Tag Archives: The Prelude

2K Sports has dropped the official trailer for MyCAREER in NBA 2K19. Titled “The Way Back”, the trailer provides us with a glimpse of this year’s story, as well as some of the actors who will be playing key characters.

From the looks of things, this year’s MyPLAYER character – referred to in cutscenes as “AI” – ends up playing in China after being drafted. The story then appears to revolve around efforts to make it back to the United States and the NBA, including a stint in the G-League. These efforts to finally make it in the NBA appear to tie in with the “They Will Know Your Name” tagline that was revealed in early previews. Exact details about the story and features of the mode are yet to be revealed, but should no doubt be coming soon in a detailed developer blog.

Actors that will be playing roles in this year’s MyCAREER include Anthony Mackie, Haley Joel Osment, Michael Rapaport, Aldis Hodge, Rob Huebel, Blake Jenner, Ricky Whittle, Mo McRae, and Ginger Gonzaga. Check out the trailer below!

PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gamers will be able to begin playing through the early stages of MyCAREER with this year’s Prelude, which comes out August 31st. What are your thoughts? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the NBA 2K19 section of the NLSC Forum.

2K Sports has officially revealed LeBron James as the cover player for the 20th Anniversary Edition of NBA 2K19. A couple of teaser images hinted at a forthcoming announcement, while promotional materials seen at GameStop let the cat out of the bag in regards to LeBron gracing the cover. As noted yesterday, this is his second NBA 2K cover following NBA 2K14.

The game is already available to pre-order, and the pre-order bonuses have also been revealed. There will apparently be only two editions this year: the Standard Edition, and the aforementioned 20th Anniversary Edition. The Standard Edition retails at $59.99 USD, and will be released on September 11th, 2018. The 20th Anniversary Edition, which offers more pre-order bonuses including some physical collectables, retails for $99.99 USD and comes out September 7th. At this time, it appears that pre-ordering the 20th Anniversary Edition will be the only way to play NBA 2K19 four days early, in contrast to the Early Tip-Off Weekend promotion across all editions in years past.

A trailer has been released to celebrate the announcement. It features clips of LeBron James in previous NBA 2K games, though not surprisingly, doesn’t feature any NBA 2K19 footage. The trailer is accompanied by the song “How Could They Have Known?” featuring 2 Chainz, Rapsody, and Jerreau, tying into the game’s tagline of “They Will Know Your Name”. Check out the trailer here, or watch it below.

Additionally, The Prelude has been confirmed for release on August 31st. As in previous years, it will allow gamers to get a head start on MyCAREER. The Prelude will once again only be available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gamers, meaning PC and Switch gamers will have to wait until the game drops to jump into the mode. Speaking of MyCAREER, pre-order information also confirms that The Neighborhood will return in NBA 2K19.

Please see below for the full cover art for the 20th Anniversary Edition – which notably features LeBron James in a generic black jersey – and a list of all the pre-order bonuses. The cover player and artwork for the Standard Edition of NBA 2K19 will be revealed at a later date, with a placeholder image currently being used on the pre-order page. We’ll post more information as it becomes available, but in the meantime feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section below, as well as join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum.

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Episode #221 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! We’re in the final countdown to the release of this year’s games from EA Sports and 2K Sports, and Arcane and I have plenty to talk about with a big update to the NBA Live 18 Demo, as well as the release of The Prelude to NBA 2K18.

On this week’s show…

• The NBA Live 18 Demo has received another update. On top of making some further gameplay tweaks, it also added updated rosters, and two additional teams to Play Now: the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets.
• EA Access subscribers on Xbox One are currently enjoying a ten hour trial of the full version of NBA Live 18. Their streams and impressions suggest further improvement over the demo, which is great news.
• A Game Informer article provided us with a few details on this year’s MyCAREER story ahead of the release of The Prelude, and some further information about The Neighborhood.
• In the wake of a somewhat flat trailer, The Prelude has been released, along with the MyNBA2K18 companion app. We tip off our impressions with a few thoughts on face scanning.
• We’re not impressed by the lack of customisation options, nor the decision to put more content behind a VC paywall. It’s a continuation of a disheartening trend that began in NBA 2K17.
• The story in this year’s MyCAREER mode leaves something to be desired. Although we like the general idea of being able to pick our team, the plot, acting, and characters are rather corny, with one character in particular being a bit uncomfortable.
• Although the brevity of The Prelude was disappointing, the gameplay was a highlight, and demonstrates some pleasing improvements that have us looking forward to the full version of NBA 2K18.
• We wrap up Episode #221 of the NLSC Podcast with Our Week in Basketball Gaming, which featured NLSC THRILLHO’s final 2K Pro-Am game for NBA 2K17, and the acquisition of a long-coveted MyPARK trophy.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:50:16 — 75.8MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

The Prelude to NBA 2K18 is out now worldwide on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. As previously noted, the brief free to play preview of this year’s game from 2K Sports allows you to get a head start on MyCAREER. Similar to last year’s Prelude, it also includes 2KU, which features an interactive tutorial that teaches you the controls in a casual 5-on-5 setting.

You’ll need to download The Prelude and fire it up before you can scan your face using the MyNBA2K18 app. Note that while you’ll be able to change your face and keep playing through 2KU, you can only play through the MyCAREER portion once. After that, you’ll need to wait until NBA 2K18 comes out next week in order to continue your career, or start over fresh.

Feel free to share your impressions of The Prelude in the comments section below, as well as in this topic in the NBA 2K18 section of the NLSC Forum. If you’ve got a great face scan to share – or a humorous one, for that matter! – feel free to post it as well. We’ll be sharing our impressions in Episode #221 of the NLSC Podcast, which will be coming out over the weekend.

2K Sports have revealed the new cover art for NBA 2K18, featuring Kyrie Irving in a Boston Celtics jersey. Following the trade between the Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, 2K indicated that they would be issuing a new cover “at a later date”. While the digital cover art and icon for the game will be updated upon launch, physical copies won’t feature the new cover art until the initial stock is depleted.

Although it isn’t unprecedented in sports games, cover players changing teams before the game is even released is a rare occurrence. Several players have been traded the year after appearing on the cover of a basketball video game, and Ray Allen was traded halfway through the 2003 season, during which he was the cover player for NBA ShootOut 2002.

The ShootOut series also features the only other cover player for a basketball game to be traded before the game’s release, as the 2002 version featured Stephon Marbury in his New Jersey Nets uniform despite his offseason trade to the Phoenix Suns. Similar to NBA 2K18, an updated cover was later issued.

You can check out the full cover art below. We’re a week away from the release of NBA 2K18, but only a couple of hours away from the release of The Prelude! If you’re on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One and would like to get a head start on MyCAREER, be sure to check it out when it launches at 12:01 AM EST. The MyNBA2K18 app is also now available for Android and iOS devices, so pick it up to scan your face into the game, and earn extra VC through various mini-games.

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In less than 24 hours, we’ll be able to get our hands on The Prelude for NBA 2K18. The free to play preview for NBA 2K18 will be available globally on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and will provide gamers with a head start on MyCAREER, as well as an early look at The Neighborhood. It will be released at 12:01 AM EST globally, so unlike the NBA Live 18 demo, you can’t snag it earlier by creating a New Zealand account.

To hype up the release of The Prelude, 2K has dropped a new trailer. It emphasises the general concept of working your way up from the streets to the glamour of the NBA, and features clips of The Proving Ground, which will be integral to the beginning of this year’s MyCAREER story.

Check out the trailer below, or catch it here on YouTube if you can’t see the embedded video.

Additionally, the MyNBA2K18 companion app is now available for Android and iOS devices. In addition to being used to scan your face for The Prelude and NBA 2K18, it includes the familiar trading card game and other features that allow you to earn Virtual Currency. If you still have the MyNBA2K17 app installed, you may want to uninstall it before installing the MyNBA2K18 app, just to avoid any potential issues.

Got any thoughts on the trailer? Feel free to share them in the comments section below, as well as join in the discussion about The Prelude and other NBA 2K18-related topics here in our Forum.

It’s been a big week for NBA 2K18 news to say the least. Before we wrap up the weekend, there are a few more details to report in regards to this year’s MyCAREER story, and the new Neighborhood experience.

Matt Bertz has posted a preview over on Game Informer discussing The Neighborhood and the MyCAREER story in NBA 2K18. Although there will be a narrative again this year, it will be a less linear experience. The basic plot is that your player, DJ, is a former blue chip prospect who abandoned his hoop dreams to pursue a career in music. Now eager to return to the hardwood, your character is trying to make the big time by participating in The Proving Ground, an amateur streetball event. The story begins with The Prelude, which will be released September 8th.

The article also provides a breakdown of The Neighborhood, which as previously noted, encompasses the NBA through MyCAREER, 2K Pro-Am, and The Playground (the new version of MyPARK). Park affiliations have also been done away with, as all players will be hanging around in the same Neighborhood. Matt also confirms that the old upgrade system is back, and talks about the new MyPLAYER Archetypes. As you can see from this chart, the primary and secondary archetypes that you select will determine which Badges you can upgrade. Thanks to Dommy73 for the heads up on the chart.

2K Sports has also Tweeted out a Guide to The Neighborhood. Locations include The Playground (as noted above, the new MyPARK), 2K Zone (mini-games and meet-ups), The Venue (live events), The Downtown Court (jumpshot game), Foot Locker Store (for shoes, obviously), and King of the Court (1-on-1 challenges). It also shows off some of the Road to 99 rewards, and the new phone messaging system.

With The Prelude dropping this week, and the Early Tip-Off Weekend for NBA 2K18 beginning in less than two weeks, I’m sure there’ll be more news and previews right around the corner. In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts on the latest details in the comments section below, as well as join in the discussion in our NBA 2K18 Forum.

Episode #220 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Arcane and I have plenty to talk about following a big week of NBA 2K18 news, as well as the release of a new patch for the NBA Live 18 demo. The question is, as always, now that the show has been recorded, will any further news break over the weekend?

On this week’s show…

• Patch 1.05 has been pushed through for the NBA Live 18 demo, and this time, we have a few patch notes. Once again, we take the opportunity to offer some further impressions of the demo, and encourage everyone to keep the feedback coming.
• Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett will be joining NBA 2K18’s broadcasting team as special guest commentators. Unfortunately for KG, the game is only rated E10+.
• The latest NBA 2K18 developer blogs by Scott O’Gallagher and Da_Czar have delivered a lot of promising news about improvements to AI, playcalling, and gameplay in general.
• NBA 2K18 will see the debut of The Neighborhood, a new online open world experience that encompasses MyCAREER, 2K Pro-Am, and MyPARK (now called The Playground). It’s very cool, but we do have a few questions and concerns.
• There will be 189 MyPLAYER Archetypes this year, with primary and secondary archetypes and hybrid styles. Excellent news, in our opinion.
• A list of Achievements for The Prelude has been leaked, hinting at this year’s story. Mild spoiler warning!
• We wrap up Episode #220 of the NLSC Podcast with Our Week in Basketball Gaming, which included a couple of really fun sessions of 2K Pro-Am as our season in NBA 2K17 continues to draw to a close.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:21:58 — 56.4MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

Episode #217 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we provide our impressions of the NBA Live 18 Demo and Companion App, share our thoughts on some other NBA Live 18 and NBA 2K18 news items from the past week, and talk about our recent activities on the virtual hardwood.

On this week’s show…

• Shortly after we finished recording last week’s NLSC Podcast, the Companion App for NBA Live 18 was released. How does it compare to the NBA Live 16 app, and how did our face scans turn out?
• The NBA Live 18 Demo is out now. In one of our longest segments to date, we provide some in-depth initial impressions of our first hands-on look at this year’s game from EA Sports.
• NBA Live 18 is now available to pre-order, with a 33% discount on offer. There also appears to be a Deluxe edition of the game, though no further details are available at this time.
• Wrapping up the NBA Live 18 news, the full soundtrack has been released. Notably, some big names have contributed tracks this year.
• The second Developer Diary for NBA 2K18 provided us with a look at the gameplay, as well as an insight into the aesthetic improvements in this year’s game. We also have some hands-on impressions from the community, more screenshots, and mention of amiibo compatibility.
• We’ll be getting another edition of The Prelude before the release of NBA 2K18, but it’s reportedly different to last year’s demo. Naturally, that news invites speculation.
• Episode #217 of the NLSC Podcast wraps up with Our Week in Basketball Gaming, which included a troubleshooting fail (albeit with a happy ending), a brewing rivalry for NLSC THRILLHO, and an elusive PlayStation Trophy.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:45:32 — 72.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

It seems that we’ll be able to get an early look at both NBA Live 18 and NBA 2K18 this year. The NBA Live 18 demo will of course be released this week on August 11th, but Matt Bertz of Game Informer has broken the news that there will be a Prelude demo for NBA 2K18 released in a month’s time, on September 8th.

Last year’s edition of The Prelude followed the college career of Pres, the main character in NBA 2K17’s MyCAREER mode. It concluded with Adam Silver approaching the podium at the 2016 Draft, with all progress made in the demo carrying over to the full version of NBA 2K17. It seems quite likely that this year’s Prelude will be a similar premise, though no specific details are available at this time.

Once again, the demo is only slated for release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Presumably, the companion app will be released in time to scan our faces for use in this year’s Prelude, as was the case last year. Although face scanning was originally going to be limited to the console versions of NBA 2K17, the app ultimately did support the PC version as well, so hopefully that will be the case once again.

As you may have seen on social media, 2K Sports has released another screenshot, featuring cover player Kyrie Irving in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ new uniform. His overall rating has also been revealed to be 90. Check it out below, as well as in our NBA 2K18 screenshots gallery.

The full version of NBA 2K18 will be coming out September 19th, with pre-order customers being able to play it on September 15th as part of the Early Tip-Off Weekend campaign. Got any thoughts on The Prelude, or the latest screenshot? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion taking place here in the Forum.

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Episode #176 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Arcane and I are your hosts this week, and with the imminent release of NBA 2K17, we have some final previews and developer blogs to talk about. We also discuss an issue from the past week that has us a bit riled up, with a couple of profanities slipping through as a result. Just a heads up for anyone who strongly objects to a bit of bad language!

On this week’s show…

• NBA 2K17 is almost here! A new Momentous Trailer marks the occasion; did it hype us up?
• We give our thoughts on The Prelude, from the glimpse at the story to our hands-on impressions of how the game feels on the sticks.
• Face scanning has had mixed results so far, but at least one of us is happy not to be dealing with the PlayStation Camera anymore. There’s also been some good news, as the MyNBA2K17 app will support face scanning for the PC version.
• NBA 2K17 will feature an expanded roster of broadcasters, and dynamic commentary. We certainly like the sound of that.
• Although it’s put an end to an idea we had for a game of MyLEAGUE Online, the developer blog for MyLEAGUE, MyGM, and the aforementioned MLO has delivered some otherwise fantastic news.
• MyTEAM has received some solid improvements in NBA 2K17, but we’re still a bit sceptical about how good the pack odds will be. How honest is that trailer?
• NBA 2K17 has taken a shot at NBA Live (or more specifically, NBA Elite 11) which frankly, we find to be a little petty. We discuss the potshot, and things get a little profane in the process.
• We wrap up Episode #176 of the NLSC Podcast with Our Week in Basketball Gaming. This week, it’s the swansong for the NLSC 2K Pro-Am team in NBA 2K16, some unfinished business in NBA 2K11, and more tales from MyCAREER.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:28:26 — 42.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

The Prelude, the free downloadable preview of MyCAREER in NBA 2K17, is now available worldwide for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

For those who are unaware, The Prelude will allows us to select from a Division I college, play a few games, and raise our Draft stock. It will essentially provide a head start on MyCAREER before NBA 2K17 is released, and reportedly can only be played through once. It also includes the revamped 2KU tutorial mode, featuring Coach K. The newly released MyNBA2K17 app can be used to scan our faces, and immediately start using them for the player we create.

Note that PC gamers will not be able to play The Prelude (unless they also own a PS4 and X1, of course), as it’s a console exclusive. However, the PC version will not be missing out on any of the content that’s in The Prelude, as everything in the downloadable experience is also available in the main game. It’s simply an opportunity to get an early look at the game, and a head start on MyCAREER.

If you’re giving The Prelude a look, feel free to share your impressions in the comments below, as well as in this thread in the NBA 2K17 section of the NLSC Forum.

2K Sports has released the official trailer for MyCAREER in NBA 2K17. As previously noted, this year’s story focuses on a dynamic duo: our MyPLAYER and a player called Justice Young, played by Michael B. Jordan. We’ll be able to assume control of both players out on the court, with the goal of becoming the NBA’s next great tandem.

The trailer gives us a few quick glimpses of various cutscenes, as well as some gameplay from cinematic camera angles, and another look at the player archetypes that will be available in NBA 2K17. It doesn’t give away too much of the story, which will apparently have some more branching options, with choices that matter. For those of us who expressed frustration with the linear nature of “Livin’ Da Dream” in NBA 2K16, this certainly comes as good news.

Check out the MyCAREER trailer below, or catch it here on YouTube if you can’t see the embedded video.

The Prelude is set to drop in a couple of days, so PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gamers will be able to get a head start on (and early look at) MyCAREER in NBA 2K17. Unfortunately, the experience will not be available on PC. The MyNBA2K17 app will also be available this week for Android and iOS devices, so we’ll be able to get our faces into the game ahead of the Early Tip-Off Weekend on September 16th. Once again, its face scanning functionality will not be available for the PC version.

Got any thoughts on the trailer? Share them in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the NBA 2K17 section of the NLSC Forum!

We’re not quite done with the NBA 2K17 developer blogs this week, as Ben Bishop has posted an in-depth look at MyCAREER in this year’s game. He outlines the player archetypes that we’ll be able to select for our MyPLAYERs, revealing that the archetypes and physical attributes will matter in terms of starting ratings and rating caps. From the sounds of things, it will no longer be possible to make a 7’3″ centre with the skills of a point guard, which is also great news for 2K Pro-Am.

This year’s story is focused on a dynamic duo: our MyPLAYER, and a player called Justice Young. The duo’s nickname is “Orange Juice”, and the story itself will be less linear, with choices that result in story branching. We’ll also be able to direct Justice Young to make cuts to the basket or take a shot, or even assume complete control over him. Young is portrayed by actor Michael B. Jordan, while Aaron Covington (Creed) is the story’s writer/director.

Off-day events return from NBA 2K16, and there will be more communication with other players and sponsors through text messages. Players can also stop by your MyCOURT, and MyCOURT is more connected to the story and overall MyCAREER experience. Endorsements will also be available earlier on in your career, and there are exclusive deals. Training has been revamped with new drills, and a “Doin’ Work” meter that earns progress towards levelling up.

Be sure to check out the developer blog for the full scoop on MyCAREER in NBA 2K17. Additionally, a new trailer has been released today, spotlighting the shoes in NBA 2K17. Check it out below, or catch it here on YouTube if you can’t see the embedded video.

As always, feel free to share your impressions in the comments below, as well as in the NBA 2K17 section of the NLSC Forum.

Episode #174 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! The release of NBA 2K17 is getting closer and closer, and once again we’ve got a significant amount of news to cover. We also have some stories to share about the latest exploits of the NLSC squad in 2K Pro-Am, and a trip down memory lane with NBA 2K12.

On this week’s show…

• We tip things off with a discussion about The Prelude, the downloadable experience for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of NBA 2K17 that will preview MyCAREER.
• A recent 2K media day has given us quite a bit of information about NBA 2K17, and a lot of it is very good news. A lot of positive impressions are also coming out of the recent community event.
• At last, we have our first deep-dive developer blog, courtesy of Gameplay Director Mike Wang! The man they call Beluba has given us some very promising information about this year’s game.
• How optimistic and hyped are we for NBA 2K17, just a couple of weeks away from the Early Tip-Off Weekend?
• In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: a goal is achieved by the NLSC squad in 2K Pro-Am. Also, some unfinished business is finally completed in NBA 2K12.
• We wrap up another episode with our new favourite game, Trivia Time! The score is close, and we have a fresh new batch of questions for at least the next six weeks.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:32:08 — 45.0MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.