NBA 2K21, the latest installment in the world-renowned, best-selling NBA 2K series, has been made available through various promotional offers, allowing consumers to acquire the game at no cost. These offers typically involve digital distribution through PC platforms and the redemption of in-game codes for virtual items. The game, which normally retails for $59.99, features improvements upon its best-in-class gameplay, competitive and community online features, and deep, varied game modes such as My Career, The Neighbourhood, and My Team. It offers immersion into all facets of NBA basketball and culture.
One of the primary methods for obtaining NBA 2K21 for free was through the Epic Games Store. During a specific promotional period, which ended on May 27, 2021, at 10:00 AM or 11:00 AM ET, the Epic Games Store offered a free copy of the NBA 2K21 PC game download. This promotion was part of the Epic Mega Sale, which also included discounts of up to 75 percent on a range of games and Epic Coupons offering $10 off the price of any game costing $15 or more. The giveaway was available to anyone with an Epic Games Store account. Once redeemed, the game remained in the user's library forever, with no content limitations. This allowed access to different game modes, including the story in My Career, matches in The Neighbourhood, and team formation in My Team.
To redeem the free copy of NBA 2K21 from the Epic Games Store, users were required to have an Epic Games Store account. If a user did not have an account, they needed to register for free by filling in fields such as first name, last name, username, email address, and password, and choosing whether to receive commercial information. After filling in the required fields, the user had to accept the terms of service and follow the steps to activate their account. Activating the two-step verification process was also a required step. Once access was granted, the user could go to the specific link provided by the Epic Games Store to redeem the copy of NBA 2K21. If the user did not have the PC client, they were required to download it. After these steps, the user would have access to the game library. During the initial rush to claim the freebie, the Epic Games Store experienced high traffic, which might have caused some instability.
In addition to the full game download, NBA 2K21 players can access free in-game content through Locker Codes. These codes are punched into the MyTEAM mode to receive freebies. An example of an active Locker Code was "THANK-YOU-MyTEAM-Community," which provided a guaranteed G.O.A.T or Invincible player for the MyTEAM roster. This specific code was set to expire on Monday, August 23, 2021. Another Locker Code was available for the Space Jam Challenge, which allowed players to obtain a LeBron James card to use in the challenge. The Space Jam Challenge was introduced with Season 9: Out of this World, coinciding with the release of the movie Space Jam: A New Legacy. Furthermore, a Spotlight Challenge allowed players to complete tasks, such as defeating three legends from the 75th Anniversary Edition, to earn rewards in NBA 2K21, including a Diamond Kobe VI shoe card and 22 Tokens, and a special pack in NBA 2K22. These challenges were active but were expected to become inactive after the launch of NBA 2K22.
Conclusion
The provided source material details specific promotional events for NBA 2K21, primarily focusing on a limited-time free offer through the Epic Games Store and the use of Locker Codes for in-game MyTEAM content. While the full game was available for free during a specific period in May 2021, current access to NBA 2K21 for free appears limited to these expired promotions or requires checking for new, similar offers from digital storefronts or the game's developers. The sources do not provide information on ongoing free sample programs or mail-in offers for NBA 2K21 outside of these specific digital distribution events.