Tag Archives: Current Gen

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #628 of the NLSC Podcast!

While it’s certainly exciting to be on the cutting edge of gaming technology, we’re not always in a rush to upgrade our hardware and play the (supposedly) most advanced versions of basketball video games. This week, we’re taking a look at why many basketball gamers often opt to stick with last gen hoops titles – ourselves included – and some of the benefits of delaying a jump to the next generation. We also touch on next gen elitism and gatekeeping – in particular, the “you’re broke” crowd – and the community shares their experiences in sticking with last gen basketball video games. Suffice it to say that it’s been a more common practice over the years than some people may think!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:02:02 — 43.0MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on how NBA 2K gamers that are still playing on Last Gen consoles deserve better.

I’ll admit that I’m surprised we’re still seeing NBA 2K come out for the Last Gen consoles. Back in 2023, I speculated that we might be reaching the end of the road for NBA 2K on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, based on the minimal previews and lack of substantial post-release support. Obviously that didn’t turn out to be the case, with NBA 2K25 and NBA 2K26 both receiving Last Gen releases. While I wouldn’t be shocked if the series leaves PS4 and X1 behind in 2026, there’s actually a decent chance that NBA 2K27 will still be released on those consoles.

And you know what? I have absolutely no problem with that! Although I can play the New Gen version on my PlayStation 5 or PC, plenty of people don’t have that option, either by choice or circumstance. To that end, I truly loathe the elitist attitude that a contingent of Next Gen/New Gen gamers display, from mocking people for financial hardship to believing that Last Gen gamers don’t deserve a good product. The fact of the matter is that everyone who is still playing NBA 2K on a Last Gen console for whatever reason has deserved better than what they’ve received and how they’ve been treated the last few years. Only a shameless corporate shill would argue otherwise.

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We’re approaching mid-July, so it’s no surprise that we’ve received the first details about NBA 2K25! This includes the release date, cover players, platforms, and pre-order bonuses for every edition that will be available.

First of all, skipping straight to the details that will probably be of the most interest to our community, NBA 2K25 will indeed be coming out on PC, and will at long last be a New Gen (aka Next Gen) port! This means that the PC version will have MyNBA Eras, ProPLAY, The City, and The W for the first time. Notably, crossplay with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X won’t be supported, which isn’t surprising given the possibility of cheating on PC (which again, we do not support in our community). There’ll still be a Current Gen version for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

As for the cover players, Jayson Tatum is the face of the Standard Edition. A’ja Wilson is the cover player for the WNBA Edition, while both Tatum and Wilson are featured on the cover of the All-Star Edition. The Hall of Fame Edition – aka the most expensive edition of the game – features Vince Carter on the cover. You can check out the cover art below, along with a breakdown of the various pre-order bonuses for each edition.

Additionally, first look screenshots of the three cover players, as well as Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, have been released via the official NBA 2K Discord. You’ll find those screenshots below, along with the aforementioned pre-order info and cover art.

NBA 2K25 is slated for release on September 6th, 2024, and is now available to pre-order. Since we now have the first details about NBA 2K25, I’ve created a section for the game in the Forum, which you can find here; feel free to get the ball rolling on the discussion as we await further previews! I’ve also created a page in our Wiki which you can find here. As always, any help in keeping it up to date throughout the preview season and beyond would be most appreciated. With that being said, another preview season is underway! I’ll be doing my best to stay on top of the news, but by all means send me any tips if you come across info that I haven’t posted.

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on how we might be reaching the end of the road as far as NBA 2K coming out on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Although I don’t support Next Gen Elitism any more than other forms of gatekeeping, there is a valid point when you sift through the snobbery. At some point, support does have to end for older hardware and software alike. It’s the same reason that, as much I dislike the timeframe and impact of NBA 2K’s server shutdowns, I do understand the practice. I can even relate it back to my time creating roster updates for NBA Live. As more and more gamers moved on to playing NBA 2K on PC, it was increasingly hard to justify the time and effort needed to mod games that were no longer as popular.

That’s just for mods that cost nothing to produce, and are freely available. Once the majority of gamers have moved on to the latest generation of consoles, it makes sense – technically and financially – for developers to leave the previous one behind. It’s unfortunate, but that’s the reality of the situation. With an annual release like NBA 2K, there’s always the question of how long the previous generation will still be supported. While I don’t have any official word about this – this is absolutely just me speculating – the series’ history and the handling of NBA 2K24’s preview season and post-release support subtly hint at this being the end of the road for PS4 and X1.

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some candid thoughts on elitist attitudes regarding the Next Gen consoles, and how they’ve been frequently disproven.

So, look. Getting older has its drawbacks. Creaky knees, more responsibilities, and existential dread all come to mind. At the same time, it has its perks! One of them is that you care a lot less about trends than you used to. When high school is rapidly becoming a smaller and smaller speck in the rear view mirror, you don’t really care if you’re not on the cutting edge of fashion, or not completely au fait with the latest slang. Youthful status symbols become increasingly meaningless when you’ve been out of school longer than you were ever in it.

Well…to a point. Not everyone enjoys being completely out of touch, even if you’re still generally comfortable in your own skin. More to the point, if you’re a content creator, then you have to care about trends, algorithms, and current events, at least to some extent. Unless you’re exclusively covering retro gaming, you’re going to need hardware that plays the latest titles. To that end, I do have a gaming PC capable of running new NBA 2K releases, as well as a PlayStation 5. I also have an interest in other genres of games, so it makes sense to invest in those platforms. What doesn’t make sense is the elitism that I see regarding ownership of Next Gen consoles.

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As you may have seen, the official NBA 2K Twitter/X account – and yes, that branding change is still taking some getting used to! – posted a trailer and some screenshots of The Neighborhood in the Current Gen/PC version of NBA 2K24. After two years on a cruise ship, this year’s iteration of MyCAREER on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One will be keeping the theme of basketball in paradise, albeit in a coastal location.

From the screenshots and trailer, there will be courts right down on the beach, The Rec will be located in a castle, and it seems like 2K Pro-Am will be played in an airship! A personal MyCOURT will still be available, which The City on Next Gen has notably lacked since NBA 2K21. Indeed, the new coastal Neighborhood in NBA 2K24 seems to resemble a scaled down version of The City, rather than the block, town square, or indeed cruise ship from previous games.

You can check out the trailer below, as well as the screenshots that 2K has shared so far. Got any thoughts? Feel free to post them in the comments, as well as join in the discussion in our NBA 2K24 Forum!

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Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five console-only basketball games that we really missed having on PC.

Although we’ve come to cover all basketball games across a variety of platforms, we certainly do have a reputation as a PC-oriented site. This goes back to our roots as the NBA Live Series Center, when we were strictly an NBA Live fansite and the home of many tools and mods (then referred to as patches) for the PC releases. Even as we’ve widened our scope, we’ve continued to support and advocate for the PC as a platform. As we’ve previously discussed on the NLSC Podcast, even though PC users are the smallest group of basketball gamers, it’s a passionate and enthusiastic demographic.

There was a time when the PC release of NBA Live was the definitive version, as even the average home computer far outstripped consoles in power and storage capacity. Around the time of the PlayStation 2 and original Xbox, the PC began to receive ports of the console version of NBA Live. Of course, it was one of the few basketball games that were being ported to PC, as there were far more console-only releases than PC exclusives. Putting aside emulation and the Xbox App in recent years, this means that we’ve missed out on having some landmark basketball games on PC. Here are five in particular we would’ve loved to have had on the platform.

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In the wake of the cover reveal, 2K has also released some first look screenshots of Kobe Bryant in NBA 2K24; one of young “Frobe”, and one of prime Mamba from the 2000s. You can check out both screenshots below, as well as in the Screenshots section of our newly-launched NBA 2K24 hub!

As a number of people have noticed, the older Kobe is wearing an NBA Finals patch on his jersey. The NBA 2K Leaks & Intel Twitter account – which has been extremely reliable in recent years – has stated that there will be a Mamba Moments mode in NBA 2K24, which will basically be a Kobe Bryant version of The Jordan Challenge. The NBA Finals patch certainly seems to back that up, and suggests the possibility of at least one new classic team.

The Intel account also mentioned a new Next Gen feature called ProPLAY. This tech will reportedly directly translate NBA footage into gameplay to deliver authentic animations and movement. Combined with their leak of a blurb about MyCAREER in Current Gen/Old Gen, this seems to confirm that the PC version will be identical to the PlayStation 4/Xbox One version once again. The Neighborhood will be returning in that version, along with streamlined quests. Keep in mind that this hasn’t been officially announced, but the account’s track record for accuracy has been exceptional.

There’s also a tidbit about a new salary cap mode in MyTEAM, revamped controls and roster authenticity, and the continued inclusion of WNBA content. The release date is September 8th 2023, as also confirmed by ESPN. The ESPN article also mentions crossplay, though no further details are available at this time.

That’s the NBA 2K24 info that’s currently circulating, along with the first look Kobe screenshots. What are your thoughts? Share them in the comments below, as well as join in the discussion in the new NBA 2K24 section of the Forum! Once again, I’ll be aggregating news throughout the preview season, and Dee and I will be breaking it down with our commentary on the NLSC Podcast.

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Patch 8.0 has come through for NBA 2K23 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and should be out on PC soon. As always, the new update will come through automatically as long as you’re online. If it doesn’t, try checking for updates manually, or restarting your console/Steam client.

The new update prepares the game for Season 8 in MyCAREER and MyTEAM. There are no further patch notes or word of any other fixes/changes at this time, but if anything is posted, I’ll be sure to update the listing below, as well as add the details to our Next Gen and Current Gen update histories.

However, 2K has shared details on what to expect from Season 8. The season will be Kevin Durant-themed, with the MyCAREER rewards including an additional Badge Point, the final Core Badge Pattern, a tiger, and various cosmetic items. MyTEAM will of course be receiving new cards, including the End Game series.

Season 8 tips off this Friday, so the PC patch should be out by then to ensure everything is in place and ready to go. In the meantime, feel free to add your thoughts in the comments below, as well as join in the discussion in our NBA 2K23 Forum.

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #443 of the NLSC Podcast!

NBA 2K23 is out now worldwide, and we’ve been spending plenty of time with both versions of the game since they launched! As such, this week’s episode is all about taking a deep dive into our first impressions of NBA 2K23, and discussing the pros and cons as we currently see them. From gameplay, graphics, and the Jordan Challenge, to MyNBA Eras, MyTEAM, and roster accuracy, we’ve got plenty of thoughts to share with our fellow basketball gamers. We also compare the Next Gen and Current Gen versions, discuss the forthcoming modding season as it tips off, and share our outlook on playing NBA 2K23 consistently in the months to come.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:42:08 — 70.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #442 of the NLSC Podcast!

It’s the final countdown to NBA 2K23! Snippets of news are coming through on a daily basis leading up to the release, though the details aren’t always substantial. We’ve got thoughts to share on the MyCAREER trailer, GOAT Boat developer blog, J. Cole cover, guest announcers, and soundtrack reveal (such as it was). We also reflect on an incredible steal of a retro collecting pickup, and respond to a Tweet that perfectly demonstrates Next Gen snobbery. In this week’s mailbag, our listeners tell us about the role players and benchwarmers that became Virtual Hardwood Legends for them, and we share a few more examples of our own unlikely stars throughout many years of basketball gaming.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:12:19 — 50.0MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

Following on from the MyCAREER trailer, the latest developer blog provides our first look at The Neighborhood in the Current Gen version of NBA 2K23. Once again, this year’s open world in the PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch version of the game will have a nautical setting, as the GOAT Boat replaces the Cancha Del Mar.

The layout of this year’s virtual luxury liner has been revamped, and more courts have been added. There are also no-wait gameplay options, new Seasonal excursions, and an updated quest system with NPCs in The Neighborhood.

As always, I’ve summarised the key information below, but check out the GOAT Boat blog for the full scoop on The Neighborhood in NBA 2K23 Current Gen. What are your thoughts? Share them in the comments below, and join in the discussion here in the NBA 2K23 section of the NLSC Forum!

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It won’t be long now before NBA 2K23 is in our hands. In case you weren’t aware, the game is set to launch on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on September 9th. That means there’s still time to pre-order NBA 2K23 if you haven’t done so already.

Obviously, pre-ordering the game will grant you a variety of bonuses, depending on the version that you opt for. As previously announced, there are five editions of NBA 2K23: Standard, Digital Deluxe, Michael Jordan, Championship, and WNBA, the last of which is exclusive to GameStop in the United States and Canada. Each has its own cover art, price point, and again, pre-order bonuses. Today, I’m providing a guide as to which version of NBA 2K23 to pre-order, if indeed you have the need and desire to pre-purchase a copy of this year’s game.

To that point, this isn’t intended to instruct anyone to pre-order NBA 2K23, or shill for the expensive special editions. In fact, I’ll also be laying out why you don’t need to pre-order NBA 2K23 at all, and why the Standard Edition may be sufficient if you are intent on pre-ordering. Depending on the mode you play, whether you’re a collector and/or content creator, and your general enthusiasm for the series and forthcoming game, the value of reserving a copy and receiving the individual pre-order bonuses will vary. You should always aim to be a savvy consumer, and it’s my aim to help my fellow basketball gamers to make an informed decision in that regard.

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with a few thoughts on how I’m getting hyped for NBA 2K23, but my optimism isn’t completely unbridled or unconditional.

Yes, I’ll admit it. Over the past few weeks, I’ve started getting hyped for NBA 2K23. That’s not to say that I don’t have my concerns, or that I’m uncritically accepting that everything I’ve read in the developer blogs will come to pass. I’ve been playing and covering basketball video games for too long to believe that everything will be just as good as advertised. Nevertheless, there are aspects of NBA 2K23 that look very good on paper, and so I’m getting hyped. Well, certainly more excited than I have been in a number of years, at any rate.

Honestly, that feels great! I love basketball and basketball video games, so I never want to feel negative about my hobby. Obviously, over the past twelve months or so, I’ve found great enjoyment in making old favourites (and a few new favourites) part of my gaming rotation once again. I don’t expect that to change, regardless of whether or not NBA 2K23 lives up to the hype. However, I absolutely want to be impressed and enraptured by new releases as well. After primarily using my PlayStation 5 to play a PlayStation 4 game for the better part of the last couple of years, I’m hyped by the distinct possibility that NBA 2K23 could end up monopolising my gaming time.

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #441 of the NLSC Podcast!

The latest developer blogs delivered some more great news about NBA 2K23, this time concerning MyTEAM and The W. As release day looms, we’re allowing ourselves to feel optimistic. We also revisited NBA Live 2001 this week, while dusting off an old retro season mod. It produced a dramatic win, but we were reminded that the game can be very hit and miss! A session with NBA Inside Drive 2003 yielded a fun Easter egg, though a reply to a Tweet about it prompts us to defend retro basketball gaming once again. There are also a couple of recent retro pickups to reflect upon, updates on our NBA 2K19 MyLEAGUE and NBA 2K14 MyCAREER games to share, and a mailbag question about using players out of position.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:20:25 — 55.6MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!