NBA 2K24 will feature crossplay for the first time in the series

Visual Concepts president Greg Thomas revealed that the long-awaited crossplay functionality between Xbox and PlayStation has been included for the first time in the history of the basketball franchise alongside the title’s cover star.

The details:

• Following the announcement that legendary Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant would appear on the cover of this year's NBA 2K release, Thomas confirmed that the title would include the highly requested crossplay feature. "As we celebrate 25 years of NBA 2K with Kobe Bryant, we commemorate his legacy and the generational impact he has had on the game of basketball," Thomas said. "While we mark the history of the franchise, NBA 2K24 also looks ahead to the future to bring an innovative leap in technology and the introduction of community-requested features like crossplay." A trailer promoting the feature has also leaked online.
• 2K24 will be available on last and current-generation consoles as well as PC, but crossplay will most likely be limited to those playing the "complete" version of the game on PS5 and Xbox Series consoles. While some may have expected PC crossplay, it appears that 2K has decided to port the last-gen version of the title to the platform, as with previous releases. This has irritated some fans, particularly those who only play on PC, who point out that even EA's Madden franchise is releasing the current-gen version on PC this time around.
• Pre-orders for the game are now available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch in three editions: standard, Kobe Bryant, and Black Mamba. The late Kobe Bryant has appeared on the cover of NBA 2K for the fourth time, including his appearance on the cover of the "Mamba Forever edition" of 2K21 following his death in early 2020. It appears that 2K may have chosen the Lakers legend as the cover star as his second jersey number was 24, similar to how former Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan was chosen for last year's release with a jersey number of 23.

Other upcoming games:

• Erling Haaland of Manchester City will reportedly appear on the cover of EA's newly rebranded soccer title, EA Sports FC, which is set to release in September. It will also reportedly have a closed beta period prior to release, with Ultimate Edition owners getting access to the full game a week early.
• Ubisoft has announced that Assassin's Creed Mirage will include an interactive "History of Baghdad" mode that will enable players to learn about the game's setting's real-life history. As players progress through the game's main storyline, they will unlock new areas within the mode, allowing them to explore the locations without fear of enemies or objectives.