The NBA 2K22 1.8 update patch notes are here and the devs are, along with other fixes to the game, nerfing the OP left-right dribble boost that’s been marring online play.
As usual, 2K Games have a host of balance changes for both the new and current generation versions. Players from all corners of the court are going will be eager to hop back into the game now that the OP side-to-side dribble is getting addressed.
Additionally, the devs are targeting more defensive reactions from CPUs to help players guard off-ball cuts to the basket. 2K are really aiming to balance both sides of the ball in the latest patch.
2K22 left-right dribble shot nerfed
The new NBA 2K22 patch has slowed down lateral dribble launches and added an accuracy penalty for people who are “excessively” going side-to-side before throwing up a shot.
2K players have been reeling from the dribble technique, with some dubbing it the ‘Left-Right cheese,’ that’s been taking over online lobbies and getting people frustrated enough to quit the game.
A new penalty and nerfs to the initial dribble speed should help quell the problem but that remains to be seen.
NBA 2K22 CPU defense buff
This patch is also going to give the CPU a lot more defensive logic to help against a variety of different offensive options.
Namely, a ‘Cutter Help’ feature will give the computer the ability to recognize when an off-the-ball cut is happening and lets them position themselves accordingly.
- Read more: Best badges to use in NBA 2K22 MyCareer
2K is also experimenting with better CPU screen-and-roll awareness to let defenders switch or pick up the ball carrier.
The developers are trying to balance NBA 2K22’s mechanics and they hope the 1.8 update will go far in doing so. Check out the complete patch notes below, courtesy of 2K Games.
NBA 2K22 1.8 update patch notes
Current Gen Patch Update 1.8 – 12.1.21
General
- Lots of preparation for Season 3 of NBA 2K22, launching this Friday at 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT!
- A Gatorade app is now available on the in-game phone when on the cruise ship
- Slowed down lateral dribble launches and added a shooting penalty that applies for players who zig-zag from side to side excessively before shooting
- Fixed an issue that was causing ball handlers to hitch and slow down when running in transition
- Adjusted the Intimidator badge to apply to jump shots in addition to dunks and layups
MyTEAM
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- Fixed an issue with Free Throws not visually tallying points in the in-game Agenda Tracker
- Prevented Series I Agendas from qualifying for all players in the Agenda Tracker
- Certain Event Cards will now display their names in Auction OutcomesAddressed a few stats that were not updating in the MyTEAM menus
New Gen Patch Update 1.8 – 12.1.21
General
- Lots of preparation for Season 3 of NBA 2K22, launching this Friday at 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT!
- Addressed a rare hang that could occur at halftime in various modes
- Removed the 75th Anniversary logos from the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz City uniforms to mirror real world usage
- 2021 NBA Championship banners have been unveiled in the Milwaukee Bucks arena
- The baseline text on the Cleveland Cavaliers City court floor has been updated to reflect recent real world changes
- The following players and coaches have received new scans and/or had general likeness updates made to them:
New Scans:
Santi Aldama Cole Anthony Desmond Bane Saddiq Bey James Bouknight Jared Butler Josh Christopher Ayo Dosunmu Usman Garuba Luka Garza Killian Hayes Bones Hyland Isaiah Jackson Isaiah Joe Jalen Johnson Herbert Jones Kai Jones Tre Jones Corey Kispert Saben Lee Kira Lewis Jr. Theo Maledon Kenyon Martin Jr. Tyrese Maxey Jaden McDaniels Leilani Mitchell Isaac Okoro Theresa Plaisance Paul Reed Jeremiah Robinson-Earl Jaden Springer Jaesean Tate Xavier Tillman Ziaire Williams
Tattoo Updates:
RJ Barrett Devin Booker Brandon Clarke Chris Duarte Jalen Green JaMychal Green Quentin Grimes Tre Mann Trey Murphy III Payton Pritchard Karl-Anthony Towns A’ja Wilson
General Updates:
Mike Bantom Bimbo Coles Josh Giddey Justin Holiday Luke Jackson Grant Long Oliver Miller Ja Morant Lamond Murray Gregg Popovich Otto Porter Cazzie Russell Pepe Sanchez Stromile Swift Derrick White
Gameplay
- Slowed down lateral dribble launches and added a shooting penalty that applies for players who zig-zag from side to side excessively before shooting
- Fixed an issue that was causing ball handlers to hitch and slow down when running in transition
- Adjusted the Intimidator badge to apply to jump shots in addition to dunks and layups
- Defensive positioning logic improvements have been made to help CPU screen defenders guard the pick and roll more effectively
- Added new “Cutter Help” defense that enables help defenders to recognize an off-ball cut to the basket and position themselves to guard it. This can be disabled with the Drive Help setting in the defensive settings menu
The City
- Various stability and performance improvements have been made throughout the City
- Resolved some issues that could occur when attempting to join a friend at the Gatorade private courts
MyCAREER
- Continued fixes and adjustments have been made to improve the overall quest experience and ensure that all quests are tracking and completing properly
- The Edit Playbook menu should now function correctly once unlocked
- You are now able to change your selections when using the Suggest Free Agents menu
MyTEAM
- Fixed an issue with custom uniforms that could allow users to show up invisible in multiplayer games
- Fixed an issue with Free Throws not visually tallying points in the in-game Agenda Tracker
- Prevented Series I Agendas from qualifying for all players in the Agenda Tracker
- Certain Event Cards will now display their names in Auction Outcomes
- Updated the thumbnails on uniform cards to reflect new sponsor patches
- Improved ball bounces for locker code and Triple Threat Online: The 100 Ball Drops
MyNBA/THE W
- Continued stability fixes and improvements have been made for MyNBA, MyNBA Online, and The W
- You can now properly make changes to team rotations in MyNBA Online