Legal dispute: Take-Two has shut down servers for NBA 2K and claims that in-game currencies are not the property of the players

On December 31, 2023, the servers for NBA 2K 22 were shut down, leading to a class action lawsuit against Take-Two Interactive. The main reason for the lawsuit is the allegation that the company violated the players' ownership of the in-game currencies, which were purchased with real money and now have no value.

Take-Two's lawyers vigorously deny these allegations and claim that virtual currencies are not the property of the players. They argue that these currencies are merely fictitious creations of the game producers and are therefore subject to the terms and conditions and user agreements.

The outcome of the lawsuit remains to be seen, as Take-Two insists that the shutdown of the servers will not result in any claims for damages from the players. However, this legal dispute could have far-reaching implications and therefore not only be of interest to those who play Take-Two titles such as GTA and NBA 2K.

There is speculation that this case could set a precedent, particularly with regard to future server shutdowns and the associated issues of ownership of virtual goods. The outcome of the legal dispute therefore has the potential to significantly influence the future of the online gaming industry.