Throughout the entire console versus PC debate, console gamers always had one thing going for them: the considerably cheaper price of hardware. Whereas PC gamers pay through the nose for a modern gaming rig, PS4 and Xbox One gamers pay only a fraction of that price for a console. However, amidst the price of hardware, console games are much more expensive. Current AAA games usually sell for US$ 59.99 or thereabouts.

Now, with the release of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X imminent, everyone is waiting for the fate of their wallets. How much will the consoles retail for? How much will the games cost?

Currently, we already have an idea of how much the PlayStation 5 series will sell for, thanks to an accidental Amazon leak. If the leaks are true, the consoles won’t vary much from previous generations.

However, the price of PS5 games will likely bump up. As you might have heard, 2K Games finally announced the upcoming entry in the popular NBA 2K series, NBA 2K21. The new game will be the first one in the series to play on the next generation of consoles. As always, it comes in different packages, varying in in-game loot.

The standard edition (with Damian Lillard on the cover) will still retail for US$59.99 and will play on the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Stadia. However, the next-generation edition (with Zion Williamson) will retail for US$ 69.99 and will play exclusively on the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. Both Mamba Forever editions will cost US$ 99.99. For a more in-depth look at what the different packages include, check out our breakdown here.

Plagued as it is with microtransactions, the NBA 2K series can definitely obscure how much a game really costs. We wouldn’t put it past them to bump up a price for themselves. However, the regular edition historically hovers around the industry’s current standard. There is no reason to discredit NBA 2K21‘s price as a potential standard. That said, are we looking at the price of the next generation?

Right now, the most popular PS4 games are already pricey, often much more expensive than PC variants. With a potential price bump on the horizon, becoming a console gamer might be much more painful for a budget. Though the console itself is affordable, the price of each game makes next-generation gaming more difficult to follow after each big release.

SEE ALSO: Sony announces huge list of games for the PS5

Give us a quick second as we wipe the tears off our faces. The third and final cover athlete for NBA 2K21 is Kobe Bryant. Instead of being called the Legend Edition, it will be aptly named Mamba Forever Edition.

The Mamba Forever Edition will be available in both current gen and next gen consoles. On the current gen cover, Kobe is shown wearing the No. 8 jersey displaying the peak of his athleticism. On the next gen cover, he’s seen wearing the No. 24 jersey in a scene during his final game where he scored 60 points.

2K says the covers are a celebration of the late athlete’s lifetime achievement and basketball excellence. He passed away in a tragic accident earlier in 2020 with his daughter Gigi Bryant and seven others.

Kobe was the cover athlete for NBA 2K10, the Legend Edition of NBA 2K17.

Damian Lillard and Zion Williamson were revealed as the covers for the current gen and next-gen standard editions respectively.

NBA 2K21 will feature MyTEAM Cross-Progression and a Shared VC Wallet within the same console family (PS4 to PS5, Xbox One to Xbox Series X).

MyTEAM Cross-Progression enables all MyTEAM Points, Tokens, cards and progress to be shared on both current and next-generation versions of NBA 2K21 in the same console family. Similarly, the Shared VC Wallet means any earned or purchased VC is accessible across both current and next-generation versions of NBA 2K21 in the same console family.

Pricing and availability

NBA 2K21 will be available on current-generation platforms on September 4, 2020 and is available for pre-order today. NBA 2K21 will be available for PhP 3,190 (US$59.99) on current-generation platforms.

It will also be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X as a launch title this holiday. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X version of NBA 2K21 will be available for PhP 3,690 (US$ 69.99).

The NBA 2K21 Mamba Forever Edition will be available for PhP 5,390 (US$ 99.99) for both current and next-generation platforms.

It includes dual-access where purchasing Mamba Forever Edition on either current or next-generation platforms provides a copy of the standard edition game on the other generation at no additional cost, within the same console family.

A full breakdown of pre-order details is available at NBA 2K’s website.

NBA 2K will release additional announcements and news about NBA 2K21 including the soundtrack reveal, first looks at gameplay and features for both current and next-generation versions of NBA 2K21, 2K Day celebration and much more.

As of late, The Pokémon Company has increased its reach to a lot of other industries outside of gaming, including lifestyle apps and wireless earbuds. Now, the ubiquitous brand has expanded to the most precious catch of them all: wedding rings.

Partnered with Japanese jewelry company Ginza Tanaka, The Pokémon Company has officially launched Pikachu-themed engagement rings and wedding bands. The list of products includes simple platinum and gold wedding bands that come in a PokéBall-style box. Couples can also get their rings engraved with their own personal customizations. (However, the company rightly suggests a variation of “I choose you, [insert name here].”)

Meanwhile, the engagement rings are a bit more ostentatious. One design is a simple silhouette of Pikachu’s face, but the face’s center holds a diamond. Another design has two Pikachu tails holding the diamond in place. Like the wedding bands, they can come in either gold or platinum.

Cute as they are, there’s something awfully weird about them, as The Verge points out. In particular, the ears of the Pikachu rings look particularly nasty. Call us skeptical, but we don’t think Pikachu had *those* for ears. And yes, while they are part of the marriage process, we don’t know if you’d want them wrapped around your finger forever.

However, if you’re not bothered by them and think they’re perfectly innocent and fluffy Pikachu ears, they retail for JPY 346,500 (approximately US$ 3,225). Meanwhile, the wedding bands range between JPY 115,550 (approximately US$ 1,076) to JPY 121,000 (approximately US$ 1,126). The collection also has a keepsake photo frame selling for JPY 13,200 (approximately US$ 123).

SEE ALSO: Pokémon Unite is the very first Pokémon MOBA game