Wrestling fans rejoice! You’re favorite WWE game, WWE 2K23, is getting a release date!
According to Reddit, found via a now-deleted Twitter post, WWE 2K23 will be released on March 17th, 2023. I was hoping to get the game into the hands of wrestling fans before WWE Wrestlemania 38 in April. (Though it’s going to get slammed by the Resident Evil 4 remake launching a week later). WWE was set to make the official announcement at WWE Royal Rumble on January 28, 2023, and will probably follow through with it like these leaks have not happened.
Details of the leak reveal the cover superstar for WWE 2K23… The master of invisibility himself: John Cena!
The cover got played upon not too long ago (as of this post) on John Cena’s Instagram, with the former WWE superstar making fun of his own meme with a picture of the cover with no one on it.
However, more information was leaked via Amazon.com.au, (via Twitter), where the whole listing for the game has gone live complete with photos… Though the photos were quickly removed from the page, not before eagle-eyed customers screenshotted the site, with some images getting leaked and also confirming the cover leak.
According to the listing, there are the following features:
- Pre-order the Standard Edition of WWE 2K23 and get access to the Bad Bunny Bonus Pack featuring global music phenom Bad Bunny as a playable character, and a ruby-tier MyFACTION card.*
- 2K SHOWCASE: INTERACTIVE SPORTS DOCUMENTARY – The champ is here! Play through the key moments and toughest opponents of John Cena’s storied 20-year WWE career.
- IT’S ALL-OUT WARGAMES – This fan-favorite action-packed match type 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 CHOICES With MyGM – Take the reins of a weekly show and compete against rival general managers for brand supremacy.
- YOU HOLD ALL THE CARDS – Collect and upgrade cards of WWE Superstars and Legends to build the ultimate faction in MyFACTION. Now featuring online multiplayer, MyFACTION lets you take your faction online and compete for global dominance.
Also confirmed are some of the superstars and legends that will be on the WWE 2K23 roster:
- 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!
- 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, featuring distinct storylines – The Lock and The Legacy.
- THE UNIVERSE IS ALL YOURS – The world of WWE is at your fingertips with Universe Mode- the ultimate sandbox that puts you in charge of WWE, from Superstar rosters, feuds, champions, weekly shows, and Premium Live Events!
While the inclusion of WARGAMES is a great addition to the matches you can play, the reveal that it’s another John Cena highlight reel (Done previously, in part, in WWE 2K15) is a bit disappointing yet exciting at the same time. 2K Games did a great job with the Rey Mysterio highlight reel mode in WWE 2K22, so it might be just as good for one of the WWE’s biggest home-grown stars since The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
It could be worse… We could always get this as the cover…
WWE 2K23 will release on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on March 17, 2023.