In the wake of recent controversies surrounding popular streamer Dr Disrespect, NBA 2K24 developer 2K Games has announced plans to eliminate all references to him from the game. This decision follows Dr Disrespect’s admission to engaging in inappropriate messaging with a minor, which led to his permanent ban from Twitch.
Last week, allegations surfaced on social media claiming that Dr Disrespect had been banned from Twitch due to inappropriate conduct involving a minor. Subsequently, the streamer confirmed these allegations, acknowledging that his actions were the reason for the ban. This revelation has prompted various organizations, including his own gaming studio Midnight Society and the NFL team San Francisco 49ers, to sever ties with him.
Now, 2K has decided to cut ties with Dr Disrespect as well. His name and animations will be removed from NBA 2K24 over the next few weeks. 2K confirmed to Dexerto that the streamer’s name will be replaced with generic names instead. Dr Disrespect had been featured in the MyCareer mode of NBA 2K24, where his custom in-game jump shot and dunk style were available as equippable animations.
The removal will take place once the Season 9 patch is released, as the update for Season 8 was just deployed a few days ago. Season 8 is set to go live on June 28, 2024. Furthermore, 2K will not include Dr Disrespect content in any future games.
This development follows Dr Disrespect’s confirmation on X that he did interact inappropriately with a minor, though he denied any ill intentions behind the messages. “Were there Twitch whisper messages with an individual minor back in 2017? The answer is yes. Were there real intentions behind these messages? The answer is absolutely not. These were casual, mutual conversations that sometimes leaned too much in the direction of being inappropriate, but nothing more. Nothing illegal happened, no pictures were shared, no crimes were committed, I never even met the individual,” Dr Disrespect posted on X on June 25, 2024.
Currently on hiatus, Dr Disrespect has promised to return to content creation in the future. However, the backlash and subsequent distancing by various organizations indicate a significant shift in his professional landscape.
As this situation continues to unfold, it serves as a reminder of the high standards and accountability expected in the gaming and streaming community. The removal of Dr Disrespect from NBA 2K24 is just one of the many repercussions he faces as a result of his actions.
