Just after midnight on Dec. 26, eagle-eyed players noticed the game’s MyTeam mode — in which players collect digital cards that unlock past and present NBA players with different stats and abilities — was offering a “deal of the day” promotion for a digital card of NBA star Paul George. The card’s purchase price, however, was lower than its sell price. Savvy gamers bought and sold the card multiple times and, as a result, stashed away millions of coins (1 million coins is worth $150) as the error was left untouched overnight.
With their coins stacked, gamers purchased any card they wanted, including the costly and ultrarare Kobe Bryant card, which can cost around 2 million coins (or about $300). Players also snagged the new Victor Wembanyama card (worth about $75), which has been deemed one of the best players to use in the game. Other top-tier player cards, such as LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo (who were obtainable by locking in a set of other high-priced cards), were also rounded up during the shopping spree.
The debacle happened on the day after Christmas, when NBA 2K, a gaming franchise played by millions every year and owned by the billion-dollar company Take-Two Interactive, typically sees a new influx of players. It wasn’t until late Tuesday morning that 2K fixed its mistake and made it so that George’s card sold for less than its buy price. Several gamers posted photos of their accounts wiped of all their coins but not the cards they gobbled up during the exploit. “The Paul George massacre is an embarrassing event,” said Cody Richinson, an NBA 2K YouTuber named Big C Richy with 41,000 followers. “It has completely dismantled and ruined the game mode as we know it.”