Surprise NBA 2K16 Release Details Arrive

Gamers looking to get their hands on NBA 2K16, one of this year’s most hotly anticipated video game launches, won’t need to wait until release day to experience the game’s new modes and changes. In fact, new NBA 2K16 release details indicate any gamer bold enough to pre-order their copy ahead of launch day will get complete access to the game a whopping five days before it’s available to everyone else.

2K Games announced the early play time in a post about NBA 2K16 release details on its Facebook page this week. The announcement comes just weeks after rumors indicated that film writer, director and huge New York Knicks fan Spike Lee had a hand in how the game was produced.

Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4 and PS3 users can mark Tuesday, September 29th in their calendar as the official release date for NBA 2K16. As with previous games in the series, a basic copy of the title will cost users $60. That $60 gets users just the game itself.

Where things get interesting though is what 2K Games is calling Early Tip-Off Weekend. Anyone who pre-orders and pays for a copy of NBA 2K16 in full before release day can completely disregard that September 29th launch day. Instead, they’ll be able to pick up and play their copy of NBA 2K16 on Friday, September 25th, giving them a full weekend to experience what the new title offers before anyone who didn’t pre-order. Tip Off Weekend is a smart move by 2K Games as it aims to build pre-order numbers ahead of the game’s release.

Read: Leaks Reveal NBA 2K16 Release Details

Besides Early Tip-Off Weekend, there are other advantages to purchasing NBA 2K16 ahead of its release. 2K Games is giving everyone who pre-orders 3 MyTeam Emerald Packs with and a MyTeam VIP add-on for free. Players also get 10,000 in virtual coins to use in the game too, something that would cost them real money if they purchased a standard copy of the game after release day.

Every version of NBA 2K16, including the versions for last-generation consoles like the Xbox 360 and PS3 qualify for the pre-order extras. Presumably, the free extras and early access will be available for anyone who pre-orders at a large swath of retailers. Today’s post only includes a direct link to GameStop’s pre-order pages though. The game hasn’t yet surfaced in the Xbox or PlayStation Stores just yet. It’s hard to imagine that 2K Games wouldn’t make Early Tip-Off Weekend available to those that prefer to pre-order digital copies directly on their console.

No doubt, hardcore fans will find NBA 2K16 a must have purchase this year, just as they do every other year. The key here is that 2K Games is moving so aggressively to build pre-order numbers for NBA 2K16. Today, interest in pre-ordering titles seems at an all-time low. With new digital delivery services the norm, video games are more likely than ever to skip pre-ordering a game and buy directly on their console – even if they know they won’t be able to trade it in later. Both Xbox One and PS4 players can pre-order a game weeks before its release and have the game waiting on their console to be unlocked on launch day. That killed off the last key advantage retailer stores had for pre-orders. Problems with release date launches and other issues have also put a serious dampers on pre-orders of all kinds. It’s also worth noting that people who do like to purchase discs aren’t necessarily worried about there being a shortage of copies at retail stores.

How much NBA 2K16 will cost bundled with virtual currency after release remains unclear, but purchasing 75,000 virtual coins for NBA 2K15 costs $19.99 extra today. NBA 2K16 for the Xbox 360 and PS3 will launch at the same time as their Windows PC, Xbox One and PS4 counterparts. That’s in stark contrast to many new games, which make their way to newer consoles first. Some sports titles are even dropping the Xbox 360 and PS3 from their line-ups, like Electronic Arts’ NHL 16.