Xavier Woods is a huge video game fan — and he even has some behind-the-scenes involvement in the WWE 2K series.
The next installment of the series, WWE 2K26, is set to be released on March 13. During a press event to promote the game, Woods appeared on Busted Open Radio and was asked if 2K has ever reached out to him seeking his input on how to make the game better. Woods noted that he and Tyler Breeze coordinate with 2K every year on how to improve the MyGM mode, which Woods and Breeze have long been fans of.
“Oh, definitely. There’s a mode in it called MyGM, and so that’s essentially like a text-based, you’re booking the show. And then the show simulates and it tells you how good it was,” Woods said. “You can fantasy book and then the computer figures out who wins and loses and then you book the show from there.
“Tyler Breeze and I loved this mode. It was in the 2006 version of the game until 2008, then it went away. So we would play this old version of the game for years. And then, eventually, 2K put it back in because people were loving that so much. And now me and him are like a staple for that. So they talk to us, we talk to them, we talk to the community that plays on how to increase the value of that aspect of the game every year.”
Woods and Breeze operate the UpUpDownDown YouTube channel for WWE, which is focused on gaming and has nearly 2.5 million subscribers.
CM Punk is the official cover star for WWE 2K26, with there also being alternative covers for the Attitude Era, Monday Night War, and Triple H “King of Kings” versions.
The hype for WWE 2K26 is now in full swing with some more details about the game now being revealed.
WWE and 2K Games announced this morning that CM Punk will serve as the cover star of WWE 2K26. The game is set to be released on Friday, March 13 — and 2K is touting that it will feature the largest roster in franchise history. There will be more than 400 wrestlers/legends on the roster, with the following names already confirmed:
CM Punk
John Cena
Randy Savage
Rhea Ripley
Cody Rhodes
Roman Reigns
IYO SKY
Andre the Giant
Drew McIntyre
Bron Breakker
Roddy Piper
Seth Rollins
Logan Paul
Stephanie Vaquer
Eddie Guerrero
Liv Morgan
Bret Hart
Penta
Charlotte Flair
Randy Orton
Rey Fenix
Rusev
Blake Monroe
Joe Hendry is also in WWE 2K26 as the pre-order bonus character for the standard edition of the game.
Four new match types will be featured, giving you the ability to play in inferno matches, dumpster matches, I Quit matches, and Three Stages of Hell.
Along with being the cover star, Punk is the focus of this year’s Showcase mode, which allows you to play through some of his past matches and other dream bouts:
CM Punk jumps through time to relive incredible moments from his career. Narrated by ‘The Best in the World’ himself, players will relive iconic matches and battle against WWE Legends in Fantasy Warfare. For those who want to truly prove their mettle, the Showcase Gauntlet looks to push players to their limits! CM Punk’s rise, rebellion, and return make this the most personal 2K Showcase yet.
WWE 2K26 is being released on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Early access begins on March 6 for those who pre-order either of the three most expensive editions of the game. Here are full pricing details:
For the second time in his career, CM Punk is being featured as the cover star of a WWE video game.
Punk was officially unveiled as the cover star for WWE 2K26 during an announcement that was made on Friday’s Royal Rumble kickoff event in Saudi Arabia. The game, which is set to be released on March 13, is now available for pre-order. It will be available on PS5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
Punk also appeared on the cover of WWE ’13 during his initial run with the company. He’s been back in WWE since November 2023 and is the current World Heavyweight Champion.
“It is my pleasure and my honor. When I was a little kid, I could only dream of being on the cover of a video game,” Punk said at today’s kickoff event. “And now I am joining some esteemed dignitaries that have been on the cover twice. It’s amazing, it’s pretty special we got to do the reveal here today in front of all you wonderful fans. I missed you guys, I love you.”
While the standard edition of the game has Punk on the cover, there are three other editions also being released. The “King of Kings,”“Attitude Era,” and “Monday Night War” editions include early access, extra features, and will be available at a higher price point than the regular game.
The official gameplay trailer for WWE 2K26 is set to air during the Royal Rumble this Saturday. Punk does not have a title defense at the PLE but will be appearing as a panelist on the countdown show.
A look at Saturday Night’s Main Event, the interest level, the Royal Rumble and Rumble odds Big Bad Bobby Duncum, a look at the career of a worldwide headliner who worked on top with almost every major babyface of the 70s, including big WWF and AWA runs and Japanese major tournaments
CMLL has a big business week with Bandido, Ricochet, Komander, Gates of Agony and Lee Moriarty.
A look at some of the best matches so far this year and the craziness that ruined what could have been the best of all of them.
A look at prior plans for 2025 PPV shows that changed
A look at Netflix numbers over the past six months, as well as how every PPV in 2025 did and some surprises in that direction, as well as how SmackDown did internationally as well as NXT, and how shows that went head-to-head with AEW PPVs drew.
Notes on the TNA ratings for the first show on AMC and what they tell us.
TNA Genesis coverage
2025 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards ballot
More AEW stars to CMLL next week
AAA TV taping notes
Thoughts on the current AAA product and how it relates to Lucha Libre and WWE
Stardom makes claim against Marigold
Saya Kamitani returns early
Notes about a mainstream model who became one of the first big stars in Stardom and women’s MVP
Best tag team match of the year
New Japan next major show lineup
Eight promotions combine for a singles tournament
The potential best actual wrestler in the world signs with RAF
Feast or Fired thoughts
More on AEW’s future with the WBD sale to Netflix
Trey Miguel situation
Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
The most detailed look at the TV ratings over the past week
UFC returns to action with first big show of 2026
Top exec since the inception of PFL leaves
More notes regarding a lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE
It appears that WWE 2K26 will not be released on previous generation gaming consoles (PS4 and Xbox One). The game, which is reportedly set for a March 13 release, will only be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
Thank you to the readers of PWI for voting me Most Improved for 2025. And thank you @aew and @tonyrkhan for allowing me to live out my dream! I vow to continue improving…my improvement!
I’m going to Indianapolis on March 27th and 28th. If I go all the way to US, I’d like to wrestle around that time. I went to England and Australia in the last few years, but it’s been seven years since I went to the U.S. Please make an offer to DM.
What’s the secret behind the Olympian Noah Lyles’s record-breaking sprints? How do star lucha libre wrestlers Persephone and La Catalina prepare their game face ahead of a match? And how does the FC Barcelona soccer player Jules Kounde achieve greatness through routine?
‘Meeting the Moment’ is a documentary narrated by the basketball legend Sue Bird that follows four athletes as they prepare for a major sports competition, revealing how physical training, mental fortitude and self-care rituals make up their winning formula.
As the hype for WWE 2K26 continues to build, we may now know when the game will be released.
Gaming insider Billbil-kun of Dealabs Magazine reports that WWE 2K26 is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 13. That’s typically around the time WWE 2K is released each year, with it coming out in March during WrestleMania season. The report states that WWE 2K26 will be released on PS5, Xbox Series S/X , Nintendo Switch 2, and PC, but it’s not yet known if the game will be available on PS4 and Xbox One.
WWE and 2K Games have officially confirmed three special editions of the game: an Attitude Era edition, Monday Night War edition, and a Triple H-themed King of Kings edition. The main cover star has not been revealed yet. The official announcement is set to be made this Friday (January 30), which is the same day that pre-orders will go live.
Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Kane, Kurt Angle, Chyna, Trish Stratus, Lita, Stephanie McMahon, and The Dudley Boyz are on the cover of the Attitude Era edition, while the Monday Night War cover has Austin, Rock, Undertaker, Triple H, Angle, Chyna, Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Booker T, and Eric Bischoff.
As far as gameplay goes, it’s reported that CM Punk will be the focus of this year’s Showcase mode. It’s a story mode that spotlights one wrestler and allows you to relive some of their past moments and play through dream match scenarios.
Triple H is front and center on a newly unveiled special edition of WWE 2K26.
We still don’t have a release date for the game or know who the main cover star will be, but it was announced today that there will be a special “King of Kings” edition featuring Triple H on that cover. Like with the recently announced “Attitude Era” and “Monday Night War” variants, this is a special edition of the game priced at a higher point with some additional add-ons. Details regarding the pricing and features have not been announced yet.
This Friday (January 30) is when pre-orders for the game will go live. Paul “Triple H” Levesque and Paul Heyman starred in 2K’s advertisement announcing this new edition.
Triple H is also included on the “Attitude Era” and “Monday Night War” covers alongside other stars from that period.
While not much about the gameplay is known yet, Insider Gaming reported earlier this month that CM Punk will be the focus of the annual Showcase mode, which is a story mode that spotlights a specific wrestler and allows you to play through their journey. The mode will allow you to relive some of Punk’s past matches as well as play through some dream matches that never got the chance to happen.
It looks like CM Punk will play a big part in the next edition of the WWE 2K video game series.
The promotional push for WWE 2K26 will begin soon with a commercial for the game having been filmed last month. Insider Gaming reports that the game is scheduled for a March release, and Punk is set to be the focus of the annual Showcase mode, which is a story mode that spotlights a specific wrestler and allows you to play through their journey.
According to Insider Gaming, part of the Showcase will see you play out a “what if?” scenario of matches that could have happened had Punk never walked out of WWE in 2014.
“Insider Gaming has learned that WWE 2K26’s Showcase Mode will feature none other than CM Punk. According to sources, the showcase will be narrated by CM Punk himself and feature three sections of matches,” the report said.
“The first section has players relive some of Punk’s favorite matches throughout his WWE career. There are also ‘What If?’ matches that look at what could have been had Punk not left the company in 2014. And, lastly, fantasy matches will see Punk take on opponents that he never was able to face for one reason or another.”
Punk returned to pro wrestling for AEW in 2021 and then came back to WWE in 2023. He is the current World Heavyweight Champion and is set to defend the title against Finn Balor on Raw this coming Monday.
The cover star for WWE 2K26 has not been announced yet, nor has the exact release date.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Charlotte Flair explained that she views her current character as being neither a face nor a heel. She responded when asked about the reaction she got from fans after winning the Royal Rumble:
I think there is a misconception that people are like ‘oh, Charlotte Flair is good’ or that I was trying to be good. I keep going and not that she’s trying to be good or she’s trying to be bad – no. Charlotte Flair is above being good and bad. She is just Charlotte Flair. She’s the end all be all of women’s wrestling.
I am the end-all be-all of women’s wrestling. Now that I have learned from every opportunity I have learned from every opponent. I’ve learned from every scenario. To me you’re either wooing or booing. Get on board, learn to love it.
I am who I am. It’s different town to town, event to event. Like I wrestled in Nottingham against Piper and they were woos. She got the boos. But the night before I got the boos. I love that I can take people on that roller coaster. Either way, yeah, if we don’t hear anything then we worry!
Cody Rhodes was featured on this week’s edition of Stephanie’s Places on ESPN+. During their conversation, Rhodes told Stephanie McMahon that he hopes his daughter Liberty will one day voice the “Wrestling has more than one royal family” line at the start of his theme music.
No-Contest Wrestling asked Stephanie Vaquer to name five dream opponents from any promotion or era that she would like to headline WrestleMania with. Vaquer chose Mariko Yoshida, Marcela, Sasha Banks, Michelle McCool, and Chyna.
Though further details are not known yet, Nintendo announced today that the WWE 2K video game series is coming to Nintendo Switch 2. The new Switch console is set to be released this June.
As you mentioned, this is a huge step for my career, by far the biggest platform I’ve ever been on. And to kick it off this early, I’ve only had two matches so far. And the next one I have scheduled at Dynasty is an International Championship match with Ricochet and Kenny Omega, which is honestly as big as it gets. It feels like it is all happening extremely fast. But in a way, I feel very comfortable and at home in AEW. I have already wrestled, been in the ring, been in locker rooms with almost the entire roster.
And I have wrestled Kenny Omega before in PWG in 2015. That was a match that absolutely changed my career, its direction. Just working with someone like Kenny and seeing how his brain operates, and how he works, and how he goes about matches. Eventually I went on to DDT and got a much closer look on how he became the wrestler that he is. So, that’s a rematch that I’ve been chasing for ten years. Then you throw in Ricochet into the mix, who is one of the most talented wrestlers in the world. Certainly one of the most influential high flyers of the last decade. Now, as a person, as a human being, his behavior, I cannot speak on. But I am still extremely excited for Dynasty and that three-way for the International Championship.
Mina Shirakawa bid an emotional farewell to Stardom today, losing to Maika in her final match for the promotion. Shirakawa, who is joining AEW full-time, thanked the Stardom fans for accepting her, the senior wrestlers who trained her, and all of her friends. She said being a pro wrestler is about showing fans their dreams can come true – and she promised to continue chasing her dreams in the United States.
2K has announced additional names for WWE 2K25 as part of its post-launch DLC.
With the official day one roster having been confirmed recently, 2K announced its DLC schedule for the game on Wednesday. Several recently signed WWE stars, such as Giulia and Jordynne Grace, will be offered as downloadable content. Legends such as The Great Khali, Jesse Ventura, Sid Vicious, and more will also be available for purchase at a later date.
Five DLC packs have been announced, with releases staggered from May to November 2025.
New Wave Pack – May 2025
Alex Shelley
Chris Sabin
Giulia
Stephanie Vaquer
Special celebrity guest to be announced
Dunk & Destruction Pack – June 2025
Abyss
Great Khali
Three NBA stars to be announced
Fearless Pack – July 2025
New Jack
Jordynne Grace
Penta
Bull Nakano
Special celebrity guest to be announced
Attitude Era Superstars Pack – September 2025
D’Lo Brown
Billy Gunn
Road Dogg
Victoria
Mark Henry
Sid Justice
Saturday Night’s Main Event Pack – November 2025
Jesse Ventura
“Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff
Tito Santana
Junkyard Dog
The Ring Gets Even Bigger! 🌟 Check out our star-studded #WWE2K25 DLC Roster to take your matches to the next level!
WWE 2K25 is set for release on March 14, 2025, and will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC platforms. Players who pre-order the Deadman Edition or The Bloodline Edition of the game will receive early access beginning on Friday, March 7, 2025.
WWE and Netflix are partnering together to release a new mobile game later this year.
It was revealed today that a mobile edition of WWE 2K is in the works and will be available to play in fall 2025. The game is being released under the Netflix Games banner.
Netflix produced a video with CM Punk announcing the news:
“Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for the ultimate smackdown from the comfort of your own — phone. WWE 2K is coming to mobile in late 2025 exclusively on Netflix Games,” Punk said. “This isn’t just another mobile game, this is your chance to live the most extreme, the most intense, the most dominant WWE experience right in the palm of your hands. So charge up your phone, prepare to become the champion of Netflix Games with WWE 2K on mobile.”
The only other time a mobile edition of WWE 2K was produced was in 2015. Mobile games from Netflix Games are included with your Netflix subscription, and Netflix touts that they do not include ads, extra fees, or in-app purchases.
WWE and Netflix’s partnership officially began at the start of 2025 with Raw now airing on the streaming service every week.
Roman Reigns was unveiled as the cover star for WWE 2K25 earlier this week. The game has a March 14 release date on Playstation, Xbox, and Steam.
The WWE 2K23 announcement trailer stars Cena, Bad Bunny, Logan Paul, Austin Theory, and Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
Cena tweeted: “Honored to be on the cover of @WWE @WWEgames #WWE2K23 for the second time! The new game certainly brings a new meaning to ‘career mode.’ Excited for every player to take this journey!”
The standard, deluxe, and icon editions of the game all feature different images of Cena on the cover. Those who buy the deluxe or icon versions will receive three days of early access to the game starting on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.
WWE 2K23 is now available to pre-order. Bad Bunny is the pre-order bonus character for those who purchase any version of the game.
WarGames will make its debut as a match type in WWE 2K23, with 2K Sports touting that it delivers “heart-pounding 3v3 and 4v4 multiplayer mayhem inside two side-by-side rings, surrounded by a double-steel cage.”
Universe mode, MyFaction, MyRise, MyGM, and a Cena showcase mode are among the other features in WWE 2K23. The description for the Cena showcase is listed below:
The champ is here! Play through an interactive sports documentary, narrated by John Cena himself, covering the key moments and toughest opponents of John Cena’s storied 20-year WWE career. And in a franchise-first, take on the role of each marquee opponent – some of WWE’s greatest of all time – as you aim to take down Mr. Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect.
WWE 2K23 will be available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, and PC.
Cena made his return to the ring last month, wrestling in his only match of 2022. He teamed with Kevin Owens to defeat Roman Reigns & Sami Zayn on the final SmackDown of the year.
According to a report from Fightful Select, WWE has met with EA Sports regarding the future of its video game licensing.
Recent talks between the two companies were said to have been prompted due to the disastrous response to WWE 2K20 and the similarly poor reviews of WWE 2K Battlegrounds.
WWE’s latest console game, WWE 2K22, is set to be released on March 11th with pre-orders being able to download it starting Tuesday. It is the final game as part of the contract WWE has with 2K Sports and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive. There are options to extend the deal if the game is deemed a success, however. It is being seen as a “make or break” game for the future of the franchise.
WWE has had discussions with EA in the past, including in 2016 before its deal with Take-Two Interactive for the 2K series was extended.
Response to WWE 2K20’s release was so negative that plans for WWE 2K21 were scrapped in favor of allowing more time to create a better game.
“WWE has shown a lot of frustration with the reception and lack of success of recent games,” one source said to Fightful. “The gaming market is a major selling point for them, and they believe they’ve fallen behind the competition.”
WWE and 2K Games have officially unveiled the cover star for their next video game.
Rey Mysterio has been selected as the cover star for WWE 2K22, which will be released worldwide on Friday, March 11. Those who pre-order the Deluxe edition of the game or a special “nWo 4-Life” edition will be able to play it starting on Tuesday, March 8.
The game will be available on current-gen consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S), previous-gen consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), and PC.
Mysterio being on the cover is in celebration of this year being the 20th anniversary of his WWE debut. The 2K Showcase mode will make its return for WWE 2K22 and will be focused on Mysterio.
“Representing the culture of lucha libre as the cover Superstar for WWE 2K22 is a moment of great pride for me,” Mysterio said. “I’m looking forward to sharing the stories behind the big moments of my career with a dedicated community of players and connecting with WWE fans in a whole new way as they play through my 2K Showcase.”
The main WWE 2K series is returning this year after not producing a new game in either 2020 or 2021. The trailer for WWE 2K22 is available below, along with the full list of features:
New York, NY – January 20, 2022 – 2K today announced the full set of features for WWE 2K22, the next installment of the flagship WWE video game franchise from Visual Concepts, featuring Rey Mysterio on the cover in celebration of his 20th anniversary as a WWE Superstar. A globally recognized icon, Rey Mysterio is synonymous with the Mexican tradition of lucha libre – featuring fast-paced action, incredible aerial maneuvers, and masked competitors – and paved the way for many high-flying, agile Superstars. The decorated high-flyer has held multiple championships across his storied career, performing in his own unique style and wearing an array of colorful and iconic masks, proving that ‘The Ultimate Underdog’ hits different. WWE 2K22 is scheduled for a worldwide release on March 11, 2022, and is available for pre-order today.
‘Representing the culture of lucha libre as the cover Superstar for WWE 2K22 is a moment of great pride for me,’ said Rey Mysterio. ‘I’m looking forward to sharing the stories behind the big moments of my career with a dedicated community of players and connecting with WWE fans in a whole new way as they play through my 2K Showcase.’
‘Throughout his career, Rey Mysterio has staged multiple comebacks to prove his resiliency time and time again, and through it all, has cemented his legacy as a living legend of sports entertainment,’ said Alfie Brody, Vice President of Global Marketing Strategy at 2K. ‘In that same spirit of resiliency, WWE 2K22 strikes back with a slew of upgrades and community-requested features to give players complete control over the WWE experience.’
All the Features Players Can Handle
From the redesigned gameplay engine to new controls and upgraded visuals, WWE 2K22 is set to look, feel, play, and ‘Hit Different.’ The engine, coupled with WWE 2K’s most stunning graphics to date, ensures an unprecedented level of realism for the franchise. Alongside an updated and intuitive control scheme, as well as an immersive presentation and varied camera angles, players will feel the pressure and reward of every punch, kick, and slam.
Popular game modes including the returning 2K Showcase – starring Rey Mysterio – incorporate new features and updates, allowing players to relive the iconic moments behind Mysterio’s most famous matches. In MyRISE, players chart their own paths to superstardom. With Universe Mode and the upgraded Creation Suite, WWE 2K22 offers players the ability to fully customize their WWE experience down to the smallest details. From taking control over brands, premium live events, match results, rivalries, and more – or creating the ultimate custom Superstar personas, arenas, and championships – players can share all their creations with the global WWE 2K22 community with first-time-ever, cross platform sharing.
In addition, WWE 2K22 will introduce new modes to the WWE 2K experience: MyGM and MyFACTION. In MyGM, players step into the role of a WWE General Manager and call the shots on their way to building the biggest brand in the WWE Universe. From drafting the ultimate roster of WWE Superstars and Legends to developing iconic rivalries and championship showdowns, players will get the chance to take the reins and prove themselves on sports entertainment’s biggest stages. With the franchise-first MyFACTION mode, players can collect and manage their dream faction with weekly events and regular updates, providing tremendous challenges and replay value.
WWE 2K22 Editions and Pre-Order Bonus
WWE 2K22 features four editions of the game: Standard Edition, Cross-Gen Digital Bundle, Deluxe Edition, and – in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the New World Order faction – nWo 4-Life Digital Edition:
• The Standard Edition will be available for $59.99 on previous-gen platforms (PlayStation 4, Xbox One consoles and PC) and for $69.99 on current-gen consoles (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S) in both physical and digital formats.
• The Cross-Gen Bundle will be available for $79.99 and includes the digital Standard Edition and the Starrcade ’96 Rey Mysterio Pack across previous and current-gen within the same PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
• The Deluxe Edition will be available for $99.99 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S in both physical and digital formats, and on PC in digital format. The Deluxe Edition includes the Standard Edition plus the Undertaker Immortal Pack; a Season Pass to all five post-launch DLC content packs; the MyRISE Mega-Boost and SuperCharger packs; limited edition WWE SuperCard content (included in-box for physical copies only). Players who pre order the Deluxe Edition before March 8, 2022, will also receive early access to the game three days ahead of launch; Players who purchase the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S edition will also receive the Starrcade ’96 Rey Mysterio Pack.
• The nWo 4-Life Edition will be available for $119.99 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in digital format. Celebrating 25 years of the faction that turned the sports entertainment world on its head, in addition to the Standard Edition, and all bonus content included in the Deluxe Edition, the nWo 4-Life Edition comes with MyFACTION EVO Cards and alternate nWo attires for Hollywood Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Syxx plus a playable Eric Bischoff character, WCW Souled Out 1997 and WCW Bash at the Beach 1996 arenas, and the nWo Wolfpac Championship. Players who pre-order the nWo 4-Life Edition before March 8, 2022, will also receive early access to the game three days ahead of launch.
• Players who pre-order the Standard Edition and Cross-Gen Digital Bundle will also receive the Undertaker Immortal Pack, which includes three additional Undertaker personas, MyFACTION EVO cards for Undertaker, plus MyFACTION Perks and Bonuses, including an Undertaker MyFACTION Logo Card, Undertaker MyFACTION Wallpaper Card, and Undertaker MyFACTION Nameplate Card. This pack is also included in the Deluxe Edition and nWo 4-Life Edition at launch.
While there will be no release of WWE’s annual simulation video game in 2020, a different game is set to come out later this year.
In a statement that was issued by WWE Games this morning, it was announced that an arcade-style video game titled WWE 2K Battlegrounds is scheduled to be released this fall. WWE Games wrote:
We’re thrilled to introduce you to WWE 2K Battlegrounds, a completely new WWE gaming experience that will feature arcade-style action and over-the-top Superstar designs, environments and moves. We’re focusing on social pick-up-and-play fun, but with plenty of depth for those who want to get way into it.
Whether you’re a casual gamer just learning the ropes or a passionate fan ready for all the action, WWE 2K Battlegrounds provides another way to enjoy WWE video game action. The game is being developed by Saber Interactive, the studio behind NBA 2K Playgrounds, who have been hard at work on WWE 2K Battlegrounds and are excited to let you smell what they’re cookin’.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds is scheduled to launch this fall and we look forward to sharing more information about the game in the coming months.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds appears to be similar to the arcade-style WWE All Stars game that was released in 2011. A teaser trailer for WWE 2K Battlegrounds was also uploaded with today’s news:
That there wouldn’t be a new version of the annual WWE 2K game released this year was confirmed when a question was asked about it on last week’s WWE earnings call. The latest game in the series came out in October 2019 and received consistently poor reviews.
WWE Games addressed the status of the annual 2K series in their statement today, writing that there will be a “renewed focus on quality and fun” for the next edition of the game and that they’re extending the production timeline for it:
Next, we want to address WWE 2K20. We’ve heard and appreciate your feedback, and continue to listen to you closely. Since launch, we’ve released five title updates, addressing hundreds of reported concerns, and have released four WWE 2K20 Originals DLC expansions to build on and improve the experience. We’ve also heard your requests to keep the WWE 2K19 servers running; they will remain active for the time being.
All of that being said, we hear you and we know you want more from the franchise, so here’s what we’re going to do: we are applying what we’ve learned to the next WWE 2K simulation game with a renewed focus on quality and fun. As part of that commitment, we are extending the production timeline and will not be releasing a WWE 2K simulation game in 2020 (T2 fiscal year 2021). We want to ensure the development team at Visual Concepts can create a great game that will entertain grizzled WWE 2K veterans, as well as newcomers who want to climb through the ropes and step into the ring for the very first time.
We’ve recruited Patrick Gilmore to serve as our new Executive Producer and lead these efforts at Visual Concepts. Patrick has over 25 years of experience in video games, reaching all the way back to Disney’s Aladdin on Sega Genesis, and including franchises like Killer Instinct, Medal of Honor, and, most recently, Amazon’s New World. He will be overseeing WWE 2K development, and you’ll be hearing more from him and the team in the months to come.
We hope you find this news as exciting as we do. We are confident it will lead to better games in the future.
WWE stock closed at $44.79 per share today coming off yesterday’s earning call. That was up nearly 15 percent from yesterday.
Here’s an interesting paradox. The Association of Ringside Physicians has stressed that no shows should be taking place at this time. The Association of Boxing Commissions has canceled its annual meeting from 7/23 to 7/30 in Sacramento citing that the decision was made out of the abundance of safety for all involved. And athletic commissions, at least in Florida and other states, are sanctioning MMA and boxing events. So the same people who think it’s too dangerous for a meeting, and whose doctors have told them it’s too dangerous to have fights, are sanctioning fights.
Smackdown tonight starts the 25th anniversary of HHH in WWE celebration, plus Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs. Dana Brooke & Carmella for the women’s tag titles, King Corbin vs. Drew Gulak in a Money in the Bank qualifier and Sasha Banks vs. Lacey Evans in a Money in the Bank qualifier.
Scott Coker is hoping to get Bellator started in July or August. A lot in Hollywood is building a made-for-TV set that will be used for empty arena Bellator shows and Showtime boxing shows on Friday and Saturday nights. Coker said they still expect to run their full schedule of 30 events this year.
Bellator flyweight champion Ilima-lei Macfarlane, her sister and a third unnamed woman have filed a lawsuit against Punahou School and former basketball coach Dwayne Yuen, claiming sexual abuse when they were younger. Macfarlane claimed the abuse started when she was in sixth grade and her sister was in eighth grade. The story was on KITV News in Honolulu. Macfarlane said that her sister complained at the time, but the school did nothing, but she came forward when further allegations against the coach surfaced in 2018.
Vice will be returning After Dark Tuesday at 9:30 p.m., covering Dino Bravo. The episodes, which were off the schedule, are now taking place on a one week delay. They will be airing a new 30 minutes of last week’s show on Dino Bravo, and then have a panel discussion with Jimmy Hart, Jacques Rougeau and Fred Ottman. The following week will be another 9:30 p.m. show on the David Schultz episode that debuts this coming Tuesday. According to PWInsider, Ricky Morton, Brian Blair and Dutch Mantell will be on that show.
The NFL Draft drew 5,688,000 viewers on ABC, 7,859,000 viewers on ESPN and 1,724,000 viewers on the NFL Network.
WWE
A Newsweek interview with Paul Levesque regarding tonight’s Smackdown show.
The Tuesday FS line-up for this coming week will be:
7 p.m. Ric Flair’s Best WWE matches
8 p.m. Edge’s Best WrestleMania matches
9 p.m. Brock Lesnar’s most dominant matches
10 p.m. Roman Reigns’ Best WrestleMania matches
11 p.m. WWE Backstage
WWE will be taping the 5/1 and 5/8 episodes of Smackdown tomorrow at the Performance Center in Orlando.
Early odds at www.BetOnline.ag for Money in the Bank
Braun Strowman -120 vs. Bray Wyatt -120
Drew McIntyre -500 vs. Seth Rollins +300
Bayley -400 vs. Tamina +250
Carmella doing an at-home workout from the New York Post. (thanks to Barry Werner)
UFC
ESPN reported that Ben Rothwell vs. Ovince Saint Preux is being worked on for the Wednesday show that would go head-to-head with AEW and NXT. UFC will also go head-to-head with AEW on May 23, the night of the AEW Double of Nothing PPV show. If UFC is still running out of Jacksonville, then they would be head-to-head right across the street practically from each other. The AEW show will be from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville.
Daniel Cormier is joining with the personalized video platform Taki to allow people to connect with Cormier with free online seminars and training for young wrestlers preparing for college. Cormier will be doing ten videos per month and fans can engage with Cormier through Taki.
Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier, Joe Rogan and Megan Olivi will be the broadcast team for the 5/9 UFC show.
MISCELLANEOUS
ROH debuts the ROHStrong podcast on Monday hosted by Kevin Eck and with Marty Scurll as the first guest talking about his vision for ROH, how close he was to signing elsewhere and why he decided to stay with ROH.
Masked Republic announced the all-new Lucha Central Website and the Lucha Central Network which debuts in May. It will have a YouTube channel, a podcast network, a gaming network and a 30 minute weekly TV series. llblic
IWTW has reached distribution agreements with Defy, Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling, DOA Wrestling out of Portland, OR, POW! Wrestling out of Eugene, OR and 5CC out of Bellingham, WA.
MLW Fusion tomorrow night on Bein Sports has Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Rey Escorpion & El Texano Jr., and Chessman vs. Richard Holliday in a no DQ match from the last taping in Tijuana.
Impact Rebellion for this coming Tuesday night on AXS has Havok vs. Rosemary in a Full Metal Mayhem match, Suicide vs. Chris Bey vs. Rohit Raju vs. Trey Miguel and Joey Ryan vs. Cousin Jake (Jake Something).
CWE is running tonight on its Facebook page with an 8 p.m. show from Winnipeg headlined by Johnny Malibu vs. A.J.Sanchez.
A story on Hoodslam Wrestling. (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk)
Jacques Rougeau talks about a bar fight between an NHL player, Serge Bernier, and Dino Bravo that was referenced in Tuesday’s Dark side of the Ring show.
A rock musical on the life of Ivan Koloff takes place on 6/13 at the Triad Theater in New York. It will be live streamed here.
