Nba The Run is coming to PlayStation 5 in June, and Play by Play Studios has now shown the first gameplay trailer for the streetball title. The new footage sets up every game as a four-round knockout tournament on iconic courts around the world, with randomized rulesets and a momentum system that unlocks signature abilities as matches unfold.
Winning does more than keep a run alive. Play by Play Studios says players earn Cred, the in-game currency, after matches and can spend it on cosmetics including jerseys, advanced dunks, taunts, badges and banners. The studio also said the shop is not the only way to unlock items in Nba The Run, which points to a broader progression system built into the launch version.
The game is being pitched with five Rookie Variants, including a young Steph Curry from 2009 and Kevin Durant on the Sonics, along with streetball legends that unlock as players rank up. Bobbito Garcia will also be playable, which gives the roster a face familiar to anyone who has followed streetball culture for years. The launch package also includes Shootaround for practice and Knockout Friends, a private tournament mode that supports solo play against AI, friends against AI or head-to-head matches with invited players.
That private mode is set to handle up to 48 players at launch, giving the game a social layer that stretches beyond a standard one-on-one run. Play by Play Studios said it built its last court going into launch after a fan vote, a detail that fits the studio’s wider pitch that the game was shaped by player feedback. The project has been framed in headlines as a spiritual successor to NBA Street, and its early feature set makes clear that it is leaning hard into that legacy rather than trying to hide from it.
Bobbito Garcia, who serves as the game’s announcer, will also appear in the roster. Play by Play Studios said of him, “We’re excited to announce today that our own announcer, Bobbito Garcia, will be a playable legend – his sick handles are sure to break some ankles.” The studio also told fans to “Get ready to Run!”, a nod to the fast, arcade-style tone the game is trying to capture.
With the trailer now out and a June release on PS5 set, the next thing players will be watching is how much of the final experience lives up to the pitch. The answer will not come from the marketing alone, but from whether the mix of randomized rules, unlocks, legends and community input feels as open on the controller as it does on the screen.