New WWE 2K Executive Producer Patrick Gilmore cites 'No Mercy' and 'Here Comes The Pain' as inspirations for next title

It's usually around this time of year that details of the next WWE 2K video game begin to come to light. Of course, as we all know, 2K Games is pushing back the development of the usual "simulation" title in order to come up with something fresh.

That doesn't mean we're completely in the dark when it comes to information about the game. New Executive Producer of the next WWE 2K game, Patrick Gilmore, answered fan questions regarding the game and the development process during an AMA ("Ask Me Anything") session on Reddit last Friday.

One of the topics that came up was being overhauled in this new game from the previous ones. Gilmore answered:

"Core gameplay is one of the major investments we’re making in the next installment [of WWE 2K]—one of six pillars we are focused on disproportionately in development. We are looking at much-loved previous games like No Mercy or Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain, along with top franchise installments, and more modern wrestling and fighting games to build an all-new philosophical foundation for the game."

WWE 2K going back to the classics

Both WWE No Mercy and WWE SmackDown: Here Comes the Pain are frequently heralded as two of the best wrestling video games ever made. However, don't expect the same controls from either of those games - that's not what the team at Visual Concepts is going for with it comes to the next WWE 2K game.

"People who hope that we holistically adopt the control scheme or philosophy from one of their favorite games are likely to be disappointed; we are trying to combine the best ideas out there into a brand new wrestling experience that sets a new standard. The game play team is focused on Accessibility, Depth and Wrestling Experience."

Gilmore also talked about the possible move towards a "Games As Service" model, like The Division 2 or Destiny for the WWE 2K series. Which is an idea that sounds very familiar.

"My most recent experience is from a more “game as a service,” model, where the game is always live, and updates are constant. I think it’s a great way to develop. I would say that it’s part of the long term franchise vision to move in that direction, but it’s not something that can happen overnight. Internally, we talk obsessively about being more current with new superstars, gimmick changes and so forth. The main thing I can commit to is ongoing improvement!"

You'll still be able to get your WWE video game fix this year, however. WWE Battlegrounds, an arcade-style title in the vein of NBA Playgrounds or WWE All-Stars, will be released later this year. It'll be very different from your usual WWE 2K game, but it could just be the break players need.

The actual WWE 2K games were pushed back mostly due to the poor reception to WWE 2K20, which switched developers from Yuke's to Visual Concepts early on in the development process.

At launch, it was riddled with bugs and was missing a lot of features fans were previously used to. Patches released over the course of the year have drastically improved the quality of the game, however.

(H/T to our friends at WrestleZone)