NBA 2K17 has announced a partnership with wearable fitness tracker company Fitbit that looks to get players out of their couches.
There is a certain irony in players sitting inside their homes the whole day to play sports video games and participate in online tournaments, but the partnership between NBA 2K17 and Fitbit will give these player incentives to work out and meet daily fitness goals.
The NBA 2K17 And Fitbit Partnership
In a press release announcing the partnership, it was revealed that NBA 2K17 players who are able to achieve the daily milestone of 10,000 steps on their Fitbit device will receive temporary stat boosts to their player that they created in the game's popular MyPlayer mode.
As such, by working on their real-world fitness, gamers can also improve their customized player in NBA 2K17, allowing them to turn in better performances on the digital basketball court.
"Our brand is synonymous with breaking down boundaries of what a game can achieve, and we are thrilled to continue that tradition through this Fitbit integration." said NBA 2K VP of Marketing Alfie Brody. The integration of Fitbit into NBA 2K17 is said to be the first of its kind in combining fitness tracking technology into a video game.
NBA 2K17 MyPlayer Stat Boosts
The stat boosts that a gamer's customized character will receive after hitting the 10,000-step milestone can be used in the MyPlayer and MyPark game modes.
The temporary +5 bonus to attributes and success rate, which will be applied to a variety of stats including agility, dunks and layups, will be applied to the next five games wherein the player's customized character will be used. After the five games are completed and the stat boosts disappear, players will be able to earn additional bonuses from achieving 10,000 steps after 24 hours.
For players who will be able to maintain a sufficient daily exercise regimen, they would be able to keep the stat bonuses of their MyPlayer character throughout a simulated NBA season.
Harrison Barnes On The Partnership
Harrison Barnes, the current leading scorer for the Dallas Mavericks and an ambassador for Fitbit, said that the partnership with NBA 2K17 is "genius," as it provides unique rewards to gamers while adding an element of fun into daily workout schedules.
Barnes, who has been a fan of the NBA 2K franchise since his college basketball days in the University of North Carolina and through his championship season with the Golden State Warriors, is probably going to meet the daily quota of 10,000 steps easily. However, the goal is fairly achievable for the regular gamer, and as Barnes said, the exercise will now also be providing players with a gaming edge in addition to a physical edge.
