NBA 2K23 will be the latest iteration in the world's premiere (and basically only) basketball sim. As with every instalment since 2K21, 2K23 will once again come to both last-gen and current-gen hardware. And if you're excited to play, here are the things you need to know beforehand.
nba 2k23 banner
Preorder Bonuses
As with every other 2K release since the dawn of... well, everything, you're going to get bonuses when you preorder 2K23 early. And each edition will have different bonuses, as expected. Here's what you could expect from each edition, as shared by WCCFTech:
Digital Edition ($59.99 for Last-Gen and PC, $69.99 for Next-Gen)
- 5000 VC
- 5000 MyTEAM Points
- 10 MyTEAM Promo Packages (1 package delivered per week)
- One upgrade for each MyCAREER type
- One upgrade for each type of Gatorade upgrade
- Devin Booker MyPLAYER kit
- FREE Agent DevinBooker MyTEAM Card valued at 95
- EXCLUSIVE: 2000 VC and 1 MyTEAM pack if you pre-order from Amazon.
Michael Jordan Edition ($99.99 for All platforms)
- 100,000 VC
- 10,000 MyTEAM points
- 10 MyTEAM tokens
- Ruby Michael Jordan and Sapphire Devin Booker MyTEAM cards
- 23 MyTEAM Promo Packs (10 at launch day plus extra Amethyst pack, then two packs delivered per week for a total of six weeks)
- Free Agent MyTEAM option package
- Diamond Jordan Shoe MyTEAM card
- Ruby Coach My TEAM card package
- 10 upgrades for each MyCAREER type
- 10 upgrades for each type of Gatorade upgrade
- 4 Athlete cover T-shirt for your MyPLAYER
- MyPLAYER backpack and armband
- Personalized skateboard for MyPLAYER
- A 2 hour Double XP token
Championship Edition ($149.99 for All Platforms)
With the Championship Edition, you get all of the perks of the Michael Jordan Edition, but with two more freebies:
- MJ themed go-kart
- XP boost 10% on progress in MyTEAM and MyCAREER
The official NBA 2K23 release date is set for September 9th globally, barring any future delays (we doubt there will be, though).
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NBA 2K23 Gameplay Additions
Perhaps the biggest addition to this year's NBA 2K is the return of the vaunted Jordan Challenge, which was first seen way back in 2K11. Here is the reveal trailer for the returning Jordan Challenge mode, which features several of the most iconic games from the iconic basketball legend's career:
As you can see there, here are some of the games you could expect to play within the Jordan Challenge:
- "The Arrival": 63 points vs the legendary 1986 Boston Celtics in the playoffs
- "Got Next": Jordan's amateur (collegiate) Olympic team plays against NBA stars
- "The Shrug": Jordan hits six threes in the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Finals
These are just three of 15 total challenges that you'll get to play in the Jordan Challenge mode, which is one of the most anticipated aspects of NBA 2K23's gameplay this year. Aside from that, it looks like all games in the mode will have a retro screen filter on them to further enhance the experience.
These filters will make you feel as if you're watching a live broadcast of Jordan's games from the 80s and 90s - something that hasn't been seen in the franchise's retro modes since NBA 2K12's Greatest Players mode.
To cap things off, 2K promises a few other NBA 2K23 gameplay tweaks and additions for this year. According to the NBA 2K blog, players can expect upgraded combo moves to the Pro Stick that affect how you finish dunks, layups, and other shots.
The Pro Stick upgrades also affect dribbling animations too, as expected. But dribbling is a little different this year, as NBA 2K23 will no longer allow you to dribble too much with one player. Spamming dribble moves will make the offensive player's stamina much, much quicker, affecting their overall explosiveness and quickness for the rest of the possession. Here's a video describing how it works:
What About PC?
As with 2K21 and 2K22, PC players are once again left in the dust with 2K23's last-gen version being the version to be released on PC. But hey, there's still mods.
Either way, running 2K23 on PC looks to be not too hard if you have a computer that has been built during the last ten years or so:
Minimum System Requirements
- CPU: Intel Core i3-2100/AMD FX 4100 or better
- GPU: NVIDIA GT 450/ATI Radeon HD 7770 or better
- RAM: 4GB
- DirectX version: DX11
- Storage: 110 GB available space
- OS: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 (all 64-bit)
Recommended System Requirements
- CPU: Intel Core i5-4430/AMD FX 8370
- GPU: NVIDIA GTX 770/AMD R9 270 or better
- RAM: 8GB
- DirectX version: DX11
- Storage: 110 GB available space
- OS: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 (all 64-bit)
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