WWE 2K18 will be the next instalment in the WWE 2K series which is expected to release in October this year.
Over the years, the roster of the WWE games has become deeper with each new edition and has included superstars from various eras. The previous edition, WWE 2K17, gave users the option of choosing from 156 unique superstars and 16 alternate versions to contest in a number of match types.
In WWE 2K17, Brock Lesnar returned to the video game cover for the first time since Smackdown! Here Comes The Pain in 2003. In this next edition of the game, there are myriad options to choose from to grace the cover of the annual video game. AJ Styles, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, Finn Balor and Kevin Owens are a few of those choices who could be the face of WWE 2K18.
Expect the announcement regarding the new WWE game to take place at E3 which is a trade fair set to take place in Los Angeles starting from 10th June.
We have prepared a list of superstars that are most likely to debut/return to the WWE video game this year.
#1 Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle returned to WWE this past April and headlined the 2017 Hall of Fame before taking up the position of General Manager of Monday Night Raw. He will surely be included in WWE 2K18 but most probably won’t be on the regular roster.
2K can employ the same strategy as they did in past with Goldberg, Sting, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ultimate Warrior and announce Angle as the pre-order bonus.
The Olympic Gold Medalist hasn't competed in a WWE ring since more than a decade and there are a huge number of fans who will not like to miss the opportunity to put Angle in dream matches against the current crop of talent.
#2 Mickie James and other female superstars
Mickie James made a comeback to WWE in January of this year and her inclusion on the main roster of WWE 2K18 is a sure thing. Maryse could also make a return to the annual video game series given that she faced John Cena and Nikki Bella alongside The Miz at this year’s Wrestlemania.
Lana was included as a manager in the previous edition but she could be a playable character this year as she is soon going to debut as a competitor on Smackdown LIVE.
#3 Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal was an active member of the roster when WWE 2K17 released, but was not included in the video game. The Maharaja returned to WWE in August last year when most of the video game’s development was done. 2K17 didn’t even bother to release Mahal as a DLC after the game’s release as he wasn’t a significant part of the weekly program.
The landscape has changed enormously this year and Jinder, now dubbed as the Modern Day Maharaja, is the WWE Champion. WWE 2K18 will not only mark Mahal’s return to WWE video games but he also may be the reigning WWE Champion within the game this year.
2K18 may or may not incorporate the Singh Brothers a.k.a. the Bollywood Boys on their roster but if they start competing in Smackdown LIVE, the chances of their inclusion will surely rise.
#4 The Cruiserweight Division
205 Live premiered in the last week of November 2016 which is an almost month and a half after the release of WWE 2K17. Though the Cruiserweight Classic had concluded a month before the game's release, 2K17 didn’t include any of the cruiserweights as they didn’t have sufficient time to develop new characters.
WWE 2K18 is set to be the first video game to include 205 Live and the cruiserweight division. It will be interesting to see how 205 Live will be accommodated in the Universe Mode.
The superstars expected to be included in the cruiserweight division are Akira Tozawa, The Brian Kendrick, Ariya Daivari, Cedric Alexander, Drew Gulak, Jack Gallagher, TJP, Rich Swann, Tony Nese, Noam Dar and Mustafa Ali.
Ho Ho Lun, Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado may or may not be a part of the video game given they have had very few appearances on 205 Live.
#5 The Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz made a superb return to WWE after capturing the Raw Tag Team titles at Wrestlemania this year. Their inclusion in WWE 2K18 is bound to happen but what can’t be assured is the inclusion of the ‘Broken’ gimmick.
If the Hardys do adopt the Broken gimmick in the coming weeks, the probability that it will be included in the game will be little as there might not be enough time to add the mannerisms and entrance before the release date.
2K18 could update the characters or add alternate versions by releasing DLCs if the Broken Universe does come to RAW.
#6 Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne
WWE concluded the United Kindom tournament in January of this month and crowned Tyler Bate as the first United Kingdom Champion. The tournament also included the likes of Pete Dunne, Mark Andrews, Trent Seven and Wolfgang.
Tyler Bate is signed to WWE and should make it to the roster of the game this year. Pete Dunne is the current United Kingdom Champion and he should also make the final cut to the video game’s roster even though he is still working outside of WWE.
The other wrestlers are still working independent dates and they are not exclusive to WWE thus their inclusion is uncertain.
#7 New and Returning mid-carders
A few mid-carders who joined the company after last year’s brand split are also expected to be a part of WWE 2K18. Curt Hawkins should make his return to 2K18 this year along with the former Smackdown Tag Team Champion Rhyno.
Elias Samson and James Ellsworth should make their video game debuts with WWE 2K18 while James Ellsworth may also be available in a separate avatar as a manager.
#8 Bobby Roode
WWE 2K18 may end up assembling a good roster without his inclusion, they may even end up delivering a great roster without his inclusion but it certainly won’t be GLORIOUS without Bobby Roode.
Bobby Roode is the reigning NXT Champion and I don’t see a single reason why he won’t be a part of the upcoming game. He is one of the most anticipated characters in this year’s WWE 2K video game.
Personally, I would like to see more than one entrances for Roode. So far, he has delivered a bouquet of grand entrances and I would love to see those entrances make their way to the video games as well. He could have his routine entrance for weekly program arenas and a choir singing before his music on PPVs. Won’t that be GLORIOUS?
#9 Authors of Pain
Paul Ellering and his Authors of Pain are undefeated and are the current NXT Tag Team Champions. Gamers would love to assume the role of Akem and Rezar and annihilate everyone on NXT and the main roster.
They could even play as some other tag team and do what hasn’t been done yet, beat the Authors of Pain. The NXT Tag Team Champions are a must addition to the upcoming edition of the WWE 2K series.
Paul Ellering may also be added as a manager in the final roster. If 2K18 decides to include the Legion of Doom from the bygone era, I would love to see the inclusion of a younger Paul Ellering as well.
#10 Rest of NXT
NXT had a massive influx of reputed professional wrestlers from all around the globe this past year. Not including the talent wrestlers from the yellow brand in 2K18 would be a travesty!
The NXT superstars who are expected to be a part of WWE 2K18 are Aleister Black, Andrade “Cien” Almas, Billie Kay, Drew Mcintyre, Johnny Gargano, Tomasso Ciampa, Peyton Royce, Kassius Ohno, Ember Moon, Eric Young, Roderick Strong, Alexandre Wolf, Killian Dain, Nikki Cross, Ruby Riot and No Way Jose.
The superstars whose inclusion is uncertain at this point are Aliyah, Liv Morgan, TM61 (Shane Thorne and Nick Miller), Heavy Machinery (Otis Dozoviz and Tucker Knight) and Oney Lorcan.
There may be some inclusions from the upcoming Mae Young Classic Women’s Tournament as well.
