The annual WWE video game returns after year long delay. Taking extra time off the ensure a quality release the new title promises new and classic features. Including the returning Universe & Showcase modes as well as GM Mode (now MyGM) after a fifteen year absence from the series.

WWE 2K22 is a 2022 pro wrestling video game, it is developed by Vicarious Concepts and published by 2K Games. It releases March 8, 2022 via the NWO 4-Life Edition and March 11, 2022 as the standard edition on PC & consoles.

Editor’s Note: A Playstation review code for WWE 2K22 was provided by 2K Games in support of this review. Some slight spoilers for it’s story mode may be present within this review.

Live out your WWE fantasies in the latest entry in WWE 2K.

Fans of WWE and its video games have gotten a bit of a bum deal lately. With several unimpressive releases and a delayed release WWE 2K is looking for a big comeback. It’s a task that it mostly succeeds at, however there are some major improvements and typical bugs. Even with it’s issues though WWE 2K22 is the exact soft reboot the franchise has needed for several years to build a new legacy off of.

GM Mode returns to the WWE games.

THE GOOD: WWE 2K22 in a lot of ways is like most of the past entries in the series. The finisher & signature mechanics are somewhat the same in which depending on the required positioning of said special move you can hit R2 & square or R2 & X to do a big damage move. However, the core mechanics for grapples have change a bit at least since I last plated one of these games. For example, you can do a carry move where you grab your opponent and then press down on the analog stick & circle to tote them all around the ring to areas such as the turnbuckle. X also strangely acts as an alternative grapple button of sorts. This is more in line for lighter quick grapples and  ground attacks.

Remember in older WWE games where you could take your opponents backstage and beat them up? Yeah the backstage arena has made it’s return in WWE 2K22. It’s actually pretty neat seeing this with a modern coat of paint and people have compared it favorably to Here Comes the Pain’s backstage area and honestly it’s not that far fetched of a comparison. Graphically, this is one of the prettiest WWE games years. One of my (and many others) biggest personal complaints of the games is that it always looked super dated visually. However, on both current & last-gen platforms the game looks insanely pretty. There were times when I was catching random streams while scrolling social media and there were times when I legit couldn’t tell if I was watching a clip of an actual WWE match or the game until I noticed the hub.

MyRise (formerly MyCareer) is the new story mode for the series. It has players using their own created wrestlers to rise up in the ranks to a WrestleMania main eventer. MyRise also features storylines unique to the men’s and women’s divisions. This mode also features several cut scenes which are voiced by WWE talent as well as featuring voiced original characters.

Play as your favorite current and past WWE Superstars in WWE 2K22.

And now we get to the years requested return of GM Mode, known now as MyGM. As is the case with the last incarnation of the mode you start of with a budget of $3M to draft & mold your roster. Wrestlers have new match up types such as fighter and crusier which will often determine the overall quality of the match depending on the type of the opposing wrestlers you book against one another. New to MyGM is the ability to play as a canonical WWE GM or authority figure or if you want you can even create your own. Also new is that each GM has their own unique power card which gives them a huge advantage for the week you chose to use them. William Regal’s card allows him to sign any WWE Legend to the active roster for free for example. WWE brands also have their own unique power cards like RAW stopping it’s opponent from booking three of their top stars for the week.

Returning to WWE 2K is Universe mode, initially meant to replace the aforementioned GM Mode this version allows you to pick a WWE Superstar of your choosing and have them climbing to the top of the card. This is more of a secondary story mode of sorts than much else. There’s also a new mode known as MyFactions which is quite reminiscent of 2K’s WWE Supercard card game and features weekly events if players want some added content. 2K Showcase is also back and features a handpicked collection of Rey Mysterio feuds and matches adapted for the game.

WWE 2K22 is a solid return to form with revamped gameplay and a good foundation for future titles.

THE BAD: WWE 2K22 does mostly everything right. There’s a lot of crazy bugs that can break gameplay a bit, which is fixable and this is really the core issue. However, there are some things that may or may not irk players. For example the limitations of the returning GM Mode still only allowing players to do a card with just a handful of matches/promos. Some features are also missing such as match types like I Quit & Inferno. The roster is also heavily outdated. After a historic slew of releases following the COVID-19 pandemic several wrestlers featured in the game are no longer employed by the promotion.

A fine soft reboot for the WWE series.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: WWE 2K22 is one of the weirdest games I’ve ever reviewed. While it’s not the best wrestling game compared to years past I have to commend Visual Concepts for their efforts in revitalizing the title. It still has some persistent franchise woes including bugs carried over from previous entries, but this is an really solid model to base the future of the franchise on for what it is out of box. And honestly, from a design perspective that makes it one of the most successful titles from the franchise in years.