2K and Visual Concepts’ basketball game, NBA 2K25, will remove VC packs in South Korea due to the country’s policy of mandatory disclosure of probability-based information.
It has been confirmed that players in South Korea will be unable to purchase card packs using VC, an in-game currency, in NBA 2K25. 2K explained that it was challenging to comply with local regulations, particularly the legal obligation to disclose probability-based item information in the country.
Since the game’s release on September 6, 2024, card packs that can be bought in NBA 2K25 via VC are not appearing in MyTEAM mode in South Korea. While overseas users can purchase these card packs without issues, local users can only see items available for MT (My Team Points), another in-game currency.
This situation has particularly confused those who bought the All-Star or Hall of Fame editions, which cost 30,000 to 90,000 Won more than the Standard Edition. These versions come with 100,000 VC, but as the card packs are not available in MyTEAM mode, the VC can only be used in MyCAREER mode, leaving those uninterested in MyCAREER questioning the value of the higher-priced editions.
When contacted about the unavailability of VC card packs in South Korea, a 2K official stated that the decision was made in response to South Korea’s new regulations requiring the disclosure of probability-based item information, which came into effect during the development of NBA 2K25. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism mandated the disclosure of probability-based item information on March 22, 2024, via amendments to the “Act on the Promotion of the Game Industry.” All games, including those from overseas developers, must provide this information on all probability-based items, except for those that completely free. Publishers failing to comply may face corrective measures, with potential penalties of up to 2 years imprisonment or a fine of 20 million Won for non-compliance or false disclosure.
