The NBA 2K series once set the bar high during the Xbox 360 era with impressive graphics that basketball fans loved. Fast forward to today, and the series feels kinda stale visually. But hold on, because thanks to the PC modding community, specifically a modder known as aka7, NBA 2K25 is looking almost like a real broadcast on PC with a new lighting mod.
This mod dramatically improves the game’s lighting, giving it a photorealistic glow that highlights how much the official developers have been slacking on this front in recent years. It’s wild to think a single modder can outshine a big studio’s work in this area. The lighting effects look so natural and vivid that if you watched the videos without context, you might swear it’s a real NBA game.
Even more surprisingly, this mod doesn’t tank your performance like you might expect from such a visual overhaul. It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth to 2K Games, who keep pushing out yearly titles that look almost identical. Instead of innovating, they seem content with rehashing the same visuals and loading the game with microtransactions. Yikes.
Now, 2K Games will release the first gameplay trailer for NBA 2K26 tomorrow. From what we’ve seen so far, it probably won’t match the lighting quality this mod brings to NBA 2K25. Oh, and a heads-up: there are already some fake NBA 2K26 gameplay videos floating around on YouTube, but those are just modded NBA 2K25 footage. Don’t get fooled by those.
Unfortunately, there’s a catch. The aka7 lighting mod isn’t freely available yet. It’s locked behind a paywall, which might turn off a lot of PC gamers who would have jumped on it otherwise. Sure, the modder wants to make some cash, but it’s a shame because this mod truly elevates the visual experience.
Check out the videos for yourself, they’re impressive enough to make you do a double-take. The only giveaway that this is a game and not real life is how the players move. If the animations matched the lighting quality, it would be nearly impossible to tell the difference. But guess what? 2K Games probably won’t fix that. Instead, expect more of the same old stuff with extra microtransactions.
Here’s the video showcasing the mod’s lighting improvements:
For a quick taste, here’s a tweet highlighting the mod’s photorealism:
This mod makes NBA 2K look photorealistic
— NBA 2K26 Community (@nba2kcmty) July 28, 2025
So, why does a modder have to do what the developers can’t or won’t? It’s a bit frustrating, but at least the PC community keeps pushing the envelope. If you’re a fan of NBA 2K or just love seeing games pushed to their limits, this mod is worth your attention.
What do you think? Would you pay for a mod like this, or should these kinds of improvements be part of the base game?
