How "NBA 2K21" Graphics on PS5 and Xbox Series X Compare With PS4/Xbox One

The sweat. It's beautiful.

If you weren’t wowed by the visual jump from NBA 2K20 to 2K21 on the PS4 or Xbox One, prepare for your tongue to fall right out of your head, because the next-gen trailer for 2K21 on PS5 and Xbox Series X is here.

And it reveals a leap like no other.

According to Visual Concepts, a 2K Studio, 2K21 has been "built from the ground-up" to take advantage of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X’s "incredible power, speed and technology". (We can only pray this includes a reconfiguing of the shot function too.)

Now, we could explain how all the, um, y’know, pixels, and ahem, technological doohickeys in the background have allowed them to reach this next peak in realistic basketball gaming...

But instead, why not just watch exhibition gameplay between the Golden State Warriors (hmm, not our first choice for a demo team!) and the Dallas Mavericks?

If you need more convincing, here's how Zion looks across the two generations of consoles.

YouTubers have been comparing the gameplay footage on their own as well.

So, here’s everything 2K is promising (besides more sweat), per their press release.

• An eye-popping leap in graphical advancements: next-gen lighting, textures, physics, animations, and more that push NBA 2K21’s visual presentation to the bleeding edge;
• Rebuilt player movement and player impact, driven by new on-court animation and collision engines that make for a smoother, tougher game;
• The entire arena comes to life, with more than 150 unique AI-driven characters interacting seamlessly to create a ground-breaking Lower Bowl experience;
• An expanded soundtrack with 202 songs at launch and more to come.

"150 unique AI-driven characters interacting" in the arena?! Sounds unreal. But more unreal than what we’re seeing in the bubble right now?

Time will tell. (But seriously: please give us an AI Obama in the crowd for 2K22.)

NBA 2K21 will be available on November 10 for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S globally, November 12 for PlayStation 5 in the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, and November 19 for PlayStation 5 in all other regions.

NBA 2K21 is now available on PS4 and Xbox One. (Affiliate disclosure: Student Edge may earn a commission if you click that link and buy a product from our partner's page.)

Read More:

Here's How to Shoot in NBA 2K21 (Including Stepbacks and Layups)

Here’s How to Dunk in NBA 2K21 (Because We Can’t Do It In Real Life)

Here's How to Defend in NBA 2K21 (From Steals to Flops to Intentional Fouls)

Here’s How to Do Dribble Moves in NBA 2K21 (Including Crossovers and Spins)

Here's How to Pump Fake and Fake Pass in NBA 2K21 (to Better Embarrass Your Opponents)

Here’s How to Eurostep in NBA 2K21 (So You Can Play Like a Fancy European)

How to Trade Players in NBA 2K21 (and Get Whoever You Want, Whenever You Want)

How to Get Bonus VC and MyTEAM Packs in NBA 2K21

Header Image: 2K Games