It’s Official: Michael Jordan On The Cover Of NBA 2K11
Right after EA Sports announced that they’re changing the name of their long running NBA franchise from NBA Live to NBA Elite, 2K Sports came back with an announcement of their own: they’re putting Michael Jordan on the cover of NBA 2K11.
What was rumored last week, Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports, confirmed to CNBC.com’s Darren Rovell today.
“We’ve made a lot of progress over the past 10 years, but we know we have the best NBA video game ever made here,” says Argent. “So we thought to ourselves how can we embody that and there was only one person on that list who we wanted to have and that was Michael Jordan. Actually getting this done is the most ridiculous win of all-time.”
“Michael’s last appearance in a video game was in 2004 and over that time the video game industry had continued to grow,” says Estee Portnoy, Jordan’s business manager. “We had been hearing that there was demand from the gamers to have him in the game and this came along and made a lot of sense.”
“It’s an honor to be featured on the cover of NBA 2K11,” Jordan said, in a statement. “I have no doubt that NBA 2K11 will be a big hit with gamers and basketball fans alike. I’m looking forward to getting back out on the court, virtually.”
So what does this mean? While Argent didn’t discuss exactly how Jordan would appear in the game, according to Rovell, he did however “guarantee that the game would be the best selling game in the 10-year history of 2K Sports.” And that’s saying something.
As all true NBA video game fans know, to be able to actually play with Jordan in the game would be an impressive feat. As Rovell notes, “Due to a licensing agreement he had with the NBA, his rights weren’t part of the group licensing agreement that included all the other players—meaning his likeness didn’t automatically appear in many games while he was playing.” The last game that Jordan was a playable character in was NBA Street Vol. 2, while he is an unlockable character in NBA 2K10.
What do you think?
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June 2nd, 2010 at 2:51 pm
G says:
finalllyyyyyyyyy
June 2nd, 2010 at 2:51 pm
G says:
finalllyyyyyyyyy
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:04 pm
Khalvin says:
nuts… 2kSports gets my money for another year…. *sigh*
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:10 pm
cdiz says:
yess
Hopefully they add other legends around that timeline
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:12 pm
JAY says:
Wow… i think this is the first time MJ is in a 2K game.
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:14 pm
JAY says:
@cdiz – the rumour is they are trying to sign deals with other HOFers. I wonder what the game modes are gonna be.
I’m also curious to see the ratings they give to him, Kobe and Lebron.
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:36 pm
My Favorite Superhero says:
I’m with cdiz….2k is going to get my money for another year…I was going to try to see if I could get away with jsut 2k10 for the rest of my life…but I see I have to get this game….sigh
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Chicagorilla says:
after MJ’s statement bout getting on the court virtually, I slightly jizzed in my pants….thats what i think
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:52 pm
s.bucketz says:
lol @ chi-rilla…probbly jus nutted a lil virtually
i am so glad i haven’t copped any basketball games since 2k3? i think wutever i was fuckin wit bootleg on dreamcast (wuddup Chi-town!! and i mean china town in NY i aint shoutin out chicagorilla again)
i’ve been waiting for the knicks to be halfway decent before i invest any money into the nba as a whole…another reason why this will be the best selling 2k game ever…after this summers free agent bonanza, people are gunna wanna get these new teams goin.
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:53 pm
s.bucketz says:
yea i said bonanza
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:10 pm
quest??? says:
damn, nba live is better but 2k11 has jordan…which one should i choose?? DAMN U NBA 2K11!
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:11 pm
SWAT says:
wow. other than better gameplay how is “elite” gonna compete with MJ?
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:31 pm
K Dizzle says:
I ain’t just gonna throw my money at 2K11 cuz they put a pic of Mike on the box. If I rent it and they ain’t fixed the glitches, I can create Mike on Elite….if it’s gonna be what them boys in Burnaby talkin bout
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Dan says:
As long as 2k fixes those glitches they win again.
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:39 pm
s.bucketz says:
what glitches is everyone talkin about???like i said i haven’t really fucked wit video games in a minute so wuts the deal??
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Kermit The Washington says:
I hated how he had that licensing thing…he was missing in all the important games of the 90s!
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:55 pm
ERIC says:
MJ must need the endorsement cash to run the Bobcats.. Michael has mad money, but he’s not the billionaire that other owners are.
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:59 pm
AK says:
Did anyone not notice the whole “Michael Jordan Unlockable character in 2k10″??????? Whats the deal with that I can’t find a code for that!!
June 2nd, 2010 at 5:18 pm
Barnyarnee says:
Yeahhh, how do I get Jordan in 2k10????
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:39 pm
fallinup says:
From a marketing stand point. This is nothing but pure gold.
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:46 pm
nikefan says:
When was Jordan on 2K10???
June 2nd, 2010 at 8:29 pm
Chris Ballz says:
Give it to me
give it to me
give it to me
NBA live was the absolute worst. 2k eats pieces of shit like EA for breakfast. ( u eat pieces of shit for breakfast???)
June 2nd, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Chicagorilla says:
LMFAO@KDizzle acting like NBA live/elite has been good since 2000. Watching Dirk do crossovers and windmill in traffic is a good game? lol. Or I can go on about the ice skating effect NBA live (and Madden) has had since…since…forever!
NBA2k has been head and shoulders above anything EA has ever created. The last NBA live that was worth a damn was Live 2000 and that’s because 2k was just getting started. Anyone supporting EA gets no credability whatsoever when it comes to video games. the fact that they bought out the NFL and NCAA basketball licesne shows just how gay they are.
Live motto “If you can’t beat them, buy the license so they cant make another one!”
June 2nd, 2010 at 11:36 pm
Millz says:
Is There A Code For Jordan in 2k10… Cus Like Come On They Said He Was Unlockable Character In The Game
June 3rd, 2010 at 12:36 am
rapTOr says:
Wow great marketing move by 2k…even better than EA’s name change…they could practically package nba 2k10 in the Jordan cover and that would be a wrap in terms of profit for them. No doubt a bunch of people will blindly pick this game up just because of the magnitude of the guy on the cover. Including me.
Just thinking, since 2k did this last year…if 2k does the even smarter thing and decides to sell a limited edition collectors 2k11 pack with some MJ memorabilia, I’m thinking that may very well be the best selling basketball game of all time.
June 3rd, 2010 at 6:17 am
808 says:
Both companies are doing a great job fooling the mindless sports gamers out there. “Elite”, MJ on the cover….sht, stupid distraction techniques to make you think that the GAMEPLAY, the game itself, is actually good.
The announcement I’m waiting for is the one that 2k is supposed to give about fixing all the bugs in MyPlayer mode.
June 3rd, 2010 at 8:25 am
ab_40 says:
LAME this is bad for the nba and for the video game industry. This game will be more about legends than the actual season and therefore there will be a lot of fantasy draft online leauges which is wack.
June 3rd, 2010 at 10:42 am
SaggyWheels says:
2k trumps live, haven’t been on live since high school days
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:13 pm
AK says:
Dude shut up ab_40.
delete your comment, most negative thing and unrealistic thing on here. pure ignorace. what are you depressed? go outside get some fresh air but dont sit here saying useless stuff like the game will be about legends and not the season. yea, there will be no season to play in 2k11, just legends game. its ALL going to fantasy draft, no season, no associatoin, to quick game, no online play. They changed the WHOLE game because of the cover to only street mode and legends. And yes I had an extra 2 minutes on my hand.
June 3rd, 2010 at 10:04 pm
ehok says:
Really though how do you unlock Jordan on 2k10?
June 6th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
ClipperLuck says:
What they HAVEN’T said is where in the game MJ will be. There are the 90′s East Legends (Scottie’s reppin there) in 2k10. Or will they roll out an entire classic bulls team?
if MJ’s gonna be in the game that means he will also be in the dunk contest mode, which is siiiicckkk.
I bought a NBA Live once…..used it as a coaster.
June 7th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
T.O.M. says:
I hope this comes wrapped in some ill gold wrapping with like Jordan holographic in his signature dunk. I’m ready to buy another ps3 quick may my 40 gig rest in peace. I hope they also put the championship teams on the game that would be fresh to. Imagine playing with the Lakers team that had Kobe wit the fro and the diesel plus Glenn rice against 93 bulls. I’m ready!!!!!!!!!!