WWE 2K23

Short description: 2023 professional wrestling video game

WWE 2K23

Standard edition cover featuring John Cena

Developer(s)| Visual Concepts
Publisher(s)| 2K
Series| WWE 2K
Platform(s)|

* PlayStation 4
* PlayStation 5
* Windows
* Xbox One
* Xbox Series X/S

Release| March 14, 2023
Genre(s)| Sports
Mode(s)| Single-player, multiplayer

WWE 2K23 is a 2023 professional wrestling sports video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K.[1] It is the twenty-third overall installment of the video game series based on WWE, the tenth game under the WWE 2K banner, and the successor to WWE 2K22. It was released on March 14, 2023, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.[2]

WWE 2K23 received generally favorable reviews upon release, and it is the highest-rated professional wrestling video game since WWE '13. A sequel, WWE 2K24, is going to release on March 5, 2024.

## Contents

* 1 Gameplay
* 2 Development
* 2.1 Roster
* 3 Release
* 4 Reception
* 4.1 Awards and Nominations
* 5 References
* 6 External links

## Gameplay

John Cena stars in all three versions of the cover.

Like its predecessor, WWE 2K23 features arcade and simulation wrestling gameplay.[3][4] WarGames is featured for the first time in a WWE 2K game, and the Royal Rumble match now supports online multiplayer with up to eight players.[5] Referee voiceovers have been revamped with different voices and unique lines when the pinfall occurs.

Game modes such as MyFACTION, MyGM, Showcase, Universe, career mode MyRISE and a full creation suite return with new features.[6][7][8] Showcase features cover star John Cena and allows players to recreate key moments in Cena's career, playing as his opponents, culminating in three dream matches: two matches involving Cena and any one of the opponents he faced during the showcase in the Raw arena: One where Cena quickly uses his finisher, the Attitude Adjustment, to score a pinfall victory, the other facing off against an invincible version of himself, known as "Super Cena", and a fatal-4-way elimination match at the WrestleMania 38 arena between Cena, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, and Bruno Sammartino.

MyRISE features two distinct storylines: "The Lock" and "The Legacy". The Lock follows a male wrestler making his debut on the WWE main roster. The Legacy follows a female second-generation wrestler rising through the ranks, aided by her aunt's rival Molly Holly.[9]

## Development

According to Creative Director Lynell Jinks, the WarGames match type began development prior to WWE 2K22, and was made possible by the reworked engine following the failure of WWE 2K20.[10]

Developer Andrea Listenberger told Fightful that the two storylines in MyRISE were written by former WWE writers.[11]

On February 15, 2023, 2K released entrance footage of returning character Lita, which caused controversy on social media. Fans were critical of Lita's character model, citing a perceived lack of quality and the reuse of an attire which had been used from WWE 2K16 in 2015 to WWE 2K20 in 2019.[12] Lita's model received alterations to the face prior to the release of the game.[13] Lita '06 became a playable character as an answer to the criticism for the base model; an alternative attire is also available.

### Roster

WWE 2K23 features 246 superstars. It is the first title in the WWE 2K series to assign different attires to a single slot, namely for Roman Reigns, AJ Styles, Lita and certain Cena models.

## Release

On January 23, 2023, WWE 2K23 was officially announced with John Cena as the cover star. Bad Bunny was also announced as a playable character for players that pre-order the game, or purchase the Deluxe or Icon editions.[2] The Bad Bunny edition was released on October 23, 2023, which includes all of the Icon Edition contents, as well as Bad Bunny's Backlash 2023 attire.[14] A similar bundle, which included the base game and both Bad Bunny packs, was released on October 18, 2023.

On January 30, 2K released behind-the-scenes footage of Cody Rhodes being scanned, who makes his first appearance under his real name since the 2014 game WWE 2K15 following his return at WrestleMania 38, now under his nickname, "The American Nightmare".[15]

The Deluxe Edition includes a season pass for future downloadable content, MyFACTION bonuses, and three days of early access on March 14. The Icon Edition features all Deluxe Edition content, as well as the "Ruthless Aggression Pack" which contains: classic OVW versions of Cena, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar and Batista, the WrestleMania 22 arena, additional MyFACTION bonuses, and the John Cena Legacy Championship.[16]

On March 6, 2023, the downloadable content for the game was announced. Five content packs containing 24 playable characters these were released from April to August, including superstars from Raw, SmackDown, NXT and Legends.[17] These characters include: Bray Wyatt, Wade Barrett, Eve Torres, Zeus, Harley Race, the Steiner Brothers, Pretty Deadly and Hit Row among others.

## Reception

Reception

| Aggregate score

Aggregator| Score
Metacritic| (PC) 79/100[18]
(PS5) 82/100[19]
(XBXS) 81/100[20]
Review scores
Publication| Score
Destructoid| 7.5/10[21]
Game Informer| 8/10[23]
GameSpot| 8/10[24]
GamesRadar+| [25]
Hardcore Gamer| 4.5/5[26]
IGN| 8/10[27]
Push Square| [29]
Shacknews| 8/10[30]
TouchArcade| [31]
VideoGamer.com| 8/10[32]

WWE 2K23 received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator Metacritic.[18][19][20]

In a preview of the game, Dale Driver from IGN observed that the game largely felt the same as its predecessor with a few improvements.[33] IGN noted greater flexibility and creativity in the game compared to its predecessors.[34]

### Awards and Nominations

Year  | Ceremony  | Category  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

2024  | 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards  | Sports Game of the Year  | Pending  | [35]

## References

1. ↑ "WWE 2K23" (in en-US). https://wwe.2k.com/.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Reed, Chris (January 23, 2023). "WWE 2K23: Here’s What Comes in Each Edition". IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/wwe-2k23-release-date-deluxe-edition-ps5-xbox-preorder.
3. ↑ James, Dean (2023-02-03). "Hands-On Preview: WWE 2K23 Builds Upon Last Year's Return To Form" (in en-US). https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/hands-on-preview-wwe-2k23-builds-upon-last-years-return-to-form/ar-AA175w8Z.
4. ↑ Driver, Dale (2023-02-02). "WWE 2K23 Hands-On Preview" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/wwe-2k23-hands-on-preview.
5. ↑ Sajid, Hassan (2023-02-02). "New WWE 2K23 gameplay trailer shows the new WarGames mode and more" (in en-US). https://www.xfire.com/new-wwe-2k23-gameplay-trailer-shows-the-new-wargames-mode-and-more/.
6. ↑ Norton, Brad (2023-03-01). "Everything we know about WWE 2K23: Release date, roster, new match types, more" (in en). https://www.dexerto.com/gaming/everything-we-know-about-wwe-2k23-2051067/.
7. ↑ Makar, Connor (2023-02-02). "WWE 2K23 Preview: the first real step towards a bright future" (in en). https://www.vg247.com/wwe-2k23-preview-the-first-step-in-a-heavyweight-championship.
8. ↑ "WWE 2K23 preview: WarGames, Showcase and the return of Cody Rhodes" (in en). 2023-02-02. https://www.gamesradar.com/wwe-2k23-preview/.
9. ↑ Williams, Leah J. (2023-03-08). "WWE 2K23: MyRISE will feature two original storylines" (in en-AU). https://www.gameshub.com/news/news/wwe-2k23-myrise-mode-male-female-the-lock-the-legacy-2608390/.
10. ↑ "WWE 2K23 Developers Talk About The Challenges Integrating WarGames Match" (in en-US). 2023-02-06. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/wwe-2k23-developers-talk-challenges-141840340.html.
11. ↑ "411MANIA" (in en-US). http://411mania.com/games/wwe-2k23-developer-on-writing-myrise-mode/.
12. ↑ Lentini, Robert (2023-02-16). "'This is not Lita!' – Wrestling fans react to Hall of Famer's character design in WWE 2K23" (in en-us). https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-this-lita-wrestling-fans-react-hall-famer-s-character-design-wwe-2k23.
13. ↑ Dalton Derrick [@PhoenixNitro] (2023-03-07). "Lita's initial model was one of the worst I've ever seen. I was very excited and shocked to see that Lita was updated before launch. I think this looks a lot better than what was initially shown! Still not perfect, but I'll take it compared to what was shown haha.". https://twitter.com/PhoenixNitro/status/1633170416033316867.
14. ↑ Scullion, Chris (2023-01-23). "WWE 2K23 has been officially confirmed for a March release" (in en-GB). https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/wwe-2k23-has-been-officially-confirmed-for-a-march-release/.
15. ↑ Noah, Steve (2023-01-31). "WWE 2K23 Cody Rhodes Entrance & Behind the Scenes Videos" (in en-US). https://www.operationsports.com/wwe-2k23-cody-rhodes-entrance-behind-the-scenes-videos/.
16. ↑ Reed, Chris (2023-03-07). "WWE 2K23: Here's What Comes in Each Edition" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/wwe-2k23-release-date-deluxe-edition-ps5-xbox-preorder.
17. ↑ SimoneSDH. "WWE 2K23 DLC List: All Characters Packs and Release Dates" (in en-gb). https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/news/wwe2k23/wwe-2k23-dlc-list-all-characters-packs-and-release-dates.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "WWE 2K23 for PC Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/wwe-2k23/critic-reviews/?platform=pc.
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "WWE 2K23 for PlayStation 5 Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/wwe-2k23/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-5.
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "WWE 2K23 for Xbox Series X Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/wwe-2k23/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-series-x.
21. ↑ Handley, Zoey (March 21, 2023). "Review: WWE 2K23". https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-wwe-2k23-pc-xbox-one-series-ps4-ps5-wrestling/.
22. ↑ Colantonio, Giovanni (March 14, 2023). "WWE 2K23 review: the wrestling comeback story continues". https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/wwe-2k23-review-ps5/.
23. ↑ Stewart, Marcus (March 17, 2023). "WWE 2K23 Review - Tightening Some Holds". Game Informer. https://www.gameinformer.com/review/wwe-2k23/tightening-some-holds. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
24. ↑ Wakeling, Richard (March 20, 2023). "WWE 2K23 Review - Head Of The Table". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wwe-2k23-review-head-of-the-table/1900-6418048/.
25. ↑ Wilson, Ben (March 13, 2023). "WWE 2K23 review: "The series is finally back on top form"". https://www.gamesradar.com/wwe-2k23-review-the-series-is-finally-back-on-top-form/.
26. ↑ Wells, Cory (March 13, 2023). "Review: WWE 2K23". https://hardcoregamer.com/reviews/review-wwe-2k23/438514/.
27. ↑ Green, Jarrett (March 17, 2023). "WWE 2K23 Review". https://www.ign.com/articles/wwe-2k23-review.
28. ↑ Rodriguez, Jason (March 14, 2023). "'WWE 2K23' review: a return to form for the franchise". https://www.nme.com/reviews/game-reviews/wwe-2k23-review-3413065.
29. ↑ Potter, Ben (March 13, 2023). "WWE 2K23 Review (PS5)". https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps5/wwe-2k23.
30. ↑ Tan, Nick (March 13, 2023). "WWE 2K23 review: Repeated strikes". https://www.shacknews.com/article/134563/wwe-2k23-review-score.
31. ↑ Madnani, Mikhail (March 21, 2023). "'WWE 2K23' Steam Deck Review – Shockingly Good, but Needs More Work". https://toucharcade.com/2023/03/21/wwe-2k23-steam-deck-review-pc-performance-settings-online-wargames-mode/.
32. ↑ Borthwick, Ben (March 16, 2023). "WWE 2K23 Review – Head of the Table?". https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/wwe-2k23-review/.
33. ↑ Driver, Dale (2023-02-02). "WWE 2K23 Hands-On Preview" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/wwe-2k23-hands-on-preview.
34. ↑ Green, Jarrett (March 17, 2023). "WWE 2K23 Review". https://www.ign.com/articles/wwe-2k23-review.
35. ↑ "27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Finalists". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. https://www.interactive.org/awards/27th_dice_awards_finalists.asp.

## External links

* v
* t
* e

Video games based on WWE (list)

Main series (list)|

| SmackDown!|

* SmackDown!
* Know Your Role
* Just Bring It
* Shut Your Mouth
* Here Comes the Pain

|

SmackDown vs. Raw|

* SmackDown! vs Raw
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* Online (cancelled)

WWE|

* WWE '12
* WWE '13

WWE 2K|

* 2K14
* 2K15
* 2K16
* 2K17
* 2K18
* 2K19
* 2K20

WrestleMania based|

* WrestleMania (1989)
* Challenge
* WrestleMania (1991)
* Super
* Steel Cage Challenge
* The Arcade Game
* 2000
* Road to...
* X8
* Road to X8
* XIX
* 21
* Legends

Programming based|

* Superstars (1989)
* Superstars (1991)
* Superstars 2
* Royal Rumble (1993)
* King of the Ring
* Raw (1994)
* In Your House
* War Zone
* Royal Rumble (2000)
* No Mercy
* Raw (2002)
* Raw 2
* Survivor Series

Other|

* MicroLeague Wrestling
* WrestleFest
* European Rampage Tour
* Rage in the Cage
* Attitude
* With Authority!
* Betrayal
* WWE 2K
* Crush Hour
* Day of Reckoning
* Aftershock
* Day of Reckoning 2
* All Stars
* SuperCard
* Immortals
* Battlegrounds

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