'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As has been the case for the last few years, the Road to WrestleMania also means the Road to the Next WWE 2K game. Releasing on March 8, 2024 - almost a month before this year’s Showcase of the Immortals - WWE 2K24 will, theoretically, improve on the features implemented over the past few editions.
A new WWE game also means sites like ours running an obligatory “features we want to see” article. Which is fine - we wouldn’t be writing them if you fine folks weren’t reading them. But, every now and then, we like to do something a little bit different.
There's always something new we'd like to see in WWE 2K
Back in 2019, leading up to the release of WWE 2K20, we ran a list of new game features we wanted to see that were, well, less than reasonable. Go search it out, if only to see how poorly it's aged. (Seriously, we were still whining about Roman Reigns not being a heel then.)
Well, it’s been five years, so…let’s do it again. As before, we’ll include an actually reasonable suggestion to go along with the crazy one. Obviously, it’s a bit late to add any of these to WWE 2K24 (we assume, anyway - what do we know?), but it’s still fun to talk about.
1) Add guest commentary during matches from any wrestler in the game
It’s not uncommon during a televised match for a wrestler to come down from the back to join the commentary team. It’s usually a champion casually discussing how it doesn’t matter which of those two jabronies in the ring wins the match; neither is good enough to take his title from him. He also probably uses a lot of catchphrases.
Well, we want that in a WWE 2K game - except we want it for any match, and we’re not just talking bouts during a Showcase mode. If there’s a match between Rey Mysterio and Ivar from the Viking Raiders, and we want Akira Tozawa to come down and do commentary for whatever reason, we should be able to make that happen. How? I don't know; use A.I., record tons of voice work, or use magic. I don’t care. Just make it happen.
The more reasonable version: The funny thing is, with A.I. as advanced as it is, this is actually feasible. However, it’s still pretty unreasonable, and for a multitude of reasons. A.I. isn’t a magic wand that can create anything, after all. Not yet, anyway.
But, something that could be done without relying on a possibly sentient computer program is recording alternate commentary tracks. Sometimes, it just feels weird to have an “episode” of NXT with commentary by Michael Cole and Corey Graves. Why not bring in Wade Barrett or even Pat MacAfee to record some voice work, as well?
It would probably be unfeasible to mix and match announcers, but letting players select which commentary team they want to listen to shouldn’t be that hard to make happen. Right?
2) Play in the style of any other WWE game ever
Considering pro wrestling games have been around for decades at this point, there’s plenty of nostalgia for games of the past. You can’t throw a rock without hitting some old geezer like myself moaning about how wrestling titles stopped “being good with WWF No Mercy.” And, frankly, they deserve to get hit with that rock. That’s just annoying.
So, why shouldn’t we be able to play the latest WWE 2K title in the style of Here Comes the Pain or, for whatever reason, WCW Mayhem? Sure, each one would require the developers to essentially design an entirely separate game, but so what? It’s not like game development is challenging, costly, and time-consuming or anything.
The more reasonable version: While putting dozens of different game engines into one title is a pretty ridiculous concept, there’s still the germ of an idea here. 2K Showcase modes frequently explore events in WWE’s past, and they’ll often emulate the aesthetics of the time period. Why not throw in some actual gaming nostalgia and emulate the graphical style of the games from the time period?
There’s no need to recreate the entire game for just one match, of course. But just changing the graphics to look more like, say, the original PS1 SmackDown game should be doable. After all, they put the Mario 64 model of Mario in Odyssey.
3) The WWE 2K Multiverse
Multiverse stories have been all the rage in entertainment these days. Between every other comic book movie and Everything Everywhere All at Once’s numerous Oscar wins, featuring different realities is the big thing right now. So, why not in a WWE 2K game?
We’re not just talking about a few variations, though. We want every possible variation. At the very least, they should have as many as possible. What about a WWE on an Earth where people evolved from Dinosaurs? Or a WWE set in ancient Rome? Or a WWE where everyone is purple. We want all of those and more in one game.
The more reasonable version: This, but just not in one game. And not all of them. Maybe a game on their own down the line. Spin-off games. That sort of thing. I mean, can you honestly say you wouldn’t want to experience at least one of those ideas?
4) Literal Deathmatches
Video games aren’t just for kids anymore, and wrestling games should reflect this. Yes, WWE itself is essentially all-ages entertainment (or that’s the idea, anyway.) But why can’t we have a game mode just for grown-ups? And, as we all know, there’s one thing that every single grown-up in the world enjoys, and that’s murderous violence.
That’s right - insane, hardcore deathmatches are literal fights to the death!
The more reasonable version: Clearly, we’re not serious. There are plenty of other games like this out there if that’s your jam. We don’t need it in a WWE game. We just wanted to put a really ridiculous one on here.
5) Total immersion
You ever see those TRON movies? You know, the ones where someone is physically transported into a computer and interacts with programs and stuff? Right, well, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be able to actually do that now. You know the technology is there - the government’s just hiding it. Like they are with time travel, the cure for cancer, and grocery trolleys that actually work properly.
Just imagine: One minute, you’re in your living room, holding your controller, about to play as John Cena. Suddenly, you’re inside a ring and you are John Cena. Also, you’re no longer in your living room, because you’ve just been digitized and placed inside your Xbox. Also, good luck getting out.
The more reasonable version: OK, while this one is almost certainly literally impossible, there is potential in a VR mode in a WWE game. How to make it work - and work well - is obviously something that needs to be figured out. But, don’t be surprised if we see this very thing before the decade is out.
