Kyrie Irving rocked 2K’s world after the former Cleveland Cavaliers star got traded for Boston Celtics. Before the announcement, “NBA2K18” already had Irving set as the cover athlete wearing a Cavaliers jersey. The shift in teams prompted 2k to re-shoot Irving wearing a different uniform, and 2K recently clarified how they’ll tackle the Box Art availability.
"NBA 2K18" Community Manager Ronnie Singh, aka ‘Ronnie 2K,’ said initial shipments of the game will have Irving wearing a Cavaliers uniform. After the initial shipments run out, the next batch will have the box art of Irving wearing the Celtics jersey.
“Eventually he’ll be in Celts everyone,” said Ronnie 2K. Meanwhile, digital copies of the game will simply have an update to change the icon with Irving wearing the Celtics jersey. An exact time and date for new copies with Celtics box art is hard to predict, considering it relies on stock availability per retailer.
You'll still be able to get Kyrie in Cavs uni at launch but I'm sure they'll run out fast. Eventually he'll be in Celts everywhere #NBA2K18
— Ronnie 2K 2K18 (@Ronnie2K) September 7, 2017
Box Art Differences
Only the physical standard edition of "NBA 2K18" will get a change in box art, considering the other two editions (Legend Edition and Legend Edition Gold) have former LA Lakers and Miami Heat star Shaquille O’Neal on the box art.
These two other editions, which are both also more expensive, carry plenty of additional physical and digital items.
The box art of Irving with his Cavaliers jersey, which neatly blends with the red and black vectors in the background, has him jumping in the air for a layup. Meanwhile, the Celtics box art is more zoomed in with a pose of Irving shouting out loud.
Why Transfer to Celtics?
Irving started the NBA with Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2011, thus, the star's request for trade shocked the whole NBA, especially since the Cavaliers have been dominating the league with three straight seasons in the finals. Most media outlets report that Irving opted for a trade as he doesn’t want to live behind the shadow of fellow Cavaliers player LeBron James; however, Irving’s only official statement says his decision to leave “wasn’t about basketball.”
"NBA 2K18" will launch in September 19 for PC, PS4, PS3, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
Those who pre-order the game can get it as early as September 15. A demo for the game also launched earlier today for PS4 and Xbox One, allowing gamers to get a glimpse of the overhauled MyCareer mode and a new online social hub called The Neighborhood. Progress made in the demo will carry over to the full game.
