Crowd/Backstage Fighting, Custom Titantron/Highlight Videos Return, Create-A-Victory Announced

2K Sports earlier today unveiled the features for their upcoming sports entertainment sim, WWE 2K17, and players are going to be quite pleased with some of the features that were detailed.

Gameplay is up first, and WWE 2K promises to continue delivering the “most authentic and realistic WWE experience possible.” Fans will have more control over the action, whether it be in-ring, in the crowd or backstage. Responsiveness in-game has been improved, while updating ladders, taunts and a new secondary submission system. In addition, thousands of new animations have been added to the experience, promising for more of a longer lasting experience discovering all the game has to offer from a gameplay standpoint.

Creation modes were then detailed, as they announced the return of the Create-A-Video suite, something we haven’t seen since WWE ’13. This mode allows for players to record match highlights and use them for things like Titantrons for created superstars. The Create-A-Show mode has been deepened and they have added a Create-A-Victory feature, which should allow for a more comprehensive WWE experience. 

The 2K Showcase was removed this year. Mark Little, WWE 2K Executive Producer, had this to say about the mode’s removal:

One of the largest and most difficult decisions we made for WWE 2K17 was to forego building a 2K Showcase.  We designed and contemplated several Showcase ideas, including options surrounding our cover Superstar, Brock Lesnar, but all of them were not viable due to the many historic WWE Superstars needed but not available for inclusion in the game.  In addition, the team is heavily focused on building and delivering great content that fans can enjoy for years to come, while the Showcases only live in games from year to year. In all, we didn’t feel good about creating a Showcase that was not up to our standards and current development vision, so we decided to take that effort and put it into modes our community requests we keep improving: WWE Universe and MyCareer.

Speaking of WWE Universe and MyCareer, one of the biggest additions to these modes are what is called the “Promo Engine.” The Promo Engine “lets the WWE Superstars express their thoughts and emotions to the WWE Universe and one another.” In WWE Universe, the new Show Presentation system allows for players to feel like they’re “playing through a weekly episode of any WWE television or WWE Network program.” They’ve also added run-ins, and pre/post-match attacks. Cut scenes have also been completely revamped.

My Career benefits from the Promo Engine as well, but also adds in backstage brawls during interviews with WWE’s Renee Young. In addition, the presentation and demeanor of a superstar can now influence a superstar’s journey through the WWE. Keep a watchful eye as well, because sometime during your career, you’ll meet face to face with the Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar and his advocate, Paul Heyman.

The roster is also bigger than last years, and WWE Games will be providing more information as the game comes closer to launch day. WWE 2K17 releases on October 11, 2016 for 7th and 8th generation Microsoft and Sony platforms.