The Spirit of NBA Street Lives on in The Run: Got Next on PS5 1

If you’ve been itching for an arcade basketball game akin to the classics like NBA Street, then The Run: Got Next may be worth adding to your wishlist. The game – developed by Play by Play, a studio founded by former Electronic Arts producer Scott Probst – promises to “shake up the sports game landscape with something new”. A bold ambition.

Ultimately, this is a 3vs3 hooper that “celebrates the attitude, style, and skills of streetball culture”. An announcement blog elaborates: “Our focus from day one started with gameplay and nailing our style and flavour of basketball, built with players at the centre [and] gameplay that’s easy to pick up and play and fun to master.”

As the trailer teases, you’ll be picking up to three larger-than-life ‘ballers and taking them to courts all around the world. The various courts will inspire unique gameplay, with some favouring different playstyles to others. You’ll also be able to visit an in-game shop between matches, where you can customise your team with fresh sneakers, sponsors, and more.

The announcement continues: “This takes place in a world our team has handcrafted with a uniquely stylised look and feel. Everything from our characters to some of the most legendary and unexpected courts around the world: hand-painted textures, cel-shaded characters, hand-keyed animations, and the list goes on and on. This is a fully curated sports experience.”

There’s certainly promise here, and it’s true that games like this seldom exist anymore. The developer says it’s been quietly working on this title for two years already, and it’s targeting a 2025 release date on PS5. Hopefully we get treated to some raw gameplay footage soon, because while we like the art style here, the moment-to-moment action is the most important part.

[source playbyplaystudios.com, via youtube.com, gematsu.com]