To celebrate a jersey number of special significance to basketball fans, Michael Jordan will appear on the cover of NBA 2K23. MJ will be the cover star of two special editions for this year's iteration of 2K: the Championship Edition, and the fittingly-titled Michael Jordan Edition. Not much is known yet about the bonuses or differences between these two versions, but the Championship Edition has a cover featuring the back of a signed jersey from MJ, while the Michael Jordan Edition sports a more traditional cover, with a picture of Jordan in the paint-like style of recent NBA 2K covers.
The NBA 2K series is no stranger to various special and anniversary editions, as NBA 2K22 had three different versions to choose from. Michael Jordan being the cover athlete for two editions is due to the significance of his jersey number, 23, and the correspondence with this year's game number, 2K23. 23 has become an iconic jersey number in sports, with it now being worn by two of the best basketball players ever, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Featuring Jordan is a fitting tribute for this year, but the game is celebrating his legacy and the sport in other ways as well.
Three special editions have been revealed for 2K23 so far as well. The Michael Jordan Edition and Championship Edition were revealed via the NBA 2K Twitter account, with the announcement of a WNBA Edition featuring legends Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird on the cover. In the coming days, a standard edition cover announcement will likely be coming as well.
NBA 2K23 Celebrates MJ With The Return Of A Fan-Favorite
Although NBA 2K may still include lawsuit-worthy microtransactions in some game modes, the franchise is celebrating 2K23 with Jordan on the cover with the return of a beloved NBA 2K11 mode, The Jordan Challenge. These challenges featured tough goals for players to try and beat, each challenge reflecting an iconic moment in Jordan's career. There were ten challenges in total, with moments including the Flu Game, MJ's first championship, and winning a championship on Father's Day after the death of his dad. It's currently unknown if the challenges will be the same as those in NBA 2K11, but they would still make for a fitting celebration in 2K23. Overall, with MJ on the cover and the return of the Jordan Challenge, NBA 2K23 is shaping up to be an excellent celebration of Jordan's legacy.
Although special edition information has been revealed, NBA 2K has a lot that can still be shown before the release date. Gameplay changes usually come with new NBA 2K games, though they're usually pretty small. However, in the coming months, 2K will likely showcase new MyCareer and MyTeam features, as well as announce the still unrevealed cover athlete of the standard edition of the game. Fans won't have long before they get to see the new changes themselves as NBA 2K23 releases on September 9, with pre-orders opening on July 7.
Source: NBA 2K/Twitter