Is NBA 2K23 Worth Buying for Current Gen Consoles? Yes, but Not at Full Price

As an annual NBA 2K enthusiast, I get asked one question every September like clockwork – is the new 2K worth buying right away on PS4 or Xbox One? With the release of NBA 2K23, I‘m here to provide a detailed expert perspective on whether it‘s worth an immediate $70 purchase for current gen console owners.

After extensively playing 2K23 on PS4 and analyzing all the features and changes from 2K22, my verdict is:

Yes, current gen 2K23 is worth owning for basketball fans thanks to incredibly solid gameplay. But most players should wait for a sale or price drop before buying at full $70 retail.

Let‘s dive into the key factors I considered and why I believe waiting for a discount is the smartest move for current gen owners on the fence.

Gameplay and Physics Still Best-in-Class Despite Minimal Improvements

When it comes to smooth, realistic basketball simulation, the 2K series continues to have no equal. And NBA 2K23 carries on that tradition with excellent core mechanics translated seamlessly over from 2K22 and prior installments.

As a casual player, you likely won‘t notice huge differences in the feel of dribbling, passing, shooting, dunking, defense and more. Under the hood, new alley-oop and putback dunk animations plus refined shot timing exist. But expect an experience very similar to last year during gameplay.

In fact, one analysis I saw charted main gameplay stats like field goal percentage, three point percentage, turnovers, fouls, assists and more between 2K22 and 2K23. Most differences were 1% or less – the superb foundation remains.

That‘s great news for longtime fans, as 2K‘s physics and controls provide unparalleled flow on the virtual hardwood year after year. If you loved hooping in 2K22 but haven‘t gotten hands on with 2K23 yet, rest assured it feels just as smooth.

Verdict – Excellent gameplay carries over, but only minimal improvements

Visual Upgrade from 2K22 Noticeable, But Nowhere Near Next Gen

Let‘s address the graphical leap, or lack thereof, between 2K22 and 2K23 on current gen consoles like PS4 and Xbox One. You‘ll notice some nicer polish, especially in areas like:

• Improved lighting and player models – muscles and body types look more realistic
• Enhanced sweat, skin, hair and facial textures – better details on stars like Luka, Steph, LeBron
• Added crowd members and sideline characters for greater immersion

Combined, the overall graphical package is stepped up from last year. However, the difference doesn‘t feel monumental or justify an upgrade alone.

Especially compared to the gorgeous, super smooth 4K/60fps experience enjoyed on PS5 and Xbox Series X, current gen is starting to show its age. So if you‘re hoping for a major generational leap that finally leaves PS3/Xbox 360 visuals behind, 2K23 doesn‘t get there.

It runs at the same 1080p resolution and 30-60fps as 2K22. A noticable but expected upgrade – don‘t expect to be blown away.

Verdict – Nice visual bump from 2K22 but nowhere near a generational leap

Excellent Jordan Challenge Mode Brings Something Fresh to Current Gen

Apart from the marginal gameplay and graphics improvements, the most exciting new feature in NBA 2K23 is the Jordan Challenge mode. This long-overdue retrospective lets you relive 15 iconic moments and games from Michael Jordan‘s legendary career.

Recreated challenges range from his early 63 point playoff explosion against the ‘86 Celtics, to the iconic last shot as a Bull to sink the Jazz in ‘98. Every MJ milestone is packed with period-perfect presentation, commentary, music, teams, and broadcasting.

As a huge MJ fan myself, getting to replay his college championship victory or iconic mid-air "Black Cat" layup sequence gave me chills. Even younger fans who missed Jordan‘s prime live get a wonderful NBA history lesson.

This mode alone is almost worth the 2K23 purchase and provides something genuinely fresh for veterans. Huge props to the developers for making Jordan Challenge a reality.

Verdict – The Jordan retrospective mode justifies 2K23 for basketball/MJ fans

MyCareer Remains Rock Solid But Feels Quite Familiar

Along with excellent gameplay, 2K‘s franchise mode MyCareer is the other big draw keeping basketball fans coming back year after year. And 2K23 delivers another meaty MyCareer experience that will easily suck dozens if not hundreds of hours out of you.

All the expected features are here – create your custom player, guide them from amateur prospect to NBA superstar, train and improve your attributes and abilities via RPG systems, explore the lively virtual city environment.

But players hoping for any huge shakeups will be let down – it‘s the same solid formula as before. The story itself follows your player linking up with an amateur team called "Dreamville" alongside rapper J.Cole, but hits the same narrative beats we‘ve come to expect.

If you got your fill out of MyCareer in 2K22, this won‘t overhaul your experience. But it remains a fantastic flagship mode for the 2K series if you have hoop dreams to live out. Definitely don‘t expect any bold reinvention though.

Verdict – Fantastically deep but nearly identical to 2K22‘s MyCareer offering

MyTeam and MyGM/MyLeague Don‘t Move the Needle This Year

Beyond the marquee experiences of gameplay and MyCareer, NBA 2K23 rounds out its offering with modes like MyGM, MyLeague and MyTeam. All three provide tremendous depth for basketball management or card collection fans.

MyGM and MyLeague let you coach, manage, and control an NBA franchise to dynasty glory. MyTeam transforms the sport into a digital trading card game where you build up a roster by acquiring packs of players, literally treating them like cards in a collection.

But like MyCareer, if you spent significant time with these modes last year, 2K23 again doesn‘t overhaul the formula too drastically. Expect new card packs in MyTeam, and some novelty options like managing an expansion franchise in MyGM.

As a franchise veteran though, I didn‘t find enough newness here to drive engagement compared to past years. Still great pick-up-and-play options, but quite iterative.

Verdict – Minor new wrinkles but treads familiar ground for MyTeam/MyGM players

Microtransactions Remain Aggressive in MyCareer and MyTeam Modes

One area that always generates heated debate in the 2K community is the aggressive monetization around VC, the virtual currency used in modes like MyCareer and MyTeam. While you can slowly earn VC from pure gameplay, 2K23 definitely pushes you towards real money purchases.

Just like in 2K22, many activities in MyCareer revolve around using large amounts VC. Creating your custom player, buying attributes, purchasing clothes/accessories/equipment, acquiring bikes or skateboards to travel faster, and more cost VC.

A single cosmetic outfit can run 5,000+ VC, which takes hours of grinding gameplay to obtain. And achieving high attributes for your player costs 100k+ VC – extremely prohibitive for non-spenders.

MyTeam‘s card collecting mechanics are designed similarly – compelling you to spend real cash on card packs for the best team. This online TCG-style mode is meant to monetize aggressively.

As an experienced player, I recommend going in with patience or budgeting real money. Attempting to skillfully play your way through either mode without spending will lead to massive frustration.

Verdict – Aggressive monetization still awaits, expect to spend cash or grind patiently

Is the Michael Jordan Edition Worth the Premium?

2K23 offers a few versions beyond the $59.99 standard edition. The premium Michael Jordan edition at $99.99 gets you 100,000 VC plus some MyTeam rewards focused around Jordan.

For most players, I believe the 40 extra dollars is hard to justify here. While the VC saves some initial MyCareer grinding, 100k only gets you partially towards maxing out a player. And MyTeam content will become outdated as the year progresses.

However, huge MJ fans who know they‘ll be obsessed with MyTeam could get value from the head start on VC and Jordan cards/packs. This edition also includes a 10% XP boost on your MyCareer progression.

Overall unless you plan to really min-max MyTeam with Jordan, I suggest saving the money and spending it incrementally later if you must have VC.

Verdict – The premium Jordan version isn‘t essential for value

Breaking Down Which Players Should Buy NBA 2K23 Current Gen

We‘ve now covered every major aspect of NBA 2K23 on PS4 and Xbox One. Let‘s boil things down into some recommendations on which players should (or shouldn‘t) upgrade from 2K22 based on their interests.

Buy current gen 2K23 at launch for:

• Hardcore MyCareer/MyTeam fans planning another year-long grind
• Competitive online players who want the newest rosters and meta
• Big fans of Michael Jordan eager to play the Challenge mode

Wait for a sale or pass entirely if you‘re a:

• Mainly casual offline/single-player gamer
• Parent wanting a kid-friendly sports game
• Multiplayer fan mostly playing couch co-op/versus with friends
• Player who won‘t invest dozens of hours grinding MyCareer or MyTeam

For me, the excellent Jordan Challenge retrospective and rock-solid MyCareer experience justifies purchasing 2K23 at some point to hardcore basketball gamers. However, more casual players should wait for a discount unless they absolutely must have updated rosters.

The Verdict: Yes for Hoops Fans, But Wait for a Sale

In summary, NBA 2K23 on PS4 and Xbox One delivers iterative improvements that probably aren‘t worth full $70 price at launch for most gamers. The excellent gameplay carries over smoothly, but most modes tread too familiar a ground to feel fresh.

However, The Jordan Challenge and MyCareer still represent hundreds of hours of potential hardwood fun for fans wanting to live out basketball dreams. For diehard hoops gamers, 2K23 remains a must-own title despite its minor enhancements over 2K22.

Yet more casual players should wait for the inevitable sale or permanent price drop before adding 2K23 to their backlog. Unless you need the latest rosters or base your YouTube/Twitch channel around 2K, save your money until it hits $30 or under.

As an annual fan of the 2K series myself, I‘m happy to keep enjoying 2K23‘s rock-solid simulation gameplay for months to come. But I definitely don‘t regret waiting for a discount instead of buying at launch. Let the price match your passion for virtual hoops.