Play by Play Studio launched NBA The Run earlier in June 2026, effectively bringing streetball back to consoles in the spirit of NBA Street. As of June 25, 2026, the studio also shared their plans for their first season, NBA The Run Summer Heat, which took feedback from launch into consideration. But that’s not all. Play by Play Studio also shared its upcoming roadmap and the ongoing plan for new seasons every 2-3 months.
If you’re not familiar with the title, it lets players hop into a match as some of their favorite current NBA stars or fictional streetball legends, taking them to legendary streetball courts spanning the globe, including Rucker Park, Venice Beach, and The Tenement in Taguig, Philippines.
Get BWT in your inbox!
Get BWT in your inbox!
As for how players can hop onto the court, NBA The Run will offer solo or squad play, with both modes placing players into Knockout Tournaments, like any good arcade title. Gameplay promises to be “fast, fluid, and perfectly responsive,” with the studio even highlighting its use of a true rollback netcode system to ensure smooth online play.
At launch, we said, “NBA The Run is the most fun I’ve had with a basketball game since NBA Street. Its matches are fast, its players feel distinct, and every loss gives you something to take into the next run. More importantly, it feels like the start of something with real legs.
“Play by Play Studios has built a strong foundation in NBA The Run, and if the team keeps listening, expanding the roster, and building out the community, the future of this franchise is bright.”
You can see the full list of updates and roadmap details here, but we’ve also rounded up the highlights below.
Week 3 NBA The Run Updates
Key Takeaway: Play by Play Studio shared that they will be committed to providing consistent updates to address bugs, improve gameplay, add more balance to the title, and manage player ratings.
- Identified and addressed an issue where stats reporting caused crashing
- Fixed soft lock issues tied to players forfeiting simultaneously
- Improvements to KO Solos & targeted player switching added
- Adjusted the rarity of rulesets to drive more variety
NBA The Run Roadmap
- July: In July, the studio is set to expand the roster with 3 new NBA players
- August: Summer Heat Season Arrives
- Beyond August: The developers also shared the top-of-mind focus for the game’s updates moving forward after Summer Heat, with a focus on: Ranked / Ladders, Voice Chat, Campaign Mode (currently being ideated and scheduled for Spring 2027).
Summer Heat Update
NBA The Run launches its first “Season” and big updates with “Summer Heat,” which will run through August 2026 and into September.
- New Players: Play By Play has not released the names of the upcoming players, but has confirmed the roster will grow.
- Drive Camera: There will be a new camera angle in the game, designed to provide a “modern in-game feel” when shooting down the court.
- The Championship Belt: Competitive players are getting a belt!
- Comms Wheel: Similar to a ping system, this is designed to provide players with a quick way to interact & celebrate using emojis.
- Practice Mode: This new Game Mode lets you practice on any court or ruleset of your choice, in Solos or Squads, to build strategy and team chemistry with your squad.
- New Rulesets: There will be two new rulesets in the rotation with Summer Heat, with “Block Party” (every Block will take away one point from your opponent) and “All the Fire” (any fire shot gets a +1 score).
- New Courts: In honor of the Knicks, an NYC court is being added to the game.
- New Shop Items: More jerseys, new taunts, new dunks, banners, badges, and other items.
- Leaderboards: Leaderboards won’t be available immediately but it is a stretch goal for the team to hit.
