NBA 2K21 has sold eight million copies despite its new $70 price point. The basketball simulation game, which was released on September 4, 2020 for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and Stadia, and on November 12, 2020 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, has seemingly been unaffected by its $10 price hike.
According to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, “In terms of frontline pricing for NBA 2K21, I think that worked out very much as expected. “And as planned, it’s in a premium offering at the highest possible level, the title was built from the ground up for next-gen, so first title here that has been created that way.”
“The acceptance by consumers has been nothing short of extraordinary, the title sold in over 8 million units. Now, we haven’t talked about pricing on other titles. So it would be premature to discuss that we’ll talk about that and title-by-title basis going forward,” he added.
Take-Two had previously reported that NBA 2K21 had sold in 5 million copies in Q3 2020. In July, it was reported that the title would cost $10 more on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Zelnick defended the price hike, saying it reflected increasing development costs.
The PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and PC versions were met with mixed reviews due to what many considered the lack of gameplay originality, microtransactions and bugs. Despite these issues, the PS4 version of NBA 2K21 sold 8,541 physical copies in its first week in Japan, becoming the seventh bestselling retail game of the week.
NBA 2K21, the twenty-second installment in the NBA 2K franchise, was also nominated for Best Sports/Racing game at The Game Awards 2020, though it lost to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2. In 2019, EA announced that it had cancelled the development of NBA Live 2020, NBA 2K20’s biggest competitor. Subsequently, NBA Live 21 was also canceled.
According to EA CEO Andrew Wilson “We’re not launching a new NBA Live HD product this season. Instead, we’re expanding our vision, leaning hard into the new leading-edge platforms, and taking the time to ensure we deliver against the opportunity for our players.”
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