NBA 2K19: The Prelude Demo Is Available For Free Right Now

NBA 2K19 doesn't come out for a few more days, but fans hungry for this year's edition of the basketball franchise can get a taste of it right now. Publisher 2K has released NBA 2K19: The Prelude for free on Xbox One and PS4. Though the game will also come to PC and Nintendo Switch, the demo is not available on those platforms.

The Prelude is the first chapter in the MyCareer story mode that comes in the game. This year's story mode is called "The Way Back," and it has an all-new narrative that follows a young basketball player through a career that takes you from the Chinese Basketball League all the way to the NBA.

A number of recognizable actors appear in the "The Way Back," including Anthony Mackie (Avengers), Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense), Michael Rapaport (Atypical), Aldis Hodge (Straight Outta Compton), and Rob Huebel (Transparent). You can watch the trailer above.

While the standard edition of NBA 2K19 is scheduled to release on September 11, the 20th Anniversary Edition lands a few days earlier on September 7. The standard edition's cover athlete is Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, while LeBron James takes the cover spot on the 20th Anniversary Edition. You can check out our pre-order guide for details about what's included in each version of the game.

As for the game itself, this year's installment will bring some big changes to the popular MyTeam mode. We also spoke with a 2K representative to get answers to some burning questions about NBA 2K19.