Update: 2K Sports has responded to the unskippable ads that appeared in NBA 2K21 over the weekend, explaining that they were part of an NBA 2KTV presentation but weren't supposed to show during loading sequences. The publisher's full statement is embedded below:

All forgiven?


NBA 2K21 Advert

Original Story: If it's not EA, it's publisher 2K causing controversy by applying unskippable adverts to load screens after launch. PlayStation 4 title NBA 2K21 now sports in-game ads before you hit the court as the game loads in the players, crowd, and arena. As reported by Stevivor, you'll see how the Oculus Quest 2 is advertised to PS4 users before they hop to dunk a two-pointer. A quick clip of an actor applying the headset appears before the $299 price flashes on-screen.

This was a problem players faced in last year's NBA 2K20 and it appears to have come back once more in this year's iteration. Of course, the advert does not break up gameplay and, if anything, adds to the authenticity of 2K's aim of creating a real-life basketball match on your telly. However, nobody really enjoys being advertised to after purchasing a $70 game, do they? Who knows if this tactic will also carry over to the PlayStation 5 version, which costs even more if you opted for the version containing a free next-gen upgrade.

How do you react to this? Let us know in the comments below.

[source stevivor.com]