Voting Rights Group More Than A Vote Wants NBA 2K Players To Cast Their Ballot

Election season is in full swing, and different organizations are ramping up their efforts to get people to vote on election day, November 3. One voting rights group, More Than A Vote, has created a campaign in NBA 2K21. It's different from the typical cable network spot and is ostensibly an attempt to reach out to where millennial and Gen Z voters are.

More Than A Vote will release episodes on 2KTV--the in-game NBA 2K show--highlighting the personal voting experience of well-known sports-affiliated people, as well as the historical context of why voting is important. 2KTV can also be watched on its official YouTube channel. The show covers everything NBA 2K, including a teaser of NBA 2K21's next-generation console gameplay, as well as interviews and gaming tips.

In the first episode, ESPN analyst Maria Taylor will talk about her experience witnessing voter suppression. According to Axios, the second episode will have Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young citing his experience as an 18-year-old in the last presidential election. "This time I understand what's at stake," says Young.

More Than A Vote is organized by "Black athletes and artists working together" to combat "systemic, racist voter suppression by educating, energizing, and protecting our community in 2020." LeBron James and Odell Beckham Jr. are counted among the group's members.

This isn't the first time a project concerning the fall presidential elections has arrived in a video game. The Biden campaign debuted its Joe Biden-themed island in Animal Crossing on October 16. The island contains Biden yard signs, a basement full of trains, and a polling place with voting information. Previously, the Biden campaign also released custom Biden yard signs for Animal Crossing players to stick in their virtual lawns.

NBA 2K21 is out now on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, and Stadia. The game releases on November 10 for Xbox Series X/Series S and November 12 for PlayStation 5.