subsequent releases.

What I'd Do Differently:

  • Would have gathered feedback from QA and internal testers on wireframes before finalizing the information architecture - could have caught usability issues earlier

  • Could have explored progressive onboarding (tooltips, first-time tutorials) to help new players discover the advanced view




 
 
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