WWE 2K20 had a disastrous launch back in 2019, releasing to widespread negative reviews and becoming one of the worst-reviewed wrestling games of all time. WWE 2K20 backlash was so significant that it reportedly put a big strain on the relationship between WWE and 2K Sports, with those problems compounded further when WWE 2K Battlegrounds released to similarly mixed reviews. Insider reports suggested that the recently released WWE 2K22 was 2K Sports’ last chance to do right by the license, or else WWE would potentially walk away and seek out a new partner, putting the potential WWE 2K23 in doubt.
However, WWE 2K22 has earned mostly positive reviews from critics, with many hailing it as a massive improvement over its predecessor and one of the better WWE 2K games that’s ever been released. It seems that WWE is happy with the reaction fans have had to WWE 2K22, as the game’s official Twitter account recently shared an image of 2K Sports employees meeting with Stephanie McMahon along with the message “Here’s to many more years of success!”
While not explicitly stated, this does seem to suggest that WWE and 2K Sports will be continuing their partnership, and that fans can expect to see WWE 2K23. This is likely a relief for those that have been enjoying WWE 2K22, as it means WWE 2K23 can build on the foundation laid by the latest game in the series and perhaps deliver an even better product.
WWE 2K22 reviews have praised the in-ring action, but have criticized how some game modes feel shallow. So now that the developers have nailed the wrestling, they can work on improving the various game modes and addressing fan feedback.
WWE 2K22 MyGM mode in particular has been criticized for not living up to the high bar set by past WWE video games. MyGM is the successor to General Manager mode from previous years, but it has fewer match options and only lets players have two championships per brand. Not only that, but WWE 2K22 players are only able to play one season of MyGM before having to start over from scratch, which has proven to be another controversial decision.
But now that it seems WWE is sticking with 2K Sports and WWE 2K23 is a real possibility, hopefully next year’s game can take this feedback into account and deliver a more worthwhile take on MyGM. Fans who wouldn’t have wanted to wait years for a potential WWE and EA Sports video game to come out can likely look forward to the next WWE 2K game to drop at some point next year.
WWE 2K22 is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
