One publisher who clearly won’t be participating in Smart Delivery is 2K Games with NBA 2K21.

Now take this, imagine a gloomy summer day with your mates at the courts shooting hoops than you experience a sudden epiphany when you see one of your boys pull a signature Anthony Davis move. Initially, NBA 2K20 comes to mind, however, you start wondering to yourself, who exactly will be featured on the cover of the upcoming 2K21.

When one thinks of gaming, particularly the dunking and high flying one, only one thing comes to mind. Get your mind out the gutter. I’m sure you smiling right now because basketball is on top of your mind…Right? Of course, there have been other imitations and almost perfect like console games, however, truth be told, one name and one name only which has been dominating for close to two decades is on top of your mind. I’m sure you sitting there rather puzzled and asking yourself which other game could be better than the current NBA 2K20 which by the way is one of the games made available at no additional cost to for PlayStation Plus members.

Throughout the years the series features some of the greatest athletes representing different eras of the basketball game. Today one could easily agree that Damian Lillard is one of the MVP’s dominating the court, however, let’s not forget the Thanos of the National College league himself, Zion Williamson who is a standard-bearer for the next generation of NBA superstars.

The next instalment of the franchise promises to pack quite a few aces up its sleeves. This year there will be a few versions of the game.

On the cover of the current-generation version which will be the initial launch edition of NBA 2K21 is five-time NBA All-Star and Portland Trail Blazers’ standout Damian Lillard. The next-generation version is set to feature, New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson who lands the cover for the PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X version. For gurus of the franchise, the top-notch version known as the Legend edition will be replaced by what will be dubbed as the Mamba edition which will also be celebrating the life of legendary Kobe Bryant who made a major global impact both on and off the court. It also boasts very unique and never before used covers on both the current and a new next-generation cover.

What we particularly like and have come to love about the NBA franchise is their consistency and ability to improve from their previous versions. The realistic graphics are amongst the best when it comes to sports gaming, they give off a real world like and lively feel to the game.

NBA 2K21 will be available worldwide on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC from the 4th September 2020. NBA 2K21 will also be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X as a launch title.

Be sure to tune in when the game launches for a much more detailed first impression of NBA 2K21. Everything related to game-play, features and game soundtracks will also be revealed then.

One can expect to get their hands on NBA 2K21 for R 1 149.95 on current-generation platforms; the pricing for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X version of NBA 2K21 will be available at a later date. NBA 2K21 Mamba Forever Edition will be available for R 1 649.95 for both current and next-generation platforms.

Marvel’s Avengers has been delayed from May 15th to September 4th. That gives Crystal Dynamics around four months to put the finishing touches on the game, but maybe more importantly, the delay puts more space between it and Cyberpunk 2077, which is scheduled to launch on April 16th and is expected to be one of the biggest games of the year.

In a statement published to Crystal Dynamics’ website, the developer seems to suggest that this decision was made in part to address fan feedback. “When we set out to bring you our vision for Marvel’s Avengers, we committed to delivering an original story-driven campaign, engaging co-op, and compelling content for years to come,” Crystal Dynamics co-heads Scot Amos and Ron Rosenberg wrote. “To that end, we will spend this additional development time focusing on fine tuning and polishing the game to the high standards our fans expect and deserve.”

“The worldwide teams working on Marvel’s Avengers sincerely appreciate the support you’ve shown us,” the two continued. “We thrive on your enthusiasm and feedback and we can’t wait to show you more. We apologize for the delay. We’re confident it will be worth the wait.”

We got our first real look at Marvel’s Avengers at E3 2019, which came after a few years of build-up. Reaction to the footage that was shown and gameplay demos that were later offered was somewhat mixed. That may have prompted Crystal Dynamics to to push the game back, but the statement from Amos and Rosenberg doesn’t really delve into specifics.

For the release of Marvel’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Edition and Deluxe Edition will be available alongside the Standard Edition. Further, players who pre-order any version of the game will receive guaranteed access to the Beta (at participating retailers), a Marvel Legacy Outfit pack, and an exclusive nameplate to sweeten the deal.

Marvel’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Edition features a full color 12” statue of Captain America. Designed by the artisans at Gentle Giant, this deluxe high-quality PVC statue captures every texture and detail on Captain America’s uniform. Marvel’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Edition also includes a copy of the Deluxe Edition, an exclusive SteelBook® case, Hulk Bobblehead, Mjolnir Keychain, Black Widow’s Belt Buckle, Iron Man’s Prototype Amor Blueprints, Kamala Khan’s Honorary Avenger Pin, a commemorative Avengers group photo, and 72-hour early access before the September 4, 2020 release date.

In any case, Marvel’s Avengers is one of Square Enix’s biggest releases in 2020, and now it looks like we’ll have to wait longer to play it.

Samsung Refurbished Phones

We kick things off with the news that Samsung is to sell refurbished i.e second hand smartphones in the near future. While the trend is not something new, especially in SA, it is something new for Samsung. According to reports, The scheme would offer premium handsets — think the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note line — at a discount for customers that can’t afford them at full price. Most of the phones would be sourced from its one-year upgrade program, available in places like Vodacom’s premium contracts, which gives super-fans an easier way to trade-in and acquire the latest handsets. It’s not clear, however, how much the new discounts will come to, or where the scheme will be offered. For the consumer, it would be just another option when buying a new handset.

Two new PS4 Consoles

Just about 2 months ago I spoke about how we are to expect a new console from Sony, set to replace the PS4, but it seems like that is far off from happening. Things escalated rather quickly this morning and Sony confirmed we can expect a PS4 Neo and PS4 Slim console . It is quite confusing as to why Sony would give us this double punch but analysts claim that it is exactly the strategy that Sony needs in order to stem the declining console sales and, at the same damn time, attract even more new adopters of the gaming device turned entertainment center.

But in essence the PS4 Neo, will put the focus on high-resolution gaming and PS VR. On the other hand, the slim fits in as a multimedia center in addition to being a gaming console. We’re told the Neo will cost more than the slim.

Fak’Ugesi

Late last week I had some off time and decided to visit the Fak’Ugesi digital innovation festival. Its taking place at the old Inc Nightclub, on Juta street and what they have done is taken over the entire Juta street for this event and turned it into a techno sphere. There’s too much to mention that’s happening there but what caught my eye are the seminars, talks, workshops, tech demos and pitches that they’re hosting. So lets say you have an amazing techno idea or concept, you can head down to the festival and meet likeminded people to share insights and maybe get input on how to better your concept or even get funding to make it happen. There’s also a platform for ladies as well, which focuses on them and actually promotes their roles in the tech industry. Its taking place until the 3^rd of September. 

Huawei Devices

Huawei is taking the wraps off their mid-range devices, This is the GR, GR5 and GR8 devices. At the fraction of the price you get these premium featured handsets. Which retail from about R2800. Melody will be there, and hopefully next week we’ll get to talk about the devices.

Ford Focus ST

And to wrap things off, a little over a year ago Ford whisked us to Durban for the launch and introduction of the Focus ST, my first impressions were rather restricted so I had it for a week long drive last week. At first glance, there’s no denying the visual charms of the ST. It has sleek lines and looks both light and substantial at the same time. I just don’t know how the Ford designers did it but it is there. The one I was driving was in a bright yellow, called Tangerine Scream that tell people you’re here to shout and you’ve arrived pair well with the brightly colored ST logo found at the corner of the grille and in the back on the boot door.

Performance wise there’s that 2.0-litre Ecoboost manual engine that delivers 184 kW. 0-100kph is achieved in 6.5 seconds with a top speed of 240kph. Fuel consumption is rated at 6.8L/100km although my driving spiked it up to 9.8L/100km.  

Inside theres that SYNC 2 system I really had no issues with the system this go-round. Bluetooth smartphone integration was simple. Working the hundreds of system menus was fairly easy. And the thing isn’t too bad to look at – even if the primary color scheme is a bit annoying. The best part of the Focus ST interior is its quietness. Not all small cars are considerate to this.

In closing the Focus ST  ticks all the boxes on my new car checklist. It has all the bits. It looks pretty snazzy. It goes pretty well and handles even better. The inside is quiet and spacious. And for a performance vehicle it’s quite affordable.

Be sure to catch the live inserts on UJFM at 14h45 and OFM at 22h30 every Monday. 

And so, there’s another special run model coming soon. Sony has unveiled a limited edition Batman: Arkham Knight PS4 bundle that gives you a “steel grey” console emblazoned with the Caped Crusader’s silhouette alongside the matching controller and, of course, the game. You’ll want to pre-order the R5999 pack quickly if you want to stand a chance of getting it on its June 23rd launch day, but there is a standard R4999 bundle if you’re either late to the party or are more interested in saving Gotham than showing off.

Pre-order here

I’ll be a first timer at this year’s rAge and have asked a good gaming friend of ours, Maverick to company me to the world of wrath  (World of Warcraft; Wrath of the Lich King, see what I did there? Ok). Truth be told, I’m quite excited to see what gamers get up to behind closed doors. While it’s sad that we won’t be live-blogging from the event (we’re working on updating our live blogging services) there will be tons of tweets from the expo. Starting with the Intel VVIP pressers at 10h00, Playstation 4 and Xbox One reveal (and hands-on) and continuing onto the floor where we’ll take a look at some of the insane console and gaming releases scheduled for this year.

What, where, how? You can follow the hashtags #SVatRage or #rAge on twitter, facebook or instagram for updates. During the Intel presser, we’ll use the #IntelrAge hashtag. Do join us!