NBA 2K23 Badges Guide - Badge System, Tiers, Core Badges & All New Badges In 2K23

Game-breaking information about NBA 2K23 just came out! Today we're going to talk about new badges and badge systems on NBA 2K23. There's going to be a new badge system that determines how we load out our badges and we'll break this all down in detail for you. There are a lot of major changes within this new NBA 2K23 badge system that is aimed to improve and balance the game.

NBA 2K23 Badges Guide - Badge System, Tiers, Core Badges & All New Badges In 2K23

In regards to badge loadout in next-gen 2K22, the system was pretty basic. We were allowed to spend badge points pretty freely as we see fit. So initially the system sounded pretty good because we can select any combo of badges we want. Unfortunately though because some hall of fame badges were so much better than any of the other badges out there. What ended up happening in this system is that it rewarded a user for stacking the same hall of fame badges across most builds. 

The system also kind of encouraged players to find some of the best value badges out there and get those on bronze, so they can save as many points as possible to stack up the hall of fame badges. So essentially in last year's game, everyone pretty much gravitated towards the same badgers over and over again. Next, we are going to focus on everything about this NBA 2K23 badge update.

NBA 2K23 Badge System ( New Gen Badge System)

NBA 2K23 is much more skill tree based in terms of the loadout. 2K aimed to achieve this by for the first time ever really giving the same amount of badges per category. So now shooting, playmaking, finishing, and defense/rebounding all have 16 badges per category and they're also separated into 3 different tiers. 

NBA 2K23 Badge Tiers

We use shooting badges as an example. There are now going to be 16 shooting badges with 8 of them being considered as tier 2, 4 of them consider as tier 2 and the last 4 consider as tier 3. So before you are thinking to equip tier 3 badges, the truth is you can't. Because in 2K23, we need to invest badge points per tier to unlock the higher ones. This means before players can equip tier 3 badges in their loadouts, everybody needs to have a certain amount of points invested in both tier 1 and tier 2 badges first. 

Essentially we're now all required to have a set of lower-tier badges, especially in tier 1 and tier 2. But the good news is these badges and the lower tiers cost fewer points to upgrade. So we might have less effective badges but we can have them at a higher level and it causes fewer points. That kind of also further balance. With this new tier badge system in hand, the days of stacking 4 hall of fame badges as a combo for a shooting point guard are most likely gone. So it does feel like the best stacking meta which kind of ran pretty rampant last year, it's going to be much less viable in 2K23.

NBA 2K23 Core Badges

In terms of our badge additions is that there's going to be this new one called core badges. So according to 2K, each player build is going to get 4 specific core badges per category. These badges cost us no points to equip but it does require you to fulfill a challenge before you can unlock them. So you'll get 1 for shooting, playmaking, defense/rebounding, and finishing. So this is another way where 2K is trying to balance out the badge game and at the same time also make sure precision and builds play a certain style. 

All New & Removed NBA 2K23 Badges

NBA 2K23 Finishing Badges

Slithery: Makes it easier to gather through life traffic, avoiding collisions and strips

Masher: Increases ability to finish inside layups over defenders

Aerial Wizard: Ability to successfully complete alley-oops and putbacks

Bully: Like Giannis and Lebron, be able to finish strong by bulldozing through traffic

*Removed: Hook Specialist 

NBA 2K23 Shooting Badges

Agent: Ability to hit difficult 3pt shots off the dribble

Middle Magician: Improved ability to knock down mid-range jumpers off the bounce or out of the post like MJ

Amped: Reduces the shooting attributes penalties when fatigued and when moving excessively prior to shooting

Comeback Kid: Improved ability to shoot perimeter jumpers when trailing in a game

Hand Down Man Down: Makes an outside shooter even deadlier if the opponent fails to get a hand in the face

Space Creator: Formerly a playmaking badge, it now boosts the ability to hit stepback jumpers and hop shots, and also will cause defenders to stumble more often

Limitless range: An old favorite returns, making shooters more effective with any shot attempt from deep 3pt range

*Removed: Chef, Hot Zone Hunter, Lucky#7, Mismatch Expert (moved to playmaking), Set Shooter, Sniper, and Limitless Spot-Up

NBA 2K23 Playmaking Badges

Killer Combos: Improves a dribbler's effectiveness with size-up dribble moves (basically a combination of last year's Quick Chain and Tight Handles badges)

Clamp Breaker: Helps ball handlers with more 1-on-1 body bump confrontations (the counter to Clamps)

Vice Grip: Improves ball security immediately after securing a rebound, catch, or picking up the ball. a great badge for bigs

Mismatch Expect: Formely a shooting badge, this badge now helps smaller guards break down taller defenders when mismatched on 1-on-1

*Removed: Bulled Passer, Downhill, Glue Hands, Stop & Go

NBA 2K23 Defense/Rebounding Bagdes

Anchor: A crucial badge for the last line of defense bigs, improves ability to block and contest shots in the paint

Boxout Beast: Helps rebounders win boxout battles on both offensive and defensive rebounding situations

Work Horse: The Pat Bev badge that boosts your ability to hustle down 50/50 balls and play hard-nosed defense without getting tried

Glove: Named after legendary defender Gary Payton, helps you strip players as they gather for shots and poke the ball free from ball handlers

Challenger: Improves the effectiveness of perimeter shot contests

*Removed: Defensive Leader