NBA 2K21 PS5 Gameplay Reveal Makes Surprisingly Strong Case For Ray Tracing

The first next-gen gameplay trailer for NBA 2K21 has made its glossy debut, showing what the upcoming sports game will look like running on PlayStation 5 and (presumably) Xbox Series X/S hardware thanks to ray tracing and other graphical improvements. The title has already launched for current-gen systems, with the title receiving mixed reviews from critics for its failure to innovate. However, the upraded version is expected to include significant improvements thanks to more advanced components and greater processing power.

Ray tracing has been one of the most discussed features of the upcoming gaming console generation, and for good reason. True to the name, it’s a technically demanding process that aims to realistically simulate how light works in a virtual environment. 2K Sports has previously confirmed that ray tracing will be one of the main (and few) big improvements to the next-gen edition of NBA 2K21, promising that the game has been built from the ground up for the new hardware and software suites that solid state drives and better GPUs allow for.

Developer and publisher 2K Sports has released the first gameplay footage of NBA 2K21 running on next-gen hardware. The company posted a reveal video to YouTube earlier today, showing off what the basketball title looks like running on the PlayStation 5. According to the description accompanying the trailer, the footage has been captured directly from the next-gen system. It’s clear from the reveal that NBA 2K21 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S will look significantly better than it does on current-gen consoles. In particular, the ray tracing effects in the title are evident, with the reflections on the court looking very impressive.

NBA 2K21 has been one of the most controversial games of the year. While sports games are usually pretty innocuous, this basketball sim has drawn the ire of fans in recent times. This is largely down to the fact that the next-gen version isn’t a free upgrade. Instead, players will have to spend $70 to play the game on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S thanks to a $10 price hike. Despite the controversy, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has insisted that the extra expense is justified considering the added work needed to produce such a high quality next-gen experience, and the price hike the publisher seeks might become standard soon.

Seeing how much better NBA 2K21 looks on next-generation hardware compared to the already released version puts into perspective the extra power available in both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. If all games are able to use ray tracing as effectively as this game, then upcoming games for the new consoles should certainly impress most players. The improvement also supports the publisher’s stance of increasing the price of the game for the next-gen systems, demonstrating how much extra detail has gone into the presentation.

NBA 2K21 is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, and PC, and it will launch on Xbox Series X/S on November 10, 2020 and come to PS5 on November 12.

Source: 2K Sports

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Nathan P. Gibson
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Nathan is a freelance writer with a passion for video games. He has contributed to a variety of outlets over the last five years and has written everything from breaking news stories to reviews of AAA games.

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