Charles Barkley Doesn't Appear In NBA 2K For A Very Good Reason - GameSpot

In a video that has been circulating online, Barkley explains that he does not feature in the games because he's disappointed at how little they pay some of the legacy players who feature--not because he needs the money himself, but because it could be a good revenue source for older players with less money.

Speaking about the benefits for current players in comparison to older, retired NBA stars, Barkley explained his disappointment at how 2K compensates them: "they pay the guys chump change." He's referring to the generations that came before him, who were paid far less and are much less likely to be be wealthy now.

"Just giving me some money doesn't help anybody," Barkley says, acknowledging that he's already well-off.

But he says that 2K calls him every year, and that he says he'll do the game if they ever agree to pay the older, retired players featured in the game $1 million per year.

"I'm not talking about old retired players like me...there's players older than me who didn't make any money," Barkley says.

Barkley: Shut Up And Jam started a brief series of street basketball games on the SNES and Genesis, before Barkley, Shut Up And Jam: Gaiden took the series in a very different direction over a decade later