NBA 2K21 Decrypting the Latest Clues: Hints at Modified Neighborhood, NCAA/College Mode, & More

With the NBA 2K21 news hype train picking up speed, NBA 2K influencers revealed today that 2K sent them exclusive NBA 2K21 boxes, with cards of censored clues hinting of features and info on the upcoming game.

In the box were 3 cards with different messages:

Card 1) “Get Ready You Are Invited”
Card 2) “The Next Generation’s Different” (summarized)
Card 3) “We’re Sending you a New PS5 Console Holiday 2020”

We break down what each card confirms and may indicate below:

Card 1) “Get Ready You Are Invited”

“NBA 2K21 COVER ATHLETE ANNOUNCEMENT – JULY ___ 2020
2K DAY – SEPTEMBER __ 2020
NBA 2K NEXT LEVEL – HOLIDAYS 2020

So this confirms that the NBA 2K21 Cover Athlete(s) will be revealed in July 2020, the release date for Current-Gen will be in September 2020, and that the release date for Next Gen will be Holidays 2020.

Card 2) “The Next Generation’s Different”

“THE NEXT GENERATION’S DIFFERENT.
2K21 IS CHANGING THE GAME.

WANT TO GET TO THE BIG STAGE?
MAJOR IN AERODYNAMICS OR MAKE A SPLASH IN THE G-.
FEEL THE ENERGY OF A SOLD-OUT CROWD.
THEN MAKE THEIR NIGHT OR RUIN IT WITH A BUZZER BEATER.
YOU’RE ABOUT TO SEE THE GAME FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE.
GET READY

WAIT, YOU THOUGHT WE FORGOT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD?
IT’S THE REDACTED NOW”

TRANSLATION (Unconfirmed):

THE NEXT GENERATION’S DIFFERENT.
2K21 IS CHANGING THE GAME.
This obviously referes to Next-Gen Xbox Series X and PS5

WANT TO GET TO THE BIG STAGE?
Want to make it to the NBA?

MAJOR IN AERODYNAMICS OR MAKE A SPLASH IN THE G.
Go to college or go to the NBA G League, which could be full-fledged modes.

FEEL THE ENERGY OF A SOLD-OUT CROWD.
This could refer to gameplay itself and/or some type of progression of events that equate to bigger crowds, such as the NCAA March Madness Tournament and Final Four, or making it to the ‘Big Stage’, aka the NBA.

THEN MAKE THEIR NIGHT OR RUIN IT WITH A BUZZER BEATER.
This seems to refer to home and away games, which could either signify NCAA home and away games and a schedule, rivalries, or making it to the NBA.

YOU’RE ABOUT TO SEE THE GAME FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE.
This can indicate the perspective of the come-up athlete, or perhaps First Person Mode or Virtual Reality perspective with Next-Gen?

GET READY
Get Ready

WAIT, YOU THOUGHT WE FORGOT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD?
IT’S THE (REDACTED) NOW

“It’s the ______ now”. “Redacted” “refers to any kind revising or editing that makes a document better, usually for publication” according to dictionaries. We don’t know what will replace it, but we expect the Neighborhood to definitely be re-imagined to be something else and to have a completely different shape and format to it for NBA 2K21. This could indicate making the multiplayer online world even bigger or morphed into something else, with features like multiple environments/worlds, affiliations, lifestyle elements like houses, cars / vehicles, other amenities, activities, and more.

Card 3) “We’re Sending you a New PS5 Console Holiday 2020”

NBA 2K influencers will be getting a PS5 courtesy of 2K, but more importantly, this confirms Holiday 2020 as a definite release date period for NBA 2K21 on Next-Gen.

What else do you think the new NBA 2K21 info means? Post in the comments below!

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