NBA 2K21

NBA 2K21 is a 2020 basketball simulation video game that was developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports, based on the National Basketball Association (NBA). It is the 22nd installment in the NBA 2K franchise and the successor to NBA 2K20, and the predecessor to NBA 2K22. The game was released on September 4, 2020 for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia, and on November 12, 2020 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.[1][2] The Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions released to mixed reviews, with critics criticizing the lack of originality in the gameplay, as well as microtransactions and bugs.

NBA 2K21
Cover art for eighth generation consoles featuring Portland Trail Blazers's Damian Lillard
Developer(s)Visual Concepts
Publisher(s)2K Sports
SeriesNBA 2K
Platform(s)
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia
  • WW: September 4, 2020[1]
Xbox Series X/S
November 10, 2020
PlayStation 5
November 12, 2020
Arcade Edition (Apple Arcade)
April 2, 2021
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

The NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition was released for Apple Arcade on April 2, 2021.[3][4]

Development and release

The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S received special edition bundles, which included a digital download of NBA 2K21.[5]

Promotion

A teaser was released on June 11, 2020 during the PS5 Reveal Event and featured the player model of New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson. It showed a few seconds of pre-alpha, in-engine footage and showed many effects such as ray-tracing and shadow details. On June 30, 2020, NBA 2K announced Damian Lillard, of the Portland Trail Blazers, would be the cover for the standard edition on the current-generation consoles.[6] On July 1, 2020, NBA 2K announced Zion Williamson as the cover athlete for the standard edition on the next-generation consoles. The last covers were released on July 2, 2020, honoring the late Kobe Bryant. There will be a #8 cover for current gen consoles, which features artwork of him dunking with the afro and a #24 cover for next gen consoles, which features artwork of him waving after scoring 60 points in his final NBA game in 2016; both numbers were worn by Bryant throughout his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, respectively. The demo for the game was released on August 24.[7][8][9]

Reception

NBA 2K21 received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic, and "generally favorable reviews" on the ninth-generation consoles.[10][11][12][13][14][15]

Michael Higham from GameSpot gave the game a score of 6 out of 10. He states "NBA 2K21 shows that the lone basketball sim we have now has largely stagnated. It's a full package, for sure, but one that demonstrates little-to-no motivation to meaningfully improve upon itself. That doesn't take away from the strong foundation that makes NBA 2K a fun and rewarding time. However, when you go through the same grind and the same process with only superficial changes, you just get burnt out faster than years prior."[17]

Ben Vollmer from IGN gave the game a score of 6 out of 10, stating "More of the same isn't good enough anymore, especially when it includes such obtrusive microtransactions." Vollmer also says "At the same time, it's a shame that 2K's focus isn't on the fun you can have on the court, but instead the money that can be extracted from your wallet off of the court in the MyCareer and MyTeam modes, which just aren't fun to grind through without paying. Maybe the new set of consoles on the horizon will bring a fresh start for the NBA 2K franchise, but right now I feel more pessimistic about the series’ future than ever."[19]

The PlayStation version of NBA 2K21 sold 8,541 physical copies within its first week on sale in Japan, making it the seventh bestselling retail game of the week.[24] The game had sold more than 8 million copies by the end of December 2020.[25]

It was nominated for the category of Best Sports/Racing game at The Game Awards 2020.[26]

References
  1. Bankhurst, Adam. "NBA 2K21 Current-Gen Release Date Revealed, Next-Gen Version $10 More Expensive". IGN. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  2. Good, Owen S. (August 22, 2020). "Which edition of NBA 2K21 should you buy?". Polygon. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  3. "NBA® 2K21 Arcade Edition Launches Today on Apple Arcade". April 2, 2021.
  4. "Apple Arcade launches its biggest expansion yet, growing its award-winning catalog to more than 180 games". April 2, 2021.
  5. Gattis, Jeff (July 16, 2020). "Basketball Superstar Anthony Davis Unveils the Xbox One X NBA 2K20 Special Edition Bundle". Xbox Wire. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  6. "Zion Williamson, Damian Lillard named cover athletes for NBA 2K21 | NBA.com". www.nba.com. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  7. Helin, Kurt (June 13, 2020). "Zion Williamson is the focus of NBA 2K21's just released teaser trailer". ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports.
  8. Wilson, Ben (March 1, 2020). "NBA 2K21 release date, cover, Kobe Bryant plans, and everything you need to know". GamesRadar+.
  9. Mazique, Brian (June 15, 2020). "NBA 2K21 Secret Decoded, More Details Revealed From Package Tease". Forbes.
  10. "NBA 2K21 for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  11. "NBA 2K21 for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  12. "NBA 2K21 for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  13. "NBA 2K21 for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  14. "NBA 2K21 for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  15. "NBA 2K21 for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  16. Wallace, Kimberley (September 17, 2020). "NBA 2K21 Review – Living Off The Legacy". Game Informer. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  17. Higham, Michael (September 24, 2020). "NBA 2K21 Review – Ball Another Day". GameSpot. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  18. Wells, Cory (September 12, 2020). "Review: NBA 2K21". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  19. Vollmer, Ben (September 10, 2020). "NBA 2K21 Review". IGN. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  20. Vollmer, Ben (November 17, 2020). "NBA 2K21 for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 Review". IGN. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  21. Scullion, Chris (September 9, 2020). "NBA 2K21 Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  22. Ronaghan, Neal (September 9, 2020). "NBA 2K21 (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  23. Barker, Sammy (September 10, 2020). "NBA 2K21 Review (PS4)". Push Square. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  24. Romano, Sal (September 10, 2020). "Famitsu Sales: 8/31/20 – 9/6/20". Gematsu. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  25. Calvin, Alex (February 9, 2021). "$70 price hike hasn't stopped NBA 2K21 selling 8 million copies". VG 247. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  26. Tassi, Paul (December 11, 2020). "Here's The Game Awards 2020 Winners List With A Near-Total 'Last Of Us' Sweep". Forbes.
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