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The NBA 2K21 cover athletes have been revealed, featuring Damian Lillard, Zion Williamson and Kobe Bryant. The next iteration of the top-rated and top-selling NBA video game simulation series will see five-time NBA All-Star and Portland Trail Blazers’ standout Damian Lillard grace the cover for current-generation versions of the game, New Orleans Pelicans forward, 2019 1st Overall Pick and consensus 2019 National College Player of the Year Zion Williamson for the PS5 and Xbox Series X covers, and NBA legend Kobe Bryant’s lifetime achievement of basketball excellence will be celebrated in the Mamba Forever Edition.
Developed by Visual Concepts, NBA 2K21 will be on current generation platforms on 4 September 2020 and is available for pre-order today. The game will also be a launch title for the PS5 and Xbox Series X this holiday. With extensive improvements upon its best-in-class graphics and gameplay, competitive and community online features and deep, varied game modes, NBA 2K21 offers one-of-a-kind immersion into all facets of NBA basketball and culture – where Everything is Game.
“NBA 2K21 is a monumental leap forward for the franchise.”
“We’re combining all of our experience and development expertise to craft the best game possible and for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, we are building the game from the ground up to take full advantage of next-gen power and technology.”
Greg Thomas, president of Visual Concepts.
Two editions of NBA 2K21 will be available this year for both digital and physical formats: standard and a special Mamba Forever Edition. NBA 2K21 will be available for USD 59.99 on current-generation platforms; the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X version of NBA 2K21 will be available for USD 69.99. NBA 2K21 Mamba Forever Edition will be available for USD 99.99 for both current and next-generation platforms. It includes dual-access where purchasing Mamba Forever Edition on either current or nextgeneration platforms provides a copy of the standard edition game on the other generation at no additional cost, within the same console family. All at suggested retail prices, with the full breakdown here.
The Legend Edition is replaced by the Mamba Forever Edition to celebrate Kobe Bryant’s legacy, with unique custom covers for both current- and next-generation versions of the game from his days wearing No. 8 and scoring 81 points to scoring 60 points wearing No. 24 the night of his final NBA game.
While the next-generation version of NBA 2K21 is being built from the ground up for next-generation consoles, 2K is also introducing several initiatives to bridge the two versions of the game. NBA 2K21 will feature MyTEAM Cross-Progression and a Shared VC Wallet within the same console family (PS4 to PS5, Xbox One to Xbox Series X). MyTEAM Cross-Progression enables all MyTEAM Points, Tokens, cards and progress to be shared on both current and next-generation versions of NBA 2K21 in the same console family; similarly, the Shared VC Wallet means any earned or purchased VC is accessible across both current and next-generation versions of NBA 2K21 in the same console family. As shared earlier, players who are interested in picking up both versions of NBA 2K21 on either PlayStation or Xbox can check out the Mamba Forever Edition, which provides dual-access by providing purchasers with a copy of the standard edition of NBA 2K21 on the other generation at no additional cost, within the same console family.
“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?”
“Three athletes representing the current, future and storied history of the game. Today’s exciting announcement is just the first of many for NBA 2K21; it’s going to be a huge year for basketball fans and NBA 2K gamers.”
Alfie Brody, Vice President of Global Marketing at NBA 2K
Additional announcements besides the cover athletes for NBA 2K21 will include soundtrack reveal, gameplay first looks, features for all versions of the game, 2K Day celebration and more.
NBA 2K21 will be available on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC and Google Stadia on 4 September 2020, as well as PS4 and Xbox Series X as a launch title this holiday.
