WWE 2K22

''WWE 2K22'' is a 2022 professional wrestling sports video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It is the twenty-second overall installment of the video game series based on WWE, the ninth game under the ''WWE 2K'' banner, and the successor to 2019's ''WWE 2K20''. It was released on March 11, 2022, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Gameplay

''WWE 2K''s MyCareer was rebranded as MyRISE and focused on separate stories for both male and female wrestlers. Using created characters, players can form alliances, make enemies, and branch into subplots based upon the players choices.

2K Showcase Mode returned as Showcase, featuring cover superstar Rey Mysterio, allowing players to play through the biggest moments of his WWE career. The 2K Showcase mode incorporates new features and updates. By progressing through, players are able to unlock new characters, attires, and arenas. At IGN Fan Fest 2022, a gameplay of the match between Rey Mysterio and Dolph Ziggler at SummerSlam 2009 featured a transition method between in game to real-time action, using both in-game and archived audio, unlike in previous games. The game features a new mode called MyFACTION. In it, players are able to build a wrestling stable by collecting, managing, and upgrading WWE wrestlers with regular updates and weekly events. MyFACTION features player cards from throughout WWE's history.

Universe Mode returned with several updates, including the ability to change camera angles while spectating matches. Other new features include playing as a single superstar, focusing only on their matches and storylines. MyGM, formerly known as GM Mode, returned to the series for the first time since 2007's ''WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008''. Players can choose between Sonya Deville, Adam Pearce, William Regal, Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, or a custom character to take control of one of WWE's four brands: Raw, SmackDown, NXT, or NXT UK. Players can book wrestling shows in high school gyms and on primetime television, draft superstars, manage contracts, and control costs, while trying to create the premier WWE brand.

Community creations in the creation suite have cross-platform support for users who are signed in to a verified 2K account. Custom images can also be used in character select screens, which allowing the player to put their own photo(s) on screen.

Development

After ''WWE 2K20'' received negative reviews from critics, ''WWE 2K'' franchise executive producer Patrick Gilmore promised that the next installment would rely more on the quality of the game. The game was officially announced after a teaser trailer, featuring Cesaro and Rey Mysterio, aired during WrestleMania 37 in April 2021, with a "Hit Different" tagline. The announcement came nearly a year after 2K Sports canceled a planned ''WWE 2K21'' title.

During the July 23, 2021, episode of ''SmackDown'', commentator Michael Cole revealed that ''WWE 2K22'' would feature a rebuilt game engine and smoother controls; this was later confirmed by sources close to 2K. The second teaser trailer aired during SummerSlam in August 2021, announcing a release date of March 2022.

On November 18, 2021, a "Hit List" trailer was released, highlighting ten specific features emphasizing the game's tagline. In the trailer, it was revealed that GM Mode (called MyGM) would be making a return to the series for the first time since 2007's ''WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008'', and that the game would feature redesigned gameplay controls.

On February 23, 2022, singer Machine Gun Kelly was announced as executive producer, accompanied by a short trailer which involved Kelly and WWE legend The Undertaker. The baseline soundtrack includes songs from artists such as Machine Gun Kelly, Yungblud, Bert McCracken, Wu-Tang Clan, KennyHoopla, Motörhead, Poppy, Royal Blood, Bring Me the Horizon, The Weeknd, Turnstile, Asking Alexandria, and Bad Bunny.

Release

On January 20, 2022, a trailer for the game was released alongside the release date of March 11, 2022. Rey Mysterio was announced as the main cover star for the Deluxe and Standard editions.

The game has three editions: the " nWo 4-Life" edition, the "Deluxe" edition, and the "Standard" edition. The "nWo 4-Life" and "Deluxe" editions were released on March 8, three days ahead of the release of the "Standard" edition on March 11.

Post-release content

Downloadable content (DLC) packs are available through the Season Pass as well as available to purchase individually. The first DLC pack is the ''Banzai Pack'' that launched in April 26, 2022, and included Yokozuna, Umaga, Rikishi, Omos, and Kacy Catanzaro. On May 17, 2022, the ''Most Wanted Pack'' launched, which adds Cactus Jack, The Boogeyman, Vader, Ilja Dragunov, and Indi Hartwell. On June 7, 2022, the ''Stand Back Pack'' launched adding The Hurricane, Stacy Keibler, A-Kid, and Wes Lee (Nash Carter was scheduled to be in the pack, but was cut when he was released from WWE in early April.). On June 28, 2022, the ''Clowning Around Pack'' launched and included Doink the Clown, Ronda Rousey, The British Bulldog, Mr. T, Doudrop, and Rick Boogs. The final pack, titled ''The Whole Dam Pack'', launched on July 19, 2022 and included Rob Van Dam, Logan Paul, Machine Gun Kelly, L. A. Knight, Xia Li, Commander Azeez, and Sarray. Additionally, both The Undertaker Immortal Pack (featuring a "Phantom" masked Undertaker from 1995, the "Lord of Darkness" Undertaker from 1999, and the Undertaker from his match vs. AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36), previously released as preorder only, as well as the nWo 4-Life DLC (featuring playable
nWo versions of "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Syxx, and Eric Bischoff, the Bash at the Beach '96 and nWo Souled Out arenas, and the nWo Wolfpac Championship) were released as additional standalone DLC packs.

The NXT 2.0 arena, along with several new create-a-superstar parts, were added as free DLC through the 1.09 patch.

Several MyRise exclusive superstars, along with additional new create-a-superstar parts, were added as another free DLC through the 1.12 patch. These included: Alexa Bliss from 2020, Dominik Dijakovic, King Booker, King Corbin, pre-A.S.H. Nikki Cross, Shawn Michaels from 2018, and pre-King Shinsuke Nakamura.

Reception

''WWE 2K22'' received "generally favorable reviews" for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S versions and "mixed or average reviews" for the Windows version according to review aggregator Metacritic respectively. Critics generally regarded ''2K22'' as a massive improvement from its predecessor as well as one of the series' best modern entries despite its issues.

Zoey Handley of ''Destructoid'' praised the new modes and improvements made to the game engine, modified physics, and AI but felt that "On the surface, we’re looking at exactly the same game... ''WWE 2K22'' is an improvement, it doesn't feel like a step in the right direction", and criticized the game's unintuitive customization suit, janky gameplay, and desire to remain a competitive simulation. Marcus Stewart of ''Game Informer'' called ''2K22'' "the most entertaining - and most of all, playable - WWE game in some time", and lauded its more polished, arcade-style gameplay, improved character models, smoother animations, and new modes, while taking minor issue with unstable online play, occasionally unresponsive controls, and some overly complicated maneuvers. Richard Wakeling of ''GameSpot'' thought favorably of the revamped in-ring action, increased defensive options, and the MyRISE mode but disliked the frustrating multi-person matches, shallow MyGM mode, and the roster omissions present in the Showcase mode. ''GamesRadar+''s Ben Wilson similarly wrote positively about the combo-heavy wrestling mechanics, addictive MyFaction mode, and called the facelikenesses "the best this series has seen", but thought too many issues made a return from prior entries and that the MyGM mode lacked depth. Mitchell Saltzman of ''IGN'' stated, "while '2K22'' isfar from a complete ground-up rebuild, it’s quite possibly the biggest leap forward the series has ever seen", and lauded the visual overhaul, removal of bugs, improved combat, and the depth present in the MyRISE and MyGM modes. ''Push Square''s Ben Potter gave the title 7 stars out of 10 and wrote, "...skipping ''2K21'' and delaying the release by five months may have caused the roster to be largely outdated, but the game is stable, plays great, and is practically bursting at the seams with content." Chris Jarrard of ''Shacknews'' reviewed the game more negatively and largely panned the outdated roster, half-baked modes, lack of a next-gen visual upgrade, and the Creation Suite's navigability and omissions.

Sales

''WWE 2K22'' debut as #2 in digital video game sales chart in the United Kingdom, overtaking ''Gran Turismo 7''. Digital launch sales were also 390% higher than ''WWE 2K20'', and overall game sales were double of the previous installment.

References

External links

*
*

{{WWE video games

2022 video games
2K Sports games
Crossover video games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Professional wrestling games
Sports video games with career mode
Take-Two Interactive games
Video games developed in the United States
Video games with custom soundtrack support
WWE video games