NBA 2K23: Everything You Need to Know

NBA 2K23 is set to up the ante for the beloved basketball franchise, with publisher 2K Sports and developer Visual Concepts aiming to deliver the most comprehensive and finely-tuned iteration the series has ever seen. Before the big launch, here’s everything you need to know about the b-ball simulator:

Release date & platforms

NBA 2K23 launches on 9 September 2021 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Switch and PC, making it the 24rd game in the long-running NBA 2K franchise. You can pre-order NBA 2K23 here.

Cover star

Which pro will feature on the cover is always a hot topic, and the Standard Edition and Cross-Gen Digital Bundle of NBA 2K23 will feature Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker on the cover. Around Booker is a sunset-like skyline featuring purple, red, and orange hues. Furthermore, there will also be the Michael Jordan Edition and Championship Edition which both feature the six-time NBA champ on the cover.

Soundtrack

One of the standout elements of NBA 2K22 was the stellar soundtrack, and with 2K23, there are a load of new tracks and artists to enjoy in and around the menus, and on the court (if you choose to pump up the music during games).  The NBA 2K23 playlist will include songs from Drake, J. Cole, Megan Thee Stallion, Jack Harlow, Mike Dimes, Polo G, Snow Tha Product, Jackson Wang, and many more. There are even more set to be in the launch roster of tracks and we can expect new songs every Friday. Additional tracks will also be added as the weeks and seasons progress throughout the year. There’s no doubt that the soundtrack of any NBA 2K game is always an important element, and this year is set to be a banger.

Gameplay changes

NBA 2K22 brought a lot to the court in terms of gameplay improvements, but 2K23 refines all those elements even further to deliver the most polished basketball sim to date. New offensive skill-based moves, defensive options, and animations flesh out the gameplay, while the beloved Jordan Challenges allow you to step back in time with era-specific visuals that captured Michael Jordan’s ascent from collegiate sensation to global icon with immersive moments chronicling his career-defining dominance.

Seasons will continue to be a big focus of MyTeam and MyCareer, which is essentially a way for Visual Concepts to continue to add new content to NBA 2K23. There will be timed events, allowing you to partake in rare challenges and earn big rewards in order to help level up your players and squad.

Arguably the most popular mode of the game, MyTeam (essentially NBA 2K‘s answer to FIFA’s Ultimate Team) and it has been given an overhaul too. Contracts have been removed, meaning that permanent player cards are now yours to use as you please throughout MyTeam without needing to fill up their contracts. Nothing has replaced contracts, they are simply gone.

With contracts removed, you will now be able to restart most Single Player games in MyTeam. Domination, all Challenge games, and even Triple Threat will now have an option to quickly restart the game if things aren’t going your way on the court.

Additionally, if you’re feeling a bit more cooperative and are also looking to improve your collection, you can join one or two friends on the same team to play Co-Op mode. Here, you will take on three AI opponents. As you win, you each rise up your individual reward ladders for the Season. This is very similar to what experienced MyTeam players would have seen in Single Player Triple Threat for years.

What If?

The MyNBA mode has a loyal, veteran fanbase and that expectations will always be high — and rightfully so. The key feature set for this year is one the team at Visual Concepts has been talking about, no joke, for well over a decade. So, it’s safe to say that NBA 2K23 is a banner year for our MyNBA fans out there with the introduction of MyNBA Eras.

There will be a number of “Eras” that allow you to pick a specific point in time that you can start playing a new MyNBA save from. The MyNBA Eras mode is designed to be a time machine straight out of the box; all you need to do is pick your Era and go. If you’re a power user and want to tweak your roster or settings, that’s available too. Want to dive into the rivalry between Magic and Bird from the 80s? What about drafting Jordan to help turn the tides of the battle? This can all be done in MyNBA Eras mode.

There’s a lot to look forward to with NBA 2K23, and you can check out more on the upcoming release on the official NBA 2K website and pre-order your copy of NBA 2K23 here.