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NBA 2K23 Guide: Release Date, Pricing, Gameplay
The highly anticipated release date for NBA 2K23 has officially been confirmed as September 9th, 2022. Devin Booker has been unveiled as the cover athlete for the standard edition, with Michael Jordan as the cover athlete for special edition versions of the game that include extra features – such as a 12-month subscription to NBA League Pass, and more outlined below.
In this NBA 2K23 Guide
Most recently, NBA 2K23 gameplay details have been revealed alongside the new City with redesigned affiliations, a host of new arenas, and a faster travelling experience. We detailed all the ins and outs of the changes in our gameplay feature article including changes to the MyPlayer builder, badge system, dribbling, dunking, shooting, and AI capabilities. It’s going to be a big year for 2K23 so let’s check out everything you need to know.
Related: We sat down with Josh Giddey to talk about why he’s the sophomore to watch this season.
Image: NBA 2K
NBA 2K23 Release Date
The release date for the 24th instalment of the best-selling basketball game, NBA 2K23, is confirmed to release on September 9th, 2022.
Since the release of NBA 2K on November 10th 1999, we’ve seen release dates land anywhere between September and November, with last year’s game, NBA 2K22, releasing on September 10th, 2021. The earliest release date for any NBA 2K game was NBA 2K20 that released on September 6th, 2019. Every NBA 2K game since 2K16 has been released during the month of September but with the release of NBA 2K23 on September 9th it means players will have even more time to grind their players, alongside cover athlete Michal Jordan’s ‘Jordan Challenges’.
NBA 2K23 Standard Edition cover (Left) and Digital Edition cover (Right)
NBA 2K23 Cover Athletes
Devin Booker
NBA 2K has confirmed Devin Booker will star as the cover athlete for standard editions of NBA 2K23 across all platforms. The Phoenix Suns shooting guard is a three-time NBA All-Star and was chosen on the 2021-22 Kia All-NBA First Team. His Phoenix Suns look to return next season as one of the favourites to win the NBA Championship.
“It’s a dream come true to see myself on the cover of NBA 2K… I’ve been a huge NBA 2K fan since I was a kid, and it’s surreal to finally join the exclusive club of basketball greats who’ve been cover athletes. I’m also honoured to share this year’s covers with the iconic Michael Jordan, who changed the game for all players who came after him, as well as two of the all-time WNBA GOATs, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, who continue to make a huge impact on the game,” said Devin Booker.
Michael Jordan
It goes without saying that the numbers ’23’ are associated with only one man, ‘His Airness’ Michael Jordan. For the 24th instalment of NBA 2K, Michael Jordan will star again as the cover athlete for two special editions of NBA 2K23. No man embodies this year’s campaign theme ‘Answer the Call’ more than MJ, and the six-time champion will appear on both covers of the NBA 2K23 Michael Jordan Edition and the ultra-premium NBA 2K23 Championship Edition. Neither are available on Nintendo Switch.
“After making 23 the most recognizable number in sports, it was only fitting that for NBA 2K23 we introduce the Michael Jordan Edition,” said Alfie Brody, Vice President of Global Marketing Strategy for NBA 2K. “Additionally, we’re thrilled to introduce a brand new premium edition of the game with the NBA 2K23 Championship Edition, as no other player embodies the word ‘champion’ like Jordan. This limited-edition version will also offer players the opportunity to catch on-court action throughout the season with a 12-month subscription to NBA League Pass included. We look forward to celebrating this game with the community on September 9.”‘
Image: NBA 2K
NBA 2K23 Player Ratings
NBA 2K has revealed the top player ratings for NBA 2K23 with Giannis Antetokounmpo taking out top honours as the highest-rated player in NBA 2K23 with a 97 overall. The following five players, including Lebron James and Kevin Durant, were all ranked 96 overall. We’ve rounded up all of the player’s ratings, including Australian NBA player ratings, best 3pt shooter ratings, and rookie player ratings in our guide linked below.
NBA 2K23 The City
In its final announcement before release, NBA 2K has detailed everything there is to know about the City. Fans will be happy to know that the new city is 30 per cent smaller than before with reduced travel times thanks to a new subway system, and seamless integration of MyCAREER mode by way of a new Arena.
The developers have brought Rec, Pro-am, Ante-up and other multiplayer online game modes into one place with ‘The Block’ as well as introduced a new arcade-style arena called ‘The Theater’ that includes everything from double rep game modes to competitive 3v3 matchups. We’ve detailed all changes to NBA 2K23 ‘The City’ below. Did we mention they’ve completely redesigned every affiliation borough? You better check it out!
NBA 2K23 Game Modes
MyTeam
The full details of NBA 2K23 MyTeam have been revealed, and the biggest news is that contracts are no longer a factor for players to consider. That’s right, contracts have been removed from MyTeam entirely. While that’s been the biggest news to come out of the reveal, a host of game modes, gameplay features, and rewards are set to arrive. This includes a new Triple Threat Online Co-Op mode where players will be able to team up (or play against) friends in a competitive or casual online setting.
Seasons remain, but rewards have been reconfigured with new ways to earn Pink Diamonds, Galaxy Opals, and even Dark Matter players through the Trophy Case. A passive mode called ‘Exhibition’ has also been added and sees cards in your collection travel to countries around the world before returning with rewards. Is this going to be the biggest MyTeam year ever? Check out our guide below and we’ll let you decide.
MyCareer
NBA 2K has detailed the changes for 2K23 MyCareer. This year you’ll be drafted straight into the NBA, but not everyone thinks you’re the superstar your team needs. In a media session with executive producer Erick Boenisch last week, he explained how your player is going to be the most hated in your franchise after the team chose to draft you over a breakout franchise player called Shep.
“They wanted Shep the college star, he’s a flashy athletic guy, he’s charismatic. You’ll find that as soon as you go out into The City, the people of The City wanted Shep, too,” he said.
NBA 2K22 introduced a host of sidequests into the game, however, it wasn’t welcomed by fans, who after grinding through an NBA game then had to skate around The City and complete side quests related to fashion and music. This year’s game keeps those two pillars going and waves goodbye to rapper The Game in favor of J. Cole and his ‘Dreamville’ Records crew, but Boenisch assured the media that the experience would be “much improved from last year.”
Expect to spot a handful of celebrities along the way with hip-hop singer-songwriter and producer J. Cole leading the way, alongside his Dreamville Records label. Boenisch also confirmed that Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett and seven-time all-star Tracy McGrady will show up to mentor your MyPlayer while Kendrick Perkins returns with an even larger role to play in driving the story narrative. The trailer seen above also hints at commentary from ESPN sharpshooter J.J. Redick and cover star Devin Booker.
More information about the NBA 2K23 MyCareer mode can be found via the link below, including a list of the globally renowned artists whose music will be played at launch.
The Jordan Challenge
Those who were lucky enough to play 2K11 (we played it on Nintendo Wii, don’t ask) would remember the 10 Jordan Challenges that were some of the most challenging offline games we’ve seen in the 2K franchise. Consequentially, they were also some of the most fun.
All 10 of the original Challenges from NBA 2K11 have been completely rebuilt from the ground up and will make their return this year – alongside five new iconic Jordan moments. The resulting 15 Jordan Challenges will have three goals per game with one star rewarded per goal, unlock 40 stars and you’ll be rewarded with a unique item for MyTeam and MyCareer. The challenges will be accompanied by commentary from NBA legends such as Kareem Abdul Jabar, Jordan’s teammates such as Dennis Rodman, and even coach Phil Jackson.
More details on the authentic changes made to player experience and gameplay can be found in our full breakdown article via the link below.
MyNBA
The details for NBA 2K23’s ‘MyNBA’ game mode have been announced with era-specific seasons being included for the first time in franchise history. Players will now be able to select from four different eras when starting a new ‘MyNBA’ season, these include.
- The Magic vs. Bird Era, starts in 1983.
- The Jordan Era, starts in 1991.
- The Kobe Era, starts in 2022.
- The Modern Era, is the current version of MyNBA.
Each game era will be paired with specific commentary, courts, advertising, and rules that are very similar to those discussed in our in-depth ‘The Jordan Challenge’ article above. Most importantly, rosters, teams, and mergers will be automatically updated as your play through the MyNBA seasons (up to 80 seasons). More information on the NBA 2K23 MyNBA game mode can be found in our feature article below.
NBA 2K23 Gameplay
We’ve outlined the gameplay changes of NBA 2K23 in our feature article linked below, but here’s a quick rundown of the biggest changes made to gameplay this year.
What’s shaping up to be more than a simple reset of NBA 2K22, the developers have gone all out and completely reworked key aspects of the game. These include the badge system, pro stick controls (now with double throws) and defense with improved shot contests and a new shot blocking mechanic with better targeting. Controllable rim hands have also been added into the game and can be modified with the left stick and further with the right stick to pull your player up on the ring.
The developers have also added more realistic dunk animations for players such as Ja Morant and more than twice the number of jump shot animations. These new jump animations will lead to one of the biggest changes each individual jump shot will now have its own unique shooting stats – Mike Wang has detailed pre-imminent details of what they might look like in a document linked here. In terms of custom jump shots, he says “the custom shot you create will generate attributes and a shot rating requirement based on the components you use to build the shot.”
The Gameplay Trailer
We’ve rounded up a list of things you might’ve missed from the gameplay trailer below.
- Layups appear to be improved (still a rumour), although the animations appear to be the same as in 2K22.
- Improved bench celebrations, far more realistic and better for MyCareer.
- New face scans for Lebron James, Devin Booker, and Ime Udoka (coach).
- New hairstyle for Dillion Brooks, Wesley Matthews, Jordan Poole, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Anthony Edwards.
- New halftime show, the Jabbawockeez are seen performing at halftime.
- New Nike sneakers including Kobe 4 and 5 with Devin Booker’s “Be Legendary’ marker on the toebox.
- New ‘flopping’ animation is seen on PJ Tucker as he guards Giannis’ drive to the paint.
- Ja Morant gets his signature contact dunk (maybe more?), including enhanced camera flashes.
- Jordan Poole gets a new face scan, it’s the first time we’ve seen the ‘tongue out’ celebration outside of Michal Jordan.
- Steph Curry gets a new jump shot celebration (legs spread), and the ‘night night’ celebration is added.
- The ‘Griddy’ celebration is added to the game, seen on Ja Morant in the gameplay trailer.
At the end of the trailer, we also see that PS5 users will be given access to exclusive MyTeam Challenges. The fine print confirms that these will be available every season through September 1, 2023. Notice anything else in the gameplay trailer? Let us know.
More details on NBA 2K23 gameplay can be found in the article below.
NBA 2K23 Price Guide and Editions
Pricing has been revealed for NBA 2K23 ‘Championship Edition’ and ‘Michael Jordan Edition’ with the most expensive ‘Championship Edition’ version of the game costing $240 AUD and offering a competitive advantage of 10% XP Boost on MyTEAM and MyCAREER Season Progression. The price for the standard edition of the game is yet to be revealed.
Championship Edition
The Championship Edition of NBA 2K23 will cost $240 AUD and include the following;
- NBA 2K23 full game
- 12-Month NBA League Pass subscription
- In-Game Michael Jordan-Themed Go-Kart
- 10% XP Boost on MyTEAM and MyCAREER Season Progression
- Dual-Gen entitlement (same console family)
- 100K Virtual Currency
- 10K MyTEAM Points
- 10 MyTEAM Tokens
- Ruby Michael Jordan MyTEAM Cards
- 23 MyTEAM Promo Packs (Receive 10 at launch plus an Amethyst topper pack, then 2 per week for 6 weeks)
- Free Agent Option MyTEAM Pack
- Diamond Jordan Shoe MyTEAM card
- Ruby Coach Card MyTEAM Pack
- 10 Boosts for each MyCAREER Skill Boost type
- 10 Boosts for each Gatorade Boost type
- 4 Cover Athlete T-Shirts for your MyPLAYER
- MyPLAYER backpack and arm sleeve
- Custom-design skateboard for MyPLAYER
- One 2-Hr Double XP Coin
Michael Jordan Edition
The Michael Jordan Edition of NBA 2K23 will cost $149.95 AUD and include the following;
- NBA 2K23 full game
- Dual-Gen entitlement (same console family)
- 100K Virtual Currency
- 10K MyTEAM Points
- 10 MyTEAM Tokens
- Ruby Michael Jordan MyTEAM Cards
- 23 MyTEAM Promo Packs (Receive 10 at launch plus an Amethyst topper pack, then 2 per week for 6 weeks)
- Free Agent Option MyTEAM Pack
- Diamond Jordan Shoe MyTEAM card
- Ruby Coach Card MyTEAM Pack
- 10 Boosts for each MyCAREER Skill Boost type
- 10 Boosts for each Gatorade Boost type
- 4 Cover Athlete T-Shirts for your MyPLAYER
- MyPLAYER backpack and arm sleeve
- Custom-design skateboard for MyPLAYER
- One 2-Hr Double XP Coin
Digital Deluxe Edition
The NBA 2K23 Digital Deluxe Edition will cost $129.95 AUD and offers cross-platform play with extra including;
- 10K MyTEAM Points
- 10 MyTEAM Tokens
- 23 MyTEAM Promo Packs
- MYTEAM Cover Star Players: Sapphire Devin Booker, Ruby Michael Jordan
- Free Agent Option Pack
- 1 Diamond Jordan Shoe (non-auctionable)
- 1 Ruby Coach Card Pack
- 10x 6 types of MyCAREER Skill Boosts
- 10x 3 types of Gatorade Boosts
- 2-hour Double XP Coin
- 4x MyCAREER T-Shirts, Backpack, Cover Star Skateboard, and Arm Sleeves.
Standard Edition
The NBA 2k23 Standard Edition will cost $99.95 AUD for Playstation 4 and Xbox One, and $119.95 AUD on Playstation 5 and Xbox Series S/X. No extras are included in this version of the game.
NBA 2K23 Pre Order
Pre-orders for NBA 2K23 are currently live through all major gaming retailers in Australia, such as EB Games, JB Hi-Fi, Big W, and The Gamesmen.
Bonus content for Pre-order versions of the game can vary between retailers, however, the following is outlined by EB Games.
- 5K Virtual Currency
- 5K MyTEAM Points
- 10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week)
- A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type
- A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type
- EB EXCLUSIVE 2,000 Virtual Currency
- EB EXCLUSIVE 95-Rated Nikola Jokic
- EB EXCLUSIVE New Era Hat for MyCAREER
Preorders are open for all consoles, including Playstation 5, Xbox Series S/X, Playstation 4, and Xbox One.
EB Games JB Hi-Fi Big W The Gamesmen
Image: NBA 2K23 Standard Edition
Image: NBA 2K23 Digital Edition
Image: NBA 2K
Image: NBA 2K
General FAQ
What is the NBA 2K23 release date?
NBA 2K23 has officially been confirmed to release on September 9th, 2022.
When do NBA 2K23 Pre-Orders open?
NBA 2K23 pre-orders will begin on July 7, 2022.
Will NBA 2K23 Jordan Challenges be playable on the standard edition?
NBA 2K23 Jordan Challenges will be playable on the standard edition of the game as they're game modes and not exclusive to the 'Championship Edition'.
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Ben McKimm
Ben lives in Sydney, Australia. He has a Bachelor's Degree (Media, Technology and the Law) from Macquarie University (2020). Outside of his studies, he has spent the last decade heavily involved in the automotive, technology and fashion world. Turning his passion and expertise into a Journalist position at Man of Many where he continues to write about everything that interests the modern man. Conducting car reviews on both the road and track, hands-on reviews of cutting-edge technology and employing a vast knowledge in the space of fashion and sneakers to his work. One day he hopes to own his own brand.
