How to Fix Error Messages EFEAB30C or 4B538E50 in NBA 2K20

NBA 2K20 is having some server issues at launch, but you might be able to get around them by using one of these fixes.

If you expected a launch as big as NBA 2K20’s to go off without a hitch, you were a lot more optimistic than the hardcore fans of the series. Once the servers opened up for everyone, players immediately started experiencing issues with connecting to any multiplayer mode or the 2K servers in general.

I expected nothing less @NBA2K pic.twitter.com/NAlLQkYQWW

— ★ (@CardiacKembaa) September 6, 2019

The most commonly noted error message players are getting is 4B538E50, but others are also getting EFEAB30C to pop when they go to join a server. Both of these are similar issues that have to do with the game’s data download system, which checks to make sure you are always running the latest version of the game.

If you have ever been playing a game or mode in a previous NBA 2K title and seen the “Update Required” pop-up that wouldn’t go away until you returned to the main menu, that is part of this system check. 2K has laid out a few ways to get around this error, so here is hoping one of these fixes help you get back to enjoying the game.

How to Fix Error Messages EFEAB30C or 4B538E50 in NBA 2K20

Make Sure Your Data is Current

Check and see if there is any download available for the game. It should check automatically if you restart the game, but even if it does, you will still need to wait for it to download. You can play in Play Now mode during this and a prompt, like the one mentioned earlier, will let you know when it is installed.

This is the most common reason for the error and also the easiest to fix.

Email Confirmation

If you MyPlayer account hasn’t been verified yet, you will need to do so to access some functions on the server. It also might be the cause of your continued disconnects.

Follow these steps to get your verification done.

1. Go to the official NBA 2K website
2. Sign in at the top right
3. Enter your MyPlayer account name and password
4. When you log in successfully, that should automatically verify your account
5. If that doesn’t fix it, this error may be due to you having too many accounts logged in

NBA 2K only allows five MyPlayer accounts to be created on a single console, so if you have made more than five, security protocols have blocked you from joining the servers. There is no workaround to bypass this error, and you will only be able to use one of those original five accounts to play online in the game.

Software Blocking

PC players, you might have something blocking your connection to the server. You will need to try a PathPing and a TraceRoute to see if where the issue is happening if that is the case. It isn’t that hard, and 2K has provided a detailed list of steps, which is listed here:

1. On a computer (which needs to be connected to the router you are currently using), open the Windows menu, type “CMD” and press Enter.
2. In the command prompt, enter the following command: pathping -n 104.255.107.131
3. After a few seconds, the command prompt is going to show some statistics. To copy the output, right-click anywhere in the window and select: Select All. Right-click again and select Copy. Open Notepad. Press Ctrl+V to paste into Notepad.
4. Back at the prompt, type tracert 104.255.107.131 and press Enter. Please wait until the window says Trace Complete. Copy that information as well and send both of these documents to us as attachments.
5. Reserved Space has been cleared on your hard drive.

Make sure always to keep the space used by NBA 2K clear without deleting any data from the game. Error Message EFEAB30C is most commonly caused by the game trying to replicate deleted data, and something interrupts that process.

Data Sync Issues

This is the most troublesome issue of the bunch. If all of the data for the game is not synced, or there is a portion missing from a file, your best bet is to go to Play Now and just let the game sit. That will make the game scan for data, which could take up to an hour, as the syncing process begins again. You will eventually get a message talking about an update that will ask you to return to the main menu, and the update will begin.

This issue is slightly different for Nintendo Switch users, so here is what those players need to do to get a similar result.

1. Hold down the power button on the Switch until a menu appears and select Power Options from there
2. Shutdown the console completely by selecting Power Off
3. Turn the Switch back on and open NBA 2K20 again, and you should start downloading the update or have fixed the issue
4. If you receive a message about your MyPlayer account expiring, use the steps from Email Confirmation, and you should be fine

Outside of this, the servers for NBA 2K20 could be down or overtaxed because of how many people want to play the game. If that is the case, all you can do is wait for something to change.