NBA 2K21 gameplay on PS5 feels like you're standing on the court

By Alyssa Mercante
published

NBA 2K21 shows off some serious game

(Image credit: 2K Games)

NBA 2K21 has dropped its first next-gen gameplay trailer and it looks pretty incredible. Check it out below, and read on for more details.

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Captured on a PS5, the trailer begins with some seriously realistic-looking sweat dripping off New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson's face before giving us some lovely slow-motion dunks from Williamson and Portland Trail Blazer Damian Lillard. It then brings you into the tunnel leading out to the court ahead of a Dallas Mavericks game, and it feels like you're there, standing just behind Luka Dončić as he bumps fists with Mark Cuban. From the pre-game excitement to every layup exchanged between Dallas and the Golden State Warriors, to the guy sweeping the dang court, NBA 2K21 looks like nothing that's come before it. 

"Never before have we been able to deliver this level of visual fidelity and realism in a video  game," says Greg Thomas, president of Visual Concepts. "NBA 2K21 is the standout title that best delivers the promise of next-gen: truly revolutionary graphics, lighting-fast load times and incredible new features and gameplay only possible on next-generation hardware." 

NBA 2K21 will bring rebuilt player movement, new on-court animation, new collision engines, 150 unique AI characters, and next-gen lighting and textures to PS5 and Xbox Series X. Add all of that to a soundtrack complete with 202 bangers, and I've never been more interested in basketball in my life.

NBA 2K21 will release November 10 for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, November 12 for PS5 in US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand, and November 19 for PS5 in all other parts of the globe.   

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

Alyssa Mercante
Alyssa Mercante

Alyssa Mercante is an editor and features writer at GamesRadar based out of Brooklyn, NY. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.