'NBA 2K17' Preview, Trailer and Release Date: Upcoming Game Boasts Dream Team, Improved Graphics and Gameplay
For 2K Sports, authenticity is the name of the game—and so is legacy.
With the release date of "NBA 2K17" drawing nearer, fans get bit by bit a taste of the new game environment as it gets realer. Improved coach and player faces, body types and even lighting are just some of the key changes included in the new title.
New faces in new places
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Following their tradition over the past years, 2K Sports has already released several previews of the game. These included screenshots of some American basketball superstars in their virtual form, prompting fans to compare the new models to previous versions.
One observation was that the body types, which was one of the most requested changes, were given an upgrade, adding the unique physiques of Draymond Green, Kevin Durant, Charles Barkley and David Robinson as shown in the trailer.
Incidentally, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant were also featured by 2K in official preview screenshots. Durant's model was slimmed down as opposed to NBA 2K16, donning his new Golden State Warriors jersey.
His teammate for next season, Draymond Green, was featured in the latest and final player screenshot, having a more toned and downsized body and an improved face render.
A better-looking team
Other team stars have made the cut in the screenshots as well. The first of them was Paul George, whose breakthrough season after injury struggles earned his model a nod in the muscle department, as well as much more detailed body textures and a darker skin tone.
Moreover, Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns, Bulls star Jimmy "G Buckets" Butler, Pistons bigman Andre Drummond, and Kyrie Irving, who hit the dagger three en route to Cleveland's first NBA title, all got body, face and skin tone updates.
These screenshots come with the speculation that the featured players would all be part of Team 2K, a playable in-game fictional team.
Homage to the legends
Team 2K, however, is not the only addition to the new game roster. The 1992 Dream Team also joins the crew in the official trailer, battling against the 2016 US Olympic Team.
Not only that—as mentioned above, Suns legend Charles Barkley will be playable for the first time, after refusing to be included in the "NBA's Greatest" mode in the 2K12 title.
2K had also announced earlier that 5-time champion and retired Laker star Kobe Bryant would be featured on the cover of the "Legends" special edition of the game, fresh off his final game in April. Paul George, meanwhile, will grace the cover of the standard version.
"NBA 2K17" is set to hit the shelves on September 20, 2016 for PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.
