NBA 2K18 Removed Custom Shirts Cause Controversy Over VC Reimbursement

NBA 2K18 is in hot water with another controversy related to the game’s VC-focused microtransactions. The game allows users to make custom shirts, but when 2K takes them down, some buyers have been left without full reimbursement.

The NBA 2K community is rather segmented, and one of those niches is shirt customization. Using a creation tool in MyCareer, players are able to design their own threads, put them on their MyPlayer and upload the templates to 2K’s servers for others to wear. The products cost about 3,500 VC each, which requires a fairly substantial in-game grind if spending real money isn’t an option.

Take a quick glance around YouTube and you’ll find dozens of channels with tutorials to create shirts based on high-end brands like Gucci and Burberry. If your baller truly is a millionaire superstar, a wardrobe like that will ensure he looks the part. It all sounds pretty cool, but copying threads from existing brands is also against 2K’s terms of service. As a result, these shirts are often removed at the request of the rights holder. If 2K hasn’t paid to license Gucci gear, for example, it can’t legally be in the game.

Most players are OK with the reality associated with that removal, but threads started by Shiggy and SiK SiNr1 of Resetera have pointed out a bigger problem:

“I purchased at least 10 shirts from their created T-shirt kiosk for 3,500 VC each, and the shirts were removed from my clothing inventory without explanation. I contacted 2K support and was told that the shirts violated copyright and were removed. To try and ‘make things right’ they offered me a one-time VC payout of 10,000 VC. This is roughly the price for three T-shirts. I told them this is not acceptable and I will not let them steal my money like this.”

Several other YouTubers, like Von Inky, have covered the issue as well. The situation creates an ethical dilemma for 2K, since during the time these shirts were up for sale, the publisher was essentially proffitting in VC payment from content later deemed to be illegal. It’s not clear whether 2K has made arrangements behind the scenes to return those earnings to rights holders.

Worse still, reimbursement for these questionable items is hit-and-miss at the very least. SiK SiNr1’s experience described above is a negative example, but others on reddit claim their money has been instantly returned. It seems like those who purchased a larger volume of custom products are having the hardest time getting refunded, because the standard refund policy doesn’t cover the total cost.

While 2K could be better about dripping that VC back into the registered accounts, the publisher is totally in the right to remove any content it wants, whether the clothing violates copyright law or not. With this in mind, we’d simply advise players to avoid buying those items altogether. The real difficulty, though, is conveying that message to the largely unknowing masses.

NBA 2K18 is available now on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Switch and PC.

How do you feel about this NBA 2K18 shirt situation? Is 2K doing what’s best for players? Tell us in the comments section!