By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
2K and WWE issued the following press release on Monday regarding the WWE 2K24 video game.
New York, NY – January 22, 2024 – Today, 2K announced WWE® 2K24, the newest installment of the flagship WWE video game franchise developed by Visual Concepts, will be coming soon for PlayStation® 5 (PS5®), PlayStation®4 (PS4®), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. As he burns a path through WWE in an effort to claim world championship gold and fulfill his destiny, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes will be featured on the Standard Edition cover. Multi-time champions and Women’s Royal Rumble winners Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley share the Deluxe Edition cover, marking the first time in history two women have graced a dedicated WWE 2K cover, while the Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition cover features original artwork celebrating the most iconic Superstars and Legends in WrestleMania history, including The Rock, The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and more.
WWE 2K24 features several franchise advancements, including 2K Showcase…of the Immortals celebrating 40 years of WrestleMania, four new match types such as Ambulance and Special Guest Referee, two new MyRISE experiences, and much more. In addition, fans can also look forward to a massive roster of more than 200* WWE Superstars and Legends including Roman Reigns, Andre the Giant, Becky Lynch, Batista, Kurt Angle, Asuka, Bret Hart, Brock Lesnar, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Chyna, and more. Incredibly realistic graphics and improved animations – with over 90% of facial expressions updated – plus improvements to Ramp cameras and Dive cameras, and the ability to move the camera during live gameplay provide the most visually impressive WWE 2K experience to date. WWE 2K24 Deluxe Edition and Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition are scheduled for worldwide release on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, followed by the Standard Edition and Standard Cross-Gen Digital Edition on Friday, March 8, 2024.
“I’ve been known to keep a checklist of key milestones I want to experience on the path to finishing my story,” said Cody Rhodes. “As an avid gamer, being named WWE 2K cover Superstar is very, very close to the top of that list and I’m very happy to work with the teams at 2K and Visual Concepts to bring that dream to life.”
“This is an incredible milestone in my career and I’m so excited to show the world why WWE 2K24 is a must-have and the EST game for every WWE fan and gamer.” said Bianca Belair.
“I’ve proven myself to be the most dominant competitor to ever hold the WWE Women’s World Championship,” said Rhea Ripley, “Earning the accolade of WWE 2K24 cover Superstar is only fitting, and I’m proud to add it to my list of accomplishments.”
“Fresh off the highest-rated game in franchise history, the WWE 2K development team continues to build on that quality,” said Greg Thomas, President at Visual Concepts. “WWE 2K24 offers more match types, new MyRISE storylines and characters, improvements to gameplay throughout, a 2K Showcase 40 years in the making, and so much more. I’m very proud of the work the team has done to bring this experience to life, and I look forward to seeing players enjoy the game.”
WWE 2K24 features several hallmarks of the franchise, as well some new additions and twists on fan favorites:
- 2K Showcase…of the Immortals: For 40 years, WrestleMania has captivated millions of fans around the globe as WWE Superstars became Legends and spectacular moments – from Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant, to “Mr. WrestleMania” Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker putting on a match for the ages, and many more – cemented WWE Hall of Fame legacies. “The Grandest Stage of Them All,” has drawn earth-shaking roars from 100,000+ in attendance, as the biggest icons in WWE made history, and left every drop of blood, sweat and tears in the squared circle. 40 years in the making, the WWE 2K24 Showcase…of the Immortals puts players in control, playing through the most iconic moments in WrestleMania history as 2K’s distinctive Slingshot Tech seamlessly morphs gameplay to live-action footage and back again for the most immersive WrestleMania video game experience to date. A host of unlockable content adds challenge and replay value to this historical experience;
- Iconic Roster: WWE 2K24 boasts a star-studded roster featuring WWE Legends including “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Undertaker, and Andre the Giant, alongside current WWE Superstars including “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and Roman Reigns, whose larger-than-life entrances and signature moves are heightened by ultra-realistic graphics.
- New Match Types and Improvements on Existing Match Types: Players asked, and WWE 2K24 delivers, with four new, chaotic match types: Special Guest Referee, Ambulance Match, Casket Match, and Gauntlet Match. In addition, the Backstage Brawl now features 4-player support and new interactive environmental elements – including a working elevator, breakable control room glass, and a vending machine with throwable sodas – while the Royal Rumble now offers support for eight online players in 30-Superstar online matches. All of the familiar WWE 2K match types, such as WarGames, Extreme Rules, TLC, Submission, Hell in a Cell, and many more also return. More details on each new match type will be shared soon;
- Gameplay Upgrades: WWE 2K24 features improvements to gameplay throughout, including Super Finishers, the Trading Blows mini-game, top rope dive onto a group of opponents outside the ring, double title matches, new Paybacks and much more. New weapon types, including trash cans, guitars and microphones, plus the ability to throw weapons, allow players to bring the pain. Also, seven real WWE referees are featured to add to the immersive experience;
- MyGM: The popular WWE brand management simulation continues to expand with new GMs and brands to choose from, more match types, more Dramas, more Championships, talent scouts, Superstar trading between brands, Superstar contract management and the new Superstar Journey, which allows Superstars to earn XP, train and level up to gain new benefits after participating in matches;
- MyFACTION: The team-building mode in which players collect, manage, and upgrade an array of WWE Superstars and Legends to create their ultimate four-person factions returns with a new direct purchase card market and updated multiplayer experience. Players can now compete in ranked online QuickPlay with unique rewards and seasonal leaderboards, challenge themselves with Weekly Towers, and take on a revamped Faction Wars 2.0, featuring more real-world factions, more 4v4 match types, a Faction Wars specific reward shop and more. New themed card packs and goals will continue to roll out regularly throughout the year with seasonal content refreshes**;
- MyRISE: In WWE 2K’s unique career mode experience, two new storylines – Undisputed (men’s) and Unleashed (women’s) – put players in control of custom created Superstars looking to make a name for themselves and cement their legacies in WWE history. Featuring Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Mick Foley and others performing MyRISE voiceover for the first time, alongside other Superstars and Legends, expanded rewards, original MyRISE characters and unlockables carrying-over into other game modes, and new environments, MyRISE is more impactful on the overall WWE 2K experience than ever before;
- Universe: The ultimate WWE Universe sandbox that puts players in charge of Superstar rosters, feuds, champions, weekly shows, and Premium Live Events now features expanded Rivalry actions, including run-ins, Money in the Bank cash-ins, scenarios and brawls, as well as new cutscenes, Special Guest Referee support, Double Title Matches and a Loser Leaves Town stipulation;
- Creation Suite: The crown jewel of the WWE 2K franchise, the best-in-class, most detailed and robust creation suite returns with all-new support for Create-A-Referee and Create-A-Sign, as well as new parts and animations to design custom Superstars, GMs, arenas, entrances, move sets, championships and more;
- Peacock™ Promotion:*** New subscribers get 1 month of Peacock at no extra cost (a $5.99 value) with purchase of any edition of WWE 2K24 by April 14, 2024. Promotional code must be redeemed between March 12 and May 31, 2024. After offer ends, plan auto-renews at the then-current retail price (plus tax) until canceled by subscriber. Eligibility restrictions and terms apply. See https://www.peacocktv.com/offer-terms/2k for full terms, availability, redemption, and cancellation instructions.
WWE 2K24 Editions
WWE 2K24 features four editions of the game: Standard Edition, Standard Cross-Gen Digital Edition, Deluxe Edition, and FortyYears of WrestleMania Edition:
- The Standard Edition will be available for $59.99 on previous-gen platforms (PS4, Xbox One consoles) and PC and for $69.99 on current-gen consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S);
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- Pre-Order Bonus Offers****: Players who pre-order the WWE 2K24 Standard Edition will receive the Nightmare Family Pack a bonus pack of content including four playable Superstars – two alternate versions of Cody Rhodes (The “Undashing” masked Cody and the flamboyant Stardust), as well as the 1976 version of his father, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, plus one of Dusty’s greatest rivals, “Superstar” Billy Graham, all available as playable characters. Additional MyFACTION content includes three MyFACTION cards – a Mattel “Bruised” Cody Rhodes Gold Rarity card and, for the first time ever, Cody’s dog, Pharaoh, appears in WWE 2K as a Gold Rarity Manager card**. In addition, all Digital Pre-Orders of any edition of WWE 2K24 will include the Standard Edition of WWE 2K23, the highest-rated game in franchise history according to Metacritic*****;
- The Standard Cross-Gen Digital Edition will be available for $69.99 on PlayStation and Xbox consoles. The Standard Cross-Gen Digital Edition includes the Standard Edition across previous and current-gen platforms within the same console family and the same PlayStation or Xbox account******;
- The Deluxe Edition will be available for $99.99 for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. The Deluxe Edition includes the Standard Cross-Gen Edition, Nightmare Family Pack, plus a Season Pass to all five post-launch DLC content packs*******; the MyRISE Mega-Boost and SuperCharger; Gold Rarity Rhea Ripley MyFACTION Card, Gold Rarity Bianca Belair MyFACTION Card, and alternate attires for Bianca and Rhea. The Deluxe Edition will be available from March 5, 2024 – three days ahead of Standard and Cross-Gen Editions!;
- The Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition will be available for $119.99 for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. In addition to the Standard Cross-Gen Edition and all bonus content included in the Deluxe Edition, the Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition includes the Forty Years of WrestleMania Pack, which features alternate attires for “Macho King” Randy Savage (WrestleMania 6), Rey Mysterio (WrestleMania 22), Triple H (WrestleMania 30), Charlotte Flair (WrestleMania 33), and Rhea Ripley (WrestleMania 36), as well as Gold Rarity MyFACTION cards for each, instant unlocking of all playable Showcase characters, and the WrestleMania 40 Arena, which will be available after launch.******* The Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition will be available from March 5, 2024 – three days ahead of Standard and Standard Cross-Gen Editions!;
For more information on WWE 2K24, visit the game’s official website, become a fan on Facebook, follow the game on TikTok, X, Instagram, and subscribe on Twitch and YouTube. Official campaign hashtags #WWE2K24 and #FinishYourStory. Tune-in to Monday Night Raw tonight to see the announcement trailer and cover stars.
Visual Concepts is a 2K studio. 2K is a wholly owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
*Some Superstars require unlocking via gameplay, or pre-order purchase.
**WWE 2K24 and internet access required to play MyFACTION content. Online Account (13+) required to access online features. See www.take2games.com/legal and www.take2games.com/privacy for additional details.
***Purchase by 4/14/24. Must redeem between 3/12/24 and 5/31/24. Offer limited to US customers who are 18+ only. Offer available with a purchase of WWE 2K24. Offer includes one month of access to Peacock Premium at no extra cost (a $5.99 value), available to new Peacock subscribers only who have purchased and installed WWE 2K24 and linked their 2K Account (2K Accounts are free. After offer ends, plan auto-renews at the then-current retail price (plus tax) until you cancel. Code for Peacock Premium Subscription will be delivered via email to the email associated with the linked 2K Account. Eligibility restrictions and terms apply. See https://www.peacocktv.com/offer-terms/2k for full terms, availability, redemption, and cancellation instructions.
****Pre-Order Bonus Offers: Nightmare Family Pack pre-order bonus offer available through March 14, 2024. Pre-order WWE 2K24 Standard Edition and receive the Nightmare Family Pack, which includes four playable characters and three gold-tier MyFACTION cards (Dusty Rhodes ’76, Mattel Cody Rhodes, and Pharoah (Manager). The Nightmare Family Pack is included with Deluxe and Forty Years of WrestleMania editions. For digital pre-orders, items will be automatically entitled in-game. For physical pre-orders, items will be redeemed in game via code provided in box. Terms apply. Pre-order WWE 2K24 Standard Edition (Digital) on any platform through March 14, 2024 and receive a digital copy of WWE 2K23 Standard Edition for the same platform. Digital copy of WWE 2K23 will be automatically entitled and available to download following pre-order. WWE 2K23 must be downloaded to the platform account used to pre-order WWE 2K24 and is non-transferable. Offer not available to platform accounts that already own WWE 2K23 on the same platform. Terms apply.
*****Based on WWE 2K23’s Metacritic scores on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC as of December 19, 2023.
******PlayStation 5 console required to play PS5 version. PlayStation 4 console required to play PS4 version. Xbox Series X|S console required to play Xbox Series X|S version. Xbox One console required to redeem and use Xbox One version.
*******For digital orders, post-launch Forty Years of WrestleMania Pack content and DLC will be automatically delivered on release for PC users, available for download in the PlayStation store/Library tile for PS4 and PS5 users, and available for download in Microsoft Store for Xbox users. For physical orders, post-launch DLC will be available upon release and redeemed in game via code provided in box. DLC will also be available for purchase separately.
About 2K
Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes interactive entertainment for video game consoles, personal computers, and mobile devices, with product availability including physical retail and digital download. The Company is home to many talented development studios, including Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games, 31st Union, Cloud Chamber and HB Studios. 2K’s portfolio currently includes several AAA, sports and entertainment brands, including global powerhouse NBA®️ 2K; renowned BioShock®️, Borderlands®️, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization®️ and XCOM®️ brands; popular WWE®️ 2K and WWE®️ SuperCard franchises; as well as the critically and commercially acclaimed PGA TOUR®️ 2K. Additional information about 2K and its products may be found at 2K.com and on the Company’s official social media channels.
2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
About Take-Two Interactive Software
Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher, and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. The Company develops and publishes products principally through Rockstar Games, 2K, Private Division, and Zynga. Our products are currently designed for console gaming systems, PC, and Mobile including smartphones and tablets, and are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms, and cloud streaming services. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO.
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All I care about in this article (with zero offense intended to Mr. Powell) is Ripley responding in character. More proof that she’s as great at her job as anyone in professional wrestling over the past 30 years.