It’s a busy Friday for the NBA 2K series. Earlier today, NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition dropped on Apple Arcade. This afternoon, the NBA 2K League announced a partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment. The multiyear partnership makes the PlayStation 5 the official console of NBA 2K League play. The partnership officially begins this month, with the NBA 2KL Three for All Showdown on April 9.
NBA 2K League: PlayStation 5 Exclusivity
This is the first time the 2K League will have any kind of console exclusivity. Previously, NBA 2K esports events tend to take place on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Last year’s 2K League Draft Prospect Series hosted its ProAms on both consoles. The latest MyTEAM Tournament had two finalists, one from each console. The choice to have them play the finals on PlayStation 4 may have been a sign of things to come. It also may be a sign that this exclusivity won’t effect competitive play too much. The MyTEAM champion, Ty “TwoWayRoco” Debondt, qualified for finals on Xbox One. The change to PlayStation 4 didn’t put him at too much of an advantage.
The NBA 2K League will be hosting tournaments through PlayStation’s Competition Center. The website seems to be Sony’s official version of a Challonge or a Smash.gg, a bracket-hosting website for online esports events. The Competition Center also has a learning tab, with articles on various competitive games written by pros who play the game. However, the site crashed repeatedly as I tried to learn more about it. Hopefully that’s not a bad sign!
NBA 2K League Three for All Showdown
Sony’s first big event as a sponsor will be next weekend’s NBA 2KL Three for All Showdown. The online 3-on-3 event, hosted in NBA 2K21’s next-gen multiplayer hub The City, will be exclusively on PlayStation 5. Leading up to the event, PlayStation will be hosting a PlayStation 5 online qualifier event. The reward for winning the 1-on-1 event? You’ll be placed on a team with two 2K League influencers, and entered into the main bracket. The Three for All Showdown Qualifier runs from Monday April 5 to Tuesday April 6. The two day NBA 2KL Three for All Showdown will take place starting on Friday, April 9.
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