2K Sports has named Heat F LeBron James the cover athlete for the upcoming "NBA 2K 14," representing James' first solo appearance on a video game cover. The title, one of the top-selling sports video games of any type with more than 5 million units in annual sales, will be released this fall on both current-generation video game consoles and emerging platforms such as the forthcoming Xbox One and PlayStation 4. 2K Sports Senior VP/Operations Jason Argent said, "The fact he's never been on a video game cover I think has helped build up the mystique and anticipation. We think there is pent-up demand, and he's picked an ideal time to partner with us." 2K Sports unveiled the cover selection Thursday night prior to Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The video game will be released Oct. 1 on current-generation gaming platforms, and will be a launch title on the forthcoming consoles. The "NBA 2K" series is expected to have competition this fall with the slated return of EA Sports' "NBA Live" after a four-year absence. But Argent said that not much has changed within 2K Sports as result of the rival entry. Argent: "We acknowledge the competition, but our focus is 100% on us." The alignment with James extends a run of high-profile partnerships and licensing agreements in recent years for the title, including prior pacts with Basketball HOFer Michael Jordan and the rights to the '92 and '12 U.S. men's Olympic basketball teams.
