NBA 2K12 is a developed by and published by . It was released in October 2011 for , , , , , and, for the first time, . As the thirteenth installment in the , it is the successor to and the predecessor to . For the first time in the series, three different covers are available; the three cover athletes are (who was also the cover athlete for NBA 2K11), , and . This was the last installment in the series to be released for the PlayStation 2.
NBA 2K12, like the other games in the series, strives to emulate the experience of the . Players mainly play NBA basketball games in a variety of game modes with real and customizable players and teams. MyPlayer mode is one of the modes; in it, players create their own player and play through their career in the NBA. A mode called Association is also present, in which the player assumes control of an NBA organization, and simulates through seasons. A mode focusing on past NBA players is introduced, and several online modes are present.
In September 2011, prior to the game's release, a demo was released for and . The game features a licensed soundtrack consisting of 28 songs. A contest was held before the game's release, the winners of which would collaborate on an original song to be featured in the game.
NBA 2K12 received positive reviews from critics upon release, with praise directed at the visuals, wealth of content, controls, and overall gameplay. By April 2012, the game had sold over four million copies worldwide.
- NBA 2K12 is a which strives to emulate the . Players mostly play NBA basketball games with real or created players and teams
- The game features several aesthetical details found in real televised NBA games, such as commentary from , , and , sideline reports from , halftime shows, replays, customizable camera angles, and other details
- Along with standard online and quick play game modes, several other game modes are present
- Association mode allows the player to assume control of an entire NBA organization, simulating through NBA seasons, managing personnel, and participating in off-season activities, such as the draft and free agency.