NBA 2K18’s Graphics Upgrade Over 2K17 Is Pretty Remarkable Side By Side

The point of a yearly video game is for it to get better with each edition. The game modes, the game physics and — perhaps most importantly — the graphics should always get better as the years go by. We’ve seen how Michael Jordan has evolved as a video game sprite over the course of his career and beyond, but even on a yearly basis, the update can be so much better than last year’s version.

Steve Noah has been putting some side-by-side comparisons together to show off the character model changes from NBA 2K17 and 2K’s latest: NBA 2K18. While not much time has passed in the real world, even on the same console the the results are pretty stunning. Look at Gordon Hayward, bulked up and much more lifelike in the NBA 2K18 version of himself on the right.

John Wall may not be happy with his rating, but at least his virtual likeness is much crisper than in last year’s game.

Ben McLemore may have grown a beard, but that’s not the only change his character experiences in 2K18.

And here’s D’Angelo Russell, who makes the leap from the Lakers to the Brooklyn Nets in this year’s game.

Lots of improvements all around. The more we hear about ratings and get looks at this game, the more excited you can get for the game’s September 19 release.