NBA 2K16 release date, soundtrack details; Summer League to return

Twitter/2K Sports

2K has confirmed the September 29 initial release date for NBA 2K16 and as the release date draws closer, more and more features are getting revealed.

Last Friday, July 10, the game publisher confirmed the return of Summer League in the upcoming NBA 2K16 release through its Twitter page: "The #SummerLeague has kicked off and is coming to #NBA2K16! Prepare for your future. #BeTheStory." The tweet hypes the return of Summer League.

The last time it was featured was back in 2011 when 2K11 was released. Subsequently, it was removed from 2K12, 2k13, 2K14 and 2K15.

The Summer League is held during the off-season and is made up of three individual regional leagues: The Las Vegas Summer League, the Orlando Pro Summer League and the Utah Jazz Summer League. For the duration of the tournament, teams are allowed to break away from their regular season line up and mix in rookies, sophomores, as well as free agents.

Earlier last week, details regarding the NBA 2K16 soundtrack were revealed. Songs chosen by DJ Premier, DJ Mustard and DJ Khaled will be featured in what the developer calls as the "biggest" and "most extensive" soundtrack pack in the history of the game franchise. More than 50 songs from various genres and timelines will be included. Six of the included songs are announced to be exclusive for the game.

This is a move away from letting players fill up the soundtrack selection, which the company opted for in the last two game installments. Note that in 2K14 and 2K15, Lebron James and Pharrell Williams, respectively, were given the honors of choosing the music.

NBA 2K16 promises a more realistic feel to the game with the improvements it has implemented for player movement, the crowd, clothing apparel and footwear. The developer has also announced Spike Lee's game directorial debut for 2K16. Stephen Curry, James Harden and Anthony Davis are all confirmed game covers.

NBA 2K16 is set to be released for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4 and PC on September 29. Those that preordered the game, however, will get their copies on September 25. The Michael Jordan Edition will be available later this year.