The demo for NBA 2K21 is live now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The game is set to bridge the gap between current-gen and next-gen consoles from Sony and Microsoft, which are expected to launch this November.
Sports franchises like NBA 2K serve as a valuable benchmark for the advancement of video game technology. Their yearly release schedule and commitment to lifelike graphics make them a sort of timeline of how hardware is progressing in order to deliver the best, highest-fidelity simulations possible. From this point of view, NBA 2K21 is a particularly important title. By releasing for both current-gen and next-gen consoles, NBA 2K21 and its contemporaries bring the technical capabilities of both generations into sharp relief and highlight what the consoles can do. Of course, they're also just fun games for sports fans.
While players won't be able to experience the next-gen versions until later this year, they can still get their first taste of NBA 2K21 starting today. The demo is available for download now, as announced on NBA 2K21's Twitter page. It features four different playable teams and gameplay innovations like the new Courtside Report system and updated shooting mechanics. Of the four teams available, two are particularly noteworthy; one is a historic "All-Time" version of the Los Angeles Lakers featuring Kobe Bryant, who tragically passed away in a helicopter accident earlier this year. The demo releases today in a tribute to his memory; 8/24 were his two player numbers. The other is another All-Time team, the Celtics, featuring the legendary Bill Russell. Modern-day versions of the LA Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks are also present in the demo. All demo progress will carry over to the full game when it releases for current-gen consoles on September 4th. Release info for the next generation is unknown.
The inclusion of these All-Time teams to fill the ranks serves a very specific purpose. Thanks to COVID-19 delaying real-life NBA games, team lineups are hard to come by. Publisher 2K has announced that it will not be updating player rankings until the game launches on current-gen consoles, to make sure the data is accurate to the real season. Bringing in legends like Kobe Bryant and Bill Russell is a good way to keep the ball rolling while the real world plays catch up.
Annual releases for games like NBA 2K are a mixed blessing. On one hand, the promise of a new game every year means sports game fans always have something to look forward to. On the other hand, keeping game production to such a tight, regular schedule is far from easy, and some annual sports games in the past have failed to live up to the expectations fans set for them, offering disappointingly little change or advancement from the year before. NBA 2K21 has promised some serious changes, and it has a whole new console generation to tackle. Time will tell if it measures up.
NBA 2K21 will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Source: NBA 2K21/Twitter