WRESTLING fans worldwide have only just started tuning into Wrestlemania 37 not long ago, however 2K and the WWE have already made a big announcement. The annual pay-per-view event was obviously the perfect occasion for both companies to reveal that WWE 2K is ready to make an annual return. The reveal of WWE 2K22 was made during Wrestlemania 37 via a very short teaser.
WWE 2K’s core annual franchise hasn’t had a game launch since 2019’s less than successful WWE 2K20. Prior to the games launch, WWE 2K’s main development studio, Yukes, had cut ties with the publisher. This unfortunately led to a less than polished and rushed product.
2K announced the following April that they weren’t going to be launching an annual release that year. However, that didn’t mean fans weren’t getting a wrestling game at all. A more casual, arcade title called WWE 2K Battlegrounds was announced later that month. Almost a year later and 2K are ready to show that the annual release is back, and this time things are a little different.
The teaser trailer for WWE 2K22 opens with a blacklit green skin-toned Rey Mysterio with green eyes. We then see Rey entering the ring in-game with another competitor. After a short amount of gameplay, the teaser ends with the games title as well a tagline: “It hits different.”
Obviously little is known about WWE 2K22 just yet, apart from this years tagline/theme. Al Stavola, Global Communications Manager for 2K, sat down with a small number of us during the week via Zoom where we were presented with the trailer. Al also shared what their vision was for this years release.
According to Al, they’re very much working on rebuilding and revamping the franchise. He also reveals that we’ll also be seeing a lot of behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the game, including motion capture sessions with the wrestlers. Al made a point that this sort of “behind the curtain” look is a first for WWE 2K.
As for the rest of what “It hits different” means? We’ll have to wait and see.
