NBA 2K25 Puts NBA Champ Jayson Tatum and WNBA Champ A’ja Wilson on Cover, Launches September [IGN]

Boston Celtics star and 2024 NBA champion Jayson Tatum will grace the cover of NBA 2K25, and is joined by WNBA champion A’ja Wilson on the special All-Star Edition.

2K Games also announced a September 6, 2024 on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series, Nintendo Switch, and PC. NBA Legend Vince Carter will be the cover star for the chunky NBA 2K25 Hall of Fame Edition.

Ball Over Everything is the slogan for NBA 2K25, which puts an NBA and WNBA player on the same cover for the first time ever. Tatum called his appearance on the cover “humbling” even after winning the NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics, while back-to-back WNBA champion, two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player, and six-time WNBA All-Star Wilson said her appearance is a testament to the women’s league’s growth.

“Being featured on the NBA 2K25 cover is a big moment for me and a testament to the ever-growing fandom of the WNBA,” she said. “Seeing more and more WNBA athletes scanned into NBA 2K25 to best capture the style and confidence of the league has been empowering, and I can’t wait for fans to experience it in-game.”

NBA 2K25 promises the usual MyCAREER and MyTEAM modes on all platforms, though PS5 and Xbox Series X and S, and PC players will gain access to additional features too. This includes “a sixth era in MyNBA, a more compact and interactive City, the chance to cement their G.O.A.T. status in The W,” and cross-play.

The Standard Edition of NBA 2K25 has Tatum on the cover and costs $69.99 on all platforms except Nintendo Switch, where it’s available for $59.99. The WNBA Edition is a GameStop exclusive and is a repackaged version of the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S physical editions with Wilson on the cover, available for $69.99.

The All-Star Edition has both aforementioned athletes on the front, costs $99.99, and comes with 100,000 VC; MyTEAM content including 10 Player Cards (and three above 89 OVR), 3 Diamond Shoe Cards, 3 Takeover Boost, and 1 Amethyst Coach Card; and MyCAREER content including 150 Skill Boosts, 75 Gatorade Boosts, the Jayson Tatum Cover Jersey, Jayson Tatum Electric Skateboard Skin, and a 2K25 Cover Stars Design T-Shirt.

Finally, the Hall of Fame Edition has Carter on the front is available with limited availability until September 8 for $149.9 for all platforms except the Nintendo Switch. It includes everything included in the All-Star Edition plus a MyCAREER Vince Carter Cover Jersey, a Season 1 Pro Pass with four upfront Pro Pass rewards, and a 12 month subscription to the real world NBA League Pass.

NBA 2K is the only mainline basketball franchise available but has faced criticism over its intrinsic microtransactions and in recent years over its forced open world elements. NBA 2K25 appears to be addressing one of those complaints with the “more compact and interactive city” on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC.

In our 6/10 review of the last game, IGN said: “NBA 2K24 scores big with gameplay, but its microtransaction tactics feel like a costly turnover.”

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.