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NBA 2K20 Soundtrack Revealed; More Songs Post-Release

NBA 2K20 Soundtrack

I’m a little behind in posting this, but the NBA 2K20 soundtrack has been revealed. This year’s track list includes artists such as Drake, Travis Scott, Post Malone, Run the Jewels, Meek Mill, Ariana Grande, and the late Nipsey Hussle. It’s available to listen to here on Spotify.

For the first time ever, new songs will be added to the game post-release. Additionally, 2K are teaming up with UnitedMasters to give new artists an opportunity to be featured. Unsigned artists are invited to submit their entries for a chance to be included on the soundtrack.

I’ve added the NBA 2K20 soundtrack (as it currently stands) to our Wiki. You can also check out the full track listing below. Got any thoughts on the soundtrack? Feel free to share them in the comments section, as well as here in the NLSC Forum.

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NLSC Podcast #291: Is It Time To Worry Yet?

NLSC Podcast Logo

Episode #291 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! It’s another solo show this week so there’s obviously no featured discussion, but between NBA 2K20 news, NBA Live 19 rosters, speculation about NBA Live 20, and updates from the modding community, I have a few thoughts to share.

As expected, the NBA 2K20 ratings reveal wasn’t without controversy. While fans debate their accuracy and the merits of NBA 2K’s approach to ratings, the best response belongs to whoever is running the Denver Nuggets’ Twitter account. In other news, NBA Live 19 received a surprising roster update featuring offseason moves. Despite being a welcome surprise, it does invite worrisome speculation about NBA Live 20, though it doesn’t help to jump the gun. Meanwhile, in our community, there are some modding projects and other upcoming features worth spotlighting. Check them out, and stay tuned!

Tune in below!

What are your thoughts on the latest NBA 2K20 previews, and the speculation surrounding NBA Live 20? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

The Friday Five: 5 Things I’ve Learned Playing Jordan Rec Center

The Friday Five

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown. This week’s Five is a list of five things that I’ve learned playing in the Jordan Rec Center in NBA 2K19.

Having wrapped up my second season in NBA 2K19’s MyCAREER, I haven’t felt the desire to play a third year. Since the Bulls went out and signed Ben Simmons, I have thought about playing a few games here and there while simulating the rest, but I’ve not done so as yet. I have been playing online however, just to see what the scene is like this late in the year. After several sessions in The Playground and Jordan Rec Center, I’d have to conclude that not much has changed since the game was launched. The gameplay, the user base, the overall vibe and atmosphere…it’s all the same.

The lack of change has come as a disappointment as far as the Jordan Rec Center is concerned. With team Pro-Am hamstrung by the enforcement of five users per side, the Jordan Rec Center became the online mode of choice for the NLSC squad. It soon became apparent that it wasn’t going to deliver the same fun experience that team Pro-Am did for us in NBA 2K16 and NBA 2K17, and to a far lesser extent, NBA 2K18. At this point, I’m the only member of the squad who’s jumping online on a regular basis, so I’ve been playing with randoms. Here’s my take on the Jordan Rec Center after playing it extensively this year, with friends and randoms alike.

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NBA 2K20 Ratings Reveal, More First Look Screenshots

NBA 2K20 Ratings Reveal

As previously announced, the NBA 2K20 Ratings Reveal took place on a livestream on Twitter. Over the course of the stream, 2K revealed the top-rated stars, duos, and rookies in this year’s game, along with the best three-point shooters. In the process, they also dropped some more First Look screenshots, and discussed how the ratings are devised.

The two best active players are LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard, with Overall Ratings of 97. MVP and last year’s cover player Giannis Antetokounmpo is right behind them at 96 Overall, tying him with Kevin Durant and James Harden. Unsurprisingly, top pick Zion Williamson is the highest rated rookie at 81 Overall, with Ja Morant in second place at 79. Thirteen active players in total will be rated in the 90s at launch, with LeBron James and cover player Anthony Davis (94 Overall) being the highest rated duo with an average Overall Rating of 95.5. Appropriately enough, Steph Curry is the top three-point shooter with a maxed-out rating of 99.

See below for a breakdown of the NBA 2K20 Ratings Reveal, along with a handful of screenshots. What do you make of the ratings that have been revealed? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum!

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Monday Tip-Off: Should NBA Live Be More Like NBA 2K?

James Harden shoots in NBA Live 19

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with an interesting and important question that continues to be hotly debated: should NBA Live be more like NBA 2K?

As NBA Live continues to rebuild and re-establish itself in the face of NBA 2K’s dominance, there is a debate among basketball gamers as to the best direction for the game. There are gamers who would prefer that NBA Live remains distinctly different to NBA 2K in focus, style, and approach, and generally reject any suggestions that Live should borrow ideas from 2K. Conversely, as noted here on Reddit, there are others who would prefer that NBA Live essentially copy NBA 2K, but for a few details here and there (such as avoiding 2K’s approach to microtransactions).

Naturally, between those two extremes are more nuanced suggestions about NBA Live doing its own thing, while also borrowing some of NBA 2K’s best ideas (and in some cases, putting its own spin on them). To that end, of course, there’s still debate as to which ideas should be borrowed, how closely NBA Live should mimic what NBA 2K is doing, and to what extent any 2K concepts should be reworked. It leaves us with the question of whether or not NBA Live should be more like NBA 2K, or as the thread over on Reddit put it, “NBA 2K re-skinned” rather than NBA Live. For me, the answer is yes…and no.

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NLSC Podcast #290: The Craziness Begins

NLSC Podcast Logo

Episode #290 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! I’m flying solo in this week’s return show, which catches up on the first snippets of this year’s preview season, a couple of recent patches, and one of the craziest offseasons in recent memory (if not all-time).

Forget March Madness; July has tipped off the craziness as far as the NBA and virtual hardwood are concerned! The cover players and pre-order bonuses for NBA 2K20 have been revealed, and there’s some good news as the Early Tip-Off Weekend is no more. A teaser trailer and a few screenshots have also given us a glimpse of the game, and if nothing else, the lighting looks promising. NBA 2K19 has also received a patch that encourages NBA 2K20 pre-orders, along with a couple of minor fixes. Meanwhile, NBA Live 19 has received further tuning for shooting and shot contests, which was great to see following issues with Patch 1.25. Finally, there was a flurry of big names changing jerseys through trades and free agency. It’s going to be a wild year in the real NBA, and on the virtual hardwood!

Tune in below!

What are your thoughts on the latest patches, previews, and offseason movement? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

NBA 2K19 Patch 1.10 Includes NBA 2K20 Pre-Order Offer

NBA 2K20 Offer Added by NBA 2K19 Patch 1.10

NBA 2K19 Patch 1.10 is now available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It should come through automatically as long as your console has an active Internet connection. If you encounter any difficulties, try restarting your console or checking for the update manually.

There aren’t any official patch notes as of this writing, but gamers over on Reddit are reporting that a dribble glitch in Pro-Am has been resolved, and a foul limit has been added to Triple Threat games in MyTEAM.

A noticeable change that is easy to confirm is the addition of a pre-order bonus for NBA 2K20. A pop-up now appears before the main menu, offering a 10% discount on the digital edition of this year’s game. The offer is only available for a limited time, and will likely be removed in a further patch.

I’ve added what we know about NBA 2K19 Patch 1.10 to the update history in our Wiki, as well as this topic in the NLSC Forum. I’ll be sure to update all of our resources (as well as this bulletin) if any further information is released. In the meantime, feel free to add your observations in the comments below, or in the Forum topic.

Monday Tip-Off: A MyCAREER Season to Remember

Championship in Second MyCAREER Season (NBA 2K19)

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with a look back at a memorable MyCAREER season, and a few thoughts on moving on from the mode.

Last week, I completed my second MyCAREER season in NBA 2K19. It’s the first time that I’ve played through two whole seasons in MyCAREER, as I usually find myself losing interest or running out of time before the next game is released. This year however, I felt motivated to play a second campaign. Even though I’d vowed to move on from career modes this year, I did get stuck into MyCAREER when our NLSC 2K Pro-Am squad decided to give online play another try in NBA 2K19. Even when we called it quits, I found that I was hooked on the NBA side of things.

After making it to 90 Overall and winning the championship in my rookie campaign, I decided that I wanted to make my sophomore season one to remember. Although I’d normally consider myself a sim gamer, the current approach to MyCAREER doesn’t favour a realistic style of play. As such, I resolved to put up ridiculous numbers, aim for as many records as possible, and in short, utterly destroy the league. With Year 2 now in the books, I can confidently say that it’s a case of mission accomplished! My numbers were crazy from start to finish, and having completed another MyCAREER season, I’m feeling like I can move on from the mode, in NBA 2K19 and beyond.

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NBA 2K20 Screenshot Featuring LeBron James & Anthony Davis

First NBA 2K20 Screenshot: LeBron James & Anthony Davis

Although we’re likely at least a few weeks away from in-depth developer blogs, 2K has released the first official NBA 2K20 screenshot. The screen features new teammates LeBron James and cover player Anthony Davis standing side by side, in their gold Los Angeles Lakers jerseys.

As you might expect this late in the generation, there isn’t a tremendous leap in quality when compared to NBA 2K19. However, it does look as though there is a new lighting effect this year, as the atmosphere does appear noticeably brighter. The screen has also obviously been taken late in the game, in order to spotlight the sweat effects.

In case you missed it, a First Look Teaser has also been posted over on the official NBA 2K YouTube channel. The teaser doesn’t give much away as it’s basically just small snippets of gameplay from cinematic angles, but it is our first look at this year’s release in action. As previously noted, it also officially confirms that WNBA teams will be playable in some capacity.

Check out the first NBA 2K20 screenshot below, as well as a comparison with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in NBA 2K19. What are your thoughts on our first glimpse at this year’s game from Visual Concepts? Sound off in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum!

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The Friday Five: 5 Things MyCOURT Needs

The Friday Five

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown. This week’s Five is a list of five things that would enhance MyCOURT in NBA 2K’s MyCAREER.

As I noted in a Wayback Wednesday feature, when MyCOURT was first announced as a new addition in NBA 2K15’s MyCAREER, I didn’t think much of it. My initial thought was that it sounded like a gimmicky premise, another case of adding flash over substance. In hindsight, I was underestimating its usefulness. MyCOURT has not only proven to be an appealing player hub and base of operations for MyCAREER, but is very handy for testing out animations, getting a feel for your player, and earning some extra VC. In NBA 2K17, it could even be used to grind for Cap Breakers.

However, while MyCOURT remains practical and stylish as of NBA 2K19, there are a few things that could stand to be improved upon. Although new functions have been added in the form of mini-games and unlockable items, there are some noteworthy omissions in terms of useful options and equipment. From additional on-court options to menu functions and interactive elements of the environment, these things would allow us to get the most out of MyCOURT. They may not be the most crucial parts of MyCAREER, but having spent considerable time in the mode in NBA 2K19, I feel that these suggestions would spruce up our own private virtual hardwood.

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Wayback Wednesday: Kobe Bryant’s Fictional NBA 2K10 Cover

Kobe Bryant New York Knicks NBA 2K10 Cover

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content. This week, I’m taking a look back at Kobe Bryant’s fictional NBA 2K10 cover.

Since the preview season officially tipped off with the reveal of NBA 2K20’s cover players, I thought it would be appropriate to look back ten years to NBA 2K10. If you poke around for NBA 2K10 images on Google, you’ll no doubt come across a version of the cover featuring Kobe Bryant in a New York Knicks jersey; a uniform he never wore during his career. Of course, many basketball gamers have made mock-up and fictional alternate covers for various games over the years (to say nothing of bootleg copies), and they tend to show up in Google Image searches as well.

What’s interesting about this particular cover is that it’s an official fake, if that’s not too much of a contradiction in terms. More specifically, it’s an image that 2K made following the announcement that Kobe would be appearing on the cover. What’s the story behind this unusual cover that no doubt made Knicks fans wistful, and Lakers fans cringe? Let’s take a look back…way back…

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NBA 2K20 Cover Players Announced; Pre-Order Bonuses, More

NBA 2K20 Cover Art

2K Sports has officially announced Anthony Davis as the cover player for the Standard Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition of NBA 2K20. Dwyane Wade, who retired at the end of the 2019 season, has been announced as the cover player for the Legend Edition. Davis was previously one of three cover players for NBA 2K16, while Wade appeared on the cover of NBA Live 06, the same year he won his first championship.

The game is now available to pre-order, with September 6th confirmed as the release date. This year’s pre-order bonuses for each edition of the game have also been revealed, and they include the usual assortment of VC, MT, MyTEAM packs, and MyPLAYER apparel. Interestingly, there isn’t any mention of the Early Tip-Off Weekend as yet.

Promotional images on the official social media accounts are making use of the word “Next” in conjunction with NBA 2K20, and a blurb currently posted over on the official site also makes reference to it:

This isn’t a game. This is the place the game comes to learn. This is the place the present can’t catch. Where next gets known and the ball decides your fate. From the blacktop to the hardwood and throughout the Neighborhood, NBA 2K20 and its next level features are the closest thing to actually playing in the league.

This isn’t a game.

This is the place everything else follows.

Welcome to the Next.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for announcements on 2K20’s feature innovations.

It’ll probably be a few weeks before we get any concrete details about the game – to say nothing of extended preview media – but this brief promotional video does appear to officially confirm that WNBA teams and players will be in NBA 2K20.

See below for the cover art featuring Anthony Davis and Dwyane Wade, as well as a listing of all the pre-order bonuses. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below, as well as join in the discussion in our newly launched NBA 2K20 Forum! As we anticipate the first news for NBA Live 20, I’ve gone ahead and created a Forum for it as well. This year’s preview season is officially upon us, so stay tuned for more news (and beware of clickbait)!

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Monday Tip-Off: Clickbait & You! – A Public Service Announcement

Stand Against Clickbait!

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with a public service announcement regarding clickbait, ahead of yet another NBA Live and NBA 2K preview season here at the NLSC.

July is upon us, which means it (hopefully) won’t be too much longer before we start getting our first information about NBA Live 20 and NBA 2K20. Unfortunately, a lot of content creators are prone to taking advantage of basketball gamers eager for news, and engage in clickbait during the preview season. We do our best to be accurate here at the NLSC, and as a gaming community, we must do all we can to avoid spreading rumours and misinformation. It’s a perpetual problem, so I’ve put together what I hope will be a timeless PSA: Clickbait & You! Watch it below or here over on YouTube.

This was a fun (but arduous) video to put together, so I hope you enjoy it! While it’s obviously all in fun, we do want to avoid those tactics here at the NLSC, and remain dedicated to providing fair-handed coverage and reliable information about basketball video games. To that end, it’s a message that I’d like the community to take to heart. I’m looking forward to the preview season for NBA Live 20 and NBA 2K20, and I hope that you’ll stick around for all of the pre-release news and post-release content. If you haven’t already, I invite you to subscribe to the NLSC’s YouTube channel, as more fun and informative videos will be on the way in the not too distant future!

The Friday Five: 5 Interesting Ways to Play Basketball Games

The Friday Five

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown. This week’s Five is a list of five ways to make your basketball gaming experiences more interesting.

As we discussed in last week’s episode of the NLSC Podcast, the offseason is upon us, which means we’ve put in nine solid months of gaming with last season’s basketball titles. It’s around this time of the year that our habits on the virtual hardwood tend to change. Maybe we start spending time in a different mode, or try to finish up all of our business before this year’s games are released. If we’re enjoying what we’re doing, we may keep playing the current game throughout the preview season. Or, after so many months, we may feel it’s time to shelve the games and play something else.

If you are still keen on virtual hoops at this point of the year, you might feel inclined to try something different. For that matter, you may be considering new ways to play in the upcoming games, as it’s easy to get into a rut and fall back into old habits year after year. I know that I’ve often vowed to change things up by trying a different build or doing something out of the ordinary, only to opt for the familiar. There are some ideas that I’d like to try out at some point though, as well as a few that I have tried, if only briefly. If you’d like a different basketball gaming experience, consider these suggestions this offseason, or come NBA Live 20 and NBA 2K20.

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NLSC Podcast #289: NBA Season Ends, Preview Season Begins

NLSC Podcast Logo

Episode #289 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! This week, Kenny and I catch up on the conclusion of the 2019 NBA Finals, talk about basketball gaming during the offseason, and look ahead to this year’s preview season for NBA Live and NBA 2K.

A new NBA champion has been crowned! We reflect on Games 5 and 6 of the NBA Finals, discuss what’s next for the champion Toronto Raptors and injury-riddled Golden State Warriors, and offer up some thoughts on the Draft and free agency. The beginning of the offseason also raises questions about our basketball gaming habits. Are we done with the 2019 season games, or is there life in them yet? We outline some of our plans for both titles. As the preview season for NBA Live 20 and NBA 2K20 looms in the distance, we also discuss our expectations for the games, and how we’d like EA Sports and 2K Sports to handle the previews. Will we ever see another historical challenge mode? What role will the WNBA play in both games? We’ll know come July…or August…or maybe September…

Tune in below!

How do your basketball gaming habits change during the offseason? What are your expectations for this year’s preview season? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.