2020 is going to be a huge year in the gaming world.
Not only are we expecting the release of the next-gen consoles, Sony’s PS5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X, but also the arrival of cloud gaming services.
The consoles are expected to launch around November 2020, but whether or not EA’s NBA Live will be on the shelves alongside them is another question.
There was no release for the basketball sim this year, but we’ve already covered everything you need to know about a potential 2021 release for 2K’s main competitor.
Here we discuss the topic of the cover star, so continue reading for all the details.
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Cover Star
As is the case with many competing franchises (Like FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer), there is always a battle to have the biggest and best players on the cover of the game.
The most recent cover star for NBA Live was the Philadelphia 76ers dominant center, Joel Embiid, but this choice marked a distinct change in direction from the pattern set in previous years.
READ MORE: Everything about NBA Live 21 – Release date, graphics, rosters, trailer and more
In fact, the last 5 editions of NBA Live all featured point guards as their cover stars.
Previous Cover Stars
The cover for NBA Live 14 featured Kyrie Irving while he was still with the Cleveland Cavs, and NBA Live 15 featured another all-star point guard on the cover – this time, the Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard.
Russell Westbrook, now with the Houston Rockets, featured on the covers of the next two games in his iconic Oklahoma City jersey, and his now-teammate James Harden stole it in 2018.
This cover marked 5 consecutive years of backcourt dominance before Embiid so rudely claimed the cover back for the ‘bigs’ of the NBA roster.
READ MORE: Absolutely Everything we know about the PlayStation 5
So, this begs the question:
Will the cover of NBA Live 21 go back to another skilled guard, or will another ‘big man’ be able to steal the spotlight?
Both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis have featured last 2 NBA 2K covers, so we hope that the developers of NBA Live get over their phobia of the league’s big men time for NBA Live 21.
Release Date
Whilst an official confirmation for the game has not yet been made by EA, looking at past releases we expect that any potential release would hit the shelves in September time.
However, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see EA miss out the current consoles (PS4 and Xbox One) and develop NBA Live 21 exclusively for the PS5 and new Xbox upon their release.
To read more about NBA Live 21, including its cover star, graphics, rosters and next-gen, head here.
