NBA 2K Mobile codes are in high demand from players, as they unlock new superstar cards to build your team with, as well as coins to make in-game purchases with and other boosters to speed up your progress. However, they are also quite elusive as they only last for a relatively short period of time before they expire, so you'll need to act fast in order to keep up with them. For the latest on current codes for NBA 2K Mobile and how to redeem them, read on.

If you're also shooting hoops on console or PC, then we have the latest NBA 2K26 locker codes for rewards there too.

NBA 2K Mobile codes

• No active codes

While there have been plenty of NBA 2K Mobile codes released, they have all expired which means we're currently left with no active promos. When codes do get announced they only have a short shelf life, usually around a week, so we suggest you bookmark this page and check it regularly to see if any fresh reveals have taken place.

How to redeem NBA 2K Mobile codes

To redeem NBA 2K Mobile codes, you first need to complete all of the initial tutorials and opening match – or at least start it and then quit out. This will give you access to the main menu screen, where you need to tap the Clipboard icon on the left hand side of the screen. From the menu that opens up, hit the Newspaper icon (fourth one down on the left) to access the ENTER CODE text box and then type in the promo before tapping the CLAIM button. Remember that codes for NBA 2K Mobile are case-sensitive, so make sure you enter them exactly as displayed.

Expired NBA 2K Mobile codes

• SPIDAMITCHELL – Donovan Mitchell '26 Card
• HALLOFFAME26 – Free drop including Amar'e Stoudemire '03 and Doc Rivers '94 player cards, one per account
• BAM83PTS – Adebayo '83 card
• ALLSTARHYPE – Rewards
• NEWYEARNEWDRIP – 5x 2026 Collectable Cards
• HOLIDAYHUNDO – 100 Coins
• BLIZZARDMCDAN – Rewards
• HOLIDAYFLEX – Rewards
• SNOWYPAYDAY – Rewards
• ICYWALLACE22 – Rewards
• JOLLYJACKPOT – Rewards
• LOWRYGOESNORTH – Rewards
• GLOBALGIFTS5 – Rewards
• FROSTYFIFTY – 50 Coins
• NORTHPOLEBLOCK – Allen '25 Card
• JINGLEJINGLE – 5x Deck the Hoops Cards
• FLASHBLITZDEALS – 200 Coins
• DBOOKTIME – Devin Booker Card, 2x Energy
• S7FINALE – 100 Coins, 1x Energy
• FORETHEWIN – Tickets
• HOLEINONE – Tickets
• OLDSCHOOLHEROES – Erving Card, Webber Card, 2x Energy
• ONTHETEE – Tickets
• SHAQATTACK – Shaquille O'Neal '03 Card
• VINSANITY – Vince Carter '04 Card, 2x Energy
• THEBIGTICKET – Kevin Garnett Card, 2x Energy
• BIGARISTOTLE – Shaquille O'Neal '04 Card, 2x Energy
• REALCODE – Magic Johnson '91 Card, 2x Energy
• BIGFUNDAMENTAL – Level 100 Tim Duncan Card, 2x Energy
• RIVALSWEEK – Kyrie Irving '24 Card, Anthony Edwards '24 Cards
• JOSHPOTTER – Giannis Antetokounmpo Card, 1x Energy, 2x XP Boost
• PODCASTPG – Paul George 2021 Card, 1x Energy, 2x XP Boost
• OLDMANJJ – Larry Bird 1990 Card, 1x Energy, 2x XP Boost
• TIGERBELLY – Scottie Pippen 1998 Card, 1x Energy, 2x XP Boost
• TRILLWITHERS – Nikola Jokic 2023 Card, 1x Energy
• TATUM2KMOBILE – Jayson Tatum Card

There are quite a few expired NBA 2K Mobile codes, as they only tend to be valid for around a week or so when they get announced. That means if you do see an active promo, you should make sure you redeem it as soon as possible, before the rewards it provides slip through your fingers.

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The active NBA 2K26 locker codes list is underway, and I'll be keeping you up to date with all of the latest freebies to land in 2K's basketball series. To grab the reward items on offer, all you need to do is input a few letters and numbers within the in-game menus. I'll show you exactly how right here, while steering you through the complete expired and active NBA 2K26 locker codes list.

If you're also swishing nets on mobile, then we have the latest NBA 2K Mobile codes for basketball on the go too.

Active NBA 2K26 locker codes

• NBA-2K27-COVER-ATHLETES – Invincible Victor Wembanyama, Invincible Caitlin Clark, GOAT Derrick Rose card new!
• WNBA-COMMISSIONERS-CUP – WNBA Invincible Player Option Pack (Pick 1)
• FREE-BOOSTS – Three games of boosts (Skill and Gatorade)

The number of NBA 2K26 locker codes available at any given time tends to fluctuate, as limited time promos come and go rather quickly. Above are the current codes, and what they get you. Scroll on for more details of how to enter the necessary letters and numbers.

How to use NBA 2K26 locker codes

NBA 2K26 locker codes work similarly to WWE 2K26 locker codes. They can offer free content in various modes – but most of them are applicable to MyTeam.

To input a locker code, move across to MyTeam in the main menu, then enter that mode. Now scroll along the top bar until you get to the Market tab. Select the Locker Codes option, and you're presented with an onscreen keyboard, which you can use to enter your code. Be careful to avoid mistakes – make a single error and you have to start from scratch.

Expired NBA 2K26 locker codes

• GOAT-PLAYER-IN-MYTEAM – Guaranteed G.O.A.T. Player Ball Drop for a chance of Anthony Edwards, George Gervin, Dwight Howard, Scottie Pippen, or Chris Webber
• GAME-7-DREAM – G.O.A.T. Hakeem Olajuwon
• KLAY-GM-6-FINALS – Invincible Klay Thompson
• BRUNSON-FINALS-MVP – G.O.A.T. Finals MVP Jalen Brunson
• GAME-5-NBA-FINALS – Invincible Pau Gasol
• FINALS-MVP-GM-4 – Invincible Jaylen Brown
• GM-3-OSCAR – Invincible Oscar Robertson
• NBA-FINALS-GAME-2 – Invincible Paul Pierce
• HALI-GAME-1 – Invincible Tyrese Haliburton
• MyTEAM-100-OVR – 100 OVR Pack
• MYTEAM-PACK – Splash Zone Pack
• NBA-PLAYOFFS-MYTEAM – 100 OVR Jalen Brunson
• WNBA-30TH-SEASON – 5-Card Premium Pack including 1x WNBA 100 OVR, 2x WNBA Dark Matter, 2x WNBA Galaxy Opal
• MT-ANIMATION-BREAKER – Bronze Animation Breaker
• NBA-PLAYOFFS-0425 – The Void: Warped Pack
• BAM-83-POINTS – 99 OVR Dark Matter Fresh Bam Adebayo (Use any Bam card and drop 83 points in multiple MyTEAM modes to unlock a 100 OVR Bam Adebayo)
• MYTEAM-99-OVR – Guaranteed NBA Dark Matter Player Card
• MT-EASTER-BANNER – Easter Player Banner
• MYTEAM-BRACKET-BUSTERS – Bracket Busters Pack
• CAMPUS-HOOPS-DROP – Random College Jersey
• MYTEAM-ALUMNI – Guaranteed 97+ OVR Alumni Player Pack
• MT-ST-PATRICKS – St Patrick's Day Player Banner
• MT-CERTIFIED-2K26 – Certified Pack
• MYTEAM-RE-FRESH – Re-Fresh Pack
• MT-LIN-DM-EVENT-CARD-LNY – Diamond Jeremy Lin, Dark Matter All-Star Festival Event Card
• PD-EVENT-CARD-VALENTINE – Pink Diamond Event Card
• ALL-STAR-NO-LIMIT – Two No Limit Jerseys for MyCareer
• ALL-STAR-PACK-MT – NBA All-Star Pack
• NBA-PIONEERS – Pink Diamond Option Pack with either Earl Lloyd, Nat Clifton, or Chuck Cooper
• BATTLEGROUNDS-SUPER-PACK – Battlegrounds Super Pack, 92+ OVR Free Agent Pack
• DROSE-AND-JERSEYS-SHOES – Amethyst Derrick Rose, Drose Jersey and Shoes
• MT-BATTLEGROUNDS-FESTIVAL – Battlegrounds: Challengers Pack, 92+ OVR Free Agent Pack
• MyCareer-MLK-DAY-2026 – T-Shirt, 2x Double XP Tokens
• MLK-DAY-MYTEAM – Pink Diamond Player
• BEASTS-IN-MT-2K26– Beasts Pack
• NEW-YEARS-GAME-CHANGERS – 5x Game Changers Cards
• MT-EDWARDS-AND-JOKIC – Amethyst Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic
• MyTEAM-KD-DONCIC – Amethyst Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic
• FLAGG-CURRY-MyTEAM – Amethyst Cooper Flagg and Stephen Curry
• FOX-AND-SGA-IN-MT – Amethyst De'Aaron Fox and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• MT-MITCHELL-BRUNSON – Amethyst Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson
• MT-HOLIDAY-BANNER – Holiday Banner
• HAPPY-HOLIDAYS-FROM-MyTEAM – Pink Diamond De'Aaron Fox, LaMarcus Aldridge, Michael Redd, Pascal Siakam, or Rudy Gobert
• DR-J-EXCHANGE-EVENT – Julius Erving Event Card
• MT-PINK-DIAMOND-JALEN-JOHNSON – Pink Diamond Jalen Johnson
• MT-THANKSGIVING – Thanksgiving Banner
• DELUXE-PACK-BALL-DROP – Rainmakers, Ignite, Chills, Swift, or Bounce Deluxe Pack
• MT-SWIFT-DROP – Swift Pack
• MT-HALLOWEEN – Halloween Banner
• MT-CHILLS-WILD-GEMS – Chills Wild Gems Pack
• MT-GAME-CHANGERS-PICK-3 – Game Changers Option Pack
• NBA-TIP-OFF-IN-MYTEAM – '26 Series 1 All-Star Player Option Pack
• FREE-WIN-IN-MYTEAM – Free win in Showdown, Breakout, or Gauntlet
• WNBA-IN-MYTEAM – WNBA All-Star Option Pack
• 2K26-MYTEAM-GAME-CHANGERS – Game Changers Option Pack
• 2K26-CREATOR-CHALLENGE – Game On Pack & MyPlayer Drawstring Bag

The number of expired NBA 2K26 locker codes to report is expanding as we progress through the season. I'll continue to populate a list right here when the active codes above slide past their sell-by date.

Where to find NBA 2K26 locker codes

We're committed to updating this NBA 2K26 locker codes guide throughout the game’s life cycle. For NBA 2K26 locker code releases as they happen, you may also wish to keep tabs on the game’s numerous social media feeds. These are the main ones:

• NBA 2K Community Discord
• TikTok
• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube

Why is my NBA 2K26 locker code not working?

There are three common issues when it comes to deploying locker codes. The first is an obvious one: it may have expired. Misspelling the code is also a repeat problem – make sure you've entered any dashes correctly, for instance. It's also possible you've used the code before. If you’re certain that it’s none of those woes, try raising a ticket directly with 2K Support.

Need hints on other sports games now? Jump on over to our Madden 26 best playbooks and College Football 26 recruiting guides.

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A fresh, futuristic new sports game is being added to NBA 2K25 as a paid add-on, but it looks like the developers may have been taking notes from Fortnite when it comes to becoming a platform for other games to exist within.

Say hello to Gravity Ball – a unique new sport which the president of NBA 2K developer Visual Concepts, Greg Thomas, describes as "American-Gladiators-meets-futuristic-basketball-meets-paintball." Players will be able to compete in 3v3 and 5v5 modes alongside friends, using power-ups and gravity-defying launch pads to soar through the air. It's certainly no run-of-the-mill basketball game we've seen before, but that's not what makes the whole situation so strange the more you look at it.

At first glance, it appears that Gravity Ball is simply paid DLC for NBA 2K25, and you wouldn't be wrong to call it that, but a statement from Visual Concepts' president raises a few questions. Thomas refers to it as a "brand-new game" – the "newest game from Visual Concepts South," in fact – that's accessible via NBA 2K25's hub area, The City. It first began as a passion project, but "we knew we needed to find a way to share it with you," says Thomas, adding: "Leveraging NBA 2K25's platform has given us that opportunity." This terminology makes it sound like it's been treated in the same sort of way as Fortnite's array of non-battle royale modes, like Lego Fortnite and Fortnite Festival, which were described as "new live-service games" available within Fortnite when they were introduced last year.

There's obviously a big difference here, though, in that NBA 2K25 isn't a free game, and neither is Gravity Ball. Fortnite and all of its games, modes, or whatever you want to call them are free-to-play, so if you only care about playing Hot To Go in Festival, you can do that without having to pay for a battle royale game you have no interest in. Gravity Ball, on the other hand, will be $7.99 when it launches tomorrow, and that's obviously for people who already own the $69.99 sports game it'll live within. Paid DLC is one thing, but framing this as the latest game from the team behind Lego 2K Drive makes the whole thing rather questionable.

To be fair, Gravity Ball itself looks pretty fun, but it remains to be seen how successful it'll be when locked away within another game like this. Thomas is looking forward to fans' feedback, and notes: "Good concepts deserve a chance to find an audience and shouldn't die on the cutting room floor."

Be sure to check out our NBA 2K25 locker codes guide to find out how to unlock bonuses in the sports game.

The active NBA 2K25 locker codes list looks to be done now that its sequel is in the wild. It was a curious year, with some surprising stinginess when it came to in-game freebies – let's hope 2K is feeling a little more generous with NBA 2K26. Read on to see how the mechanic works, and look back over the full expired and active NBA 2K25 locker codes list.

Active NBA 2K25 locker codes

As of Friday, September 5 the list of NBA 2K25 locker codes stands at just one, which you can see below. We'll add any future codes here as soon as they appear – although that seems unlikely following the release of NBA 2K26.

• 2K25-MyTEAM-THANK-YOU: GOAT Player Card

How to use NBA 2K25 locker codes

NBA 2K25 locker codes can apply to various modes – but the easiest way to input them is in MyTeam. Choose that mode after starting up the game, then move your way across to the Market tab. From there, scroll down to Locker Codes. You can now enter the code you wish to redeem in the text box. Be careful to include dashes, and avoid mistakes – make a single error and you have to start from scratch.

Codes from the official NBA website require additional effort. First, you need to highlight the account button in the top right corner of the screen. After that, click the Benefits, Voting & Badges prompt. Click the panel for each reward, then ‘Access Benefit’ to generate your personal code. Then follow the above steps to unlock it in NBA 2K25.

Expired NBA 2K25 locker codes

The list of expired NBA 2K25 locker codes were available earlier in the game’s lifetime, but sadly no longer work. There've also been special flash codes unleashed on social media, such as MYTEAM-EMZ7F – but as these were only for hours at a time, we've not included them on our official list.

• 2K26-COVER-ATHLETES-MYTEAM: 100 OVR Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Invincible Carmelo Anthony & Pink Diamond Angel Reese Coach Card
• INVINCIBLE-CARD-IN-MYTEAM: Invincible Player Card
• 2K26-SUMMER-LEAGUE-FINALS: 100 OVR Pack
• MYTEAM-4TH-OF-JULY-FIREWORKS: Fireworks Deluxe Pack
• MT-REESE-OR-BRINK-CARD: WNBA Reese or Brink Coach Card
• MYTEAM-WILSON-OR-CLARK: WNBA Wilson or Clark Coach Card
• MT-NBA-DRAFT-FESTIVAL: Goat Event Card
• S7-DIVINCENZO: Diamond Dante Divincenzo
• MYTEAM-LIBERTY-FEVER: Catlin Clark Coach Card
• FESTIVAL-OF-CHAMPIONS-GOAT: Goat Piece
• 100-OVR-NBA-2K25-FINALS: 100 Overall Player Pack
• 100-OVERALL-PLAYER: 100 Overall Player Pack
• MYTEAM-OUT-OF-POSITION: Out Of Position Deluxe Pack
• HALL-OF-FAME-BADGE: Hall Of Fame Badge
• DIAMOND-PLUS-PACK: 92+ OVR Premium Player Pack
• GEMS-OF-THE-GAME: 92+ OVR Gems Of The Game 2 Pack
• GLITCHED-GOLD-TY-LUE: Glitched Gold Ty-Lue
• DIAMOND-SHOE-CARD: Diamond Shoe Pack
• ONE-GALAXY-OPAL-EVENT-CARD: Galaxy Opal Glitched Event Card
• LEGEND-BADGE: Legend Badge Award Pack
• HIDDEN-GEMS-PLAYER: Hidden Gems 87+ Player Pack
• MYTEAM-PLAYOFFS: Pantheon Deluxe Pack
• HAPPY-EASTER-99-OVERALL: 99 OVR Player Pack
• MYTEAM-APEX-PACK: Deluxe Apex Pack
• MYTEAM-DELUXE-2K25: Deluxe Pack
• BACK-IN-THE-BAY-2K: Pink Diamond Damian Lilliard & Button-Up Shirt for MyCareer
• ROOKIE-MVP-OPAL-ELTON-BRAND: Galaxy Opal Elton Brand & All-Star Event Card
• 2K25-MYTEAM-LNY: Lunar New Year Pack
• MyTEAM-LUNAR-NEW-YEAR: Lunar New Year Event Card pack
• ALLSTAR-2K-THE-COURT: The Court Hat, T-Shirt & 5x Skill Boosts
• MYCAREER-MLK-DAY-2025: Double XP Token & MLK Day Medallion Necklace
• MLK-DAY-2K25-MYTEAM: Pink Diamond Reward Ball Drop
• 12DAYS-HAPPY-HOLIDAYS: Pink Diamond player
• MT-HOF-BADGE-12DAYS: Hall Of Fame Badge Option Pack
• 12DAYS-MT-HIDDEN-GEMS: Hidden Gems Ruby Option Pack
• HOLIDAY-SCARF-12DAYS: Holiday Scarf for your MyPlayer
• 12DAYS-WINTER-PEACOAT: Peacoat for your MyPlayer
• MYTEAM-12DAYS-DELUXE-PACK: Deluxe Pack
• HOLIDAY-SHIRT-TIME-12DAYS: Holiday Shirt for MyCareer
• 12-DAYS-OFPOLAR: Cardigan Shirt for your MyPlayer
• 2XP-MT-COINS-12DAYS: Two Double XP MyTeam Coins
• 12DAYS-GOTG-OPTION-PACK: MyTeam Gems Of The Game Amethyst Option Pack
• THANKSGIVING-PINK-DIAMOND: MyTeam Festival Option Pack
• NBA 2K25 Rewards Season 1: 2x MyTeam Series 1 Packs, MyPlayer merch (NBA website exclusive)
• NBA 2K25 Rewards Level Up: 1 Hour 2XP Coins (MyTeam), 1 Hour 2XP Coins (MyCareer), 10 games of skill boosts, 2 level skips (NBA website exclusive)
• 2K25-MYTEAM-LUKA-BOOKER: Amethyst Luka Doncic or Amethyst Devin Booker

Where to find NBA 2K25 locker codes

We're committed to updating this NBA 2K25 locker codes guide throughout the game’s life cycle. For live NBA 2K25 locker code releases, keep tabs on the game’s myriad social media feeds. These are the main ones:

• NBA 2K Community Discord
• TikTok
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Youtube

Why is my NBA 2K25 locker code not working?

There are three common scenarios where a locker code doesn't work. It might have expired, been used before, or been misspelled upon entry – be especially careful to make sure you use all capital letters. If you’re certain that it’s none of those issues, try raising a ticket directly with 2K Support. Need more hints on other sports games? Jump on over to our Madden 25 tips guide.

An NBA 2K23 player was rewarded with a tiny in-game car after grinding for 700 hours.

Earlier this week, streamer Keystix became the first NBA 2K23 player to hit the Legend rank in-game, earning over 100,000 Points across multiple matches, and playing 500 games at the highest difficulty setting. For this herculean feat, which took a grand total of 700 hours to achieve, they were rewarded with a tiny in-game car that they can drive around and explore in-game areas in.

In all, it took the streamer a whopping 6,313 in-game matches of NBA 2K23's MyCareer mode to reach the prestigious Legend rank. This marks the very first time anyone has reached such a rank in the most recent NBA 2K game, since it only just launched earlier this year in October.

Aside from the car though, Keystix is rewarded with four total Badges for their MyCareer player. There's definitely an... interesting reaction from the streamer when the in-game rewards for the Legend rank are finally revealed in the clip above. Almost a muted reaction, it'd be fair to say.

In the comments section underneath the tweet from the NBA 2K Twitter account, players are sounding off on whether the grind was worth it. In fact, most seem to be of the opinion that the grind of 6,313 games over 700 hours definitely wasn't worth it for a tiny car and four Badges.

"All that grinding for +4 badges..." one Twitter user responded, while another one wrote "WORST REWARD I EVER SEEN." Someone even drew comparisons with the in-game vehicle to Homer Simpson's car in The Simpson's Hit & Run, and we don't know if that's a good or bad thing.

Check out our NBA 2K23 ratings guide if you're wondering where the best-ranked players are around the league. 

It seems another mysterious developer hawking rip-offs on the Xbox store has been taken down, after NBA 2K23 fans discovered a bizarre title called "Nbasketball 23."

Nbasketball 23 seems to have hit the Xbox store sometime in October, judging by the user reviews captured in an image from Hu on Twitter. One review, from a user called DearMosquito17, is titled "I WILL ******* SUE YOU," and says "I thought this was 2k 23 but I wasted 50 dollars for this app you will speak to my lawyers soon."

It certainly looks like confusion with NBA 2K23 is what developer Sarp Apps was going for, here. The background image for the Nbasketball 23's store page was a promotional image of 2K23 cover star Devin Booker. The price was set at $59.99, though in the captured image it was marked down to $9.99. It's likely this was an effort to grab the impulse-buy interest of anyone who might've started typing 'nba' into the Xbox store search bar.

Nbasketball 23 was sadly(?) delisted sometime after Hu's tweet went viral, though there are at least some screenshots of what once was. Ah, who can forget the epic game when Smith, Duncan, John, and that guy without a name took on the legendary team of Mamerto, Mamerto, Mamerto, and Robert.

A quick Google search for Sarp Apps suggests that they had a range of titles available on the Xbox store, including Beamnp Drive Ambulance, Internet Cafe Computer Simulator 2022 3D, and Guide For Fall Guys Customization. The only one of the studio's games that seems to currently be available is Tractor Simulator 2022. While that one does have a logo bearing a pretty strong resemblance to the popular Farming Simulator series, it's not quite so egregious as Nbasketball.

This isn't the first brazen knock-off to hit the Xbox store. A terrible God of War rip-off called War Gods Zeus of Child, complete with Kratos, was delisted back in August. That developer, Dolaka LTD, also built cheap imitations of Pokemon, Mario, and V Rising, some of which are still available today.

Sadly, we'll never know if Nbasketball 23 ranked among the best sports games.

NBA 2K23 is always a hot topic in October, given that it's the month when US pro basketball tips off another season. NBA 2K23 has been out since September 9, so many are playing it already – but what about those holding out until the new campaign gets underway? Well, everything you guys and girls need is below. Watch the trailer, brush up on ratings and run your eyes over this year's feature-set using GR's NBA 2K23 guide. 

When will we see the first NBA 2K23 trailer?

It landed in early July – kind of. 2K released a mini-trailer to confirm Michael Jordan as one of the game's four cover stars. You can watch it above.

As for the first gameplay footage, this emerged a couple of weeks later – but fret not, we have that right here for you too. Hit the button below to watch and enjoy.

Can we pinpoint the NBA 2K23 release date yet?

Most certainly. One of the upsides to annual sports titles is that their publishers like to stick to a specific release window. For instance, NBA 2K20 dropped on September 6, 2019. NBA 2K21 landed on September 4, 2020. [On PS4 and Xbox One, anyway – the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions had to wait until the November launch of those consoles.] NBA 2K22, meanwhile, shipped on September 10, 2021. All of these dates are Fridays, and they all fall within the first fortnight of September.

Taking those past dates into account, we therefore predicted that the NBA 2K23 release date would fall during the first fortnight in September. We were right: NBA 2K23 landed on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC on Friday, September 9.

Were there NBA 2K23 pre-order rewards?

Inevitably, yes. In addition to confirming the release date of Friday, September 9, Visual Concepts unveiled five different versions of NBA 2K23. You can compare them all at the official 2K Sports website. The good news is that whichever you went for, these goodies are also thrown in:

• 5,000 Virtual Currency
• 5,000 MyTEAM Points
• 10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week)
• A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type
• A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type
• Devin Booker MyPLAYER Jersey
• 95 Rated Devin Booker MyTEAM Free Agent Card

Who is the NBA 2K23 cover star?

The 2K series box athlete doesn’t receive as much hype as the Madden 23 cover star, but it’s still a hugely privileged gig. As a rule, more than one player usually scores the honor. For NBA 2K21, Zion Willamson (Pelicans) and Damien Lillard (Trail Blazers) fronted the current-gen and lest-gen versions respectively, while a Mamba Forever edition was produced in honor of Kobe Bryant, after the hoops icon was killed in a helicopter crash. Last year, Luca Doncic (Mavericks) and Candace Parker (Sky) shared the spoils. Parker was the first-ever female player to appear on the box.

There are four cover stars this year. Basketball legend Michael Jordan fronts the Michael Jordan Edition (well, duh) and Championship Edition. Female legends Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird are on the box of the Gamestop-exclusive WNBA Edition. And contemporary favourite Devin Booker gets the gig on the Standard Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition.

Who's on top of the NBA 2K23 ratings list?

Fascinatingly, American betting company BetUS opened a specific market predicting NBA 2K23 player ratings at the back end of 2021. Customers could bet whether an individual player would end up with higher or lower overall scores than those suggested by BetUS. There’s no hint that they had an inside information - indeed, that would be illegal - but here’s who they predicted to be the top ten players in NBA 2K23:

• Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) - 97
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) - 97
• LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) - 96
• Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) - 96
• Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers) - 96
• Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) - 96
• Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) - 96
• James Harden (Philadelphia 76ers) - 96
• Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) - 96
• Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) - 94

Were they correct? In some cases, yes! The only incorrect name in their top ten was Damian Lillard, who was pipped from the elite list by Ja Morant. Visual Concepts unleashed the NBA 2K23 player ratings database in August, and these were the top ten players ahead of its September launch:

• 1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) - 97
• 2. LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) - 96
• 3. Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) - 96
• 4. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) - 96
• 5. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) - 96
• 6. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) - 96
• 7. Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) - 95
• 8. Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers) - 95
• 9. Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzles) - 93
• 10. James Harden (Philadelphia 76ers) - 92

For a full look at the best players position-by-position, slam dunk on over to GR's NBA 2K23 ratings guide. 

What new NBA 2K23 features are there?

Two points of focus were prioritised by Visual Concepts for NBA 2K23. The first is a selection of AI improvements and reworked controls – so every player build feels more realistic. The second is more accessibility across the game. 

"2K basketball," says gameplay director Mike Wang, "has never really deviated from one simple fact: that you can play the game knowing two buttons. That hasn't changed for as long as I've been at the company, and that's a long time."

In specific terms, this results in a reworked shot feedback indicator, that only shows you how good your shot timing was after the ball goes in or misses the hoop. Team takeover feels less arcade-y, while jump shot animations have also gone under the microscope in order to feel much more cosmetically pleasing.

For a deep dive into all the new NBA 2K23 features, jump over to our detailed NBA 2K23 preview.

What was on the NBA 2K23 wishlist?

The NBA 2K forum on Reddit is a treasure trove of credible ideas to improve the series. Handily, its moderators collate the best ones and then submit them to publisher 2K for consideration in the game. Back in the summer, ahead of the NBA 2K23 announcement, we compiled the best ones.

Fans were generally happy with the modes on offer, but would like to see gameplay tweaks as the series finds its find on PS5 and Xbox Series X. “Slow the game down a little and make players’ speed realistic. David Robinson was never faster than John Wall,” wrote JimboCruntz. “Fix blocks. There are too many from chase downs and not enough from poor offensive choices. Also, fix rebounding. NBA players tend to react when the ball is heading towards them.”

“Remove speed boosts,” he continued. “If players want to be dribble gods they should learn how to dribble, not hunt for random super speed animations. [Also] watch an NBA game. Players don't miss because Kawhi randomly stands near them – he actually has to play defense to defend. As for shooting, the green zone should be larger or smaller AND move depending on the contest.”

Indeed, improved shooting was a common theme when it came to tweaking the on-court action. “Open shots vs contested shots need to be balanced a bit more,” wrote EarvGotti. “Currently open shots go in at an insanely high rate which is fine. But if that is going to be the case, contested shots need to have more of a penalty. Currently, guys are running Base 3, Set Shot 25, Base 98 and these jumpshots are super fast. Contests don't register properly on bases like those. Shot contests need to be stronger in order to correctly penalize taking bad shots vs taking good shots. If you guys do one last patch for NBA 2K22, please please please include a buff to shot contests on the perimeter and directly under the rim.”

Over on Operation Sports, there was a push to see extra focus given to retro favorites. “I know this isn't a huge priority, but please show more love to the historics!” pleaded KobeDropped81. “Please re-create the top three or four players on every classic team. Pay someone from the modding community if you have to. The work that was done to Kobe [Bryant] and Dirk [Nowitzki] over the last two years is phenomenal. It shows that improvements are possible. Why not put the same effort into the other legends? Most of these guys have looked the EXACT same since NBA 2K16. Why does DeAndre Jordan have long ponytail Dreads on the '14 Clippers? And Stephon Marbury? It makes no sense.”

Will we see NBA 2K23 cross-play?

A recent FAQ has confirmed NBA 2K23 cross-platform and crossplay details. While progress can transfer between console families - so PS4 to PS5, Xbox One to Series X - there's no crossplay between platforms. 

In May, EA EA began testing cross-play within the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of FIFA 22, using Online Friendlies and Online Seasons. Soon after, confirmation emerged that both FIFA 23 and NHL 23 will support cross-play. But EA doesn’t make a basketball game, and at this point, there’s no suggestion that NBA 2K23 will incorporate similar tech in any upcoming patch. However, it’s certainly something Visual Concepts will need to look hard at going forwards if EA’s suite of rival games make a success of it. So, maybe, cross-play could be a thing in NBA 2K24.

I love NBA 2K23 – but I'm not a basketball superfan. For me, its appeal extends far beyond shooting hoops and into the culture and fashion (specifically, sneakers) surrounding it. On the court, Visual Concepts and 2K's coveted NBA series is the best in the biz. From its deft interpretations of the sport's biggest stars, past and present – like Golden State's 'splash triplets', Curry, Clay, and Poole; and perhaps the most iconic sportsperson of all time, Michael Jordan – to its in-game commentary, half-time performances, and courtside analysis; it really is the quintessential reimagining of the real deal. 

"However much you love FIFA or its tortured artist cousin eFootball, hand on heart it never looks true to the real thing. NBA 2K23 is different," said Phil Iwaniuk in GamesRadar's NBA 2K23 preview earlier this year, referencing the action on the hardwood. For me, the same can be said of the game's quieter moments. And as such, it's away from the actual basketball that I've found a home. 

Sneakerhead culture 

You see, I'm a sneakerhead, and there is no sport in the world that overlaps with shoe culture quite as much as basketball. Over the last 10 years, the mainstream appeal of streetwear has skyrocketed, particularly among athletes, especially basketball players – to the point where analyzing the pre-match and off-court attire of the most famous stars has become as much a part of the game today as the game itself. 

The working-class, ground-level origins of streetwear closely reflect those of basketball – especially streetball, and the heady days of the AND1 early-2000s golden era – however, big-money sponsorships (i.e. Steph Curry's recent Under Armour lifetime deal), player-specific silhouettes (e.g. the Air Jordan line), and high-profile collaborations (such as the late Virgil Abloh's Off-White x Nike collection) have only accentuated the appeal (and resale value) of the latest kicks in the modern era. Mirroring the styles and looks of celebrities is hardly a new concept, but sneakerhead culture is now intrinsically linked with basketball – whether you enjoy the sport itself or not. 

In NBA 2K23, then, I'm not that fussed about dropping dimes like Scottie Pippen, dribbling like Kyrie, soaring like Mike, or nailing buzzing beaters in the style of Kobe or LeBron, but I am interested in the shoes. I'm interested in its The Last Dance-aping return of The Jordan Challenge and seeing the GOAT strut his stuff for North Carolina at the 1982 NCAA finals in a pair of battered blue and white Converse. I'm interested in seeing him lift his first-ever Championship with the Chicago Bulls, wearing his now iconic 'Black Infrared' Air Jordan 6s. I'm interested in seeing him clinch his five other titles in his Jordan 7s (1992), Jordan 8s (1993), Jordan 11s (1996), Jordan 12s (1997), and Jordan 14s (1998). I'm interested in chasing my own big money shoe deal in the present day's MyCareer – starting out as a keen but average franchise player who tells the media he wants to be the next Larry Bird at the Celtics, but who secretly just wants to cop the Nike Kobe 6 Protro 'Grinch' colorway because, chef kiss, they're just so beautiful on-foot.

Just like the real thing, cultivating your own brand is a key part of MyCareer in NBA 2K23, and brand endorsements out on the field are a surefire way to boost your income and popularity among fans. Naturally, in order to catch the eye of the biggest manufacturers and nail down the most lucrative contracts, you need to do a fair bit of actual basketballing. Nike, it turns out, isn't interested in investing in talentless butterfingers, but it is willing to dip the quill for a player who's ascertained 420,000 Fans, 6 Corporate Levels, and 10 Solo Players levels. The Jordan brand, on the other hand, is willing to talk after achieving 415,000 Fans, 9 Flashy Levels, and 9 Fashion Levels; while Adidas is looking for someone with 390,000 Fans, 8 Free Spirit Levels, and 10 Music Levels. All of this requires a fair bit of on-court grinding, but as such has me playing as though NBA 2K23 is an RPG and not a sports simulator.

Teach a shoe dog new tricks 

Which strikes at the heart of what I enjoy most about NBA 2K23: I see it as a story generator, beyond its technical capabilities and realistic reflection of its real-world source material. I'm delighted for all the keen basketball fans (and, admittedly, a wee bit jealous) who are reveling in the subtle tweaks their favorite series' latest installment has brought to the table: the finely-tuned adjustments to famous players' movements, traits, and skill sets; the smarter AI; the most refined interpretation of the sport from the TV studio to the locker room, the court, the boardroom and back again. 

But it's the wider cultural stuff - the aspect of the game that I enjoy in the real world - that's sunk its hooks into me. Marilyn Monroe once said: "Give the girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world". I'll be sure to quote her when I'm lifting my first NBA 2K23 Championship, sponsored by Nike with my own line of sneakers.

For more athletic action, check out our best sports games you can play right now.

There's a moment, about six hours into wetting your feet in all that NBA 2K23 has to offer – and there is a lot of content, from climbing the ranks in the WNBA to building a monster squad in MyTeam – that you realize you're not just playing any other sports sim. What 2K Games and Visual Concepts have presented you with is an interactive museum, an anthology of the NBA's greatest players, eras, and moments to go along with its standard offerings of sports video game modernity.

NBA 2K has always been a game for basketball fans both hardcore and casual – but NBA 2K23 also caters to basketball savants, and the pair of newest additions to this year's installment pays tribute to that.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2K clearly have an affinity for The Last Dance docuseries as The Jordan Challenge, which returns for the first time since 2K11, is laid out like a playable version of 10-part TV spectacular. Interviews with the likes of Dennis Rodman, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Phil Jackson are peppered throughout and combine beautifully with 15 playable challenges recreating some of the greatest moments of Michael Jordan's storied career.

Jump right in as the man who would become the GOAT when he is nothing but a kid playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels, trying to knock off a young Patrick Ewing leading the Georgetown Hoyas, and go all the way to his game winning shot in the 1998 NBA Finals which marked MJ's final appearance as a Chicago Bull. Each challenge has three stars on offer for completing certain objectives which Jordan himself accomplished in real life (like getting 63 points against the Boston Celtics in the playoffs in 1986).

If reliving some of Jordan's iconic scenes doesn't scratch that nostalgic itch, switch over to MyEra mode and start an NBA franchise save with a twist. In a bid to spice up the tried and tested format of franchise mode, you can now select one of four eras to start in – the Magic and Bird era, the Jordan era, the Kobe era, and the modern era.

What's most pleasing about these modes is that Visual Concepts has paid careful attention to detail to each generation of basketball. This ranges from rules that weren't in place at the time, to teams that were yet to be born – and some which were yet to be defunct (Seattle Supersonics) – to the retro graphics which display the team, lineups, and score. Uniforms are accurate to the period in question, and a neat filter lends a certain grainy quality to the action – adding to the authenticity of the gameplay, and further immersing you in the experience.

In The Zone

The play itself is rock solid as we've come to expect from an NBA 2K game, and 'solid' is the operative word at times. NBA 2K23 makes you work for every defensive stop and every step-back three. Trying to rein in Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo gashing you in the paint is hellish and, at the other end, scoring from beyond the arc is anything but routine. More than ever it feels like each player has been fine-tuned to not all handle the same, which lends itself to strategic thinking when drawing up plays.

Yet the difficulty is also part of the charm. One cannot simply run the length of the court and shoot over a defender and knock down an easy bucket time and again. Nor can you just hope to get in the way of an oncoming ball handler and hope he mishandles for the turnover. The AI gets smart to your tendencies and adjusts accordingly.

It can feel punishing and a touch unfair at times. But once you begin to master your play calling, get good looks and a smattering of stardust from Curry, Booker or Doncic you can almost feel a surge coming from the controller and into your body as you find the zone and begin to roll.

Back To The Grind

Story modes in sports games have always been by the numbers. They are perfectly inoffensive, but the journey always has to center around playing the sport in some way which handcuffs the potential for storytelling. That is the case with MyCareer where you star as 'MP', a budding franchise player drafted by whichever team you wish but is not met with a warm reception as he is booed while posing for pictures with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Thus the stage is set for a story of winning over a fanbase, taking down your rival draft star, controlling the media narrative, and So. Much. Grinding. Working your way up from a 60 overall role player, desperate for a simple layup or easy assist to the point where your player is more than competent on the floor, requires a full time commitment.

Thankfully, the microtransactions which can accelerate the process but made NBA 2K22 feel pay-to-win are largely kept to the background, and there are plentiful side quests to assist with the boosting of ratings. 2K has also widened out the RPG elements with decisions to make which impact leadership traits and boosts which can be activated. There is a plethora of activities to engage with but it is a slow burner at first until you're contributing more than six points, two assists and three turnovers per game in the 10 minutes you're allowed to get off the bench.

MyCity – where you live throughout your career – looks like a sprawling metropolis of stadiums, gyms, apparel shops, high-rise apartments, and tube stations. But rarely does the city feel truly alive. It feels like a place where people just are rather than where they live, play basketball, do other leisure activities. But that may be expected of a game which is a sports sim and not a sandbox.

MyTeam can also be a grind when the loan players acquired in the early formation of your team disappear and you're forced to build the squad almost from scratch again – though there is a glut of single player and multiplayer challenges to help accumulate virtual currency (VC) and restock your team. And on that note, the microtransactions have taken a huge step back in all of the game modes. Their presence is still felt – especially when the grind builds up to such a degree that one may wonder if there is an easier way, but exchanging real money for VC is largely kept to the background and instead 2K have offered players in game activities to help boost your career stats and MyTeam squad.

Further frustrations can be found in the loading times. Sometimes I would reboot the entire game thinking it had frozen on the loading screen, other times it could take up to two minutes to load. Sometimes it would just flat out freeze – a particular irritation in MyTeam when closing the game and rebooting it would result in a loss on your record and the loan players contracts expiring. But those creases which need ironing out should not sully what is otherwise a formidable sports sim, stuffed with content that pays homage to basketball's star-studded past.

NBA 2K23 was reviewed on Xbox Series X, with a code provided by the publisher

The NBA 2K23 ratings list is here, and the usual question is being asked – just how good is Giannis Antetokounmpo? The answer, perhaps unsurprisingly, is very good, with the Greek Freak being rated slightly better than LeBron James in NBA 2K23, which pretty much tells you all you need to know. Of course, there are plenty of other considerations with this list, such as the placements for cover star Devin Booker, Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, and the best WNBA players including Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson. They're all included here, so read on to see exactly where they place in your NBA 2K23 ratings guide. 

NBA 2K23 C ratings

• 1= Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) – 96
• 1= Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) – 96
• 3 Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves) – 89
• 4 Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves) – 88
• 5 Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) – 87
• 6= Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns) – 85
• 6= Kristaps Porzingis (Washington Wizards) – 85
• 6= Jarrett Allen (Cleveland Cavaliers) – 85
• 6= Robert Williams III (Boston Celtics) – 85
• 10= Clint Capela (Atlanta Hawks) – 84
• 10= Christian Wood (Dallas Mavericks) – 84

For the second year running, Serbian hotshot Jokic shares top billing with Cameroon point-machine Embiid, as Towns (Dominican Republic) rises up to third. Indeed, this is always a position with a truly international flavor. Towns’ new team-mate Gobert is French. Also represented are the Bahamas (Ayton), Latvia (Porzingis), Switzerland (Capela), and the Stars and Stripes too – thanks to Adebayo, Allen, Williams and Wood.

NBA 2K23 PG ratings

• 1 Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) – 96
• 2 Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) – 95
• 3 Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies) – 93
• 4= Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns) – 90
• 4= Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) – 90
• 6= Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) – 89
• 6= Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets) – 89
• 8= LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets) – 87
• 8= Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers) – 87
• 8= Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) – 87

Curry once more leads the point-guard pack, and is just as effective at his secondary position of shooting guard. Morant is the biggest mover on this list, receiving an eight-point OVR boost in order to catapult him to third. Also on the rise is 2021 Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball. The Hornets superstar fell narrowly short of the top ten last year, but cements his spot this time around with a tasty fresh OVR of 87.

NBA 2K23 SG ratings

• 1 Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) – 91
• 2 James Harden (Brooklyn Nets) – 89
• 3= Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz) – 88
• 3= Paul George (Los Angeles Clippers) – 88
• 3= Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls) – 88
• 6 Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards) – 87
• 7 Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) – 86
• 8 CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers) – 85
• 9= Tyrese Haliburton (Indianapolis Pacers) – 84
• 9= Tyler Herro (Miami Heat) – 84

A new number one among the shooting guard troops, as Booker topples Harden from the peak of the mountain. Which is not all that surprising, given that the Phoenix talisman joins Michael Jordan, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird as the NBA 2K23 cover stars. At the foot of the table, a Herro comes along with the strength to carry on: Miami super-sup Tyler, having picked up the NBA Sixth Man Of The Year award for his excellence off the bench.

NBA 2K23 SF ratings

• 1 LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) – 96
• 2 Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers) – 94
• 3 Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat) – 93
• 4 DeMar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls) – 89
• 5 Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics) – 87
• 6= Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans) – 86
• 6= Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks) – 86
• 8= RJ Barrett (New York Knicks) – 84
• 8= Andrew Wiggins (Golden State Warriors) – 84
• 10= Desmond Bane (Memphis Grizzlies) – 83
• 10= Mikal Bridges (Phoenix Suns) – 83

The King remains the King. Enough said. Next!

NBA 2K23 PF ratings

• 1 Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) – 97
• 2 Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) – 96
• 3 Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) – 93
• 4 Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers) – 90
• 5 Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans) – 87
• 6= Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers) – 86
• 6= Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors) – 86
• 8= Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers)) – 84
• 8= Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors) – 84
• 10= Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors) – 83
• 10= Jaren Jackson Jr (Memphis Grizzlies) – 83
• 10= Miles Bridges (Free Agent) – 83
• 10= John Collins (Atlanta Hawks) – 83

Last season’s Rookie of the Year voting was the closest it’s been in 20 years, as Cleveland insta-favorite Mobley and Raptors wonderkid Barnes tussled for the honor of basketball’s best newcomer. Barnes just about nabbed that prize, scoring 378 voting points compared to Mobley’s 363. But in NBA 2K23 both are winners, earning the same overall rating of 84 to coast into the top ten. Further up the list, ‘Greek Freak’ Antetokounmpo isn’t merely the top power forward – but the single best player in NBA 2K23, full stop.

NBA 2K23 WNBA ratings

• 1= Breanna Stewart (PF, Seattle Storm) – 96
• 1= A’ja Wilson (PF, Las Vegas Aces) – 96
• 3 Jonquel Jones (PF, Connecticut Sun) – 94
• 4= Candace Parker (PF, Chicago Sky) – 93
• 4= Maya Moore (SF, Free Agent) – 93
• 6= Elena Delle Donne (PF, Washington Mystics) – 91
• 6= Liz Cambage (C, Free Agent) – 91
• 8= Brittney Griner (C, Phoenix Mercury) – 90
• 8= Emma Meesseman (PF, Chicago Sky) – 90
• 10 Kelsey Plum (PG, Las Vegas Aces) – 89

Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson share top spot after falling just short in NBA 2K22. Their predecessor at the peak of these rankings, Elena Delle Donne, still performs favorably in-game – but first to sixth represents a bit of a fall from grace. Maya Moore is the highest new entry on the list. The Minnesota Lynx legend hasn’t played since 2018 after taking a series of sabbaticals then having her first child, but husband Jonathan Irons insisted last year that “she’s still got it,” and 2K’s rating gurus clearly agree. Cambage remains in NBA 2K23 with a strong rating despite her recent retirement.

NBA 2K23 players are already growing frustrated with this year's MyCareer mode, both for its slow Virtual Currency grind and bizarre quests that have very little to do with playing basketball.

One particular point of contention has been a quest early in MyCareer mode which sees your created character attempting to win the hearts and minds of the people of the city. In addition to, you know, winning basketball games and becoming a star, you also need to complete quests to raise your standing in the city's various districts.

In a bizarre, six-minute long cutscene, you're told to start this effort by helping out a streetside hot dog vendor named Carl. Carl wants you to pass out hot dog fliers while wearing a hot dog hat to promote his vegan hot dog cart. (His father was a hot dog vendor, too, but they fell out over the idea of vegan dogs, sadly.)

From there, you have to… Well, I probably don't have to keep running this down. You can see it all for yourself in the video below, and the cutscenes are every bit as weird and meandering as the description up to this point has been.

The quest is ultimately pretty short, and you might enjoy these bits if you're into surrealist comedy, but it's all a bit much for players just here to enjoy a career mode in the latest NBA game, especially since these quests are mandatory to continue to play the mode.

The hot dog hat quest has become something of a rallying point for broader criticisms of this year's MyCareer, which players are finding to be an even bigger grind than in years past. Since quests give out less VC than they used to, they've become an ever-more-frustrating stopping point for players who just want to get on with the action.

If you're looking to play with your friends, keep in mind that NBA 2K23 has cross-platform progression, but it does not have crossplay.

There are no NBA 2K23 cross-platform or crossplay options, so if you were planning to play between different PlayStation or Xbox consoles then unfortunately you're out of luck there. There is at least cross-platform progression between generations in the same console family, so PS4 and PS5 or Xbox One and Series X can share progress. We've got a further explanation below for what this all means, but the long and short of it is that while you can maintain your personal progress across consoles within the same platform, you won't be able to play games between them.

There's no NBA 2K23 crossplay, but there is cross-platform progression within consoles

2K is pretty clear on the idea of play between different consoles with a simple "there will not be NBA 2K23 crossplay between different platforms" on its FAQ. There will however be cross-progression for the MyTEAM system within PlayStation and Xbox, so you'll be able to share your progress, MyTEAM Points, tokens and cards etc, between PS4 and PS5, or Xbox One and Series X. 

NBA 2K23 cross-gen access is also a little confusing and messy. If you have a PS4 or Xbox One version of the game you will be able to play it on PS5/Xbox Series X via backwards compatibility. However, the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of the game only work on their respective consoles as they take "full advantage of the power, speed, and technology of the new hardware and includes additions and improvements only possible on those consoles" according to that FAQ. So the old gen versions will be playable on current gen but only as the old versions via backwards compatibility, while current gen only works on current gen. 

However, finally, if you buy the NBA 2K23 Digital Deluxe, Michael Jordan or Championship Edition you'll get both versions of the game across gens for whatever platform you buy it on - so PS4/PS5 or Xbox One/Series X. If you buy it digitally, you'll get both as downloads, while if you get the physical version, you'll receive a code for a digital download of the other version.

2K Games has revealed what players can expect from the City in the new-gen versions of NBA 2K23, and some changes already have players very excited.

The City is set to be "approximately 30 percent smaller" than it was in 2K22, according to the announcement blog. That means you'll have to spend far less time wandering around the virtual hub to get to whichever modes you want to play. There are also now subway stations which you can use to quickly fast travel between locations.

Those changes alone are already going down well with fans on social media, as are the revamped affiliation boroughs and the new Theater mode. The Theater will feature a four event playlist which rotates weekly, giving you a quick way to get into matchmaking for experimental modes. Some of the early events confirmed include Hustle, a 3v3 mode with 12-second shot clocks, and Pulling Weight, where every player will be required to contribute to offense equally.

But there's one caveat to all the current goodwill: the rundown of the new City doesn't make any mention of the Old Gym. That mode proved to be a popular one, as it allowed for 3v3 matches with no squads, making it a quick, easy way for solo players to get into online games without getting rolled over by coordinated teams. Theater modes could effectively replace the Old Gym, but it remains to be seen how players will take to them.

Take the field, court, or track in the best sports games on the market right now.

However much you love FIFA or its tortured artist cousin eFootball, hand on heart it never looks true to the real thing. NBA 2K23 is different. Perhaps benefiting from a 5v5 format and a sport that intrinsically seems to lend itself to closer simulation, Visual Concepts' all-conquering, VC-hoovering series doesn't just look like you've accidentally switched to an NBA League Pass stream. It looks as if it plays like the real thing too, with an uncanny ebb and flow to proceedings. 

This year, two big items appear to be top of the developer's agenda. The first is making that gap in Uncanny Valley even narrower, with a raft of AI improvements and reworked controls – so that Kyrie attacks the hoop with the same flashiness as his real-world counterpart, and every player build is a little more grounded in reality. The second is making it more accessible to newer players. If that sounds a bit like getting a river to flow in both directions, rest assured gameplay director Mike Wang comes across as knowing his currents.

Two buttons, three points

As he talks us through 2K23's headline gameplay features, Wang says that Visual Concepts has lowered the rookie difficulty level to the point that kids with little to no basketball knowledge can get by and be competitive. A new difficulty level, semi-pro, also slots in between rookie and pro, smoothing out the difficulty curve for anyone working up through them over time.

That's a sensible bit of housekeeping for any sports gaming developer rolling out new releases to an annual cadence. The focus is inevitably on making everything better, in some abstract sense, building on whatever was there before. So it makes sense to check back in on a basic level and ensure the foundations still make sense to newcomers.

"2K basketball," says Wang, "has never really deviated from one simple fact: that you can play the game knowing two buttons. That hasn't changed for as long as I've been at the company, and that's a long time."

Show someone the left stick and the shoot button, and they're basically operational. However impressive the new mo-capped Euro Hop or iso dribble might be, it does feel important to stay true to that simpler style. We should be looking for depth from the controls because we're curious, not because performing six sizeups, two stutter steps and then a no-look pass is the only way to beat a defender.

Easier gameplay and a new difficulty mode isn't going to get the rest of us pumped about a new release though, so the more exciting news comes from the moves Visual Concepts are making towards greater authenticity.

Some of it's subtle on the surface. Like a reworked shot feedback indicator, that only shows you how good your shot timing was after the ball goes in or misses the hoop. Previously you'd know the instant you saw that green indicator that the shot was going in, so there was no need to rebound or box out. Now the drama's back –nobody knows whether the buzzer beater's going in or not until it, er, goes in or not. "Like it should be," says Wang.

Team takeover takes a sidestep away from its previous arcade mechanic and towards something more rooted in reality, too. Before it was about getting so hot with one individual player that the whole team received a buff, but as any of Knicks-era Carmelo Anthony's team-mates will tell you, standing around watching your team-mate score 40 doesn't necessarily get you razzed or make you play better. Now the team needs to perform actions collectively in order to get hot and receive the buff.

Get your jumper on

Jump shot animations also face greater scrutiny in the name of realism. For many releases now, you were free to select whichever signature jumper you wished and use it without any particular effect on its efficacy. As long as you got the timing right, it didn't matter if the animation had a slower release than most.

All jumper animations now have a set of values assigned to them which basically dictate their attributes. Defensive immunity, like Luka Doncic's slow but bizarrely unstoppable technique, is one of them, and puts a value on how easily the shot can be popped off with a man in your face. The point of release and how dependent the shot is on proper timing are also analyzed. TLDR: it matters what jumper animation you pick in 2K23. (The hive mind will inevitably find the one superior jump shot and use it universally – it'll be interesting to see how Visual Concepts reacts when that happens.)

Onto badges. Since the advent of attribute caps, which stop you from becoming a 99 OVR with 99s across each of basketball's many individual offensive and defensive disciplines, unlocking badges by performing certain feats a certain number of times was the best way to make your MyPlayer build OP. Equip them, upgrade them to purple by doing that thing even more times, and you get massive, albeit specialized, attribute bonuses.

They've been reworked. Exact details are yet to be announced, but the 16 new badges and four slots have been designed specifically with realism in mind, and to get the game playing more like its real life counterpart than ever. It's bad news for my 7-foot PF/center who loves to slash to the hoop with a few deft crossovers, then. Whether basketball is the real winner remains to be seen.

Physics lesson

Wang's favorite new feature is the physics-based rim hang, though, which he describes as "like a finishing move in a fighting game". While you can't, sadly, smash the glass yet, you can decide your exact contact with the rim and how long you can hang off it. There's no greater gesture of emphasis in basketball, and it's going to be unbearable online, isn't it? Oh god. Come back, FIFA salmon celebration, all's forgiven.

Maybe the aspect that'll feel most profound while you're playing, though, is what's changed in the controls. More moves have migrated to the sticks now, including things like cradle dunks and Euro steps. On defense, there are loads more animations depicting one-on-one coverage. There's also a new element to the player indicator which lets you show your assignment to their left or right side, inviting their slash one way or the other. Obviously keeping them off their preferred dribble hand and away from the key is going to improve your defensive performance, and with more subtlety than before, it seems.

The devs will doubtless be dropping much more info in the coming months before 2K23's release, and like the hopeless MyCareer addicts we are, we'll be covering it all.

The NBA 2K23 cover athlete reveal has culminated in the announcement that Devin Booker will headline the standard edition of the game.

Visual Concepts has confirmed three separate covers, featuring four different players, for NBA 2K23. This year’s basketball sim hits the street on Friday, September 9, and comes in five different flavours – giving you the choice of a basketball icon, a modern day favourite, or two of the sports’ greatest-ever female players.

Announced this past Tuesday, the Michael Jordan Edition and Championship Edition both feature the six-time NBA champ on the cover. The latter version crosses over from videogame into real life by including a 12-month subscription to NBA League Pass. Also included is the returning Jordan Challenge, recreating 15 iconic moments from his astonishing career. 10 of these playable moments originally featured in NBA 2K11, and have been rebuilt from the ground up.

Those more interested in women’s basketball will be intrigued by the WNBA Edition of NBA 2K22. This one is fronted by all-time leading score Diana Taurasi and all-time assists leader Sue Bird. It looks cool, but there’s a catch for European fans: at present it’s tabbed as a Gamestop exclusive across the USA and Canada. Should that change we’ll let you know, via GR’s NBA 2K23 guide.

The fourth and final cover star is three-time NBA All-Star Devin Booker, meaning Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid yet again miss out on a first-ever box appearance. Maybe next year eh, lads? Booker fronts both the Standard Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition. Not only that, he’s pegged for a sixth edition of the game coming later this year. “A special version of the Standard Edition, recognising the cross-section of music and basketball culture, will be released later this autumn,” says 2K in a statement. “More information will be shared in the coming months.”

As ever, there’s a sliding scale in terms of pricing and extras. The Standard Edition of the game is £59.99/€69.99 on last-gen and PC, and £69.99/€79.99 on PS5 and Xbox Series X. At the other end of the scale, the Champions Edition will set you back $150 (UK price TBC). Here’s everything you get if you go all in with the super-expensive version:

• 12-Month NBA League Pass subscription
• Michael Jordan Themed Go-Kart
• 10% XP Boost on MyTEAM and MyCAREER Season Progression
• Dual-Gen entitlement – PS4 and PS5, Xbox One and Series X/S
• 100K Virtual Currency
• 10 MyTEAM Tokens
• Ruby Michael Jordan MyTEAMCard
• 23 MyTEAM Promo Packs (Receive 10 at launch plus an Amethyst topper pack, then 2 per week for 6 weeks)
• Free Agent Option MyTEAM Pack
• Diamond Jordan Shoe MyTEAM Pack
• Ruby Coach Card MyTEAM Pack
• 10 Boosts for each MyCAREER Skill Boost type
• 10 Boosts for each Gatorade Boost type
• 4 Cover Athlete T-Shirts for your MyPLAYER
• MyPLAYER backpack and arm sleeve
• Custom-design skateboard for MyPLAYER
• One 2-Hr Double XP Coin

It’s a big bundle, but is it worth that much moolah? Only you can decide on that one.

NBA 2K23 is released for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC on Friday, September 9.

Michael Jordan is the official cover star of NBA 2K23.

Developer 2K Games has finally unveiled the official cover star of the forthcoming NBA 2K23 as arguably its most famous player ever. Michael Jordan will grace the cover of the new game on both the NBA 2K23 Championship Edition, as well as the premium NBA 2K23 Michael Jordan Edition.

"NBA 2K is excited to be able to showcase Jordan's greatest moves on the virtual court to relive one of the most sensational times in NBA history," reads a press release for the announcement, also revealing that NBA 2K23 will completely rebuild the popular Jordan Challenges from NBA 2K11.

This leaves the question of who will appear on the cover of the standard version of NBA 2K23 unanswered. Over the past few years, 2K has typically used multiple cover athletes for various versions of NBA 2K, like using Luka Doncic for the standard edition of NBA 2K22, and recruiting Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the premium Anniversary Edition of the same game.

Speculation has been rampant over the past week or so as to who 2K would choose to grace the cover of NBA 2K23. Many speculated that Devin Booker would be the new cover star, while others pointed to Steph Curry, who actually broke the NBA record for the most threes in a whole year with 507 shots made.

Right now, there isn't a release date for NBA 2K23, but at least we know one of the cover stars who'll feature front and centre for the game.

Just earlier this year, NBA 2K's publisher was sued for $5 million over its use of loot boxes.

Take-Two isn't interested in picking up the FIFA name after EA announced it would abandon the name last week.

Last week, after many rumors, EA finally confirmed it would be ditching the FIFA branding, replacing it with 'EA Sports FC' in a new venture. With questions now circling over who could potentially pick up the FIFA name post-EA, IGN is reporting that Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick shot down the idea in a recent earnings call.

"We're definitely interested in expanding our opportunities in sports, and FIFA has a great brand and incredible clout, but we have no current plans to discuss," Zelnick said. At least we know the NBA 2K publisher doesn't appear to have any interest in going head-to-head with EA's new soccer sim.

As it stands right now, FIFA 23 will be the final game in the EA-developed series to bear the FIFA name. From next year in 2024, assuming EA sticks to its annual launch schedule for the franchise, the game series will be known as EA Sports FC instead, but will retain all the same licenses we've come to expect from the series. 

"Ultimate Team, Career Mode, Pro Clubs and VOLTA Football will all be there," said EA sports general manager Cam Weber at the time. "Our unique licensing portfolio of more than 19,000+ players, 700+ teams, 100+ stadiums and 30 leagues that we’ve continued to invest in for decades will still be there, uniquely in EA Sports FC. That includes exclusive partnerships with the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, the MLS – and more to come."

Take-Two isn't gearing up for a battle with EA on the soccer pitch, but it is on the gridiron. Over two years ago in March 2020, 2K and the NFL announced a new partnership to develop "non-simulation football experiences." Years later, we're yet to see anything from the partnership, but if you didn't already know, it's actually the revival of a partnership from 17 years ago, when the two developed the ESPN NFL 2K series. 

Check out our guide to the best sports games to see what's worth sinking your time into.

NBA 2K series publisher Take-Two has been sued over loot boxes.

Earlier today on March 7, Bloomberg reported that Take-Two was the subject of a class-action lawsuit. Filed in Illinois earlier this year, the lawsuit accuses Take-Two of "unfair, deceptive and unlawful practices," stemming from the use of loot boxes in the NBA 2K series of basketball games.

The complainant alleges that loot boxes "psychologically distance" the player from the true financial nature of their spending on said items. The plaintiff is requesting at least $5 million USD in damages from Take-Two, claiming that minors, who often purchase loot boxes with their parent's credit cards, are particularly vulnerable.

A Take-Two spokesperson declined any comment to Bloomberg regarding the ongoing legal proceedings.

Scrutiny around loot boxes has been going on for a fair while now. Back in April 2020, for example, the North American ESRB board announced it would call out loot boxes in games going forward, stressing the random nature of the purchases. Games that sold anything for real world money, no matter if they were loot boxes or not, were all slapped with the new warning from the ratings board.

More recently, EA has been on the defensive surrounding the use of loot boxes in FIFA's Ultimate Team mode. EA's chief experience officer Chris Bruzzo spoke about loot boxes in an interview last October, claiming that they mirror the economics of "real world football" and enable "player choice." Bruzzo compared the ability to purchase game-affecting items like players for real world money as being "just like real world football."

FIFA 22 tips | FIFA 22 best teams | FIFA 22 ratings | FIFA 22 best young players | FIFA 22 Icons | FIFA 22 Heroes | FIFA 22 OTW | FIFA 22 chemistry styles |  FIFA 22 formations | FIFA 22 skill moves | FIFA 22 celebrations | FIFA 22 stadiums | FIFA 22 leagues | FIFA 22 RTTK | FIFA 22 coins | FIFA 22 Career Mode guide 

The NBA 2K22 ratings list sees a four-way tie for first place, with LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durand and Stephen Curry all sharing a hefty 96 OVR according to the game's default rosters. But who is the best center in NBA 2K22, and where does cover star Luka Doncic appear on the list of elite point guards? Both those questions are answered below as we run through the top ten players at every position, in your NBA 2K22 ratings guide. 

NBA 2K22 C ratings

1=. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) – 95
1=. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) – 95
3. Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz) – 88
4. Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves) – 87
5=. Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns) – 86
5=. Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) – 86
5=. Clint Capela (Atlanta Hawks) – 86
5=. Nikola Vukevic (Chicago Bulls) – 86
9. Kristaps Porzingis (Dallas Mavericks) – 84
10=. Christian Wood (Houston Rockets) – 83
10=. Jonas Valanciunas (New Orleans Pelicans) – 83

An eclectic blend of nationalities make up the top centers list, with Cameroon (Embiid), Serbia (Jokic), France (Gobert), Dominican Republic (Towns), Bahamas (Ayton), Switzerland (Capela), Montenegro (Vukevic), Latvia (Porzingis) and Lithuania (Valanciunas) all scoring individual representation, alongside USA pair Adebayo and Wood. No other position offers such a wonderfully cosmopolitan mix.

NBA 2K22 PG ratings

1. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) – 96
2=. Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) – 94
2=. Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) – 94
4. Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets) – 91
5. Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns) – 90
6. Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) – 89
7=. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) – 86
7=. Russell Westbrook (Los Angeles Lakers) – 86
9=. Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies) – 85
9=. De’Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings) – 85
9=. Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets) – 85
9=. Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks) – 85

2021 Rookie of the Year winner LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets) falls agonisingly short of this top ten, with an overall rating of 84. In an additional trivia note, it’s worth noting that the highest-rated rookie in NBA 2K22 happens to be a point guard: Detroit Pistons’ first overall draft pick Cade Cunningham. The Oklahoma State graduate earn an 80 OVR in his debut NBA season. No other league newcomer surpasses 79.

NBA 2K22 SG ratings

1. James Harden (Brooklyn Nets) – 94
2. Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) – 90
3. Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards) – 89
4=. Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz) – 88
4=. Paul George (Los Angeles Clippers) – 88
6=. Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls) – 87
6=. Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors) – 87
8 .CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers) – 85
9. D’Angelo Russell (Minnesota Timberwolves) – 83
10=. Collin Sexton (Cleveland Cavaliers) – 82
10=. Fred VanVleet (Toronto Raptors) – 82
10=. Chris LeVert (Indiana Pacers) – 82
10=. Terry Rozier III (Charlotte Hornets) – 82

4th-placed shooting guard Paul George fronted one of four covers way back on NBA 2K17, alongside Kobe Bryant (Legends Edition), Danilo Gallinari (Italy Edition) and Pau Gasol (Spain Edition). While the legendary Gasol may have moved away from the NBA in real life (to Barcelona), he’s still available to sign in NBA 2K22 as a 75-rated free agent. Naturally the six-time all-star makes the All-Time Memphis Grizzles squad too.

NBA 2K22 SF ratings

1. LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) – 96
2. Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers) – 95
3. Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat) – 91
4. Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks) – 88
5. Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics) – 86
6. DeMar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls) – 85
7=. Michael Porter Jr (Denver Nuggets) – 84
7=. Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans) – 84
9=. RJ Barrett (New York Knicks) – 83
9=. Gordon Hayward (Charlotte Hornets) – 83

James shares the best current-day player honours with Curry, Antetokounmpo and Durant – and his classic version is even better. He’s one of four legends given the maximum possible rating of 99 in NBA 2K22, along with Michael Jordan (SG, Chicago Bulls), Magic Johnson (PG, Los Angeles Lakers) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (C, Milwaukee Bucks). Shaquille O’Neal, Koby Bryant and Larry Bird all sit a single point lower, on 98.

NBA 2K22 PF ratings

1=. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) – 96
1=. Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) – 96
3. Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers) – 93
4. Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) – 90
5. Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans) – 89
6. Julius Randle (New York Knicks) – 87
7. Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers) – 86
8. Tobias Harris (Philadelphia 76ers) – 85
9=. John Collins (Atlanta Hawks) – 84
10=. Jaren Jackson Jr (Memphis Grizzlies) – 83
10=. Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors) – 83

There’s almost nothing to split the dominant pairing of Antetokounmpo and Durant – although bear in mind that both can be switched to different positions: the Greek Freak also plays center, while Durant is highly effective at small forward. Antetokounmpo scores the honour of being NBA 2K22’s highest-rated international player, just ahead of Philadelphia center Joel Embiid (Cameroon) and Denver’s Nikola Jokic (Serbia).

NBA 2K22 WNBA ratings

1. Elena Delle Donne (PF, Washington Mystics) – 96
2. Breanna Stewart (PF, Seattle Storm) – 95
3. A’ja Wilson (PF, Las Vegas Aces) – 94
4. Candace Parker (PF, Chicago Sky) – 93
5. Jonquel Jones (PF, Connecticut Sun) – 94
6=. Diana Taurasi (SG, Phoenix Mercury) – 91
6=. Liz Cambage (C, Las Vegas Aces) – 91
6=. Nneka Ogwumike (SF, Los Angeles Sparks)
6=. Brittney Griner (C, Phoenix Mercury) – 92
10=. Natasha Howard (PF, New York Liberty) – 90
10=. Sylvia Fowles (C, Minnesota Lynx) – 91

Two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne tops the female charts in NBA 2K22, and USA compatriots inevitably dominate the rest of the big ten. There are two exceptions: Bahamian-Bosnian power forward Jonquel Jones, and LA Aces’ Australian import Liz Cambage. Belgium’s Emma Meeseman – a free agent in-game, as she plays for Russian side UMMC Ekaterinburg in real life – just misses out on a top ten spot with an OVR of 88. That magic number is just one shy of 89-rated Courtney Vandersloot (PG, Chicago Sky) and DeWanna Bonner (PF, Connecticut Sun). 

Need NBA 2K22 tips after finally making the decision to buy the new-gen version of this esteemed series? Thanks for stopping by. This year's edition offers the most satisfying build-a-superstar mode in the genre, while NBA 2K22's online modes are both seamlessly integrated and competitive enough to get you all obsessed over the precise wingspan for your slasher PG build. Below are the seven key things to know before you get started, in GR's NBA 2K22 tips breakdown.

1. Memorise the new offensive animations

Doesn’t sound all that sexy, does it? In truth though, it’s the quality of its performance capture and on-the-court movement that first set NBA 2K apart from EA’s once-dominant NBA Live, and keeps the basketball feeling so right even as the VC payments get cheekier every passing year.

On offence, you’ve got new signature moves from the league’s elite to break ankles with, and new dribble combos. Which means all that muscle memory waggling the right stick around needs updating, immediately.

Dunking in traffic, alley-oops, and jump-shots have all had a revamp and are more skill-based. That’s most obvious when it comes to dunking. We’ve all watched our 75 OVR get stripped on the way to the glass time and time again, then spent some upgrades points on dunking, performed the exact same action, and enjoyed them bouncing defenders away like sinewy wrecking balls. There’s less inclination to do that this year, given improved shooting animations.

2. Revamped defensive controls = game-changer

The greatest testament to NBA 2K’s qualities is that it’s long been just as gratifying to log a few blocks or pull down 10 rebounds in a game than it has to score 30 points. Defense isn’t easy to convey in videogame basketball: it’s all elbows and shuffling and throwing distracting arms around, but the control modifiers have always given you enough to master a truly deep skill.

And this year you’re mastering it anew, because the defensive animation vault has been updated, and shot contest and block controls are reworked. It’s still about timing, frame-reading and concentration, but the player movements are that bit closer to reality, and the litheness of the athletes better conveyed with the pad. Good stuff.

3. MyCareer is The Sims now, by the way

A small and ardent bunch of us have been dreaming of this for years now: you can purchase and customise a crib - or ‘property’ as they’re otherwise known during your predictably meteoric rise from young nobody to NBA superstar. Player homes have been on the periphery of the experience for several games now (remember that secret unlockable Jordan court in 2K17?) but this time you get to decorate it as though Architectural Digest is on its way over.

Plus there’s a chance to get involved in some business ventures. Again, the franchise has dabbled with this before but the opportunities for entrepreneurial muscle flexing have been infrequent and fleeting. This time you’re getting properly stuck in. It’s all very Sims 4.

4. Rethink your timings

Since both offensive and defensive controls have been reworked, and new animations abound for everything from jumpers to shot contests, the whole pace of play is different this year. And these being games we tend to pour hundreds of hours (and $$$s amirite?) into annually, we get into the same old habits.

Building a bigman for MyCareer? You’re going to want to spend a few exhibition games just focusing on blocking, working out how quickly players wriggle out of a boxout, what they can reach, and what they can’t. Previously blocking had a few ‘snap-to’ animations locked to stats and badges, so your muscle memory associated with that won’t work here. Same goes for that lights-out three shooter PG you’re designing, and every other archetype.

5. Get your backroom right in MyNBA/MyWNBA

Franchise mode, MyGM, however you want to spell it - these dynasty-building longform adventures never really clicked before in the series. Compared to MyCareer’s exhaustive simulation of all aspects of a player’s life, the menus and stats felt a bit uninspired.

2K22’s MyNBA/MyWNBA course-corrects that through changes to backroom staff management. Get your offices stacked with Jonah Hills and Brad Pitts, the thinking goes, and you can data analysis your way to a dynasty. The menus take some adjustment time at first, but ultimately are just as critical in the long run as your initial on-court results.

6. PGs and playmakers look good in this year’s meta

This is all subject to change, of course. But so far prominent NBA 2K players have been gravitating towards playmaking point guard builds. That’s partly down to the speed of games - smaller, lighter players can just tear by defenders if their stats are laid out thoughtfully. Plus, the spot-up precision and ankle-breaking shots takeovers look strong so far, boosting stationary jump shot accuracy and dribble/spin move effectiveness respectively.

Bigman builds are about what you’d expect: lots of height, slim down the weight to boost speed, massive wingspan for blocks and contests. While we haven’t seen one dominant build type emerge yet - Visual Concepts are working constantly to balance the meta - the scarcity of mid-sized point-forward archetypes in the days since launch suggests online matches will see a lot of PG-heavy play. Plan accordingly. Either you want to be one of those guards, or you want to build a goliath to swat them out of the paint.

7. Ratings are already changing

Before release Visual Concepts announced Seattle Storm power forward Breanna Stewart as the best female player in the game – yet when NBA 2K22 landed in stores both real and digital, Washington Mystics’ Elena Delle Donne had pipped her to the honour. It’s a fitting reminder of one of the series’ best features: live rosters that update weekly based on real-life player form and – gulp – injury.

As a result, it’s worth keeping tabs on your favourite players’ magic numbers throughout the season. Default ratings can be analysed via GR’s NBA 2K22 ratings guide. Or, if you need to keep track on a weekly basis, check out the official 2K Ratings database, where you can click on any player to view both their current rating, and a chart tracking their progress across the entire campaign. That’s got to be worth a little hoopla. Especially if your name is Elena Delle Donne.

NBA 2K22 has revealed some of the new features and improvements it's taking to the court and the city streets.

While 2K is saving some of the specifics for further drops throughout August and September, the company revealed our first top-level look at how NBA 2K22 will play differently from its predecessor in an update on its official website. The biggest changes are centered around The City, a newly revised version of the sprawling MyPlayer social space which first debuted in NBA 2K21 - and will once again be available exclusively on new-gen consoles.

The City has a new layout, and it should feel a lot more bustling thanks to the new addition of NPCs around its blocks - you'll also find plenty of your fellow players out there, of course. MyCareer on new-gen is now set within the City as well, combining the two modes and giving you a fresh chance to meet "new and familiar faces." If you prefer to just pick up and play, you can enter matchmaking buildings around the city to immediately start competing, or queue up for matchmaking sessions across multiple game types, all feeding into your MyPlayer progress.

If you're playing on last-gen consoles or PC, MyCareer will play out in a more traditional standalone mode. But you will have a new social space to explore on the high seas. No, I didn't get possessed by a pirate ghost all of a sudden there; the new Neighborhood is built on the decks of a sailing cruise ship. As in-game seasons pass the ship will dock at new harbors, and you'll be able to head ashore to participate in special events.

Outside of MyPlayer and MyCareer, 2K is teasing some substantial revisions to the core basketball experience with more "skill-based offense" and a "completely revamped shot contest and blocking system" on the defensive side. Meanwhile, the MyTeam mode will bring back Drafts and enable cross-gen progression (within the same console family), and the MyNBA and MyWNBA modes will give you even more control over your franchise with staffing options for scouts, trainers, and coaches.

NBA 2K22 is set to hit Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S on September 22 - we'll keep an eye out for any more details that roll out in the meantime.

See what else is coming up before the end of the year with our guide to new games 2021. 

The NBA 2K22 release date is set, and you'll be headed back to the court by this time in September.

The official NBA 2K release date is the same across all supported platforms - that's Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X - and it's coming on September 22. The game will be available in three different editions at launch, and if you're planning to upgrade your console (while staying within the same console family) any time soon, you may want to pay extra for the Cross-Gen Digital Bundle for $79.99 or the NBA 2K22 NBA 75th Anniversary Edition for $99.99. The standard version will be $59.99 on last-gen and PC or $69.99 on new-gen, and both it and the cross-gen bundle will feature Luka Dončić as their cover athlete.

The anniversary edition's cover features the power trio of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Durant. Naturally, it also bundles in a bunch of special bonuses to give you a leg up in the game - here are the extra contents you'll get for picking up NBA 2K22 NBA 75th Anniversary Edition. 

• 100K VC
• 10K MyTEAM Points
• 10 MyTEAM Tokens
• Sapphire Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Durant MyTEAM Cards
• 22 MyTEAM Promo Packs (Receive 10 at launch, then 3 per week for 4 weeks)
• Diamond Jordan Shoe MyTEAM card
• Coach Card MyTEAM Pack
• 10 Boosts for each MyCAREER Skill Boost type
• 10 Boosts for each Gatorade Boost type
• 4 Cover Athlete T-Shirts for your MyPLAYER
• MyPLAYER backpack and arm sleeve
• Custom-design skateboard for MyPLAYER

Meanwhile, a special cover for the standard edition available exclusively at GameStop and EB Games in North America will set NBA 2K franchise history by featuring its first-ever woman cover athlete: the Chicago Sky's Candace Parker. If you gotta collect 'em all, you'll also want to keep an eye out for the Japan-exclusive cover featuring Rui Hachimura of the Washington Wizards.

Now that the annual news dam has burst, 2K Sports plans to roll out more announcements in the weeks leading up to NBA 2K22's launch, including our first look at gameplay features, planned updates, and a proper reveal for the soundtrack. It's common for sports franchises to hit their stride with their second entry in a new console generation, so we'll be watching closely to see what 2K Sports is cooking up this time around.

See what else we're looking forward to through the end of this year and beyond with our guide to new games 2021.

The Epic Games Store's Epic Mega Sale is back on, and it's kicking off with the best kind of discount: a free copy of NBA 2K21.

The latest entry in the 2K's basketball franchise is yours to claim on the Epic Games Store until May 27 at 8 am PDT / 11 am EDT / 4 pm BST. It's the first of four free games that will drop throughout the Epic Mega Sale, with the event set to run all the way through June 17. On top of the free games, a wide swathe of the EGS catalog has been reduced in price - and best of all, the ridiculously good Epic Coupon has returned too.

Log into the Epic Games Store during the event and you can claim one Epic Coupon, which gives you $10 off on any game purchase of $14.99 and up. Then you get another one to replace it, without limits, for as long as the event runs! It means that every game on the store that costs $15 or more is effectively $10 cheaper on top of whatever discount it may already have as part of the Epic Mega Sale. It also has the odd effect of making a game that costs, say, $19.99 cheaper than a game that costs $11.99, but I'm not gonna sit here and try to pick holes in some really phenomenal savings.

Here are some of the best deals to look out for, with the extra cost reduction of the Epic Coupon already factored in for your convenience.

• Cyberpunk 2077 $59.99 $37.99
• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla $59.99 $34.99
• Outriders $59.99 $34.99
• Star Wars Squadrons $39.99 $17.99
• GTA 5: Premium Edition $29.99 $6.49

Now is a great time to stock up on some picks from our list of the best PC games. 

Need some NBA 2K21 tips to keep you competing at an elite level? You've come to the right place. While this isn't a rip-up-the-rulebook year for the best b-baller going, there are still many new wrinkles to get your head around. This year's best addition is the refreshed shot meter, and that's covered in detail below – along with contested shots, hot zones, and intense defending. Don't tip-off until you've mastered GR's eight key NBA 2K21 tips. 

1. Understand the new shot meter

NBA 2K21 has removed the green meter from last year in the hopes that players work harder to score buckets. Instead of filling a bar until it is full, this year you need to let go of the Pro Stick or shot button in between a yellow marker that appears at different positions within the new bar. This yellow marker changes positions depending on where you are on the court, meaning you’re never shooting the same shot twice. It takes time to adjust, but this new way of shooting pushes you to master different areas of the court in ways you may not have thought of before.

2. Turn off the shot meter

Not keen on the above? Heading into the options and turning off the new shot meter enables you to focus more on the jump of your player. This provides a more natural approach to shooting, and takes away the distraction of focusing on the new meter – which can at times be too small to see properly. If you decide to turn the meter off, make sure you let go of the Pro Stick (or shot button) just before you reach the peak of your jump for the best timing.

3. Avoid contested shots

Whatever game mode you’re playing in, shooting whilst being heavily guarded almost always results in a missed shot. Finding open space or breaking away from your defender if you have the ball enables you to hit an uncontested shot. In MyCareer, find free space around the perimeter or call for other players to provide a screen (L1/LB) so you can move into open space. This allows you to shoot without having someone potentially blocking your shot or forcing an air ball.

4. Learn your Hot Zones

There has never been more of a focus on player Hot Zones or Badges as in NBA 2K21. Due to the new shot meter providing a tougher challenge, learning your player’s optimal shooting zones are vital in hitting successful shots. Head into a Freestyle session in 2KU to spend time learning where players are likely to score from, by pressing the relevant button to see their Hot Zones (the TouchPad on PS4). Red and blue zones appear in the D, and these highlight where you’re most likely to pick up success.

5. Earn Your Badges

Another key ingredient for success is knowing your player’s Badges, and picking the correct ones when levelling up your MyPlayer. Heading to the courts in The Neighborhood is daunting at first, especially as building your stats is blocked by the VC (Virtual Currency) wall. By playing in MyCareer and in The Neighborhood, you acquire points in different areas such as Shooting and Playmaking. 

Once you fill one of these gauges, you are free to pick a new badge to give your player a skill boost. Badges like Pro Touch give forgiveness if your shot timing is off, and the Giant Slayer Badge makes you unstoppable against taller defenders. Decide what kind of player you want, and grab the Badges you need to make you the best you can be.

6. Use ‘post up’ and intense defending

Whenever you’re off the ball on an offensive break, pressing L2/LT enables you to turn your back to a defender and post up. This allows you to receive the ball with a low chance of a turnover. Once in possession, pressing this button also keeps your back to your defender, and if you are a powerful guy like Anthony Davis or Giannis Antetounkoumpo, you push them back, allowing you to spin near the basket and hit a layup without any kind of resistance. L2/LT also works wonders in defence, as it enables you to guard with more intensity, letting you stick closely to both the ball carrier and the player you are marking with added pressure.

7. Stand your ground

If you’re faced with someone who can make great plays towards the hoop, standing your ground and forcing a charge can make the difference in the clutch. By holding Circle/B, you plant your feet and stand your ground, meaning if the opposition is running hard for a layup or dunk and they knock you over, they likely make an offensive foul and possession is given back to you. It’s not a sure fire way to earn a foul, but it helps against stronger offensive players.

8. VC is key to building your MyPlayer stats

If you want to earn currency and haven’t pre-ordered to get 100,000 VC off the bat, earning it can feel like a grind – but there are myriad ways to do so. Playing in MyCareer and The Neighborhood are the most effective means of scoring VC, especially if you win and perform well. Answering questions correctly during episodes of 2KTV, using your Daily Spin in Jeff’s Arcade, earning endorsements, and completing shooting challenges at MyCourt also see you coining it. Persistence is the main way to bag VC without having to spend real dosh.

With the release of NBA 2K21 on next-gen consoles just a week away, the latest Courtside Report revealed the game's newest feature, a new multiplayer setting known as "The City." In The City, players can expect to be a part of a vibrant virtual basketball community that will be teeming with fun features to make for the ultimate sports experience. The map will be significantly larger than previous neighborhoods in the franchise, and will house huge skyscrapers, a city center, and distinct boroughs that will be under the control of rival team affiliations. 

Players can look forward to a unique multiplayer experience in The City. Erick Boenisch, Executive Producer at Visual Concepts, took to the Courtside Report site to bring all the latest news on this particular feature. Players will find themselves starting off where else but Rookieville, where they'll have to prove their basketball chops to other players in hopes of advancing through The City.

Affiliations are set to return in this new mode, with each affiliation having a space in the North, South, East and West regions of The City known as a borough. The City will have four affiliations: The North Side Knights, the South City Vipers, the Beasts of the East and the Western Wildcats.  When a player reps up to Pro 1 in Rookieville, they will  be assigned to one of these factions. Players will have to build up their rep and take on rival factions in championship events to fight for rule over The City. Each affiliation will have its own mayor representing them that will be crucial to making your team stand out.

The Event Center is at the middle of The City, housing futuristic courts where all-new events will be held. If traditional basketball is more your speed, however, The City will also have plenty of garage-style hoops around where you can get in a quick 3v3 or a game of HORSE. The City will of course be teeming with people, many of which are NPCs who can provide you with a wealth of quests to go out on. The Gatorade Training Facility has also been expanded to have two levels, giving players access to rental courts on the second floor. 

Finally, The City intends to support hundreds of MyPLAYERs simultaneously. Players will be able to casually dribble their ball around The City, grinding on their skateboards, and brand new hair, accessories and apparel options to make sure that you're able to be your most original self in the game. 

Previous courtside reports have provided further insight into features such as AI technology, the game's WNBA content, and player animation. NBA 2K21 is due for release on next-gen consoles on November 10 for Xbox Series X and November 12 for PS5. 

Get in on all the NBA 2K21 action by finding out the eight key hints to know before you play.

NBA 2K21 is set to feature a new WNBA MyPlayer game mode called The W that will be exclusive to the PS5 and Xbox Series X version. 

2K announced the new mode in a next-gen "court-side report", detailing that The W will be expanding on the WNBA experience first introduced in NBA 2K20 last year. The new mode lets players create their own fully customisable WNBA player and take her through a pro career featuring all WNBA teams. It will also feature some of the league's biggest star players, including Brenna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, and Napheesa Collier. 

"As soon as we were done with NBA 2K20, we knew right away what our first goal for NBA 2K21 would be and got to work on building that foundation for league control and progression for the WNBA," NBA 2K21's senior producer Felicia Steenhouse writes. "You now have the sandbox to go and create the league of your dreams. Control 12 teams, or take your favorite team from the lottery to championship rings over as many seasons as it takes." 

The post goes on to detail everything you'll be able to do in terms of customisation. Creating your own league means you'll be able to manage the rules, finances, CBA, draft, and everything in between, along with the choice to pick from 2K presets or download settings shared from the community. 

A Playoff mode means players are also able to skip the season and get straight into the playoffs, and you can get stuck in with friends in the Online Leagues. You can also go head-to-head in The W Online, a 3v3 MyPlayer competition set on a new court exclusive to the game mode. Players will be able to sit in both the GM and commissioner's chair in MyWNBA to "drive the growth of all 12 WNBA teams and the entire league". 

"We're really proud to continue our great partnership with the WNBA and introduce players to The W," Steenhouse says in the official press release. "Being able to recognise yourself both on and off the court is incredibly important to us. The W helps us elevate women's basketball and highlights the star power of the WNBA."

NBA 2K21 is set to launch on the Xbox Series X on November 10, followed by the PS5 on November 12. 

In other news, NBA 2K21 next-gen gameplay looks incredibly impressive.

Brand new, next-gen gameplay for NBA 2K21 has premiered today, giving us a look at the Golden State Warriors taking on the New Orleans Pelicans. 

Walking us through the new gameplay is executive producer Erick Boenisch and gameplay director Mike Wang. The pair talk up next-gen capabilities for NBA 2K21, starting things off with focusing on the actual courtside antics before the game, including animated fans, security guards, and more.

The duo also talk about the new camera angle for NBA 2K21. There's actually a new camera angle that puts you just above the heads of those sitting courtside, and it moves horizontally along the court with the ball, tracking the player currently with possession to give you a great view of the action from a side-on perspective.

I've gotta say, it's an incredible-looking piece of technology. The arena lighting, player models, and gameplay itself looks fantastic in the next-gen gameplay reveal for NBA 2K21. Seeing the likes of Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, and Zion Williamson going at it is a great way to debut next-gen gameplay.

The new impact engine is also displayed in a pretty nice way here. We can see player collisions in a new light with the reworked mechanics, and Wang and Boenisch talk briefly about how they've redone player footwork for a more realistic feel.

NBA 2K21 is a day one upgrade for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on November 10, and a few days later for the PS5 on November 12, but only if you've purchased the Mamba Forever edition. Additionally, your MyTeam progress will be carrying over to next-gen consoles.

If you're still playing through 2K's latest basketball sim, or waiting until the next-gen edition drops next month, check out our NBA 2K21 tips guide for some key information.

With NBA 2K21 arriving on next-gen consoles in little under a month from now in November, 2K is talking up some of the next-gen gameplay features for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of the game.

In the latest Courtside Report, 2K21 gameplay director Mike Wang takes us through plenty of the improvements. Focusing firstly on MyPlayer, Wang reveals that the next-gen versions of MyPlayer will be ditching the preset breakdown pie charts when creating a player, giving you more control over each of your player's attributes.

There's a lot of changes to MyPlayer Badges on next-gen consoles. Some are gone entirely, some have undergone significant changes, and some are entirely new. Head over to the full Courtside Report from 2K for a complete breakdown of which Badges have been altered, which Wang believes will get players to rediscover some Badges they would have previously overlooked.

Takeover is back for NBA 2K21 on next-gen, but it's been changed. Gone are the eight limited types of Takeover abilities, and there will now be 24 Takeover abilities, covering minute areas like ankle-breaking dribbling, defensive impact against pull-up shots, and more.

Finally, 2K are making what they hope will be some pretty huge improvements to the AI of NBA 2K21 on next-gen consoles. In short, there's going to be a ton of improvements for both offensive and defensive player AI, including improvements to transition defense and pick-and-roll offense.

In all, there's a massive list of fundamental changes coming to NBA 2K21 on next-gen consoles. The game's next-gen ports will be launching on November 10 for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and two days later on November 12 for the PS5.

For a look at every remaining game set to come out in 2020, as well as a list of games slated for launch beyond this year, head over to our new games 2020 guide for more.

2K says the unskippable ads included in NBA 2K were implemented in a way the publisher "didn't intend," and that the mistake "will be fixed." In a statement on Twitter, the company addressed backlash to the way adverts were included in its latest release.

Earlier this week, players noticed an unskippable advert for the Oculus Quest 2 ahead of an in-game video. That advert appeared to run during a loading screen, but was the same length even when running from an SSD on a PC (via Stevivor). Players criticised 2K for the advert, with many noting it was appearing in a full-priced title.

In response, 2K reminded players that adverts "have been integrated into 2KTV segments" for a few years, but said that "yesterday's 2KTV ad placement impacted our players' experience in a way we didn't intend, as these ads are not meant to run as part of the pre-game introduction." As a result, the issue "will be fixed in future episodes," although there's no word on exactly when the change will be implemented.

Crucially, it doesn't sound as though the adverts will actually be going away. 2K points out that they've been in place for a while already, and that the issue here seems to be where the ad showed up, not the fact that it was there in the first place. Hopefully the placements will be more subtle in future, but it looks like in-game adverts are set to be part of the NBA 2K games for a while yet.

Whether you're out mountain-biking or just looking for a kickabout, check out our list of the best sports games.

It looks as though NBA 2K21 is going to be taking advantage of the DualSense controller in a few intriguing ways, when the game comes to PS5 next month.

Today, 2K published a new report looking at next-gen gameplay for NBA 2K21. This entry is part two of three, and takes a detailed look at some next-gen info for the game. Chiefly, one of the big new features for NBA 2K21 on the PS5 is that you'll be able to feel a player's fatigue levels when pressing down on a trigger to sprint.

Additionally, there'll be different levels of resistance when you use L2 in the post. For example, a player with strong stats in the post will cause you to feel little resistance on L2 when backing into a weaker player in the post. But on the flip side, you'll get a ton of resistance on L2 if you're backing up against a strong post defender.

Elsewhere, the DualSense will be vibrating in a ton of different ways when you make physical contact with another player. "Boxouts, body-up rides, off-ball collisions/deny/rides… basically any situation where players make significant contact will vibrate the controller at various intensities depending on the strength of the players involved and the severity of the impact," writes 2K's Mike Wang.

"It’s also a great reinforcement tool to understand when you’re making players work too hard on the court, which could hit their energy/stamina levels and potentially cause wear-and-tear on their bodies with our in-depth injury system," Wang concludes.

Just last week, NBA 2K21 debuted next-gen gameplay on a PS5, and it looked suitably superb. Cross-gen upgrades for NBA 2K21 are only supported with the more expensive Mamba Forever edition, but your MyTeam progress will carry over to the next console generation regardless.

For a complete list of all the additional games offering various cross-gen upgrades like NBA 2K21, head over to our list of the PS5 upgrade games.

The CEO of Take-Two Interactive has once again defended a rise in game prices. In an interview with Protocol, Strauss Zelnick said that since prices last rose around 2005, games have become bigger and more expensive to make.

Zelnick says that “the bottom line is that we haven’t seen a front-line price increase for nearly 15 years.” In that time, however, he claims that “production costs have gone up 200 to 300%,” leading to games that are far more expensive to produce now than they used to be. 

Zelnick adds that while “no-one really cares what your production costs are, what consumers are able to do with the product has completely changed. We deliver a much, much bigger game for $60 or $70 than we delivered for $60 ten years ago.” He also acknowledged the impact of microtransactions on changing in-game economies, but says that in Take-Two’s games, “the opportunity to spend money online is completely optional, and it’s not a free-to-play title. It’s a complete, incredibly robust experience even if you never spend another penny after your initial purchase.

This isn’t the first time that Zelnick has suggested it’s time for a price increase. Last month, he argued that the higher costs for NBA 2K were justified based on “the value we offer customers [...] and the kind of experience you can only really have on these next-generation consoles.” It's unclear whether the $70 game is going to become the industry standard, but Zelnick is pretty sure which side of the argument he comes down on.

Strauss Zelnick also claims he fancies Xbox's chances in the next console generation.

The NBA 2K21 release date comes with extra poignancy following the death of Kobe Bryant in January. It's out on PS4 and Xbox One on 4 September. The basketball legend, synonymous with the series, was killed in a helicopter crash aged just 41, and will be one of three cover athletes for this year's game. Below we catalogue all 2K's digital b-ball plans as well as what we know of the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions. This is your NBA 2K21 guide.

NBA 2K21 trailer: watch it here

The first NBA 2K21 trailer hit Youtube on 6 August 2020, and you can watch it below. Note that it pertains to the PS4 and Xbox One versions.

NBA 2K21 cover star: Bryant one of three covers

Kobe Bryant’s glittering b-ball career encompassed five NBA championships, two NBA-finals MVP awards, one overall MVP awards, and adulation across the nation - indeed, the entire world. Little wonder, then, that his tragic passing immediately had fans clamouring to make him this year’s cover star on social media. A change.org petition was even started in the hope of triggering 2K’s attention.

Sure enough, Bryant is one of three NBA 2K21 cover athletes, along with Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, and New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson.

Lillard fronts the current-gen edition, Williamson the next-gen version, and Bryant special edition covers across both formats.

“Each of our cover athletes represent different eras of the game of basketball – Damian Lillard dominates the court today, Zion Williamson is a standard bearer for the next generation of NBA superstar and what more could be said about Kobe?,” says Alfie Brody, Vice President of Global Marketing at NBA 2K. “Three athletes representing the current, future and storied history of the game."

NBA 2K21 release date: 4 September on current-gen

As with many series in the sports genre, there’s a pattern behind 2K series releases. NBA 2K18 came out on 15 September, NBA 2K19 on 7 September, and NBA 2K20 on 6 September. 

Sure enough, just as we predicted when this feature premiered in May, the NBA 2K21 release date on PS4 and Xbox One is Friday 4 September.

PS5 and Xbox Series X are tabbed to emerge a little later, with a loose release period entitled ‘Holiday 2020’. NBA 2K21 hasn’t been confirmed as a launch title for either, but you suspect it will be. None of the big publishers want to miss out on early sales, so expect it to line up on shelves right next to FIFA 21. 

NBA 2K21 Kobe Bryant edition: what's the deal?

To honour Kobe Bryant, the version of the game with him on the cover is known as the Mamba Forever Edition. It features him wearing a #8 jersey on the current-gen edition, and a #24 jersey for next-gen. 

Along with the base game, the Mamba Forever edition includes 100,000 in VC (NBA 2K's in-game currency), 10 MyTeam tokens, 40 MyTeam packs (10 at launch, with 10 additional packs available each week for the next three weeks) and sapphire versions of Lillard and Williamson that can be used in MyTeam.

It also includes Bryant-focussed perks such as the Sapphire Kobe MyTeam card and a Mamba MyPlayer uniform.

NBA 2K21 PS5 and Xbox Series X: What to expect

The first edition of any sports game on a new console tends to focus on aesthetics over wholesale gameplay improvements. That’s not necessarily developers being lazy - more that it takes a year or three to fully master new hardware. As such, you shouldn’t expect the NBA series’ next-gen debut to completely transform MyCareer, or reinvent the sport. 

What it will do is look sensational. NBA 2K’s player likenesses and overall presentation have led the genre for years, only matched in those fields by Sony’s MLB The Show games. So players like Giannis Antetokounmpo will look just as they do on a live TV broadcast. 8K supported gameplay, meanwhile, is the stuff of dreams - offline at least, everything should run as smoothly as an end-to-end Toronto Raptors passing move. Online play will be more dependent on server reliability and connection speed, as ever, but for two opponents on high-end fibre-optic broadband the experience should be as silky slick as offline play. Cool.

NBA 2K21 MyTeam: does progress carry over?

In a word, yes. Much like in FIFA 21, progress made on current-gen systems will be transferable to next-gen consoles.

"In NBA 2K21, your entire MyTeam collection and progress will seamlessly carry over from PS4 to PS5 and Xbox One to Xbox Series X, so you can enjoy MyTeam uninterrupted, all year long," 2K says in a press release. 

"Start earning on NBA 2K21 for current-gen on September 4 and your entire balance of VC, MyTeam Points, pulled cards and Tokens will be there later in the year when you upgrade to NBA 2K21 for next-gen."

NBA 2K21 features wishlist: What do the fans want?

In a rarity among the sports community, Reddit has a dedicated forum where the best community suggestions actually get forwarded on for consideration by developer Visual Concepts. 

Better AI, especially late in games, features high on NBA 2K21 fan wishlists. “I can’t count the times I've jumped into a down-to-the-wire game, in the last minute or during overtime to find the stupidest lineups on the floor,” writes kainsta929. “Dwight Howard at PG with no LeBron James or Anthony Davis, or [for the Rockets] James Harden on the bench – only to check in with five seconds left, when down by more than 10. [Then you have] teams calling time out, then calling again it the play after. Waiting ages then chucking up some stupid shot. Setting up to play through a star player, then that star player only attempting 5 shots in a game. Small things like that really sour the game.”

More specifically, ibuytiers has an excellent suggestion on how to improve the Park, where players meet up in order to find online team-mates. “[My idea is you] press the left stick to open up a menu similar to the running animations, where you could choose "looking for a *insert position*" or "looking for a rec squad". Then these would be shown above your player in the park.”

“This would act as a catalyst for the Park,” he continues,” as the lack of communication available makes it hard to distinguish between people looking for a game, and players just standing there. In the player list on the phone, you could sort by players needed at a certain position. This would increase teamwork as there would be more squads, and help out players who play Park as a solo find more games. Right now there's very little incentive to play Park as a solo [rated] above 95 and this would help that.”

A surprise NBA 2K21 demo is now live on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. 

Featuring four playable teams, this demo isn’t short on surprises. Where NBA games have typically highlighted the sports’ modern-day heroes, this demo offers players the chance to take control of two ‘All-Time’ teams - including the Kobe Bryant-led All Time Lakers. 

The second historic team available comes in the form of the All-Time Celtics, featuring the iconic player Bill Russell, as well as two modern-day teams in the form of the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers.

Outside of these history-spanning teams, NBA 2K21 gives fans a chance to experience new gameplay additions - such as the redesigned shooting system and the Courtside Report. This demo will also feature the MyPlayer Builder, allowing players to mess around with the new RPG-like builds available in this year’s iteration of NBA 2K.In a nice touch, 2K has revealed that your progress from the demo will also carry on over to the full game. 

NBA 2K21 is of course also launching on PS5 and the Xbox Series X - and thanks to the Covid19-induced delay to the real-world NBA season, 2K has announced that it won’t update player rankings until NBA 2K21 launches on next-gen consoles. The reason for this is to ensure that the current in-game ratings reflect the performance of the players from this current (delayed) season. Don’t worry current-gen console owners - your versions will update alongside the shiny new console versions.

For more, check out the biggest new games of 2020 and beyond still on the way.

2K has confirmed that any NBA 2K21 MyTEAM progress made on current-gen systems will be transferable to next-gen consoles, too.

"In NBA 2K21, your entire MyTEAM collection and progress will seamlessly carry over from PS4 to PS5 and Xbox One to Xbox Series X, so you can enjoy MyTEAM uninterrupted, all year long," 2K explained in a press release. 

"Start earning on NBA 2K21 for current-gen on September 4 and your entire balance of VC, MyTEAM Points, pulled cards and Tokens will be there later in the year when you upgrade to NBA 2K21 for next-gen."

2K also confirmed that free "seasons" will bring "new content and new ways to play MyTEAM all year long" for no extra cost. 

ICYMI, the NBA 2K21 gameplay trailer is here. As Alex described at the time, the new trailer shows footage of NBA 2K21 running on current-gen platforms, but 2K has already confirmed the game will be coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X at a later date following its initial release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on September 4. 

It's already been confirmed that NBA 2K21 will cost more on next-gen platforms, but those who purchase the Mamba Edition of the game on PS4 or Xbox One will receive a free upgrade once they make the jump to the next generation of consoles. 

The sports game is also coming to streaming service Google Stadia at a later date in 2020. 

For more, check out the biggest new games of 2020 on the way.

The NBA 2K21 gameplay trailer is here, with 2K Games and developer Visual Concepts giving us a look at the next instalment in the officially licensed annualised NBA video game series. 

The new trailer shows footage of NBA 2K21 running on current gen platforms, but 2K has already confirmed the game will be coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X at a later date following its initial release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on September 4. 

Check it out below: 

While it didn't offer too much that we weren't expecting - it's still basketball after all - it does have Stormzy on the soundtrack, so it's well worth a watch. In an accompanying press release, 2K promised that today's trailer is "just the first of many gameplay-related announcements that will be rolling out through the upcoming weeks" for the upcoming NBA instalment. 

Hopefully that will include more details on how the game will utilise the new technology afforded by the next-gen consoles, which are scheduled to release this Holiday 2020. 

It's already been confirmed that NBA 2K21 will cost more on those platforms, but those who purchase the Mamba Edition of the game on PS4 or Xbox One will receive a free-next gen upgrade once they make the jump to the new consoles. 

The title is also coming to streaming service Google Stadia at a later date in 2020. 

For more, check out the biggest new games of 2020 on the way.

Rockstar and 2K parent company Take-Two Interactive says its next-gen games will be more expensive because they're higher-quality and more costly to develop.

The company confirmed last month that it's pricing the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of NBA 2K21 at $70, a price increase of $10 over the current-gen versions. In a new interview with Gamesindustry.biz, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says the price increase has been a long time coming.

"There hasn't been a price increase for frontline titles for a really long time, despite the fact that it costs a great deal more to make those titles," Zelnick noted. "And we think with the value we offer consumers...and the kind of experience you can really only have on these next-generation consoles, that the price is justified. But it's easy to say that when you're delivering extraordinary quality, and that's what our company prides itself on doing."

Ubisoft recently said its next-gen titles releasing before Christmas 2020 will launch at the same price as current-gen games. That's obviously subject to change, but for now Take-Two Interactive stands alone in formally announcing a price increase for next-gen games. Still, the company remains steadfast.

"Obviously, we don't speak for the industry and the industry naturally does not coordinate on these matters, to say the very least. The pricing has to reflect the quality of the experience, and we aim to provide the best experiences in the business. And from our point of view, it's an extremely modest price change given that prices haven't changed for a very long time."

Take-Two says pricing for next-gen games will be on a "title by title basis," so don't expect every game from their publishers to come with a premium price tag.

Opinion: A rise in game prices is inevitable, and ultimately good for gamers.

The NBA 2K20 ratings are always a subject for hot debate, when they're revealed after a busy off-season period. Of course there are some definites you can call from the start, and it's not a shock to see the top spot occupied by LeBron James sits in the number one spot, though he’s now sharing that position with Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers. There are also fresh duos forming in other areas of the NBA 2K20 ratings, such as Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant at the Brooklyn Nets, and Russell Westbrook teaming up with James Harden at the Houston Rockets. We've picked out the top 10 players for each position, including the top-rated free agents.

NBA 2K20 ratings: Center

1. Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), 94
2. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), 91
3. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), 90
4. Karl Anthony-Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves), 89
5. Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz), 88
6=. Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons), 86
6=. Nicola Vucevic (Orlando Magic), 86
8=. Clint Capella (Houston Rockets), 85
8=. Al Horford (Philadelphia 76ers), 85
10=. Montrezl Harrell (Los Angeles Clippers), 83
10=. Jusuf Nurkic (Portland Trail Blazers), 83

When the Los Angeles Lakers signed Anthony Davis from the Pelicans, it automatically boosted their chances for the upcoming season. With a new default position as center, it means Davis ranks the highest in the category. Karl Anthony-Towns drops down the rankings after Joel Embiid asserted his dominance last season.

NBA 2K20 ratings: Point guard

1. Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors), 95
2. Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers), 92
3. Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets), 91
4. Russell Westbrook (Houston Rockets), 90
5. Kemba Walker (Boston Celtics), 88
6=. D’Angelo Russell (Golden State Warriors), 87
6=. Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers), 87
6=. Mike Conley (Utah Jazz), 87
9=. John Wall (Washington Wizards), 86
9=. De’Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings), 86

Steph Curry is still the best point guard in the NBA 2K20 ratings despite losing in last year’s playoffs, and Portland’s Damian Lillard edges above former Celtic Kyrie Irving to move up to second in the rankings. De’Arron Fox will be entering his third year as a pro, and after averaging 17.3 PPG last season, deservedly makes the rankings this year.

NBA 2K20 ratings: Shooting guard

1. James Harden (Houston Rockets), 96
2. Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors), 89
3. Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz), 88
4=. Victor Oladipo (Indiana Pacers), 87
4=. C.J. McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers), 87
4=. Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), 87
7=. Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), 86
7=. Jrue Holiday (New Orleans Pelicans), 86
9. Zach Levine (Chicago Bulls), 85
10=. Buddy Hield (Sacramento Kings), 84
10=. Louis Williams (Los Angeles Clippers), 84

It’s no surprise James Harden remains the best shooting guard with a 96 rating. Last year there were three players who shared the second spot, but Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors is the only one that holds onto that lofty position. Buddy Hield makes the rankings this year, and is a superb 3-point shooter if you’re aiming to bolster your chances of scoring from outside the D.

NBA 2K20 ratings: Small forward

1=. LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), 97
1=. Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers), 97
3=. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), 96
3=. Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets), 96
5. Paul George (Los Angeles Clippers), 93
6. Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat), 88
7=. Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), 87
7=. DeMar DeRozan (San Antonio Spurs), 87
9=. Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), 85
9=. Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks), 85

Options abound for your MyLeague roster at a position that sees the game’s top two rated players sharing the throne. Last year’s MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo comes in at 96 – as does Kevin Durant – while rookie sensation Luka Doncic inevitably storms the list to make seventh place.

NBA 2K20 ratings: Power forward

1. Blake Griffin (Detroit Pistons), 88
2=. Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors), 87
2=. LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs), 87
2=. Kristaps Porzingis (Dallas Mavericks), 87
5. Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors), 86
6. Tobias Harris (Philadelphia 76ers), 85
7=. John Collins (Atlanta Hawks), 84
7=. Kyle Kuzma (Los Angeles Lakers), 84
9=. Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers), 83
9=. Lavri Markkanen (Chicago Bulls), 83
9=. Marvin Bagley III (Sacramento Kings), 83
9=. Julius Randle (New York Knicks), 83
9=. Danilo Gallinari (Oklahoma City Thunder), 83

Los Angeles’ Kyle Kuzma now has a rating of 84 as opposed to the 80 found in NBA 2K19, improving the Lakers’ in-game attacking options considerably. After impressing throughout the regular season and the playoffs, Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam joins LaMarcus Aldridge in second, with Blake Griffin coming in first on 88.

NBA 2K20 ratings: Free agents

1. Nikola Mirotic (Power Forward), 79
2. Darren Collison (Point guard), 78
3=. Kenneth Faried (Center), 77
3=. Jamal Crawford (Shooting Guard), 77
3=. Zach Randolph (Power Forward), 77
6=. Tyreke Evans (Shooting Guard), 76
6=. Carmelo Anthony (Small Forward), 76
8=. J.R. Smith (Shooting Guard), 75
8=. Shaun Livingston (Point Guard), 75
8=. Ekpe Udoh (Center), 75
8=. Jeremy Lin (Point Guard), 75

Carmelo Anthony had a rough time with the Houston Rockets during his tenure in the 2018-19 season, joining the Chicago Bulls in January but being waived the following month. He could make a decent bench player if you’re looking for back-up in the small forward role. Power forward and solid rebounder Nikola Mirotic is a healthy option with a 79 rating.

Looking for pointers? Then get mastering our NBA 2K20 tips, covering 7 things you need to know before you play.

Whether you're an experienced baller or fresh on the court, having a set of NBA 2K20 tips to hand is always useful to keep track of the latest developments, especially as we now have a new story mode with none other than Idris Elba calling the shots. There's also various other improvements and gameplay tweaks to bear in mind, and a revamped MyPlayer mode to get to grips with before you line up and get ready to tip off.

It’s a huge game whose many modes can be overwhelming, which is where our NBA 2K20 tips rundown comes into play. Need to know how to get the most out of MyPlayer, succeed in MyGM, and/or put in a strong performance where it counts? Then let us steer you through it all. These are the seven essential NBA 2K20 tips to know before you play.

• NBA 2K20 ratings: the top 10 players at every position

1. Master your Playbook

Let’s tip things off where it matters most: gameplay. The AI in NBA 2K20 has been improved substantially, in terms of both opposition decision-making and your own team’s abilities to work around you. Whether you’re heading into the clutch or simply trying to get an early lead, utilising the Playbook is vital in getting team-mates to follow your commands, both on defence and offence.

You can toy around with each team’s various plays in the menus, and initiate them on court by pressing L1/LB. Players are particularly aware this year with regard to individual positioning, so don’t be afraid to use the Playbook to get the AI to run an important offensive or defensive play.

2. Use sprint sparingly

It can be tempting to charge back and forth down the court, whether you’re trying to go on the fast break or get back in front of the player you’re trying to mark. However, constant sprinting affects your man for the entirety of the game, so use the button too much in the first two quarters and you suffer for it in the crucial final moments.

Getting back to defend doesn’t need you to sprint unless the opposition goes on a speedy counter. Take your time and keep an eye on your marker so you know where to head. When attacking the rim, be patient when executing a set play, or pass the ball around to look for an opening. Essentially, strategise without increasing your player’s fatigue.

3. Stick to a man while defending

A familiar habit whilst playing NBA 2K20 is switching to the teammate closest to the opposing player who’s handling the ball, but the improved AI allows you to trust your team and lets you focus on the player you’re marking. Using L2/LT to keep close forces him to remain in a corner of your half court, or draws him out of position – often breaking up an opponent’s approach in the process.

When faced with the ball handler, L2/LT applies pressure. If they’re outside the D, don’t get too close or they’ll drive past you if there’s a screen in play. Certain dribblers require less attention, but if you’re facing a Kyrie Irving, pay close attention to the arrow underneath him. Moving in the direction he’s leaning prevents a break towards the rim, usually forcing a pass.

4. Make use of Evolution Cards

One of the best additions to MyTeam is the Evolution Card. At the start of MyTeam, you’re given a choice of five Evolution Cards: Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Dirk Nowitzki, Derrick Rose, and Hakeem Olajuwon. By completing certain challenges you can evolve your card of choice and improve its overall rating and badges.

Consider your general on-court approach before committing to your Evolution card, as there’s no option for a do-over. If you need a leader around the hoop, Olajuwon’s dunking ability is priceless, whereas Vince Carter’s leadership and experience can be beneficial for newer players.

5. Use Action Points in MyGM wisely

2K has introduced Action Points into MyGM: these help challenge you when making decisions day in, day out, limiting where you decide to focus. When you embark on a new franchise, you’re given the choice of picking a level of difficulty, and the easier the mode, the more AP you’re given.

It can be stressful knowing exactly where to use them but talking to your players helps to build their trust. A simple chit-chat with your starting Point Guard can give them the boost they need, and a meeting with your boss often leads to some priceless advice. Your assistant manager will also provide you with tasks he deems more important, so keep an eye on these if you’re still not sure.

6. MyPlayer requires experimentation

MyPlayer in NBA 2K20 changes how you build the foundation of your baller, with new pie charts that highlight different ranges of statistics. These ultimately define the types of badges you’re able to acquire. Not only that, but certain combinations limit the attributes you can upgrade.

It’s imperative that your devote some time to playing around with different variations, and accept you won’t be able to be great at everything. Some combinations make you a decent shooter and playmaker, but means sacrificing defensive categories. Whether you’re trying to emulate an NBA superstar or suit your own play style, experimenting with the new system before finalising your fictional player is a must.

7. Be a MyCareer all-rounder

Feeling the need to concentrate on a specific shot or statistic isn’t especially important when it comes to levelling up your player in NBA 2K20. Instead, making sure you’re an all-rounder awards access to more options for building your repertoire.

For instance, taking shots and creating chances/getting assists from all over the D improves your grade and gives XP to Finishing, Shooting, and Playmaking: there’s simply no need to be a one-trick pony. And the mode fast becomes grind heavy if you choose to focus solely on one particular skill.

Prefer your American sports to be oval-shaped? Then power over to our Madden 20 tips, which again charts 7 key things to know before you play.

NBA 2K21 is getting a cross-gen upgrade option, but you’ll have to get the game’s special Mamba Forever editions for it. 

You’ll be able to play NBA 2K21 on PS4, Xbox One, PS5 and Xbox Series X by buying a platform specific copy of the game, but if you make the jump up a generation, you’ll either need to buy the game again or get the Mamba Forever edition. 

2K Sports revealed its release lineup for NBA 2K21 today, confirming separate standard editions and Kobe Bryant memorializing Mamba Forever editions. If you pick up a standard edition for PS4 or Xbox One, you’ll be tied to those platforms - unlike FIFA 21 and Madden 21 from EA, there's no free upgrade. You'll need to buy another copy if you want to upgrade to PS5 or Xbox Series X, though your MyTeam progress will carry over within the same console family.

However, if you pick up the NBA 2K21: Mamba Forever Edition for $99.99 on PS4 or Xbox One, you'll also be entitled to a free digital copy of the next-gen version of NBA 2K21 on the same console family (Correction: this article originally said you would receive a next-gen version of the Mamba Forever Edition, which is not the case - you get the standard edition).

On top of that, the Mamba Forever Edition also comes bundled in with 100,000 bonus VC you can use to buy more stuff in-game, as well as some other digital goodies.

If you're planning to buy them individually, take note of the fact that 2K is currently planning to sell NBA 2K21's next-gen standard editions for $69.99. It could be a sign of a broader price hike for next-gen games, or it could just be 2K bumping its prices by itself.

The PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC versions of NBA 2K21 are all planned for release on September 4, 2020, and you can expect the next-gen versions to be available as soon as the consoles launch.

See what else is on the way with our guides to upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox Series X games.

It was both unbelievable and devastating when news broke that 41-year-old basketball phenom Kobe Bryant had died in a helicopter accident this past Sunday. That his daughter Gigi was on board, along with seven others, made it even more tragic. NBA 2K20 players and developers are honoring the basketball legend in a truly touching way, one that managed to bring a genuine smile to my face after a day of feeling incredibly down. 

First, 2K games dropped a large banner into the game's home screen. When you boot up NBA 2K, you're greeted with a simple black and white photo of Bryant with "1978 - 2020" emblazoned below his name. The official NBA2K Twitter account also shared an image of Bryant. 

Then, in the Neighborhood, the public area where you can play pick-up basketball games with your avatar, players amassed there donning Bryant's Lakers jersey and other LA gear. Some players even custom-made Bryant shirts to wear in the Neighborhood. Twitter user @beeniicole shared a video of players walking around a court, clapping and throwing up signs honoring him. 

Players are also purposefully taking 24-second long shot clock violations in online games, as shared by Twitter user @shaitime2. Bryant wore two different jersey numbers during his tenure as a Laker: 8 and 24. Professional NBA players were also taking 24-second long shot clock violations in the games they played last night, many of which were incredibly somber experiences that fans and reporters alike believe should have been cancelled. 

The legacy of Kobe Bryant as a basketball player is untouchable, and while there is a valid and necessary discussion that must be had regarding his personal life and the sexual assault allegations he faced in the early 2000s, it is certainly touching to see his hoops legacy honored in NBA 2K20. There were also eight other people that lost their lives in this tragedy, including his young daughter, who was well on her way to becoming a professional WNBA player. In his post-NBA life, Kobe was a champion of women's sports (including the US Women's National soccer team), a supporter of current NBA players, and an Oscar winner for Dear Basketball.

It's nice to see video games being used to spread some much-needed love. 

If you're interested, here's the NBA 2K20 player ratings. 

For the best part of a decade, NBA 2K has been streets ahead of other sports franchises. This year, it does so literally, expanding MyCareer mode into an open-world street setting in which barbershops, team training facilities, multiplayer courts, and dozens of human players all occupy the same urban space. FIFA, Madden, and the rest were only just catching up to the idea of star-studded cutscenes, and before they can catch a breath NBA 2K goes San Andreas.

MyCareer, for the uninitiated, lets you create a player and take them from obscurity to NBA stardom via a series of narrative cutscenes and hours of on-court hustle. Despite the depth of its other modes such as MyGM (franchise mode to you and me) and FIFA Ultimate Team-alike MyTeam, it’s this rags-to-LeBron mode that has long been the main attraction. Knowing that, developer Visual Concepts has rightly focussed most of NBA 2K18’s innovations here, and by placing it inside an open world where multiplayer modes also reside, it gives the sense that MyCareer is a broader experience than just grinding out training drills and NBA games until you hit that 99 rating.

Except, of course, that there’s an awful lot of that too. Even a Korean MMO would say MyCareer was a bit grindy. Unless you cave and buy VC for real money, the journey towards accomplishing even simple layups and jumpshots in career or multiplayer games is agonizingly long. As someone who’s ground their way up from an overall 60 rating to the 90s many times since NBA 2K11, I can confirm that it still requires the patience of a major religious figure in 2K18. And as someone who’s also caved and paid real money to hurry the process along several times over that same span, I can’t help but wonder how deliberately the game’s designed each year to foster that temptation. And how much it’s been ratcheted up this year.

How important are micro-transactions?

For example, in order to improve your starting stats from 60 up to 85, the initial level cap, you need to spend somewhere in the region of 200,000 VC. Playing on Pro difficulty, one decent career game (earnings scale with your performance) earns you about 1000. That’s without budgeting for haircuts or any other visual customisation changes, all of which cost VC. A new pair of tracksuit bottoms might set you back 2500. Imagine that. Imagine a real NBA pro popping down the shops and spending one game’s worth of salary on some Jordan pants.

However, it isn’t a Pay-to-win scheme, in the sense that you can’t ascend all the way to the top by parting with your actual, real money. Shelling out for the requisite 200,00 VC will get you from 65 to 85, but getting all the way up to 99 requires time and devotion which can’t be bought. Two things achieve this: cap breakers and badges.

To understand why these are important, a quick history lesson is required. Last year’s game took flak for introducing stat caps based on particular player archetypes, so that a six-foot, three-point specialist of the Steph Curry mold couldn’t also become a league-leading rebounder, and if you gave your player Manute Bol’s dimensions you couldn’t buy him Muggsy Bogues’ speed. It makes sense from a basketball perspective, but many players found it restrictive. Particularly those who’d enjoyed creating a Michael-Jordan-but-seven-feet-tall archetype in previous years, and had been able to dominate in all aspects of the game. Attributes are capped once again this year, but with the introduction of dual archetypes you do at least get a bit more control over how they’re capped. For example, if you really did want to be a lights out three-point shooter while also excelling at rebounding, you could build a player with those two archetypes. They’ll still be limited by physical traits - height, weight, wingspan, shoulder width - but in theory you have more freedom to play the way you want. 

In reality, my 6”10 rebounding slasher is… okay at both. It feels like there are more ways to create a terrible archetype than a great one, particularly if you want to play a lot of multiplayer with them, but the dual archetype system is a step in the right direction, and is worth experimenting with. It’s just a shame all the MyCareer cutscenes are unskippable, so starting again with a new build takes more time than it should.

Why did you have to be a… cap breaker?

Enter the first of 2K18’s big time investments: cap breakers. Those initial attribute caps can be raised substantially, but the only way to do it is with hard work. Career games, multiplayer, gym work and training drills will all fill up a cap-breaker bar, and happily it fills much quicker than last year’s glacial Doin’ Work Meter (seriously, that’s what they called it. They might as well have named it the ‘That’s It, Dickheads, Keep Grinding Away’ Bar), which could only be progressed outside of games. Anyone who spent as long as I did doing the jump test drill last year will be ecstatic to hear that. 

Next is badges. These permanently buff certain abilities and offer an even more profound effect on your player than several cap-breakers would. The ‘ankle breaker’ badge, for example, will make your crossover and double moves much more effective, whereas unlocking ‘mid-range deadeye’ improves 2-point jumpshots. How these were unlocked and upgraded (from bronze up to diamond) was a bit mysterious last year, but in 2K18 a handy overlay after each activity shows you a) what you did, b) the badge that action counts towards unlocking, and c) how many more times you need to do it before actually unlocking it. It’s great to have all this info presented so clearly, but slightly disconcerting to see how long it’ll take to get a few diamond badges.

Visual Concepts is much more communicative about the other incidental progression rewards, too. For example, I still don’t know how to get the Michael Jordan high-rise MyCourt in 2K17, but in 2K18 I know exactly what hitting 85 overall, 90, 91 etc will bestow upon me. That’s progress. Seriously though, if you could let me know about that high rise, 2K…

Work hard. Play hard.

You have to work hard to get to the top in MyCareer, and realistically you have to drop some coin on it too if you want to hit 99 overall before the heat death of the universe, but as ever the fundamentals of how the game of basketball is played offsets the obvious tedium of the game’s grindier elements.

That’s been true for years, of course. NBA 2K was playing a better game of basketball than FIFA or PES could manage with soccer since the PS3/360 days, and every year since then it’s reached out ever closer to perfection. The animations are the foundation of that - every big-name player’s jumpshots, layups, spin moves and rituals are accurately mo-capped, and every tiny defensive foot shuffle and ‘watch that guy’ team-mate gesture sells an uncanny level of believability. Yes, those animations can still feel sticky when you’re controlling a player and they can’t be cancelled, and yes, that can be tremendously annoying at times, but it also facilitates a game of virtual basketball in which it’s fun simply to defend your man, or grab a rebound, or run a pick-and-roll. Hand on heart, is it fun to pass along the back four in PES?

That frightening realism shouldn’t be taken for granted, however long it’s been a virtue of NBA 2K. This year doesn’t herald an overhaul in any particular area, but it is bolstered just slightly by new animations in post play, boxing out and lateral movement. Such incremental improvements are the luxury of the established and dominant franchise, and you can’t help but feel that a major engine or physics overhaul is due soon to keep NBA 2K at the top. For now, faking out lockdown defenders and cutting to the rim and dunking on opponents is still just about the most fun you can have in a sports game, and as tempting as it is to focus on the moments where animations go awry, the overall level of play is still formidably impressive.

Less impressive is the narrative writing and performance in MyCareer’s storyline, in which a former DJ named DJ earns an NBA contract by winning one street tournament. The mechanics of getting into the NBA aren’t really the problem, although in my opinion last year’s college prelude worked better. Instead, it’s the hours of over-caffeinated mo-cap actors riffing with each other about scenarios of no consequence; tedious exchanges with the security guard every time you’re about to walk onto the court; walking back to your apartment and having to endure your flatmate hosting an improv class. Come back, Spike Lee. All is forgiven.

MyGM is also infused with narrative cutscenes, but thankfully they’re nowhere near as tryhard. Generally you’re allowed to go about the business of building a basketball dynasty with satisfyingly deep control of both on-court and off-court affairs. And if you really don’t want cutscenes, Pro-Am multiplayer is your answer. I have had problems with walk-on games, specifically being rooted to the ground and forced to watch my four exasperated team-mates struggle on a man down, but when given control, the basketball flows smoothly, and there doesn’t yet seem to be one archetype that’s dominating multiplayer. Historically 2K has had to do a lot of balance patching to ensure that’s the case, but it looks like the dual archetype system has created enough variation that you’re not always playing a team of five 100% three-point shooters.

It feels a bit entitled to criticise NBA 2K18. It’s the biggest, bravest, and for the most part the most sophisticated sports title there’s ever been, but at the same time its VC-grabbing design, largely untouched core gameplay, and remarkably tone-deaf cutscenes indicate that this is a truly great series hitting something of a plateau. It’s still worth buying - as long as you go in knowing that you’ll likely end up paying more again in VC - and more than capable of providing months of enjoyment. More than anything, it creates the illusion of a living, breathing world of sport that’s fascinating to exist in and gratifying to make an impact on, and it deserves recognition for that.

NBA 2K16 allows for all kinds of weird and wonderful player customization, but few of its creations have touched my heart like John John. You see, John John could just hold the ball over the hoop and let go, but he doesn't want to do that. John John wants to play basketball like all the other 76ers. Try as he might to fit in, though, John John isn't like his teammates. John John is 30 feet tall and he has teensy tiny T-Rex arms. This is his story.

Oh, and before you start watching, it helps if you imagine John John came from a tiny village in eastern Europe where he knew nothing but hardship before being scouted for the NBA. Alright, go ahead.

As you might expect, John John is a great shot blocker, but intercepting passes is tough when the other team can just lob the ball straight between your legs. He's basically the late, great Manute Bol times four, complete with four times the shooting difficulties. Even his stellar slam dunk contest performance is marred by routinely crushing the audience.

It's like the village crone said when the midwife had laid the 6'2" newborn at her knobbly feet: life will never be easy for John John.

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NBA 2K16 is what all sports games should aspire to be. Not only is it the most ambitious title of its kind - offering expansive single player, multiplayer, cooperative, offline, and online experiences - it does so in a way that simultaneously respects core basketball aficionados and casual hoops fans. While each of the deep game modes has items I can quibble with, the whole of NBA 2K16 is much greater than the sum of its parts. If - and this is a big if - its online servers manage to stay afloat, NBA 2K16 is not only the best sports game of the year, but one of the best of all time.

In a game jammed with content, its fundamentals shine brightest. The 5-on-5 basketball is the most polished and intense sports simulation I’ve ever played. It’s immediately noticeable, as defenders are on top of you once you get into the half court, pressuring you to execute plays and be smart with the ball. You need to use all the tools available to you to get open looks by calling for screens and pick-and-rolls, relying on your CPU teammates to make timely cuts and search for open space. Even if you don’t call plays every time down the court, the freestyle offense that the teams automatically run emphasises the strengths of the players on the court, making proper rotations a critical factor to success.

The physicality of low-post play and the off-ball battles between individual players highlight the sense that there is more intelligence happening under the covers than ever before. It’s particularly evident when you play with different teams; New Orleans’ Anthony Davis will constantly wrestle with his opponents to get proper positioning in the block, while Golden State’s Steph Curry and Klay Thompson trade sprints across the court to find open looks along the perimeter. 2K16 feels alive and intelligent.

The NBA 2K series has always been known for its excellent presentation and visuals, and takes that to the next level this season. Player introductions, rocking arenas, slicker-than-ever score overlays, and in-game commentary are world class. Current-day player models and behaviors look spectacular; you know exactly who each person is the instant you lay eyes on them. Steph Curry’s mouthguard-chomping ritual at the foul line is just one small example of the care and detail that clearly went into them. A surprising number of classic players look great too; Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen are unnervingly realistic in look and play style.

Of course, it wouldn’t be NBA 2K if they didn’t change some of the core controls. Again. The biggest barrier to newcomers remains its intensely complex and confusing control scheme, and NBA 2K16 has only exacerbated that issue. While shooting and passing remain tied to the same buttons, play-calling, screens, and low-post play have all been moved around. It’s very confusing to someone like me who spent countless hours in 2K15’s courts. I understand that the development team likes to tweak things to optimize the experience, but I’m hard-pressed to agree that, for example, calling plays with the D-pad is better than with the left bumper; in fact, I would argue the opposite. It’s also made the pick-and-roll harder to run, as you now have to combine the right trigger and the left bumper to properly execute - all the while using the right stick to move your player.

One of the most anticipated features of NBA 2K16 is the Spike Lee-directed My Career mode. It’s an ambitious effort, and smartly split into two sections; the first is heavily story-driven, following your rise from high school through college and your first years in the NBA. There is some basketball to be played - a handful of short games at each level - but much of your time is spent watching the often-intense scenes play out between your player, his family, and others who are clamoring for his time and money.

There are dozens of things that simulation-leaning fans will have issues with, such as the timelines between joining the NBA and becoming a free agent, or how terrible performances on the court won’t impact how you’re celebrated by your hangers-on. The story itself has plenty of eye-rolling moments, but is also punctuated by a series of very intense - and unexpected - performances and powered by impressive motion-capture technology that shows off terrific character facial expressions and emotion. Once the main ‘film’ section is complete - about a four hour timeframe - you’re free to move throughout your career in a more traditional way by playing all the games, upping your attributes, and building out your home court with all sorts of accoutrements. It may be a bit on the corny side, but I love it.

My favorite addition this season is online leagues; they have been missing since the start of the PS4/Xbox One generation. Not only can you play online with your friends, in a league with tracked stats and championships, but there is complete freedom to allow classic teams and current-day squads to intermingle. It sets up limitless options for a good time, and the simplicity with which they’re implemented means that I’ll be spending much of my time in there.

NBA 2K16 is absolutely brimming with content; so much so that it’s virtually impossible to experience it all. Its core basketball experience is spectacular, and it takes big chances with an expansive story mode, a multitude of online options, and a presentation that is second to none in the sports game space. The only lingering doubt is its ability to keep its online infrastructure up and running from Day One, as many of the game’s features are tied to the 2K servers being operational. It’s the most ambitious sports game ever made, and a must-play for anyone who’s ever picked up a virtual basketball.

This game was reviewed on PS4.

“Play your own way!” boasts the back of the box. “Unprecedented levels of player control!” screams the press-release. It seems we live in a gaming age where the person holding the controller is King (or Queen), and that we are in total control of everything that happens on screen. Well, to an extent, that’s true--if I don’t press the buttons on my PS4 pad, Willow will definitely starve in Don't Starve--but I’m noticing more and more that some of that control is an illusion, and we may not have the wonderful array of choices as advertised.

In particular, I’m thinking of a moment I recently experienced while playing NBA 2K14’s rather brilliant My Career mode. The PS4 (and Xbox One) versions of My Career have a full-on story that runs through the career mode, which throws up all kinds of ‘random’ events and amusing cut-scenes. Now, I don’t doubt that many of the scenes are set to trigger at certain times to help tell a story. You get your first chance in the NBA, for example, when a player on your team gets injured about 3 games into the regular season. It’s an event that happens every time, and you have no control over it. It’s a story beat.

However, the whole premise of NBA 2K14’s My Career mode is that you are the master of your own destiny: you determine the rise to stardom of your created player. Several weeks after my first NBA game, and I’m getting good minutes as Sixth man. Not only that, I’m out-scoring (and getting good defensive and assist stats) everyone else on the team. Yet for some reason, neither the coach or general manager think I’m good enough to start. In fact, the starting position I’m vying for is actually given to a nobody on my team, when the regular starter gets injured. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET INTO THAT STARTING SHOOTING GUARD ROLE?

Turns out, all I need to do is wait. I wait patiently, get my first start against Miami, and have an average game. Not my best, but ok. However, after the game LeBron finds me in the player tunnel, and we have a good old chat about the pressure of being a starter in the NBA, and how he enjoyed playing against me in my first game. Don’t worry, I’m getting to my point here. Fact is, this scene is pre-set--I know that, because they specifically captured LeBron’s voice for it (most players are not voice-captured, and few appear in cut-scenes)--and I’m pretty sure that I’d have seen it no matter how I’d been playing for the last 10-or-so hours.

Why? Because the game has story beats to hit, and it wants to make me feel special. I’m damn sure that my player was specifically kept out of the starting line up until the Miami game, so LeBron could pop over and tell me how awesome I’d been. Now, I could be wrong here--this could all be a massive, cosmic coincidence conspiring to ensure I have the best My Career session ever--but I doubt it. And that got me thinking about some of the other games that offer the illusion of control, but actually funnel players down a far more linear path than they’re letting on.

Example: Fallout: New Vegas. Open-world RPG, right? Do what you want, when you want, right? Not quite. Fact is, that the first 10-20 hours of New Vegas is largely pre-ordained. Players are encouraged to head south from Goodsprings, and to work their way east through places like Primm and Novac, before continuing north to the Strip. It’s done using a mixture of story-beats and smart world design. Heading north from Goodsprings, for example, takes you through some of the game’s most dangerous areas--sections of the map that will always prove deadly to fresh-faced couriers.

Other recent examples include The Walking Dead, which--for all its talk of player choice and under-pressure decision making--provides the same ending to every playthrough. See also Mass Effect, which boils down 3 games-worth of decision-making to a simple, multiple choice ending that largely ignores the personal preferences and play-style of the person clutching the pad. One game that famously bucks the trend here is Heavy Rain, which does offer significant player choices, but at the cost of control over actual gameplay. So it's often a trade-off.

See, the majority of games are still holding our hand and letting us make decisions that barely matter in the grand scheme of things. That’s not necessarily a problem (in fact, it can be a great thing), but an observation that we have less control over our interactive adventures than we might think. It’s a tough balance for developers to strike, because they always want you to play games in a certain way, to experience all the awesome stuff they’ve managed to cram onto the disc or download file. Rockstar, in particular, made a concerted effort to guide players through GTA 5 (and sign-post cool stuff) after noticing tiny percentages of players completing or finding half the cool stuff hidden in GTA 4.

There are few games that offer the scale of autonomy you’d expect, and it’s only when developers step back and stop trying to tell stories or signpost content that the player is given true levels of control. Minecraft is a great example of a game with no agenda--it hands a set of tools to the player, enforces basic rules, and lets player create their own stories within the game. You really are in control in Minecraft. The same can be said for online shooters like Battlefield 4. Although the rules are more stringent, the freedom to do whatever you want within each multiplayer sandbox remains. That’s why we see so many videos of people doing insane stuff in BF4 online--they’re in control of everything in the game.

Now, control in games isn’t everything, and often it’s best to let developers take the reigns and tell us a story. After all, they’re the professionals, and they should know what works best in their own gaming universe. I think games are often better with a bit of hand-holding, especially if it leads to more fulfilling stories, and less getting stuck trying to solve certain puzzles or find missing items. Don’t forget that with control comes an enormous amount of responsibility--if the developers don’t point you towards a specific key or quest item, but do abandon you in a huge world, it can take hours or days to work out a solution. And most will quit the game long before that happens.

And that’s really the key here. With next-gen consoles and increasingly powerful PCs offering bigger, more interactive worlds than ever before, developers are getting smarter at creating the illusion of player control. It’s all about the invisible hands guiding us in the right direction, while making us feel like The Boss. So, the next time you do or find something really cool or rare in a game, just think to yourself: “Am I really that awesome at this game? Or was I supposed to do that”? The answer may surprise you…

Sports games are a crowded market

It's pretty inconsiderate of people, really, to flock to sports events and the like in such voluminous numbers. As a result, poor video game developers have had to spend the past two decades trying to do crowds right. One person on-screen? Easy. Ten people? Pretty tough, but alright. All 109,901 spectators in Michigan Stadium, all the officials and a game of American football? Give the poor guys a break!

Fortunately, the new generation of consoles have finally given developers sufficient grunt to start doing crowds right. So you'll find several of them on this list. But even so, history is still crowded (yeah?) with amazing attempts to convey the throng of a good crowd on limited tech. So let's celebrate the best crowds of all time...

Def Jam: Fight for NY (Multi, 2004)

Def Jam's super-'street' fighting gameplay is context-heavy, which is undeniably one of the game's greatest pulls. But while cars and other scenery elements all make for interesting diversions, it's the crowds that are the best part.

For starters, the individually-rendered onlookers add a real Fight Club atmosphere to the proceedings as they goad the fighters on. But the best thing about them is the quality of their haircuts. Nah, not really. It is, of course, their interactivity. Shove your opponent into the crowd and someone will grab hold, even assisting you in a team-up move. Mightily impressive for 2004, it's surprising it hasn't caught on more in recent years.

Super Street Fighter IV (Multi, 2010)

But while Def Jam has the interactivity, Street Fighter has superior reactivity. The stages in SFIV are full of individuals that each appear to have an interesting story to tell. They watch the fight with excitement or annoyance, especially when the fracas destroys an element of the background scenery.

And of course, it all goes back to Street Fighter 2 and the infamous chicken-choker. Does one man and a chicken count as a crowd? We're going to go with yes. But two frames of animation aren't enough to make our 'best crowds' list. We hope the news doesn't leave the chicken too choked.

NHL '94 (Multi, 1993)

NHL Hockey actually predated FIFA in the shape of EA Hockey, which came out in 1991. And, sure enough, it offered 2D crowds with individual people in them. Again, they were animated at varying speeds to simulate excitement if someone hit the post or upended another player. But I've chosen this version for a reason.

There was one dude in a red top and blonde hair, who would sometimes get up out of his chair and walk down to the perspex barrier and watch the game from there. An audience member actually behaving like a real person as an incidental detail. It was the most amazing thing my friend and I had seen. Combine that with NHLPA Hockey '93's glass getting smashed at the back and it was evident this was the best sports game ever.

Virtua Fighter 4 (PS2, 2002)

Similar to Def Jam, VF4 featured one stage with a 3D-rendered crowd. OK, so you couldn't get caught up in them and they were only ever really silhouettes of people, but it was the atmosphere that this gave the fight, not to mention the technical achievement of rendering that many 3D bodies at 60fps.

Does anyone else care about such things? Sometimes I wonder if I'm alone in that respect. I like a good 60fps 3D rendered crowd, I do. Which is lucky really, because the new console generation is full of them. Hooray! Of particular note, in fact, in this next game...

FIFA 14 (PS4/XBO, 2014)

This is what happens when a gameplay engine is already at the peak of its evolution and then a shed-load of new power comes along to help make everything else that little bit more awesome. FIFA 14's crowds are vast, fully 3D-rendered and react to the action realistically. Admittedly, they don't hand-sign 'wanker' when the opposing team scores right in front of them, but maybe the Millwall Fan Pack DLC is still to come.

Either way, what there is is wonderful, with no visible compromises in terms of resolution or frame rate. They're just there, totally absorbed in the unfolding match, ready to jump up and down when the ball goes in. Lovely.

FIFA Soccer (Mega Drive/SNES, 1993)

Conversely, this was how FIFA first depicted its football fans. Cartoony, huh? Now, if you're too young to remember, you'll likely laugh when I say this, but this was a revolution in visuals in 1993. Reviews at the time said things like 'squint a bit and you could be watching Match of the Day'.

Complete nonsense, of course. Especially as Match of the Day rarely sees a player sprint five laps around the pitch hoping the ref will give up trying to give him a yellow card. Gaming may have come a long way, but we've arguably lost something in that respect. Anyway, individual isometric 2D people in a crowd = awesome.

NBA Action '98 (Saturn, 1997)

Now this is an interesting one. You know how great the NBA 2K series has always been? Well, it's developed by a team called Visual Concepts. Visual Concepts made NBA Action '98, which was also known as NBA Fastbreak on PlayStation. In other words, this was the first NBA 2K game, before the year 2K had even come around. Predictably, the result was sensational.

On 32-bit machines, people had become accustomed to crowds being rendered as flat textures of crowds on polygonal stands. It wasn't ideal, looked crap from acute angles and basically forced us to pretend gaming was actually better than it really was. But Visual Concepts' NBA spectators were not only strips of upright rows of spectators, they were animated too. Sure, it was always the same animation run at different speeds to show various levels of enthusiasm, but it was a major breakthrough.

NBA 2K series (Dreamcast, 2000)

The NBA 2K series on Dreamcast is still visually impressive. The first video I saw of the game in action was pure wizardry, riding the Hogwarts Express and chanting an Oculus Explodum charm. Because behind the impossibly detailed and smoothly-animated players were individual spectators sitting on individual seats. Considering this was scant few years after NBA Action 98's flat rows of people, this kind of fidelity was akin to the leap between 480i and 1080p. Nay, bigger.

I don't know whether it's just that basketball courts are smaller than football stadia or whether Visual Concepts are just the best crowd-makers the business has ever seen, but it's always been the NBA 2K series that's offered the most realistic crowds. As demonstrated by...

NBA 2K14 (PS4/XBO, 2013)

This is the best crowd in gaming. Ever. Every single spectator is rendered in full 3D, affected by lighting and what's happening on the court. They get louder as the game gets more intense. They stand up and wave things around. Could be handkerchiefs, could be underwear. Depends if Tom Jones is playing.

Obviously the Power of Next-Gen means they're all unique, albeit with a few shared dress sense decisions. And at 1080p and 60fps, it really is like watching a real NBA game on TV. Having said that, I fully expect people to look back in another 20 years and laugh like you just did at FIFA Soccer, as there's still room for improvement. But for once, we can be happy. All of the people are accounted for. All of them.

Which one got crowded out?

This has been a pretty crowded article about crowds, but you what they say: Nine entries in a gallery is company, 10's a crowd. Or something. And apparently you know more Crowded House songs than you think you do. So crowd around and share your favourite crowds in the comments. Don't worry about crowding out other people, we want to 'cheer' what you think. Um... crowds.

And if you're looking for more, check out E3 2013 if it had happened in 1983 instead and In memorium: Jerry the Spectator - NBA 2K-2K14.

Elton Brand has just ordered me to carry his suitcase onto the Atlanta Hawks team bus. I politely tell Elton that he can go fuck himself. He stands there scowling at me, and informs me that this isn’t over, and that rookies like me should be ‘more respectful’. No, I’m not having some kind of basketball-themed cheese-dream. I’m playing the new My Career mode in NBA 2K14 next-gen, and it’s… bizarre.

Visual Concepts has made some significant changes to NBA 2K14 for next-gen. I’ll return to the My Career, and other mode stuff, in a minute--but first: how does it look, and how does it actually play? Well, the first thing you’ll notice is the fact that it's incredibly gorgeous. Crowds are now much more varied, advertising screens reflect beautifully onto the hardwood, and players look eerily lifelike. Some are better likenesses than others--Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant are highlights--but on the whole it’s amazing to see how realistic they look. It’s great to see legendary players recreated in such detail too.

Animations and collision physics are improved too. Players now transition more smoothly from one animation to the next, which makes you feel more in control of everything you do. There’s a real game of cat and mouse every time you try to stop a nippy point-guard like Jrue Holiday driving to the basket, because every bump and shove feels more natural. As a result, the whole game feels quicker and more urgent.

There are problems, though. Players occasionally snap to animations, which feels like a real loss of precision. Example: my opponent sets a screen to free up an outside shot. I shouldn’t be bothered by the screen because there’s a gap for me to squeeze past, but the game automatically puts my player into the stumble animation because he’s deemed to be within the ‘screened zone’. On the infrequent occasions this happens, it can be deeply frustrating.

Presentation is a mixed bag too. I love the new Points of Emphasis options that allow you to pick general offensive and defensive styles at any time (so you can shut down an opponent’s perimeter game, for example, without delving into the pause menu), and the new substitute system is more intuitive. Much of the commentary, sadly, is ripped straight from 2K14 on current-gen, which itself was chock-full of repeated banter. Again, it’s something that feels old in a game that looks and plays wonderfully new.

Finally, Doris Burke. After many years of just being a photo and a voice, Doris now appears as an in-game character, interviewing players at half-time and after the game. It’s a fantastic idea, and the players look and sound natural as they talk about how the game is going. Doris, however, stands next to them like a waxwork, stiffly holding a microphone in their general direction. Doris is trapped in the uncanny valley. She’s bought a house in the uncanny valley. She’s having her mail forwarded to the uncanny valley. It’s an example of a great idea being sullied by not-quite-perfect execution.

Which brings us neatly back to the modes. My Career--the series’ most popular aspect of the game--has been transformed into a soap opera. Your character (I called mine Bagpipe Outlaw) now appears in cut-scenes where he chats to his agent, talks smack with rivals, and even drives to the stadium in his car. It’s a natural extension of the traditional career mode, and adds heaps of depth to the concept of ‘having a career in the NBA’, so the intention is admirable.

There are some neat moments, like when your agent pops round to your flat for a game of NBA 2K (so self-referential), or when you see your character fretting for their career at the draft ceremony. However, for every neat little scene, there’s an immersion-ruining let-down. Your character still has that generic voice that doesn’t quite fit any face, and for all the fancy new presentation, post-game press conference questions and pre-draft interviews are virtually identical to those in 2K13 and 2K12. It’s a real shame that old-game dialogue has been retro-fitted into this next-gen presentation.

The worst part, however, is the way that actual players and coaches can’t speak at all (because they haven’t been voice captured)--so while you chat to team mates, they stand staring at you like a dead-eyed serial killer while their portion of the conversation appears as a subtitle on the bottom of the screen. It’s a little… creepy. Recording dialogue from every player in the NBA, though, is a near-impossible task, so while this halfway house is a little unsettling, it’s understandable. I’d rather have the player interactions this way than not have them at all.

In all, My Career deserves big plaudits for breathing life back into the mode--it’s a welcome refresh, if imperfectly executed. My GM (former Association) has been given a presentation overhaul too, and you can now choose a specialisation when you start, to give preferable conditions on things like contract negotiation, training costs, team-mate chemistry, etc. It’s much more pleasant than digging through the imposing spreadsheet menus of the current-gen version, but the depth is still there. My Team? The new Park online mode? They’re still in the game, but I haven’t had chance to play them before release. 2K is promising tournaments for My Team, which will allow you to win rare players, so that sounds good at least.

Overall, NBA 2K14 on next-gen is ambitious, but flawed. While the majority of the on-court improvements are brilliant, they’re let down by certain aspects of the presentation that either feel old or imperfectly implemented. Don’t misunderstand: this is absolutely the best version of NBA 2K14, but despite the big visual and storytelling improvements, the game has brought plenty of baggage with it from current-gen. And no, I’m not putting those bags on the bus either, Elton…

This is Jerry.

See him, over there in the back? He's the faceless guy in the green shirt, completely indistinguishable from those around him. Jerry's blending in seamlessly with the crowd, an introverted social trait he developed and perfected in high school. For as long as he can remember, Jerry has been an avid basketball fan. He's been showing up to every game, no matter the team, for over a decade. In fact, he's seen the entirety of Visual Concept's NBA 2K franchise, ever since its inception on the Dreamcast in 1999. But on November 15, 2013, Jerry will cease to exist.

That's the day that NBA 2K14 hits the PlayStation 4 in North America, two weeks before the UK release and one week ahead of the Xbox One version. It's no mere port of the PS3/360 version, either; the next-gen version of 2K14 has been built from the ground up, without a single art asset reused from the previous generation. Sports games have typically been the pictorial leaders at the start of each new console era, showing off what's possible with the upgraded hardware. With NBA 2K14, 2K Sports hope to wow gamers with the graphical power of the eighth generation.

"In approaching graphics for the next-gen, we were trying to think of what 'next-gen' meant," says Anton Dawson, art director on NBA 2K14. "We knew we'd get more polygons, we knew we'd get higher texture resolution--but we also knew that wasn't the answer to making things look next-gen. We felt the answer was [the detail in] thousands of little things, so that the whole frame screams next-gen. Not just players, or animated cloth, or arenas--but everything."

Part of that "everything" is the crowd, all of whom--like Jerry--have looked artificial up until now. In his infancy, as seen in NBA 2K, Jerry was little more than a cardboard cut-out; a two-dimensional sprite with a handful of two-frame animations. Jerry would maintain his flat disposition until NBA 2K5 on the PS2 and Xbox, but something still wasn't quite right. Though Jerry now occupied three dimensions of space, he looked positively comatose, sitting calmly with his hands in his lap, unmoving. His composure was the antithesis of the frenetic, excited energy typical to hardcore basketball fans.

Even as recently as NBA 2K14 on PS3 and Xbox 360, Jerry's appearance was still being held back by graphical limitations. Granted, he now had something resembling a person's face, rather than a muddied texture; shadows where his eyes should be, with an indeterminate mouth. But now, something stranger was afoot: it seemed Jerry was getting lost amidst a sea of clones. His facial features, his clothing, the way he moved--carbon copies of these traits surrounded him on all sides, doing little to convey any sense of realism as crowd.

All that's going to change with 2K14 on next-gen--we know, because we've seen it for ourselves. "We basically built this completely for next-gen from scratch," says Dawson. "We don't have legacy art. We started over." The graphical improvements are sweeping, from the focal points--namely, the players themselves--to the most granular detail yet imagined in a game. Cutting-edge face scan technology makes the players more lifelike than ever. Grease from an announcer's thumb can be spotted on his desk phone at the media table. Basketballs now behave as they should, spinning with inertia as they leave the hand mid-dribble. The Jumbotron now casts dynamic light from each individual pixel in its LED screen, changing the illumination of the crowd and court depending on the image it's displaying.

And in Jerry's place are onlookers that look like people. They fidget in their seats when watching a close game. They stand and cheer when their team scores, throw their hands up in frustration when their star player shoots a three-point brick. Granted, these sports fans still have very similar taste in clothing, and still move in well-rehearsed ways. But they feel more like individuals, not a block of indistinguishable bodies. Jerry and his fake-looking ilk are nowhere to be seen.

We do not mourn for Jerry, though we may never see him again. As video games veer closer and closer to photorealism, an unconvincing crowd would only hold our suspension of disbelief back. When NBA 2K14 arrives on PS4 and Xbox One, gamers will likely be amazed at how the little details add up to a truly impressive sum. Anyone can appreciate this new layer of visual fidelity, whether they like basketball games or not. And no one will miss Jerry, a relic of spectators past.

Where is LeBron James heading after this year’s NBA season? He has many choices – but you don’t have to wait until July of 2014 to have some fun finding out. New this season in NBA 2K14 is Path To Greatness, a nifty mode that lets you choose two paths that King James can head down. You can either choose to stay in Miami with the Heat or head on a wild multi-team journey. Along the way, legendary players will come out of retirement and new young guns will burst on the scene, all to claim what is rightfully yours.

This guide will take you through both journeys and give you the tools necessary to win. Path To Greatness is multi-layered, too – you can win to advance, but you can also chase getting 3 stars on each level to maximize your Achievement or Trophy Hunting (and bragging rights over your friends).

In this guide, we’ll help you navigate some of the toughest challenges Path to Greatness throws at you as well as offer some keys to success that will help you in all parts of NBA 2K14.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Basic Keys to Success
• Fantastic Journey (Part 1)
• Fantastic Journey (Part 2)
• Fantastic Journey (Part 3)
• Continue Heat Dynasty

Basic Keys to Success

If you’re going to complete Path to Greatness – or just enjoy NBA 2K14 in general - there are a few fundamental tips you’ll need to use. NBA 2K14 is no pushover; in fact, it’s one of the more complex and intelligent sports games you can play. If you take advantage of the game’s smarts under the covers, you’ll be able to win most matches on your first or second try.

1) Use LeBron wisely - He’s almost always the best player on the court, but you don’t want to just throw it to him every time and run straight to the basket. No matter what team he’s on - the current Heat or the future Knicks or Cavs – there are complementary players whose skills you’ll need to exploit. You’ll want to use LeBron kind of sparingly at the start, otherwise he’ll face tough double teams at crunch time.

2) Run plays - Freelancing every time you come down the court is a recipe for disaster. NBA 2K14 makes it easy to call plays by just tapping the left bumper. Calling a play in the backcourt or the frontcourt is a great way to move the players in an organized fashion. Even if you don’t know specifically what the play is supposed to do, between the on-court indicators and the screens that will get set up automatically, you’ll be in better position to drive to the hoop or take an open shot.

3) Slow down - There’s always a temptation to push the ball aggressively once you get a rebound. While in some occasions that’s just fine – after all, who doesn’t love a good fast break slam dunk – often a good idea to let the play come to you. Walk the ball up the court, call a play, let your teammates get into position, and take an open shot. Defenders are stronger than ever this year, and running around like a maniac and tossing up shots while draped by an opponent will guarantee missed shots and lost games.

Follow these basic tenets and you’re already ahead of the game in NBA 2K14. Now, let’s dive into Path To Greatness!

Fantastic Journey - Part 1

If you want to really have some fun - and play with some amazingly talented fantasy teams - then Fantastic Journey is for you. Not only will you get to ball with a dozen or so future Hall of Famers, an interesting storyline develops between King James and a fictional rival that adds even more flavor to the recipe. Here's the full list of this amazing adventure.

Year One - LeBron on the Miami Heat

1) Run It Back - All off-season there has been speculation that this is LeBron’s last year in Miami. When - Regular season - January 26, 2014 Where - Miami Versus - San Antonio Spurs

2) LeBron's On Point - Starting Point Guard Mario Chalmers and his backup, Norris Cole, are injured. LeBron is about to channel his inner Magic Johnson and run point for the game. When - Regular season - February 5, 2014 Where - Miami Versus - Los Angeles Clippers

3) MVP Showdown - LeBron and Kobe Bryant are having excellent seasons, both in the front-running for the MVP Award. Many are saying it’s going to come down to this final game of the season. When - Regular season - April 17, 2014 Where - Los Angeles Versus - Los Angeles Lakers

4) Solving The Answer - Earlier in the year, Allen Iverson was able to work out a contract with the 76ers, making an improbable comeback and pulling off the impossible by taking his former team to the Conference Finals. The Sixers (#4 seed), playing their best basketball of the season, are actually picked by the “experts” to upset the Heat (#2 seed), who struggled in the previous playoff round. When - Conference Finals Game 1 - May 18, 2014 Where - Miami Versus - Philadelphia 76ers

5) Three-Peat At Stake (unlockable by winning 'Solving the Answer') - Midway through the first quarter LeBron severely sprains his ankle and word from the sideline reporter is that the docs guaranteed him “OUT” for the game. This is Game 7 and LeBron will not be held back. He pulls out his inner Larry Bird and returns in the 4^th, where the Thunder (#2 seed in the West) have taken a seemingly insurmountable 15-point lead. When - Finals Game 7 - June 21, 2014 Where - Miami Versus - Oklahoma City Thunder

Year Two - LeBron on the New York Knicks

1) Decision 2 - LeBron’s new team is talented but not much is expected out of them with the roster that is currently assembled. LeBron has every intention of proving that what is on paper only goes so far. He gets his opportunity to show the world what his team has by facing off against his former team, the Miami Heat, and his best buddy Dwyane Wade. When - First Game of Regular season - October 30, 2014 Where - New York Versus - Miami Heat

2) Passing of the Torch - LeBron is a few points from becoming the quickest player to reach 25,000 points and has the chance to do so against the player who currently holds the record, Kobe Bryant. This is the last meeting between two of the greatest to ever play the game, as Kobe Bryant announced before the game that this will be his last. When - Last Game of Regular season - April 17, 2015 Where - New York Versus - Los Angeles Lakers

3) 8th is Enough - The Knicks struggled through the year with LeBron missing 25 games due to a lower back injury. They managed to limp their way into the playoffs as an 8^th seed. LeBron plans to make the Knicks the first team in NBA history to win it all as an 8^th seed. Up first: The cross-town rival and #1 seed Brooklyn Nets. When - 1st Round Playoffs, Game 1 - April 19, 2015 Where - Brooklyn Versus - Brooklyn Nets

4) Enter King John - After fairly easily dismissing the Nets, LeBron faces his former coach, Erik Spoelstra and the new look Cleveland Cavaliers (#4 seed). Erik vowed before the game that he knows how to prevent LeBron from going off, and one way of doing so was to put his new star, John "Johnny Buckets" Trice, on LeBron. Before the game John starts calling himself “King John", saying he’s thereal king of the NBA. When - 2nd Round Playoffs, Game 1 - May 6, 2015 Where - Cleveland Versus - Cleveland Cavaliers

5) Battle for the Ages - After a grueling 7 game series vs. the Cavaliers, LeBron has been going back and forth through 6 games in the Eastern Conference Finals against his buddy Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat (#6 seed). Both guys come into the game playing at a level never seen before…going toe to toe game after game…reminding basketball historians of the classic match-ups of old. When - Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 - May 19, 2015 Where - Miami Versus - Miami Heat

5) Getting Clipped (Unlockable after winning 'Battle for the Ages') - If there is a team in the league LeBron has “struggled” against it’s the Clippers on the road. The Clippers (#3 seed in the west) have home court in this Finals and the series is tied 3-3. Win this one on the road and he can get the monkey off his shoulders. When - Finals Game 7 - June 20, 2015 Where - Los Angeles Versus - Los Angeles Clippers

Fantastic Journey - Part 2

This is where things start to get really crazy - and fun. A new Big Three puts you in charge of a Knicks team featuring LeBron along with Chis Paul and Dwight Howard for a year, followed by a spirited run with an un-retired Kobe Bryant. There's also a dream sequence (!) against arguably the greatest NBA Team in history. Quite a ride!

Year Three - LeBron on the New York Knicks and the New Big Three

1) The New Big Three - LeBron is able to convince his good buddy Chris Paul and Dwight Howard to join him in New York. LeBron and crew vow to pull off the greatest season in NBA history. When - First Game of Regular season - October 29, 2015 Where - New York Versus - Boston Celtics

2) Quest for 73 - The Knicks are 72-9, one game left in the season. One more win will break the Bulls record from 1996, a record that many said would never be touched. It just so happens he’s about to face a player that helped make that record happen, Michael Jordan, the new coach of the Charlotte Bobcats. When - Last Game of Regular season - April 16, 2016 Where - Charlotte Versus - Charlotte Bobcats

3) Running With The Bulls (Fantasy Matchup unlockable with pre-order) - LeBron dreams of what it would have been like to face off against the team whose record he just broke. When - Dream Matchup Where - Chicago Versus - 1996 Chicago Bulls

4) When Big Threes Collide - All year long there has been discussion about which team (and Big Three) is actually better, the Chicago Bulls (#2 seed) or the New York Knicks (#1 seed) … both coming into the game with record breaking seasons. So far they’ve basically split the season and playoff series. Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose are playing the best basketball of their careers and D-Wade isn't showing showing signs of slowing down. When - Eastern Conference Finals, game #7 - May 19, 2016 Where - New York Versus - Chicago Bulls

5) The LeBron Stopper (Unlockable after beating 'When Big Threes Collide') - Two years ago a player by the name of Dimitris Drakos came in from Greece touted as the greatest defensive player to enter the NBA since its inception. He’s been holding LeBron to 19.4 points per game in the series, 6 points per game under his average. Many are calling him the “LeBron Stopper”. When - Finals Game 7 - June 21, 2016 Where - New York Versus - Dallas Mavericks

Year Four - LeBron on the New York Knicks with Kobe Bryant

1) Return of the Mamba - After an epic off-season workout with Kobe Bryant, where it’s apparent Kobe still has what it takes, LeBron convinces him to give it one more shot. When - First Game of Regular season - October 30, 2016 Where - Los Angeles Versus - Los Angeles Lakers

2) The Facilitator - Despite coming into the game shooting 58% from the field, LeBron just isn’t feeling it. No matter what he puts up, the rim feels like the size of a penny. Playing against the best defensive team in the NBA, it’s clear the only way to win this game is to continue to get others involved. When - Regular season - January 23, 2017 Where - Boston Versus - Boston Celtics

3) A Temporary Truce With Trice - LeBron makes it to his 13^thNBA All-Star game, tying him with Michael Jordan. Play against the greats of today. John Trice teams up with LeBron. When - All-Star Weekend - February 17, 2007 Where - Denver Versus - Western Conference All-Stars

4) One True King - John Trice has been killing the league, continuing to call himself the “King of the NBA.” LeBron and Trice are neck and neck for the scoring title, something not typically important to LeBron. However, this is personal. When - Last Game of Regular Season - April 17, 2017 Where - New York Versus - Cleveland Cavaliers

5) Rally The Troops - The Knicks (#2 seed) are down 15 at the start of the 4^thquarter. It’s looking unlikely that the Knicks are going to advance in this series vs. the Wizards (#7 seed). When - 1st Round Playoffs Game 7 - April 29, 2017 Where - New York Versus - Washington Wizards

5) Down But Not Out (Unlockable after beating 'Rally The Troops') - Lebron arrives at MSG severely sick and it’s apparent his skills are not what they’re supposed to be. Detroit (#3 seed) is coming into the game extremely confident, having won the last two games. Can he pull out the impossible in Game 7? When - 2nd Round Playoffs Game 7 - May 18, 2017 Where - New York Versus - Detroit Pistons

Fantastic Journey - Part 3

LeBron is back where it all started, home in Cleveland. This final part of the Fantastic Journey sees his feud with John Trice reach new levels, and also includes an awesome fantasy matchup against a great Lakers team of old.

Year Five - LeBron on the Cleveland Cavaliers

1) Ringless Recruits - Not a better way to get a ring on your finger than join up with LeBron. A couple aging veterans, Josh Smith and LaMarcus Aldridge, join up with LeBron in their quest for their first title. With the retirement of Dwyane Wade, a new Big Three has developed in Chicago (Rose, Anthony and Anthony Davis). When - Regular season - November 29, 2017 Where - Cleveland Versus - Chicago Bulls

2) Quest for 34 - LeBron and the Cavaliers are on fire and on a ridiculous 33 game winning streak. One more and they’ll break the 50 year record set by the Lakers in the 1971-72 season. The Cavaliers are in LA to face off against the new-look Los Angeles Lakers, led by their new superstar, John Trice, who claims the Cavaliers have no shot at breaking the Lakers record. When - Regular season - April 4, 2018 Where - Cleveland Versus - Los Angeles Lakers

3) Old School Showdown (Fantasy Matchup unlockable with pre-order) - LeBron dreams of what it would have been like to face off against the team whose record he just broke; the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers. Play this game against Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and company if you win the Quest for 34. When - Dream Matchup Where - Los Angeles Versus - 1972 Los Angeles Lakers

4) Scoring Title Assist - LeBron has taken a backseat to Kyrie Irving this year, allowing Kyrie to go off and lead the NBA in scoring with one game left. The guy he’s going neck and neck with, James Harden, is coming into Cleveland needing 31 points to surpass Kyrie. Unfortunately Kyrie sprained his elbow and cannot play in the game. LeBron promises to hold Harden under 31 to give Kyrie the NBA Scoring Title. When - Last game of Regular Season - April 17, 2018 Where - Cleveland Versus - Houston Rockets

5) LeBron vs. The Giant - After zipping through the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Cavaliers (#1 seed) are struggling after losing most of their legitimate bigs throughout the series. LeBron steps up to the plate to take on the Center role, but he’s about to go against the Celtics (#2 seed) and the most dominant center in the league, Ekon Okoye. When - Eastern Conference Finals Game 6 - June 1, 2018 Where - Boston Versus - Boston Celtics

5) Kings Square Off (Unlockable after beating 'LeBron vs. The Giant') - John Trice is back at it again. The Lakers (#1 seed) hadn’t lost a game in the playoffs coming into the Finals. King John’s mouth is going off at a new level, calling LeBron washed up and in need of retirement. Both players come into the game on FIRE, going toe to toe. Eventually, the Cavaliers go on to lose the Finals 4 games to 3, King John being named MVP of the Finals. When - Finals Game 1 - June 6, 2018 Where - Cleveland Versus - Los Angeles Lakers

Year Six - LeBron on the Cleveland Cavaliers

1) Return of the Flash - The Cavaliers are clearly hurting at SG with Dion Waiters moving on to the 76ers. LeBron can’t think of a better player for the SG spot than his buddy Dwyane Wade, so he again works some magic and convinces his ol pal Dwyane to come out of retirement and join him. When - Regular season - November 21, 2018 Where - Cleveland Versus - Philadelphia 76ers

2) In LeBron We Trust - LeBron’s teammates are cold as can be and can’t seem to get out of their funk, no matter how easy the shots seem. LeBron hasn’t taken on the main scoring role since he’s been with the Cavaliers, but it’s clear it’s going to be up to him to do most of the scoring on his own to win this game. When - Regular season - December 2, 2018 Where - Orlando Versus - Orlando Magic

3) LeBron Unleashed - The media is stuck on the fact that LeBron appears to be losing athleticism. He’s out to show the world what he’s still got in his legs. Look out for big-time dunks, big-time speed. When - Regular Season - January 8, 2019 Where - Cleveland Versus - Golden State Warriors

4) Don't Call It A Comeback - LeBron misses 40 games with a rare injury. The Cavs are able to stay afloat with Kyrie and Dwyane putting in work, coming into the playoffs as a 7^th seed. It’s been deemed unlikely that LeBron will be ready for the 1^st round, where the Cavaliers are facing their Eastern Conference nemesis, the 2nd seed Boston Celtics. The SF for the Celtics is slaughtering the young rookie that took LeBron's place, and after allowing the Celtics to win two in a row (series tied 3-3), it becomes apparent LeBron will have to make an early, historic comeback. When - 1st Round Playoffs, Game 7 - May 3, 2019 Where - Boston Versus - Boston Celtics

5) Walk the Walk (Unlockable after beating 'Don't Call It A Comeback') - Paul George has been the talk of the NBA in the playoffs, scorching the first three rounds averaging 34 points per game. He guarantees he’s going to continue this success by putting up 30 on LeBron in Game 7, and he’ll take his Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals. When - Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 - June 1, 2019 Where - Indiana Versus - Indiana Pacers

6) Will To Win (Unlockable after beating 'Walk the Walk') - It’s been a frustrating struggle, health-wise, for LeBron in the playoffs despite the public not knowing about his lingering injury. The injury is really bothering him … to the point where his doctors are recommending he sit out the Finals to avoid further damaging his body. LeBron has pushed through but there’s not much left. Game 7 is upon him and he’s convinced his coach he’s ready to go. When - Finals Game 7 - June 20, 2019 Where - Oklahoma City Versus - Oklahoma City Thunder

Year Seven - The Final Chapter (Unlockable after beating 'Will To Win') Back in Miami

1) The King's Coronation - King John first took the NBA title from LeBron two seasons ago, so the stakes are huge. King James is back in Miami, ready to write the final chapter where his championship run began. Besides the redemption factor, the chance to officially crown LeBron as the best player ever elevates this Finals Game 7 far into the stratosphere. When - Finals Game 7 - June 24, 2020 Where - Los Angeles Versus - Los Angeles Lakers

Continue Heat Dynasty - Part 1

Unlike Fantastic Journey, which gives you the keys to a bunch of different LeBron-led franchises in a lot of different regular season and playoff scenarios, continuing the Heat Dynasty gets you right to the Finals every game (with one sidebar to the Eastern Conference Finals). It's still a ton of fun, as each challenge is unique and you're rewarded for dominating with the best in the business.

1) Rocket Like a Hurricane - In Dwight Howard's first season in Houston, he finally seems to be fully healed and back to his old self. Chandler Parsons has elevated his game to All-Star status, and James Harden was in the discussion for league MVP all year long. In the second half, the Rockets went on an absolute tear, winning 36 of their final 40 games and steamrolling into the NBA Finals. But LeBron and the Heat were ready and waiting, and with a chance to clinch the three-peat by closing out the Rockets at home, they'll do whatever it takes to end the series tonight.

2) The Dubs Are In Trouble - The Warriors traded for Omer Asik, whose consistent defensive presence down low was clearly the ingredient the team had been missing. With so many future picks being moved, it's now title or bust in Oaktown, and they look unstoppable. In one of the most competitive NBA Finals in recent memory, LeBron and the Heat are faced with a Game 7 on the road, with the loudest fans in the league doing everything they can to will their team to a title that's been almost 40 years in the making.

3) Kobe's Last Shot? - The Lakers bring in Kevin Love to join Carmelo Anthony. With Kobe showing signs of age, this could be his final shot at a 6th ring, and he'd like nothing more than to beat LeBron and end his championship streak along the way. The entire world will be watching Los Angeles for a Game 7 that will leave one superstar with plenty of unfinished business.

4) Off To Beat The Wizards - Washington's young trio of John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Otto Porter has developed an unbelievable chemistry, owning far and away the best offense in the league and becoming the team everybody loves to watch. In what will surely be a high-scoring Game 7, the Heat must beat the Wizards in Miami in order to keep their playoff dream and chance at that 6th straight ring alive.

5) OKC You In The Finals - Frustrated with LeBron's recent success, Kevin Durant decides the best way to finally stop him is to bring in some serious bulk. Roy Hibbert is enlisted as the new rim-protecting big man after a few disappointing years in Indiana, and two-time defending Defensive Player of the Year Anthony Davis joins him in the post, creating a formidable tandem down low. With the Thunder putting up league-best defensive numbers, the Heat are huge underdogs going into the NBA Finals. They manage to force a deciding Game 7 in OKC, but if LeBron wants his 6th ring, he'll have no choice but to take the ball to the rim early and often against the toughest D in the league.

6) Bulls On Parade - Derrick Rose has been on a rampage all year, winning MVP with arguably the best supporting cast in the league. With Blake Griffin and Victor Oladipo joining forces with Rose, Noah, and Butler, the Bulls look like they finally have what it takes to get past LeBron and the Heat. In order to do it though, they'll need to win Game 7 in Miami, and LeBron has made it clear that he will do everything in his power to secure that all-important 7th ring.

7) Determining The Greatest - Following Dirk Nowitzki's retirement a few seasons ago, the Mavericks slowly built up a remarkable new core, bringing together a trio of young guns in Ekon Okoye, Dimitris Drakos, and John Trice. They have been dubbed the future of the league. Feeling like they are just one piece away, they lure Kobe Bryant out of retirement to play small forward and go head-to-head against LeBron. With the Finals knotted at 3 games apiece, and both superstars battling for their 7th ring and official status as the greatest player of all-time. This game is shaping up to be one of the most important in NBA history.

There’s a brand new gameplay trailer for NBA 2K14, and it shows off some of the big improvements form this year’s game. Featuring all footage from the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions--along with plenty of slow-mo posing from LeBron James, Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard--it gives you a taste of how games play out.

You can check out everything we know about NBA 2K14, right here. The trailer shows off chase-down blocks, improved hustle plays for snatching loose balls (stop giggling), no-look passes, and some of the new shot-fakes. Oh, and plenty of dunks too.

Watch it below, and keep your eyes on GamesRadar for details on the PS4 and Xbox One versions of NBA 2K14 in the coming weeks.

Earlier this month, 2K confirmed that NBA legends like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Allen Iverson would be back in the game. This is awesome news, by the way.