Gaming
Crash Bandicoot 4 adds customization, new play style and characters
New game, new mechanics, same old wacky bandicoot
PlayStation’s most recent State of Play revealed a ton of new and exciting titles for the PlayStation 4. Even with the PlayStation 5 in the horizon, Sony still focused on its efforts towards the current generation in expanding its game base. One of such new games on the list is the much anticipated Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. It’s the orange marsupial’s all new adventure by Toys for Bob, and now brings more new features with it.
New game mode
The all-new Crash platforming game actually improves on the core mechanic of the remastered Crash Bandicoot: The N. Sane Trilogy. This time around, the developers are introducing a new way to play the platformer that resembles another successful Crash remaster.
After working with Beenox, Toys for Bob brought in the mirror mode aspect currently used in Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled to a platformer. They’ve dubbed this as the N. Verted Mode, and is ideally designed to add another aspect of replayability to the levels. Also, for this mode you will earn Bumpa-berries instead of the age-old staple of Wumpa fruits.
Customization and new playable characters
Another feature they’ve brought in from Nitro-Fueled is the customization option and reward system for Crash and Coco. Similar to CTR, you can customize Crash and Coco’s look through a variety of skins acquired by completing challenges and collecting gems in-game.
Also, for PlayStation players, they will be the first to receive two additional sets of skins upon release and purchase. These can be claimed once players clear the second level of the game and access the Dimensional Map.
Finally, for the new Crash platformer, it won’t just be Crash and Coco joining the fray. Earlier on, gameplay videos revealed that you can play as Dr. Neo Cortex in select levels — an ode to Crash Twinsanity. In addition to him, you can now also play as Dingodile who was a main boss in Crash Bandicoot: Warped. After the events of Crash Bandicoot 3, Dingodile retired from villainhood and decides to open a diner before it’s completely turned into rubble. or Crash Bandicoot 4, you will play full levels and even alternate timelines for the half dingo, half crocodile.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time will arrive on October 2, 2020 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Pre-orders are still currently live for a retail price of US$ 59.99.
Accessories
Pulse Elevate wireless speakers come to Southeast Asia this November
Pre-orders open September 2
PlayStation is expanding its audio lineup with the Pulse Elevate wireless speakers, its first wireless speakers developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The speakers will launch in Southeast Asia starting November 12, 2026, with pre-orders opening September 2.
The Pulse Elevate speakers are designed for desktop gaming on PS5, PC, and Mac, while also supporting portable use with the PlayStation Portal remote player and smartphones. They combine planar magnetic drivers, built-in woofers, and PlayStation Link wireless connectivity for low-latency, lossless audio.
Each speaker uses a studio-inspired planar magnetic driver to deliver sound across the audible spectrum. Built-in woofers add richer bass, while the speakers can enhance positional audio in PS5 games that support Tempest 3D AudioTech.
The right speaker also has a built-in microphone with AI-enhanced noise rejection. This allows users to handle voice chat without wearing a headset while helping filter out unwanted background noise.
Designed for gaming and beyond
Pulse Elevate uses PlayStation Link for ultra-low-latency wireless audio with compatible devices, including the PS5, PC, Mac, and PlayStation Portal. The speakers also support Bluetooth, allowing users to listen to audio from a Bluetooth device while using PlayStation Link for another connected device.
A PlayStation Link USB adapter is included and works with USB-C ports. The speakers also feature built-in rechargeable batteries, letting users take them on the go. Charging docks are included for returning to a desktop setup.
Users can adjust the speakers’ volume directly and position them horizontally or vertically. PS5 and PC users can also customize EQ, sidetone, volume, and microphone mute settings through system menus.
Pulse Elevate will be available in Midnight Black and White.
Price and availability
Pulse Elevate wireless speakers will launch starting November 12, 2026. Pre-orders begin September 2 at local retailers. Availability may vary by market and retailer.
The recommended retail prices are:
- Singapore: SGD 319
- Malaysia: MYR 1,099
- Thailand: THB 8,499
- Philippines: PHP 14,709
- Vietnam: VND 6,999,000
The Pulse Elevate marks Sony Interactive Entertainment’s first entry into wireless speakers, extending the PlayStation audio ecosystem beyond the Pulse Elite headset and Pulse Explore earbuds.
NBA 2K27 is bringing major changes across its biggest game modes.
The latest Courtside Reports cover everything from a first-ever co-op MyCAREER to a revamped MyPLAYER Builder. The City gets a nighttime makeover, MyTEAM expands its cross-platform Auction House, and MyNBA introduces a new way to follow an individual player’s career.
Here are the biggest changes coming to NBA 2K27.
MyCAREER gets co-op and historical eras
The biggest MyCAREER addition is Co-Op MyCAREER.
For the first time, players can invite a friend to join their MyCAREER. The feature revolves around Trace Miller, a custom teammate introduced during the G League portion of the story.
Players get to decide how Trace develops by choosing from nine build templates inspired by NBA stars including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokić, and Kawhi Leonard.
Once Trace joins the team, a friend can take control of him during MyCAREER games. Co-op can be enabled or skipped on a game-by-game basis. If the second player leaves, Trace simply returns to AI control.
Both players also earn their own full amounts of VC and Season XP. They can even experience MyCAREER’s story cutscenes together.
MyCAREER is also going back in time.
MyCAREER Eras lets players start their career in one of five historical periods: the Magic vs. Bird Era, Jordan Era, Kobe Era, LeBron Era, or Steph Era.
Each era comes with period-accurate rosters, rules, presentation, and league progression. Historical trades and rookie destinations are also recreated to keep the league aligned with how that era actually unfolded.
Era-specific presentation includes customized HUDs, score bugs, stat overlays, locker rooms, and broadcast elements. Players can also complete Eras Moments to progress through a 40-level reward track.
For players who prefer a modern setting, the new Fire & Concrete storyline is more than twice as long as NBA 2K26’s story. It follows a player from high school through the G League and into the NBA.
The story also introduces a recreated Rucker Park, which serves as a major location in the prelude.
MyPLAYER finally adds female builds
NBA 2K27’s MyPLAYER Builder is expanding in a major way.
For the first time, players can create female MyPLAYERs and take them into The City.
Male and female builds use the same underlying gameplay framework. Height, weight, wingspan, and ratings are determined by the build itself rather than the character’s appearance.
That also means the new co-ed City is designed around gameplay parity. Players can team up with male and female MyPLAYERs across The REC, Theater, Street Kings, Park, and other activities.
The Builder is also becoming more strategic.
NBA 2K27 introduces Badge Tokens, which players use to equip Badges across six disciplines. The Builder shows how a player’s physical attributes affect Badge requirements and token costs in real time.
There are now 53 Badges, including 19 new ones. Several of the new Badges are more specialized, allowing players to build around specific strengths instead of relying on broader, catch-all abilities.
Players can also create and manage builds outside the game.
The NBA 2K HQ app gives players access to the full MyPLAYER Builder starting August 21. Builds created on a mobile device can be uploaded to a player’s home setup and shared with friends through QR codes.
The Builder also adds Badge Loadouts, Build Specialization, an updated Rebirth system, and the new Synergy system. These give players more ways to specialize builds and adjust their Badge setup for different matchups.
The City goes neon
The City keeps the centralized layout introduced in NBA 2K26, but gets a visual overhaul for NBA 2K27.
The new version shifts to a nighttime, neon aesthetic. Key locations including The REC, Street Kings, and Park get their own updated designs.
The biggest addition is Rucker Park.
The legendary New York streetball venue has been recreated in NBA 2K27. It will serve as a location for Street Kings and as part of the Fire & Concrete MyCAREER experience. Players can take on Street Kings bosses and establish themselves at one of basketball’s most iconic courts.
The City also continues to revolve around Crews, giving players a persistent social space to compete and play with friends.
MyTEAM gets a bigger marketplace
MyTEAM is making one of its biggest infrastructure changes with a cross-platform Auction House.
For the first time, the Auction House is unified across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. This creates a larger pool of community-listed cards and gives players more options when looking for specific cards.
Buying cards is also faster.
NBA 2K27 removes the verification delay when an auction is won on those platforms. Cards are added to a player’s collection immediately, allowing them to put new additions into a lineup without waiting.
MyTEAM continues to let players build fantasy lineups using NBA and WNBA stars and take those squads into its single-player and multiplayer experiences.
MyNBA introduces MyNBA Legacy
MyNBA gets perhaps the most substantial change for offline players.
The newest addition is called MyNBA Legacy lets players focus on the career of an individual player instead of managing an entire franchise.
Players can select an active star, prospect, or Created Player and build a career around them. The goal is to accumulate Performance Points through statistical targets, achievements, and deep playoff runs.
The mode also introduces a generational element.
When a player’s career ends, their legacy can continue through their child. Future generations inherit parts of the previous player’s progression, including some Badges, training camp bonuses, and special abilities.
The result is effectively a player-focused career mode inside MyNBA, without requiring players to go through the traditional MyCAREER structure.
MyNBA is also getting broader franchise-management improvements.
Players can negotiate trades involving up to four teams and up to nine assets per team. Cash considerations and a dedicated Buyout Market are also being added.
The mode incorporates the NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement more closely, including the Second Apron and its roster-building restrictions. Free agency is also being expanded with new contract negotiations, player motivations, morale, GM Trust, and Lifelong Loyalty Promises that give teams more ways to convince players to sign beyond simply offering more money.
Draft Classes are getting more flexibility through Draft Class Playlists, allowing historical classes to be mixed and matched. That means players can create alternate NBA histories where stars from different generations enter the league together.
MyNBA saves can also now run for up to 100 seasons, extending the mode’s already extensive franchise sandbox.
More ways to play NBA 2K27
Taken together, the changes show that NBA 2K27 is not focusing its biggest updates on one mode.
MyCAREER is becoming more social and more historical. MyPLAYER is becoming more flexible and accessible. The City gets a visual refresh while adding Rucker Park. MyTEAM improves its card marketplace. And MyNBA gets deeper franchise systems alongside a new player-focused Legacy experience.
NBA 2K27 launches on September 4, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2. Deluxe and Ultra Edition owners get Early Access starting August 28.
NBA 2K27 is making major changes to how basketball feels on the virtual court.
2K has detailed a sweeping gameplay overhaul for its upcoming basketball game. The update adds new offensive tools, more physical defense, a revamped Takeover system, and smarter AI.
The goal is to make NBA 2K27 more balanced and skill-driven on both ends of the floor.
The game also uses ProPLAY to bring more real-world NBA movements into gameplay. 2K says NBA 2K27 adds more than 7,000 new ProPLAY animations.
More control on offense
NBA 2K27 adds several new ways to create space and finish plays.
One of the biggest additions is the step-through up-and-under. Players can perform a pump fake before using the Pro Stick to trigger a step-through layup or jumper in one of five directions.
The move draws inspiration from stars such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Luka Dončić, and Donovan Mitchell.
Dribbling is also becoming more customizable.
NBA 2K27 breaks signature dribbling packages into 29 individual movements. Players can mix movements from different stars instead of committing to one complete package.
For example, players can combine Stephen Curry’s behind-the-back slide with Trae Young’s escape crossover. The system covers everything from signature size-ups and crossovers to spins, hesitations, stepbacks, and escape moves.
The game is also introducing a Dynamic Layup Engine.
Layup animations can now adjust in real time based on movement, finishing ability, and defensive pressure. High-rated finishers can even change their shooting hand in mid-air when an elite rim protector contests the attempt.
Advanced gathers such as hop steps, Euro Steps, and spins are also separated from preset animations. NBA 2K27 can combine these moves with different finishes depending on the situation.
Dunking gets a dynamic meter
Dunking is also getting a significant change.
Every dunk attempt in NBA 2K27 now requires manual timing through the Dunk Meter. The meter evaluates defensive positioning throughout the entire attempt.
An open lane can produce a larger green window. A late-arriving help defender can shrink it, requiring more precise timing.
The system is designed to make dunk attempts depend more on reading the defense rather than simply triggering an animation.
NBA 2K27 is also adding new advanced controls for playmaking. Players can perform moving breakdowns without stopping their momentum, throw no-look passes, and use more intuitive alley-oop controls.
Rhythm Shooting gets stricter
Rhythm Shooting returns with a new visual guide.
The Shot Meter now displays a real-time tick mark that follows the player’s Pro Stick movement. Players need to match the correct tempo to maximize the timing window.
NBA 2K27 also makes Rhythm Shooting more demanding. Players must now successfully green the Timing portion of the shot to make it.
New feedback shows whether the player’s timing was early or late and whether their tempo was too fast or too slow.
Rhythm Shooting is also being expanded to free throws.
Defense becomes more physical
2K is also addressing the other side of the ball with a redesigned defensive system.
Hands-up defense now has aggressive and conservative options. Holding up on the Pro Stick activates aggressive hands-up defense, while holding down provides a more conservative contest with less risk of fouling.
The Block button remains the main option for aggressive shot rejections. Timing and anticipation continue to play a major role.
Shot contests are also getting clearer feedback.
NBA 2K27 uses an eight-tier, color-coded system to show the impact of a contest. A new Defensive Impact Indicator appears beneath the shooter and shows how much the defender affected the shot.
Defensive cutoffs are getting expanded as well. Players can use the Right Stick to perform quick cutoffs against lateral dribble moves. Holding R2 or RT while flicking the stick creates a larger lunging cutoff.
Speed and Agility ratings influence these movements. A successful cutoff can trigger a body-up collision, drain the ball handler’s Adrenaline, and potentially force a fumble or picked-up dribble.
Ankle breakers now depend on skill
Ankle breakers are also being reworked.
Instead of relying primarily on chance, NBA 2K27 considers the defender’s real-time momentum and reaction to changes of direction.
A hard crossover against a defender moving the wrong way can therefore produce a more dramatic result. Defensive ratings also influence how quickly a defender can react and recover.
A new collision system further ties physical defense to player ratings.
Steal targeting has been improved, while larger defenders with low Steal ratings should no longer be able to rely as heavily on cheap bump steals. Ball handlers can also lose control of the ball and recover it during traffic situations.
Takeover gets five disciplines
NBA 2K27 is also replacing its previous Takeover structure with five separate disciplines:
- Shooting
- Finishing
- Playmaking
- Defense
- Rebounding
Each discipline has its own meter. Performance in that area causes the meter to rise or fall throughout a game.
The system has six levels, ranging from Frozen and Cold to Neutral, Warm, Hot, and finally Takeover.
Players can become hot in multiple disciplines simultaneously. Reaching the maximum level in a discipline automatically activates its equipped Takeover Ability.
The abilities cover different play styles. Shooting abilities can improve off-dribble or set-shot performance, while finishing abilities can enhance everything from standing layups to driving dunks and post moves.
Playmaking abilities can improve blow-bys, ankle breakers, or teammates’ finishing and shooting. Defensive abilities focus on forcing pickups and turnovers, while rebounding abilities improve screens, boxouts, putbacks, or rebound prediction.
AI gets smarter
NBA 2K27 is also giving its computer-controlled players a significant intelligence upgrade.
AI teams can now prioritize early offense instead of automatically slowing down into a half-court set. Players will organize into spacing lanes after made baskets, while teams with a faster style can continue attacking even when transition numbers are relatively even.
A new Set AI framework is designed to make star players genuine offensive hubs.
Instead of simply running predetermined plays, the AI can organize actions around players such as Nikola Jokić. Offensive sets can change based on game situations, including close games, quarter endings, and scoring slumps.
Team-level gameplans can also adapt during games. The AI can identify favorable matchups and shift toward more aggressive strategies when its initial approach stops working.
Pick-and-roll and handoff execution are being improved as well, with better passing angles and more intelligent alley-oop opportunities.
Defensively, AI players can make more complex decisions instead of simply rotating to predetermined positions. The system considers matchups, player tendencies, attributes, and badges when deciding who should switch or provide help.
Aiming for a more skill-driven game
Taken together, the changes point to a broader redesign of NBA 2K27’s on-court experience.
2K says the objective is to reduce gameplay bailouts and reward players who make the right reads, execute moves correctly, time their shots, and understand basketball fundamentals.
NBA 2K27 is scheduled to launch worldwide on September 4, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2. Early Access begins August 26 for players who purchase the Deluxe or Ultra Edition.
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