Wrestling games have been a mainstay of the video game industry since its earliest days. As the sport has evolved, so too have its video games. Gamers have been able to put themselves in the ring in a way that really makes them feel like their favorite professional wrestlers. Much like professional wrestling itself, the WWE has been at the forefront of wrestling video games, through all of its best and worst releases. Now, after a little too much of the latter,WWE 2K22is preparing to release and give wrestling fans another game that they can be proud of.
Unfortunately, it seems that the release ofWWE 2K22might not go as planned for its developer or fans. There are a lot of expectations for this year’s game, and while trailers have promised that this year’s game will differ from past disappointments, a few wrenches have been thrown into development from various directions. There seems to be more things working againstWWE 2K22than for it at this point, to the point where the rest ofWWE 2K22’s development is going to be in very tricky situation until launch.
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The Pressure Behind WWE 2K22
BeforeWWE 2K22was formally announced, it was put in a pretty hard place in regards to improving on the greatly malignedWWE 2K20. The game was practically unplayable, and it’s part of the reason why 2K skipped a year and supported the release ofWWE 2K Battlegrounds. Now that the franchise is returning to its usual format, many fans will want to know that this version won’t be as messy as the last.The jabs thatWWE 2K22has taken at2K20would imply that this coming installment will learn from the last, but there is sure to be some amount of skepticism until the game is out in the wild.
The Many Wrestlers Leaving The WWE
One of the biggest issues thatWWE 2K22is facing, is unfortunately one that is completely out of its control. As a result of numerous factors ranging from the Covid-19 pandemic to internal issues, the WWE has been losing a lot of its talent over the last year. As recently as a few days ago,the company released Bray Wyatt, one of its biggest headliners from the past ten years. This effectsWWE 2K22immensely, because any wrestler that leaves the WWE needs to be removed from the game’s roster. Not only does this risk extending development, but it could greatly discourage fans that wanted to play as a certain wrestler.
The Growing Threat Of AEW
On top of all of the internal problems that have putWWE 2K22in an uncomfortable position, the game is now facing opposition the likes of which the WWE as a whole hasn’t encountered in a long time. All Elite Wrestling, or AEW, may seem small in comparison to the WWE, but it has quickly amassed a following that could threaten the WWE. The AEW’s main weapon against the WWE is thatmuch of AEW’s wrestlers formerly worked for the WWE, and they have no issue using the company’s tricks against them.
Part of that experience with the WWE includes the world of video games, which AEW is leveraging with a game of its very own. The game has gone so far as to enlist the help of former WWE game developer Yuke’s, driving home howAEW has been using some of the WWE’s biggest strengths against it. This now givesWWE 2Kcompetition that it hasn’t had to deal with, and if it releases close to2K22, it could threaten the game’s sales.
WWE 2K22was announced with the promise that it would be improving on the mistakes that the last game made. While this was certainly a hopeful declaration for players that remember when wrestling games were at their best, it now seems thatWWE 2K22’s release might not go as planned. There’s still some time for developer Visual Concepts to make appropriatechanges to the2K22rosterand other mechanics before launch, but at this point it would be surprising ifWWE 2K22’s release went off without a hitch.
WWE 2K22is in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
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