NBA 2K21 (next-gen) update 1.03 – Patch notes

Newly-added rookies now seem much more recognizable.
Image via Take-Two

The second patch for NBA 2K21 on Xbox Series X and PS5 is officially live, with some needed fixes packed in. Update 1.03 mostly nixes heavily-noticed glitches and bugs in all modes, like the infamous error of players in The W becoming invisible mid-match.

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At the forefront, the patch has finally improved player models based on the 2020 rookie draft class and allows users to change their shot meter color. Additionally, more college choices will properly unlock in MyCareer after a strong performance, as they do on current-gen.

Here’s the list of improvements made from update 1.03.


General

  • Continued improvements of the Lower Bowl feature across all NBA arenas
  • Resolved a rare hang when using an uploaded face scan from the MyNBA2K app
  • New sponsor patch has been added to the Boston Celtics uniforms
  • New York Liberty logo has been updated to the latest design
  • Toned down reflections on glasses and goggles on coaches and players
  • Improved hair physics on female dancers
  • Fixed an issue with the Atlanta Hawks mascot’s tail
  • Likenesses have been updated for the following players/coaches:
    • Jimmy Butler
    • D’Angelo Russell
    • Jayson Tatum
    • Trey Burke
    • Phil Jackson
    • Christian Wood
    • Mychal Mulder
    • Mfiondu Kabengele
    • A number of newly drafted players from the NBA Draft

Gameplay

  • A new option has been added to allow you to change Shot Meter Color
  • Frequency of contact dunks and alley-oops has been slightly decreased
  • Multiple improvements to motion, including to take charge animations, v-cuts, sprint launches, and dribbling
  • Various improvements have been made to triple threat animations and post behaviors
  • Improved AI layup selection when close to the basket
  • The Green Machine badge will now properly show up in the HUD when activated
  • Made some changes to prevent alley-oops from being thrown from behind the backboard
  • Free throw accuracy has been slightly improved overall

The City

  • Improvements to performance in the City, particularly during gameplay
  • Improvements and additions to various buildings/objects/landscapes/lighting in the City
  • Game recaps on affiliation courts now display a reminder that games played outside of your own affiliation’s courts accrue 50% less rep
  • Fixed an issue where progress was not kept in The Rec when all users of the opposing team quit out
  • Resolved an issue in Pro-Am that could cause players to show up as invisible
  • Now only friends currently playing NBA 2K21 will be displayed on the phone
  • There is now a button to invite players directly when viewing your friends list on the phone
  • A second set of affiliation uniforms has been added in the appropriate stores
  • Enhancements have been made to the City Map
  • Addressed various issues where the try-on feature was acting irregularly in some stores
  • A new storefront has been added for the New Balance store in the City
  • Addressed a rare hang that could occur when waiting in the Pro-Am lobby after coming from the Rec
  • Corrected some alignment issues with the low rider bike
  • Opponent strength bonus is now being displayed in the Recap after Pro-Am games
  • Socks in Pro-Am will now properly respect the sock length set by the player
  • Corrected a problem with the Garage Hoops Strikeout game when several players were involved
  • Players will no longer be kicked out of the match if idle when teams are being set up for Garage Hoops games
  • Fixed an issue where players could disappear after Garage Hoops and Gatorade Rental Court games

MyCAREER

  • The difficulty bonus for both VC and MyPOINTS/badge progression is now being properly displayed in the postgame Recap screen for MyCAREER games
  • Physical attributes will now be correctly boosted when moving up from 95-99 OVR
  • Fixed a rare hang that could occur when attempting to load your MyCAREER save while a game update was pending
  • Corrected some issues with interested colleges during the high school portion of The Long Shadow
  • Improvements have been made to the postgame crowd at the end of NBA games in MyCAREER
  • 2K Beats songs that have been user-disabled will no longer play when returning to the MyCAREER landing

MyNBA

  • Addressed an issue with team control when entering G League games in MyNBA
  • You will now be awarded VC for playing G League games in MyNBA
  • Resolved a hang that occurred when releasing a two-way player to free agency that was currently assigned to the G League
  • Addressed a hang that could occur when attempting to view specific notifications on the Main Menu
  • You can now select teams from both the Team Details and Governor Details pages during MyNBA/MyWNBA creation
  • Ensured that the Ring Ceremony and Banner Reveal segments will always appropriately play
  • Fixed a hang that could occur in the Player Training menu when editing a player’s focus
  • WNBA Playoff Mode will now correctly begin in the year 2021
  • Multiple other stability improvements and changes to improve the overall experience

The W

  • Corrected a rare issue that could make your MyPLAYER become invisible in The W
  • Popularity will now properly increase when finishing a game of The W Online
  • Addressed a problem with certain animations being incorrectly equipped by default and not previewing during selection

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Author
Ryan Willcox
Ryan Willcox is a Staff Writer at Gamepur. He is mostly known to cover free-to-play titles, spanning from Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, to Apex Legends. Outside of games, Ryan's other personal interests are reading scientific nonfiction and running.