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Wayback Wednesday: The OMG Trailer for NBA 2K14

Wayback Wednesday: The OMG Trailer for NBA 2K14

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at the OMG Trailer for NBA 2K14.

Is there a more important and impactful trailer in the history of basketball gaming than the OMG Trailer, promoting NBA 2K14 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One? While there have been other fantastic trailers and promotional spots for basketball video games, you’d be hard-pressed to find one that turned as many heads, and that gamers still know by name. It boldly announced the arrival of a new generation, and made a statement that Visual Concepts were eager to make full use of the technology they now had at their disposal.

The OMG Trailer for NBA 2K14 is something you can still appreciate today. It still looks amazing almost a decade and entire console generation later. In a way, it’s even more impressive now that we know the game lived up to the hype; even if a few of us discovered that later than others! There’s more to the OMG Trailer for NBA 2K14 than just reflecting on how awesome it was, though. It’s had a lasting impact on the series and basketball gaming as a whole, but has also proven to be a hard act to follow. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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Wayback Wednesday: That Weird NBA 2K21 Zion Next Gen Trailer

Wayback Wednesday: That Weird NBA 2K21 Zion Next Gen Trailer

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 that weird Zion trailer for NBA 2K21 Next Gen.

Way back in the fourth season of The Simpsons, in the classic episode “Mr. Plow”, Homer becomes…well, Mr. Plow. At first his business succeeds, thanks in small part to his creation of a surprisingly competent commercial. When Homer begins to lose customers to Barney’s Plow King business, he seeks the help of an ad agency that ends up creating a commercial that is a hilarious send-up of just about every artsy, pseudo intellectual advertisement that has barely anything to do with the product or service in question.

To me, that’s the perfect analogy for the weird Zion teaser trailer for the Next Gen version of NBA 2K21. It was weird, it had questionable imagery, and judging by some YouTube comments, it offended a few people as well. Normally I’d wait a bit longer to cover basketball games and basketball gaming subjects in my Wayback Wednesday features, but hey, it was over a year ago, so I’ll bend the rules on this occasion. Let’s take a look back…a little way back…

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NBA 2K21 MyCAREER Story Hints in Demo

NBA 2K21 Demo MyCAREER Story Hints

Although the demo doesn’t allow us to get a head start on the MyCAREER story in NBA 2K21, it does drop a couple of hints about this year’s tale. Under the MyCAREER save files in the demo’s MyPLAYER Builder, the following blurb can be found.

Growing up the son of a local hoops legend isn’t easy, as you’ll discover early on in NBA 2K21’s MyCAREER mode. Everywhere you look are reminders of the greatness that you’re expected to live up to. But can you? Work your way through high school and college on your way to the NBA, and see if you can achieve the potential you’re destined for.

The first Current Gen gameplay trailer confirmed the inclusion of college teams in the NBA 2K21 MyCAREER story, and we now have confirmation of a high school portion as well. Being the son of a legendary player is one of the more original tales so far, so it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out.

NBA 2K21 Current Gen launches on September 4th for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Feel free to speculate on the story in the comments section below, and join in all of the discussion taking place in the NBA 2K21 section of the NLSC Forum!

NLSC Podcast #327: Gonna Make You Sweat

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Episode #327 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Dee4Three and I are your hosts for this week’s show.

The PlayStation 5 reveal event brought us an Announcement Trailer for NBA 2K21, which gives us plenty to talk about this week! We recap and react to the trailer featuring Zion Williamson, and a whole lot of sweat. In addition to highlighting the parts that appealed to us, we also discuss our concerns, along with the expectations it’s given us for next gen. We also speculate whether the PC version of NBA 2K21 will be a next gen port, or last gen as was the case with NBA 2K14. The trustworthiness of developer blogs and preview media is another issue we’re going to be mindful of this preview season, as we reflect on past controversies. We also consider the impact of next gen NBA 2K21 on the future of NBA Live, and what we can expect from last gen NBA 2K moving forward.

What’s your take on this week’s conversation? 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 2K21 Trailer, Official Announcement at PlayStation 5 Event

NBA 2K21 Trailer

The PlayStation 5 reveal event has provided us with more than just a glimpse of the new console, as the very first NBA 2K21 trailer has dropped! It also serves as the game’s official announcement for Fall 2020, as a launch title for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. No other platforms have been confirmed at this time, but presumably it will also be out on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Zion Williamson is featured in the trailer, strongly suggesting that he’s going to be the cover player for the game. The footage in the trailer has been taken from the game engine itself, albeit a pre-alpha build. The official NBA 2K Twitter has also teased some of the improvements that we can expect, noting that the game has been “built from the ground up”, and promising “next gen graphics”, “next gen load times”, and “next gen power”.

With the release of the NBA 2K21 trailer, I’ve gone ahead and launched the NBA 2K21 section in our Forum. I’ve also created an article for NBA 2K21 over in our Wiki, and I invite you to help me keep it up to date with the latest details throughout the preview season. I’ll add sections for the game to our Downloads database closer to launch, though depending on which version is ported to PC, it may take a while for modding to get going.

For now, check out the trailer below, or catch it here on YouTube. What are your thoughts on our first glimpse at NBA 2K21? Have your say in the comments below, and join in the discussion here in the Forum! We’ll have more to say about the NBA 2K21 trailer in Episode #326 of the NLSC Podcast, so stay tuned.

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Wayback Wednesday: Mystery Teaser Covers

Wayback Wednesday: Mystery Teaser Covers

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 the mystery teaser covers that used to get us talking about upcoming cover player reveals.

As discussed in Episode #291 of the NLSC Podcast, there’s currently a bit of worried speculation regarding NBA Live 20, due to a lack of news. While there’s evidence to suggest that those concerns are jumping the gun, it is unusual that there haven’t been any official announcements regarding this year’s expected release from EA Sports. It isn’t the first time that news about NBA Live has been slow, or that the cover player ended up being announced quite late, but given the series’ rocky history over the past decade, the speculation is at least understandable.

Speaking of cover players and reveals, that’s something which has become a much bigger deal than it used to be a long time ago. Back in the 90s, long before basketball titles and gaming in general became the juggernaut of today, there wasn’t nearly as much importance placed on the cover player. A star was generally preferred, but it wasn’t always a top tier player. Quite a few games settled for “someone who’s in the NBA”, who may or may not have a chance at becoming a superstar. It wasn’t until NBA Live 2003 that the cover player was a big part of the pre-release hype, which also started a trend of mystery teaser covers. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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NLSC Podcast #290: The Craziness Begins

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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 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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NBA Live 19 Teaser Screenshot; More Details Coming at EA Play

NBA Live 19: Teaser Screenshot

We have our first teaser screenshot for NBA Live 19, via the official NBA Live Instagram account. The screenshot features a variety of current and former NBA players posing on a street court, with the Legends wearing their throwback jerseys. WNBA player Maya Moore and NBA Street character Stretch are also notably among the players in the screenshot.

While there’s still a lot to learn about NBA Live 19, this obviously confirms the presence of NBA Legends, at least one NBA Street character, and WNBA players in this year’s game. It remains to be seen what capacity Legends and WNBA players will appear in throughout the game, but if nothing else, it seems as though they’ll be present in The Streets. From the screenshot, and other teasers from the developers on Twitter, it seems that international street courts will also be featured this year.

NBA Live 19’s presence at EA Play 2018 will allow us to find out more about the game very soon. Details are expected to be revealed during EA’s press conference, which will begin in about eleven hours. You can stream it live here on YouTube, or watch it below once it begins.

You can also check out the full size teaser screenshot below. What do you make of the teaser? What are you hoping or expecting to hear about NBA Live 19 during EA’s press conference? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum.

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NLSC Podcast – Episode #250

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Episode #250 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I for another milestone episode, in which we have quite a few news stories to cover (and it’s not even the preview season yet!). We also have a few tales from our past week in basketball gaming, and thoughts on the Conference Finals.

On this week’s show…

  • A teaser for EA Play has confirmed NBA Live 19 – just in case there was any doubt – and tipped off the speculation as to who will be appearing on the cover this year.
  • Game Informer has posted an article providing us with some hints at the direction of NBA Live. While it’s not much to go on, it is still promising to hear.
  • A Memphis-based ESPN station took a few shots at NBA Live 18. A little awkward, given ESPN’s exclusive deal with EA Sports.
  • The latest Game of Zones episode made fun of NBA 2K18 and Ronnie 2K. Their response was admirable, but gamers weren’t letting them off that easy.
  • From Virtual Coppers to Virtual Currency, 2K’s promotion of the latest VC sale was a little on the nose.
  • It seems Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have done some mo-cap work for NBA 2K19. We discuss what that might mean for this year’s game.
  • PlayStation 4 users have received refunds for NBA Playgrounds 2. While it might just be a mandatory show of goodwill, it’s not a great look for the delayed title.
  • Our Week in Basketball Gaming included a return to 2K Pro-Am, followed by an abrupt return to 2v2 on MyCOURT. The 90s All-Stars collection also continues to expand in Ultimate Team.
  • We wrap up Episode #250 of the NLSC Podcast with our thoughts on the latest results from the 2018 NBA Conference Finals, and make a couple of predictions.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

NBA 2K Twitter Shares Photo of Shaq & Kareem in Mo-Cap Suits

NBA 2K Mo-Cap Photo featuring Shaq & Kareem

With June and the NBA Finals fast approaching, we’re inching closer to the preview season for NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19. With NBA Live 19 having a presence at EA Play, we’ll likely hear some preliminary information, and perhaps even catch a glimpse of the game, within the next couple of weeks.

Conversely, Visual Concepts has traditionally held back on releasing previews, trailers, and information for NBA 2K until quite late in the preview season, so we may not hear much until July, or even August. Of course, the Legend Edition of NBA 2K18 featuring Shaquille O’Neal on the cover was announced in early May last year.

Speaking of The Diesel, it seems as though we’ve received a small nugget of information about NBA 2K19, as the official NBA 2K Twitter account recently shared a photo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wearing motion capture suits. This would obviously suggest that the two Hall of Fame centres have recently participated in a mo-cap session for NBA 2K19. Shaq originally posted the photo here on his Instagram account.

Although new retro teams have been added in recent years, there has been a general feeling that 2K’s efforts with the historical content have been halfhearted at best. Several historical players were missing Badges at launch, and many of the placeholder players are blatant copy and paste jobs. A lot of faces are also strangely inferior to previous games, even going back to the previous generation. With Shaq and Kareem providing mo-cap, it may be a sign that greater attention will be paid to the retro content in NBA 2K19. If nothing else, we’ll likely be seeing some new post moves in the game, thanks to the two legendary Lakers.

Join us for Episode #250 of the NLSC Podcast later today where we’ll be discussing this, and other news from the past week. As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

NBA Live 19 at EA Play; Teaser Image Revealed

NBA Live 19 Teaser

Influencers signing up for this year’s EA Play event have received and subsequently shared a teaser image for NBA Live 19. The teaser appears to hint at this year’s cover player, and possibly the design as well. Keep in mind, however, that it may also just be a generic placeholder.

The teaser obviously also confirms that NBA Live 19 will indeed be coming out later this year. While there was never any serious doubt about that, the series’ struggles and the year off between NBA Live 16 and NBA Live 18 had led to some idle speculation here and there.

Furthermore, the mention of “The One Edition” would seem to confirm that NBA Live’s career mode will retain the same branding as in NBA Live 18. It remains to be seen what enhancements it will receive, and what other improvements are in store, but it seems a safe bet that we’ll be getting some details coming out of EA Play.

You can check out the full teaser image below; thanks to DBOYGAMEZ for sharing it on Twitter. Who do you think will be on the cover of NBA Live 19? What news are you hoping to hear at EA Play? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the Forum.

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More Content Being Teased for NBA Live 18?

NBA Live 18 Content Teaser

In the wake of the unveiling and debut of LIVESTRIKE, EA Sports are teasing more content for NBA Live 18. A Tweet by the official NBA Live Twitter account has cryptically stated that “NBA Live 18 has more than gear to offer”, with a teaser image featuring three silhouetted players standing behind the game’s logo.

Glancing at social media, it seems that a lot of gamers are speculating there may be a new mode on the way, with a 3-on-3 tournament being a popular suggestion. As always, it’s important that we don’t get too ahead of ourselves and build up our expectations for something that hasn’t been announced, but it is interesting that EA appear to be hinting at more content beyond gear and accessories.

As always, we’ll post more details when they become available. In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts as to what the content might be in the comments section below! You can also join in the conversation here in the NBA Live 18 section of the NLSC Forum.