Developer and publisher Play by Play Studios, in partnership with the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association, has announced the release date for NBA THE RUN. NBA THE RUN, a 3v3 streetball game featuring real NBA stars, will launch on June 9, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
Ahead of launch, players can get an early taste of the game through a beta playtest running this Saturday, May 16, from 10 am to 2 pm PDT on Steam. The playtest includes a new fictional street legend named Spin Cycle, as well as Knockout Solos, a mode in which a single player controls an entire team of three.
The game will be available in two editions at launch. The Standard Edition is priced at $29.99, while the Deluxe Edition comes in at $39.99 and includes three additional playable characters, Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors 2009 Rookie Variant, Luka Dončić’s Dallas Mavericks 2018 Rookie Variant, and Kevin Durant’s Seattle SuperSonics 2007 Rookie Variant, along with 1,000 CRED, the in-game currency used to purchase cosmetic items such as jerseys, dunk animations, and badges.
The main game mode in NBA THE RUN is the Run the World Tournament, a four-round knockout competition played across iconic streetball courts around the globe, with each tournament culminating in a championship match at one of four designated finals courts.
Three game modes will be available at launch. Knockout Squads lets players join a squad of three, controlling one player while filling out the team with friends or matchmade players. Knockout Solos puts a single player in control of an entire team of three going head-to-head against others. Knockout Friends offers a private tournament format supporting up to 48 players, playable against AI or other invited players.
The roster at launch includes more than 30 NBA stars alongside five fictional streetball legends, each with distinct playstyles. The game runs on rollback netcode to ensure smooth online play across all platforms.
NBA THE RUN is the debut title from Play by Play Studios, an independent team of veteran developers with credits across some of the industry’s biggest sports franchises. Players interested in taking part in the upcoming playtest can sign up on the official website.
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