WWE 2K20was disastrous enough that WWE reportedly entertained the idea of partnering with another company for its future video games, and so the decision was made to give the developers extra time to makeWWE 2K22as good as it could be and get the franchise back on track.WWE 2K22was the reinvention that the series desperately needed, but it was unclear ifWWE 2K23could keep the momentum going strong after switching back to an annual release schedule.
WWE 2K23isn’t a complete reinvention in the wayWWE 2K22was, but instead takes what was established in last year’s installment and improves on it. Basically, every game mode and feature inWWE 2K22is back inWWE 2K23but expanded with more options. The result is a deeper, more content-rich wrestling game that is the best the series has been in years.
This is readily apparent in the returning MyGM mode, a clear step up from last year’s bare-bones iteration. Prospective general managers have more options when it comes to what kind of matches they can book, and there are actually mid-card titles this time around. Additionally,WWE 2K23has expanded MyGMto allow for four players, with one of the brand options being none other than WCW, though WCW’s integration leaves something to be desired.
It’s cool thatWWE 2K23MyGM lets players run WCW as Eric Bischoff, but it doesn’t feel like authentic WCW. Instead of iconic WCW pay-per-views, players have to book for WWE premium live events. Instead of the actual WCW Women’s Championship, the game uses a tweaked version of the oldWWE Women’s Championship with WCW plates slapped onto it. The Big Gold Belt, aka the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, isn’t even used as the promotion’s world title like it was at the peak of its popularity. It’s a bit disappointing, though it’s still nice that WCW is one of the brands players can choose from in MyGM sessions.
Having Raw, SmackDown, NXT, NXT 2.0, and WCW to choose from for 4-player multiplayer sessions is great, but the downside is thatWWE 2K23MyGM has no online capabilities, so one will need to organize a local multiplayer session if they want to play with their friends. Getting through a season of MyGM will take a significant chunk of time, especially with four people, but it’s fun enough that the hours will fly by.
The biggest problem withWWE 2K22’s take on MyGMwas that it ended after a single season. This oversight has been addressed inWWE 2K23, which lets players re-draft their roster at the end of each season. It will take multiple seasons for players to earn enough Hall of Fame trophies to ultimately “win” MyGM mode, with players having new objectives to shoot for to help keep things a little more interesting.
WWE 2K23MyGM modeis a massive step forward compared to last year’s version of the mode, though it’s still lacking in key areas. While it’s nice to have challenges to complete, Triple H still asks players to make absurd booking decisions that make zero sense, yet refusing to do them penalizes the player. One can’t effectively role-play as a legitimate WWE general manager if they are being forced to book a Hell in a Cell match on a random episode of Raw two weeks in with no actual rivalries established.
Future iterations of MyGM may be better off ditching these bizarre asks fromTriple H, and there are other improvements that could be made for subsequent entries to recapture the magic of General Manager mode from theSmackDown vs. Rawgames as well. It would be better if it followed a full calendar year of WWE TV like older versions of the mode, from Backlash to WrestleMania, instead of what’s there now which seemingly consists of random PLEs. MyGM is also sorely missing the fun special brand vs. brand events like the Royal Rumble. InSmackDown vs. Raw 2008, fans looked forward to these events in General Manager mode as they offered unique match types where each brand could select their own representatives. It was always fun seeing which wrestler from which brand would win the Royal Rumble match, and it’s a shameWWE 2K23MyGM doesn’t offer something similar.
Of course, someWWE 2K23players will be completely uninterested in a management sim and will want to focus more on the in-ring action. Luckily for them,WWE 2K23has no shortage of options when it comes to battling it out in the squared circle, with Showcase, Universe, MyRise, online multiplayer, and more are all readily available.
This year’s Showcase is a unique twist on the fan-favorite mode. Typically,WWE 2KShowcase modes lets players relive a specific wrestler’s most memorable victories, but theWWE 2K23Showcaseactually highlights their failures. In this year’s iteration of Showcase, players find themselves in the boots of some of John Cena’s greatest opponents, recreating the legendary wrestler’s biggest losses throughout his career.
WWE 2K23Showcase seamlessly transitions from in-game action to live-action footage as players complete specific objectives to recreate the most memorable spots from each match. By letting players take on the role of Cena’s opponents instead of Cena himself, there’s a lot more variety than in past years, with players getting to take control of everyone from ECW legend Rob Van Dam to today’s biggest star,Roman Reigns. The objectives serve as a great way for one to learn the ins and outs of the game, giving players a better understanding of the controls and everything they can do in the ring.
WWE 2K23’s John Cena Showcase is one of the best iterations of the mode thanks to the variety of wrestlers players to get play as if nothing else, though there are a couple of issues to take into account. While it was completely out of the developers' control, there are someglaring omissions from the John Cena Showcase matches, with his famous bouts against AEW wrestlers CM Punk and Bryan Danielson completely absent from the lineup. Players may also find the censored referee faces in the live-action footage to be distracting.
When players are done relivingJohn Cena’s greatest losses, they can move on to MyRise. MyRise has always been an acquired taste, and that’s no different this year, thoughWWE 2K23MyRise still represents a big improvement over what’s come before. The voice acting still leaves a lot to be desired, but the cutscenes and dialogue aren’t nearly as cringy, and it does a better job of getting players into the action instead of boring them with excessively long cutscenes.
This year, there are two MyRise stories for players to choose from, one focused on a female wrestler and another focused on a male wrestler. Players are free to create a character from scratch in the mode itself or import characters that they already created, a much-appreciated quality-of-life feature that was missing from last year’s game. In MyRise, players can make important decisions that change the course of the story, encouraging players to go back through and see how things can change if they take different paths.
MyRise inWWE 2K23offers plenty of optional activities players can participate in as well, which often reward them with attribute points they can use to upgrade their wrestler. One can safely ignore the optional content and barrel their way through the main story if they’d prefer, and while they’ll be missing out on some XP, players are unlikely to ever feel like they’re at a major disadvantage.
One thing about MyRise that the mode could have done without are the in-match objectives. These objectives are fine for Showcase mode, but they bog down MyRise by restricting player freedom and dictating how one plays the game.
Those that want more freedom can always stick to Universe mode, of course, or simply play random matches against their friends or AI-controlled opponents. The actual wrestling inWWE 2K23is very similar to last year, which is great becauseWWE 2K22nailed it. Instead of reinventing the wheel,WWE 2K23makes slight tweaks to improve the in-ring experience, like shifting to a new kick out scheme where players flick the right stick up at the correct time. The little kick out mini-game may seem like an inconsequential change, but it helps create exciting moments when players manage to kick out at the last possible second.
All the usual match types are present and accounted for inWWE 2K23, with thebig new addition being WarGames. Originating in the NWA and perhaps best known for its use in World Championship Wrestling, WarGames is a unique match type where two rings are surrounded by a cage. The match starts with two wrestlers from opposing teams facing off, and every few minutes another wrestler joins the fray, one at a time. The team that gets the advantage has multiple chances to outnumber their enemies, and those coming in can even add weapons to the mix.
WarGames matches can only end when all wrestlers have entered the match, at which point they end by pinfall or submission. WarGames translates brilliantly to the video game space, and it should make for a great gimmick match type that players will frequent alongside Hell in a Cell and Elimination Chamber.
Besides WarGames and the previously mentioned game modes, players can also spend time in the microtransaction-filled MyFaction mode or utilizeWWE 2K23’s expanded creation tools. The community got a great deal of mileage out ofWWE 2K22’s creation options, and it’s likely thatWWE 2K23will be no different. While there areDLC wrestlers to look forward inWWE 2K23, community creations should be more than enough to keep players engaged with the game for the long-term. IfWWE 2K22is any indication of what to expect fromWWE 2K23’s community creations, fans will likely be able to download nearly any fictional character they can think of as a wrestler, not to mention custom belts, arenas, and more.
Even discounting the upcomingcommunity creations,WWE 2K23has so much content baked in that fans should be able to play for hours on end without even scratching the surface of everything the game has to offer. WhereasWWE 2K22was a rebuilding year for the franchise,WWE 2K23is all about building on that foundation, offering players more bang for their buck and taking everything a step forward. There is still plenty of room for improvement for sure, butWWE 2K23is easily one of the best WWE games of the past decade.
WWE 2K23
WHERE TO PLAY
Expanded features, gorgeous graphics, and the ultimate WWE experience. Hit the ring with a deep roster of WWE Superstars and Legends including Roman Reigns, “American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and more!2K SHOWCASE: INTERACTIVE SPORTS DOCUMENTARY: Play through 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.IT’S WARGAMES: The fan-favorite action-packed WarGames makes its debut in WWE 2K23 and delivers heart-pounding 3v3 and 4v4 multiplayer mayhem inside two side-by-side rings, surrounded by a double-steel cage!YOUR SHOW, YOUR CHOICESWith MyGM: take the reins of a weekly show and compete against rival general managers for brand supremacy. Now featuring more GMs to choose from, additional show options, multiple seasons, expanded match cards, and more match types for up to 4 players.YOU HOLD ALL THE CARDS: Collect and upgrade cards of WWE Superstars and Legends to build the ultimate faction and compete for global dominance in MyFACTION, now featuring online multiplayer!DEFINE YOUR FUTURE IN MyRISE: Walk through the curtains for your WWE debut and shape your career as a WWE Superstar with the decisions you make along the way through distinct storylines - The Lock and The Legacy.THE UNIVERSE IS ALL YOURS: WWE Universe Mode is the ultimate sandbox that puts you in charge of WWE, from Superstar rosters, feuds, champions, weekly shows, and more!
WWE 2K23launches March 17 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Game Rant was provided with a PS5 code for this review.
