The Fix
NBA 2K12 to feature Jordan, Bird, Magic
Michael Jordan returns on the cover of NBA 2k12
The addition of Michael Jordan to the NBA 2K11 was such a success for 2K Sports that for the game’s 2012 edition, the company tapped two more legends: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
“We wanted to bring Michael Jordan back, but even if we wanted to do something different, I don’t think we could have,” 2K Sports executive Jason Argent told the gaming blog Kotaku.com. “So our goal was bringing Michael Jordan back, but then, how do you take it up a notch?”
The answer was to bring in the two other basketball greats, whose rivalry in the 1980s boosted the NBA to unprecedented levels of popularity. NBA 2K12 will feature each of the three men on alternate covers.
NBA 2K11 got a lot of acclaim for its “Jordan Challenge,” where gamers could retrace the highlights of the Chicago Bulls’ great career. Argent was coy about whether something similar would be featured in NBA 2K12 for the careers of Johnson and Bird.
“That was such a great thing for us, a great hit for the fans, and we want to bring that to the next level, and bring the key feature set to the next level,” he said. “The details are forthcoming, but suffice to say, fans will not be disappointed.”
The NBA and its players are currently involved in a labor dispute, with team owners locking out players. The lockout is not expected to affect the release of NBA 2K12, since gaming companies usually negotiate deals separately with the league and the players association.
Still, if the lockout becomes extended, the gaming console might be the only place for fans to get their fix of NBA action, making it crucial for 2K Sports to put out a great game.
