WWE 2K23 It’s finally available for those fans who have been dying for a new wrestling video game. There is a very high bar for the new title to be cleared, as last year’s title was the most praised in years. However, 2K did not have an extra year of development time like it did for WWE 2K22.
With that being said, WWE 2K23 seems to be a great follow-up title to last year’s game based on first impressions. While the game itself has drastically improved, there are also many new features or small additions to the game that some fans might have missed.
9 War games
Every year, WWE will bring at least one major match type that hasn’t been seen before in previous titles. Given that this year will be the first video game released under Triple H’s WWE regime, it’s not a surprise that WarGames ended up on the title given the CCO’s love of the type of combat.
That being said, WarGames is pretty fun. Fans can play a 3v3 match or a 4v4 match. Given how much Triple H loves wargaming, this probably won’t be the last time the combat type has become a wwe game.
8 GM mode
Fortunately for fans, GM mode has been almost completely overhauled since last year. After years of fans begging for the mode’s return, it ended up making a comeback in WWE 2K22. Sadly, the mode was very basic and lacking a lot compared to previous entries.
This year, the GM mode has improved a lot. The biggest gameplay changes include more GMs to choose from, being able to play across multiple seasons, as well as different match types and customization options available.
7 Universe mode
While 2K tried to improve this year’s GM Mode, that doesn’t mean they forgot about Universe Mode. For those who haven’t played the mode, it’s close to GM mode, but if you essentially had unlimited money and the CPU made some weird matchmaking decisions.
This year, not much has changed, but Universe Mode has seen a few additions. The biggest ones are more cutscenes and story options available to players, which helps flesh out the experience.
6 OVW Characters
For those of you who don’t know, before NXT, there was OVW. Ohio Valley Wrestling served as the training ground for future WWE stars for years, and just about every big name you can imagine from the 2000s was there at some point.
For WWE 2K23, they will be bringing OVW characters for the first time. Both ‘The Prototype’ and ‘Leviathan’ made their way into the game, which were opening gimmicks for a young John Cena and Batista back in their days as prospects.
5 Pin Minigame
While no one really thinks about it, the easiest way to differentiate all WWE games is the way the pinfalls are displayed. For whatever reason, almost every release features a different minigame when trying to finish a match.
This year’s title is no different and features a new pinfall minigame unlike last year’s. This time, when someone goes for a pinfall, the cursor and the target zone move back and forth, and it becomes more difficult to move the cursor if your character is damaged.
4 resistance changes
One of the best, or worst depending on how you look at it, changes 2K made to last year’s WWE game was the added emphasis on stamina. In previous games, you could apparently do a seven hour match with your wrestler without taking any damage or barely getting tired. That changed last year.
Those resistance changes are even more important in WWE 2K23. In this year’s game, your character will wear down if you do too much and will show damage and different animations throughout the game.
3 showcase mode
Showcase Mode has long been one of the best parts of any WWE 2K game. The mode sees fans play through the career of a WWE legend. For example, last year’s title saw fans play through Rey Mysterio’s run from WCW to the present day.
This year, John Cena is the focus of Showcase Mode. Players will go through the biggest moments of the 16-time champion’s career up to this point, with the mode narrated by the legend himself as well.
2 my climb
MyRise is also back along with other 2K staples like Showcase Mode. In this mode, players will create their own character or take another and play through a different story. Fans have the ability to go from the beginning as a rookie to become a legend.
This year, the character’s story differs gender-wise, with the male character being tagged as ‘The Next Big Thing’. Meanwhile, the female characters will act as second-generation talent following in the footsteps of their Hall of Famer aunt.
1 creation pack
The creation suite has always been one of the best things in any WWE game. The ability to make just about anything you can dream of has always been fun as fans can create anything from a custom venue to a show to a fighter to a title.
The Creation Suite has been completely overhauled for WWE 2K23. There are many more customization options to create a character, with a special focus on creating an arena and tickets.