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10 years ago I posted here about my new video game Basketball GM, and it’s still going strong in 2023



I’m the dev of [Basketball GM](https://basketball-gm.com/), a video game where you run a basketball team – set the lineup, make trades, sign/draft players, manage finances, etc. It’s a single player game, it runs in a web browser on any device (mobile, laptop, desktop), it’s completely free, and there are no microtransactions or anything like that.

If you’ve heard of BBGM before, it may be because this is not the first time I’ve posted it here, I make a post like this once every offseason. But this time is special. Today is exactly 10 years since [the first time I posted BBGM on /r/nba](https://np.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1j1e6q/i_made_a_singleplayer_basketball_management/). Back then it was a very barebones game [(this is a playable version of 2013 BBGM, if you’re curious)](https://old.basketball-gm.com/) with no users. Now it has more features and more users than I could have imagined, and it’s grown from a fun little hobby to a full time job. Without that first post on /r/nba, I’m not sure if any of that would have happened.

Okay, that’s enough sentimentality! You might be more interested to hear about what’s been going on in the Basketball GM world since last year. I have a [giant changelog going back to 2013](https://zengm.com/changelog/) which shows you everything, but here are some highlights.

First, the big new features this year:

– [Revamped finances system](https://zengm.com/blog/2023/06/finances-revamp/) that I think makes a lot more sense than the old one.
– [Cross-era leagues](https://play.basketball-gm.com/new_league/cross_era) made up of historical teams from different years. Or customize it further and include [random teams, real current/historical teams, and teams from your other leagues](https://zengm.com/blog/2022/09/create-leagues-mix/) in one league.
– [Play exhibition games between any two teams](https://play.basketball-gm.com/exhibition) from any seasons in any of your leagues, including historical real teams.
– Added support for [women’s leagues](https://zengm.com/blog/2023/02/womens-leagues/).
– View [trade offers from AI teams](https://i.imgur.com/WacEpS4.png).

And some other notable improvements:

– BBGM has real rosters included back to 1947, and they are continuously updated. There were also updates to [contract realism](https://zengm.com/blog/2023/07/slightly-more-realistic-contracts-real-players) and [handling of players with gaps in their career](https://zengm.com/blog/2023/03/real-players-gaps/), such as missed seasons due to injury, playing overseas, or playing baseball.
– A bunch of small new features: [two new advanced stats (+/- per 100 possessions, and on-off +/- per 100 possessions)](https://zengm.com/blog/2022/11/better-plus-minus-stats/), [customizable scatter plots of player rating/stats](https://i.imgur.com/5fqzc86.png), new frivolities such as [GOAT Season](https://i.imgur.com/aa7ThPL.png) (define a mathematical formula based on stats/awards to rank player seasons), new challenge modes like [Sisyphus Mode](https://i.imgur.com/XUjThHl.png) (once you win a championship, your roster is swapped with the worst team in the league), [better performance for very large leagues](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/waiv3i/version_202207280926_added_a_confirmation_dialog/ii13kzv/), and [trade AI](https://zengm.com/blog/2022/08/bug-fix-trading-picks-during-draft/) [improvements](https://zengm.com/blog/2023/01/ai-draft-pick-valuation/).
– Tons of other new settings, including [a new type of random debuts mode](https://i.imgur.com/ALBY3ET.png) that lets you keep the current rosters of teams in your league while randomizing all past/future real players into future draft classes, [an option to replace overtime with an Elam Ending period (like the G League)](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/zfi8jt/version_202212071123_added_a_new_setting_to/), the [“Give Me The Worst Roster”](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/12l7yjf/version_202304131087_improved_mobile_live_sim_ui/) option when creating a new league, [grouping games into series](https://zengm.com/blog/2023/04/group-games-series/), [multiple watch lists](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/12l7yjf/version_202304131087_improved_mobile_live_sim_ui/), [minimum retirement age](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/12l7yjf/version_202304131087_improved_mobile_live_sim_ui/), [easier position overrides](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/137wce5/version_202305040893_trade_summaries_now_include/jiv6s0v/), [height/weight settings](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/11edf8m/version_202302280706_added_height_factor_and/), [a trade salary matching setting](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/108n2pi/a_few_updates_in_version_202301101044/), and [an assist rate setting](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/yrmrkv/version_202211100777_league_assist_rate_is_now/). It’s funny to think back to 10 years ago, there were literally no settings in the game at all, whereas now the huge number of settings is one of the defining characteristics that makes Basketball GM unique. As a recent review said: [“Repetitive doesn’t exist. You can find thousands of ways to play.”](https://gmgames.org/basketball-gm/review/)
– Tons of work on the UI. [Improved mobile live sim UI](https://i.imgur.com/koa8Duu.png) – score and game sim controls are always visible at the top of the screen. On player profile pages, [league leading stats are shown in bold](https://zengm.com/files/bold-league-leaders-2.png) [(details)](https://zengm.com/blog/2023/03/bold-league-leaders/). New logos for built-in teams in the US and around the world, including my favorite the [Tokyo Kaiju](https://play.basketball-gm.com/img/logos-primary/TOK.svg). And much more – [[1]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/14yb0cr/version_202307130046_slightly_more_realistic/jrrkekd/) [[2]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/137wce5/version_202305040893_trade_summaries_now_include/jiv6s0v/) [[3]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/108n2pi/a_few_updates_in_version_202301101044/) [[4]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/108n2pi/a_few_updates_in_version_202301101044/) [[5]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/107xvr5/also_version_202301091283_draft_pick_numbers_are/) [[6]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/x2qs4o/version_202208311112_more_star_icons_added_a_star/) [[7]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/wigjnw/version_202208070604_new_option_on_the_global/) [[8]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/wigjnw/version_202208070604_new_option_on_the_global/) [[9]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/waiv3i/version_202207280926_added_a_confirmation_dialog/) [[10]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/xgbzzc/little_update_after_adding_the_new_international/) [[11]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/y41j23/version_202210140869_added_a_button_to_export/) [[12]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/12hvwqo/version_202304101013_updated_real_players_rosters/jfqtj0u/) [[13]](https://np.reddit.com/r/BasketballGM/comments/108n2pi/a_few_updates_in_version_202301101044/) [[14]](https://i.imgur.com/kNxsOSR.png) – I know, my game is just a giant spreadsheet, the UI is nothing special to look at. But I do put a lot of effort into making the UI easy to use and packed with features.
– In addition to Basketball GM, there are versions for [football](https://football-gm.com/), [baseball](https://zengm.com/baseball/), and [hockey](https://zengm.com/hockey/) that all got a number of updates. I won’t bore you basketball fans with details about those inferior sports, but check them out if you’re not just a basketball fan.

If you’re still reading and you forgot the link, it’s [basketball-gm.com](https://basketball-gm.com/). Also check out our subreddit /r/BasketballGM, I am always checking there (and email and other social media) for feedback, many of the improvements listed above were suggested by users.

by dumbmatter

26 Comments

  1. mym0j0s0d0pe

    Easily the most in-depth basketball GM game you can play. All for free too.

  2. Background_Ad7011

    Dude I just got hip like a month ago, and it is so fucking good and fun. I used to play NBA2k for franchise and simulate, which was the same shit year after year. Now I have something even better, deeper, more tweakable…just better in every way. Right now I’m supposed to be going to bed but I’m glued to the phone.

    Mad respect on all the work put in and most importantly making it free, I can’t tell you what a breath of fresh air that is. You’re the man

  3. jimmyhota

    Love the game, have put a lot of hours into it across multiple leagues and it always feels different each time. Thanks for all your hard work on it!

  4. beatengenx

    Ten years later: Legendary status. Thanks you, mate.

  5. 0percentmaplesyrup

    Haven’t played in years! But now that I take the train to work. You damn well know I’ll be on playing this!

  6. kimoalmoa

    I’ve played way too many seasons of this, but its still so fun to play

    Thank you dumbmatter!

    also don’t clear browser history on without turning on persistent storage, i learnt this the hard way when losing a 1500 yr save 🙁

  7. DynamixRo

    >2020: Basketball GM got its first user from North Korea, meaning it has now been played in 189 of 193 countries in the world.

    Could it be the big guy himself? He’s clearly into basketball, based on what I’ve learned from watching “The Interview” and his friendship with Dennis Rodman.

  8. JAhoops

    Gonna play at work, never heard of it honestly

  9. QuinceyQuick

    This game is so good, I’ve been playing it for like 3 weeks straight

    First played it like a decade ago when it was maybe a couple months old, played it for a long time until I went so deep into a league that it stuttered all the time. This game’s great

  10. imianha

    oh yeah, have a season with dallas where i got fucking lucky and went from Dirk to Luka and then on 2019 was doing full reconstruction (except luka) and traded before the lottery to get what was expected the 8th pick, ended getting the 1st pick and won 5 straight championships with a core of Luka, Zion, Ingram, Butler, Dwight Powell and as sixth man Tyler Herro. Luka 5th time MVP and 3 times FMVP, Zion 5 times dunk contest champion, 1 scoring champ, 2 FMVP, and Tyler Herro 4 times 6th man of the year (didn’t get allstar any time)
    Really enjoy ur game, being having a blast with it

  11. thewrongnotes

    I’ve been sober from this game for two years.

    That’s a compliment. Great job, man.

  12. coacoanutbenjamn

    I’ve prolly spent over 100 hours on this game and look forward to spending many more on it

  13. floatersforalgernon

    Forgive me for being nosey, but what’s your business model if the game and gameplay are both fully free?

  14. TrustmeIII

    Man I remember playing this in high school 😭 legend fr

  15. Cheddahz

    just want to say that i love basketball gm so much and it has become my go-to game to play whenever i wake up in the morning and want to blast music while i drink my coffee. the amount of updates you put into it shows how much love and care you put into it.

    i’m in a better spot with my life now and plan on spending the five bucks every month to sub to gold, just cause I want to help support what i believe is the best browser based game on the market right now

  16. Love this game! Played this in the most boring days of the pandemic lockdowns and still do from time to time! Thanks u/dumbmatter!

  17. JosephScarington

    Been playing this game for years, it’s great. Perfect game to run a few (or few hundred) seasons as you watch a show, or if youre not feeling something more active like a fps or whatever. The high difficulties are challenging, and the RNG provides a fresh experience each season.

    ​

    Also, [Here’s a gallery of my favorite computer-generated names](https://imgur.com/a/Tf2Fj2T)

    ​

    Some funny, some fun, some fun to say, and some random appearances by Luol Deng and Kyle Shanahan

  18. FistOfPopeye

    My favourite “How fucked are the Bulls this year?” simulator.

    Many thanks OP.

  19. Dapper_Leave

    GOAT video game dev, legit improves the game every single year without fail.

    Remember if you want to support OP, either go to this link and sign up for an ad free account: https://play.basketball-gm.com/account or send to this Paypal (jeremy@zengm.com)(I’d double check with OP though to make sure it’s still the same e-mail).

  20. bigbuffsucks69

    This game has saved me from boredom at work a ton.

    I am curious though if you have any intentions on moving away from a browser-based game and giving it an engine to interpret what happens in the game like OOTP and FM do (or even what early FM did with the little circles)? I know its probably ridiculously inconceivable for a 1 man team to do but that does so much for me in terms of immersion.

    Love the game regardless, would love to see it get big enough to get NBA licensing.

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