NBA 2K21 made its next-gen debut last year, giving fans one of the best-looking basketball games ever made, while the gameplay was solid, albeit with a number of annoying in-game purchases hampering the overall release, so you can see why fans are excited for this year’s NBA 2K22, which will likely come to both current-gen and next-gen consoles, hopefully with less of those annoying microtransactions.
Since 2K Games has been consistent with their NBA video games, there’s a very good chance that NBA 2K22 will be coming out this year with no problems, so fans shouldn’t have to worry about any delays unless anything drastic happens to the development, though the acquisition of HookBang should ensure that nothing bad happens to this game.
Read More: NBA 2K22 Wishlist: What We Want From This Year's Game
Release Date: When Is NBA 2K22 Coming Out?
It looks like NBA 2K22 will be released on September 10, 2022, for both current consoles (PS5, Xbox Series S/X) and last-generation consoles (PS4, Xbox One). The game will also likely be coming to PC and Google Stadia.
Pre-orders are now LIVE, head over here for every edition available to pre-order right now.
Who Will Be The NBA 2K22 Cover Star?
This year, it'll be Luka Dončić that graces the Standard and Cross-Gen versions of 2K's basketball title as the annual cover star.
You can see his mocap session below:
The 75th Anniversary Edition, celebrating the NBA's big birthday, will feature Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dirk Nowitzski, and Kevin Durant in a star-studded cover.
Check out the trio speaking about their time in the NBA below:
Will NBA 2K22 Have Any New Gameplay Features?
Here's everything new, as per the Courtside Report:
Gameplay – On-court gameplay movements will give players more control on how they score the ball to improve offensive moves and combos and how they counter those moves on the defensive end.
Seasons – Across fan-favorite experiences, Seasons will allow players to extend and enhance their hoop ambitions long after the game’s launch with more content, more rewards, and more ways to play.
MyTEAM – An evolved experience gives MyTEAM players more ways to build and compete with their own dream teams. New challenges, rewards, and events make every Season fresh and unique.
New City* – The biggest online basketball community is getting a makeover. Step into an all-new City teeming with life, activity, and interactivity.
New Neighborhood – On PlayStation®4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms, players will compete in an all-new Neighborhood built on the spacious decks of a sailing cruise ship.
MyCAREER – The all-new City and MyCAREER become one in a ground-breaking narrative experience on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles.
MyNBA & MyWNBA – Build a winning franchise by making sure the staffing is just as strong as the hooping.
Will NBA 2K22 Get Free Next-Gen Upgrades?
It isn't yet clear if you will be able to get a free upgrade for the next-generation version of NBA 2K22.
For NBA 2K21 you had to pay an extra amount, so we wouldn't be too surprised if this is the same for this year's entry.