NBA 2K21 quietly drops a massive next gen update

Even as NBA 2K22 enters full hype mode, NBA 2K21 has released another next gen update, Version 1.012, without revealing many details yet.

Here's everything we know so far about the latest next gen update and patch notes for NBA 2K21.

NBA 2K21 Version 1.012 - Next Gen Update & Patch Notes

While we don't have many details yet, the last next gen update released for NBA 2K21 was Version 1.011 and went live on June 23, 2021.

That previous update was a mere 846mb on Xbox Series X|S, and seemingly marked the end of updates for NBA 2K21 as things shifted towards the development of NBA 2K22.

However, some gamers have noticed today that NBA 2K21 has another update locked and loaded on next gen, and the download size is way more significant than you'd expect.

On Xbox Series X|S, the download size for what we believe is Version 1.012 is 22.41gb, and it's downloadable less than two months away from the launch of NBA 2K22.

As of now, there are no public patch notes for Version 1.012 and no Courtside Report has been posted by 2K Sports as has accompanied most updates.

However, they released a similar update for current gen versions of NBA 2K21 just a few weeks ago that was 11gb on PS4 and 14gb on Xbox One.

That NBA 2K21 Update Version 1.12 for current gen also never got a Courtside Report or official patch notes, and the PS4 update history only noted that it "improved the stability of the title in addition to a number of general improvements to the user experience."

NBA 2K22 will continue to dominate the conversation

For anyone who is still enjoying NBA 2K21 and looking for chatter about it, or even new players jumping onto the title now ahead of NBA 2K22's release, there likely won't be much new stuff on the way.

While MyTEAM is launching their final season tomorrow and Locker Codes continue to be added, further updates and improvements aren't really expected.

At most, this is likely a final update for NBA 2K21 that integrates some of the work that was done in preparing for the release of NBA 2K22, potentially including some final polishing on gameplay before support ends for last year's release.

On top of that, it could be setting up any potential crossover that is done between NBA 2K21 and NBA 2K22.

Whether that's through content you get in the new game based on playing the old one or something else is unclear.

If you're ready to look ahead to NBA 2K22, we've got all the latest details on how much it will be, how to pre order, and the various editions you can choose from here.