Since the first reveal of NBA 2K21 gameplay on next-gen consoles, the team at Visual Concepts has been hard at work sharing more details on how the game is built from the ground up to fully utilize the full power, speed, and technology of the PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S. Today, Visual Concepts executive producer Erick Boenisch and gameplay director Mike Wang presented a closer look at some of the new advancements brought on by the arrival of next-gen hardware.

Commentating over new Golden State Warriors vs. New Orleans Pelicans gameplay footage captured directly from an in-progress build of NBA 2K21, Erick and Mike highlighted several examples of what the team was able to achieve in the next-gen version of the game. This included:

• Lightning-Fast Load Times: By utilizing the built-in solid-state drives (SSDs) of the next-gen consoles, NBA 2K21 now features incredibly short load times that get players directly into the action;
• Closer to the Real Basketball than Ever: Next-gen advancements around movement, impact, shooting, dribbling, and more lead to an NBA 2K experience that blurs the line between game and reality;
• The Arena Comes to Life: A new standard of crowd interactivity has been established in NBA 2K21, thanks to the more than 150 AI-powered characters populating the Lower Bowl of the arena;
• New Perspective to the Game: The dynamic new Rail Cam presentation transports the player to the hardwood floors, providing a full view of the game and highlights the incredible visual fidelity of the players and arena.

Speaking of commentary – longtime fans will be excited to learn that the next-gen version of NBA 2K21 features two separate commentary teams! In addition to the current cast of Kevin Harlan, Greg Anthony, and David Aldridge, players will also hear games cast by Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Grant Hill (color commentator), and Allie LaForce (sideline reporter), keeping the overall commentary experience fresh. Great analysis will still be provided by special guests which include Doris Burke, Steve Smith, Chris Webber, Brent Barry, and Clark Kellogg and more.

This Thursday, 2K will reveal new game modes and features exclusive to the next-gen version of NBA 2K21 and further down the road – a full unveil of NBA 2K’s online basketball community feature that replaces the experience known as the Neighbourhood.

The next-gen version of NBA 2K21 will be released on November 10 for Xbox Series X|S globally and on November 12 for PlayStation 5. For more information on NBA 2K21, please visit https://nba.2k.com/.