The 2019-20 NBA season was cut short, which was a bummer considering fans were anticipating an all-time great NBA Finals matchup between LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
With that, as well as the untimely passing of Los Angeles Lakers' superstar Kobe Bryant, fans are wondering what NBA 2K will look like and how it will respond to the canceled season as well as the passing of one of the game's all-time greats. Let's now take a look at everything we know so far and hope for in NBA 2K21.
10 Tribute To Kobe
Outside of Kobe Bryant likely being the face of the special editions of NBA 2K21, the game will likely feature additional tributes to the basketball legend. His sudden passing took the world by surprise and his legacy is so synonymous with the sport that the NBA's premier video game will want to roll out the red carpet.
It's unclear what the tribute will be and how they'll pay respect to the Los Angeles Lakers great, but don't be surprised if he is a large focus in their development efforts.
9 The Top Rookies
Despite the NBA season coming to an abrupt end, the league's annual draft will still be taking place.
This means that the league will be ushering in a new class of potential superstars and NBA 2K21 will have a new roster filled with all of the young faces set to step on an NBA court for the first time. These top rookies will include the likes of James Wiseman, Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and more.
8 More Generous With Currency
Americans, and the world at large, will be in a very different place economically when things get back to normal. Smart companies will understand that consumers will likely have less disposable income or will be even stricter and more responsible with their spending habits.
This will result in companies being more generous with the value they'll be providing as they'll want to get consumers back into the habit of spending. The best way to do that is to make users feel as though they're getting great value for their money.
7 Will Be Awkward
Normally what happens every year is that the new NBA 2K title directly reflects the results of the previous NBA season. The game's most improved teams are reflected by what happens in the last NBA Playoffs and it sparks a conversation among the fans as to whether or not some players are overrated and/or underrated.
With the 2019-20 NBA season being cut short and likely canceled, how will that reflect in the new NBA video game? It'll likely find an awkward landing at first, but fans will likely be very forgiving.
6 WNBA Returns
Last year the NBA 2K franchise took a large step forward when it comes to inclusion by featuring the WNBA in the game as a playable mode. Players could take control of their favorite WNBA teams and display the talent and ability of some of the world's best female basketball players.
It was a huge hit with people and it's likely that this returns in NBA 2K21. It's unclear if they'll spruce up the WNBA gameplay with new features, or even its own franchise mode, but the possibilities are endless.
5 Altered Microtransactions
Despite NBA 2K20 selling quite well and most people talking positively about the game, it released with some of the most tone-deaf and problematic microtransactions the game had seen. The game featured roulette wheels with prizes that required in-game currency to spin but that currency was most easily obtained through microtransactions.
As a publisher, 2K likely learned its lesson, especially considering the backlash it got for making an ad for the game and its microtransactions featuring kids being persuaded by internet influencers.
4 Might Be Delayed
Outside of the important and real impact the current pandemic is having on humans, an unfortunate side effect is that almost every new piece of entertainment is being postponed and/or delayed. Outside of The Last of Us Part 2 and Iron Man VR, the gaming world hasn't really seen a large number of delays.
This is partially due to the industry being so secretive, and according to insiders plenty of games have already suffered setbacks behind the scenes. Will NBA 2K21 end up releasing as scheduled, or will basketball fans have to wait this year?
3 Next-Gen Release
With the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X still set to release in 2020, the logical assumption is that NBA 2K21 will be releasing on the next-gen platforms once they're released. The game itself usually releases in October, and new consoles typical launch in November, so it makes sense that 2K as a publisher would want this game available as soon as possible.
The big question will be what the difference between both versions will be and what the incentive might be for players to upgrade to the next-gen consoles and ports.
2 Upgrade
When thinking about how the next-gen consoles will improve NBA 2K21, it's unclear how much better they'll be on the new hardware and how much players will have to pay in order to upgrade. Luckily for Xbox gamers, it's likely 2K opts into the platform's Smart Delivery service that offers next-gen upgrades at no additional cost to consumers.
For those planning to pick up the PlayStation 5, they haven't communicated their plans and if they'd offer a similar service or not, so only time will tell what happens with NBA 2K21 on that platform.
1 Luka Doncic Gets The Cover?
An earlier entry talked about how Kobe Bryant will likely be the man that graces all of the special editions of the game, as the NBA wants to pay respect and honor to him in any way they can. With that being said, who's going to grace the cover of the regular edition of the game?
Well, taking a look at the players who have ascended to superstar status it seems like there's one clear and obvious choice; Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks took his skills to another level during the shortened season and was showing the world he may be the NBA's next big thing.