Game developers have one of the toughest jobs. It is very difficult to digitally recreate a living person in a video game. And more often than not, they have to be prepared to be at the receiving ends of fans’ angst in case they get it wrong.
The story is no different for the developers at 2K Sports, who are responsible for developing WWE’s flagship video game every year. With every release, comes the inevitable discussion about which wrestlers the developers got "wrong".
Like every other instalment, it so appears that 2K had an intern throwing at a dartboard to randomly allocate the ratings to the wrestlers for WWE 2K17. Here we will take a look at 5 wrestlers who have been grossly overrated in the game.
#5 Mr McMahon (Rating: 76)
A former Royal Rumble, WWF and ECW World Champion, Vince McMahon must have done enough to garner a rating of 76, no? No. In honesty, those accolades are not really indicative of Vince’s actual wrestling skill. Isn’t it absolutely bizarre to see him rated so highly in the most recent instalment of WWE’s 2K games?
If one takes this number at face value, apparently, R-Truth (71), Hunter Hearst Helmsley (76), Jack Swagger (71), Heath Slater (72), Stardust (74) and many others, are all less skilled wrestlers than Vince. Now, this is just an embarrassing and humiliating assertion. Some might even say that it is something of an insult to these talents.
Yes, it is an improvement from 2K16, where Vince was rated at 84 (laughable, I know). However, still, 76 is too high for the 2001 version of Vince. If it was up to me, he should have been rated on par with Bo Dallas. 67 should do justice to him, won’t it?
#4 Kevin Nash (Rating: 89)
The one thing which has surprised us all about Kevin Nash in WWE 2K17 is that his Diesel persona, which was surely his peak in terms of strength, popularity and entertaining, high-profile matches, actually has one point lower than Nash.
Yes, he was amazing in the now. But wasn’t that more for his personality and storytelling prowess rather than his actual wrestling? And the fact that Nash is rated higher than the likes of Kevin Owens (86), Booker T (87), Samoa Joe (87), Sami Zayn (87), Sting (87), Diamond Dallas Page (88), Cesaro (88), Finn Balor (88), and Randy Orton (88) seems a little fishy.
His actual rating should be 83 or 84. For two years in the running, Nash has had a grossly inflated 89 rating. Now it is high time that he took a tumble down to a more reasonable rating.
#3 JBL (Rating: 87)
JBL is terrific at commentary and even at his in-ring mic skill but as a wrestler? I would say not so much. He has had gimmicks well-suited to his personality and his hell hellacious clothesline is the only thing to talk about. However, regardless of everything, he has had a successful career.
But when you see some of the talents who JBL smokes you would be surprised. Kane (79), Alberto Del Rio (83), Mr Perfect (84), Dolph Ziggler (85) and even Kevin Owens (86) to name a few. Surely there has to be some sort of justification for this outrageous assessment by 2K.
It almost seems like 2K is obligated to give JBL an over the top rating just because he was an amazing heel back in the mid-2000s. However, more than anything he was a rough brawler. Tough, but never really skilled when it came to technique. A rating of 77 would have done him more justice.
#2 Scott Hall (Rating: 89)
Scott Hall’s effortlessly superior Razor Ramon character has a lower rating than his post-WWE character, much like Kevin Nash’s issue. Whereas Hall is rated at 89, Ramon’s rating is 88 which is absolutely ridiculous.
The high rating puts him ahead of some of the brilliant wrestlers like Kevin Owens (86), Samoa Joe (87), Sting (87), Sami Zayn (87), Finn Balor (88), Cesaro (88), Diamond Dallas Page (88), Randy Orton (88) and the several others.
Although he was a talented wrestler, both as Razor and Hall, it is very peculiar to see him pushed so high up just because he was involved in an unforgettable angle. Many will argue against it, but for me, it is not so justified. A more justifiable rating would be 86 as he's always been a better wrestler than Nash.
#1 Stephanie McMahon (Rating: 73)
Without any doubt, the most egregiously over the top rating in WWE 2K17 has been awarded to Stephanie McMahon, who ends up with a cool 73. Yes, it is an improvement from last year’s mind-boggling 83, but still, it is nowhere close to what she should be actually rated.
A 73 rating sees her ranked above the likes of Summer Rae (70), Carmella (70), Emma (72) and Alicia Fox (72). Many are of the opinion that it feels like a bit of an insult to the other "proper" wrestlers to get superseded by the boss' daughter.
In any case, the fact that she has been rated higher than Eva Marie (67) is justifiable. She can stay ahead of Eva but 73? No way. A rating of 68 or 69 would have done more justice and quite possibly 2K will correct it in the next instalment.
