The people behind the the aging WWE video game franchise, especially in the wake of WWE 2K20’s glitch-ridden launch and the resulting two-year hiatus. Subsequent promotional videos for WWE 2K22 have promised that the new game will “hit different” than what has come before, providing wrestling fans a glimpse at WWE 2K22’s revamped graphics and gameplay.
In the build-up to WWE 2K22’s release later this week, 2K has slowly pulled back the curtain on the many features and game modes that its latest wrestling simulator will bring. The fan-favorite GM Mode will be returning in WWE 2K22, as well as a custom character creation suite with even more options for wrestling fans looking to build their dream grappler. For more story-driven action, WWE 2K22’s 2K Showcase will be centered around the career of legendary luchador Rey Mysterio, and the new MyRise Mode will allow players to ascend the ranks of WWE’s many different brands on a quest to become the promotion’s top star.
Of course, there’s strength in numbers in the brutal world of WWE, and WWE 2K22’s new MyFaction mode will let fans put together a team of Superstars looking to dominate the ring. WWE 2K22's MyGM Mode, players will select wrestlers from different categories, such as strength-focused Powerhouse wrestlers and agile Strikers, to create the perfect balance among their team. Once their group is fully assembled, they can face off against rival stables in Faction Wars, take on different match types in Proving Grounds, or test their skills in weekly Towers and daily challenges. There are three forms of currency that players can earn in MyFaction, which they can use to unlock new cards, packs, and contracts. 2K assures fans that these currencies can be earned through gameplay or purchased with real-world money, and anything players can buy with WWE 2K22’s Virtual Currency can be unlocked with MyFaction points.
Players will have plenty of choices for MyFaction recruits, as WWE 2K22’s full roster sports a whopping 168 playable characters - including 36 former WWE superstars that have either been let go during the company’s recent wave of layoffs or left of their own accord. In addition to WWE 2K22’s main roster, pre-order additions will feature of WCW’s New World Order faction, and rapper Machine Gun Kelly will also be playable as he helped produce WWE 2K22’s soundtrack.
From a wide roster of in-ring competitors to various game modes, WWE 2K22 looks to provide fans with plenty of variety. While MyFaction’s single-player emphasis may seem odd given its focus on putting together a group of like-minded wrestlers, WWE 2K22’s new mode seems to offer a blend of strategy, resource management, and even card collecting as players try to balance the skill sets of various wrestlers in hopes of building the ultimate WWE power stable.
