Why it matters: The last three PC editions of NBA 2K have been lackluster compared to consoles, which have received graphical enhancements and new gameplay features. Offering last-gen updates on PC is likely necessary to accommodate users with low-end systems, but FIFA on PC reached current-gen parity last year, while Madden will do so this year.
Visual Concepts and 2K Games have revealed details for NBA 2K24, and it will likely be another disappointment for PC players. Upgraded graphics, new gameplay elements, and cross-play will be exclusive to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series versions. The webpage highlighting this year's content and upcoming features avoids mentioning the PC version entirely. The game's primary addition is ProPLAY, which will use real NBA footage to provide a generational leap in the game's animation quality.
Although this will be the fourth entry to release on current-gen consoles, NBA 2K24 will be the first to include cross-play between PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series in all game modes. This functionality didn't make it to PC. Moreover, last year's PC port lacked some of the career mode features from the current-gen consoles, and the latest version will likely be no different in that respect.
Whenever sports simulation franchises transition between console generations, the developer usually waits an extra year or two to bring new features to the PC version, essentially treating them like last-gen console owners. When the upgrade does come, it causes a dramatic increase in minimum system requirements, negatively affecting the significant number of users playing on modest hardware.
For the NBA 2K series, this last occurred with 2K15, and 2K24's requirements are very similar to its nine-year-old predecessor. The recommended spec lists decade-old chips like the Intel i5-4430 and the Nvidia GeForce GTX 770. The only potentially significant hurdle is the 110 GB storage requirement. The upside is that, like 2K23, this year's entry should have no trouble running on the Steam Deck or other recent handheld gaming PCs.
However, holding the PC version back for four years is excessive. Even NBA 2K15 system parity with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions only one year after those consoles debuted. More recently, EA's FIFA 23 ended its two-year lag last year, and Madden 24 will catch up this year.
NBA 2K24 launches September 8 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series consoles, and Nintendo Switch. The PC version costs $59.99, while the PS5 and Xbox Series editions are $69.99.