WWE 2K22 was announced this year at Wrestlemania 37, showing brief footage of Rey Mysterio squaring off with Cesaro. Since then, not much information has surfaced on the latest entry into the WWE 2K series, but it's got something to prove. Fans have been frustrated with the WWE 2K games for some time now, with the quality waning with each release. With the poor reception WWE 2K20 had, and a first-ever year break from development, WWE 2K22 may be fans' last hope at a redemption title.
WWE Smackdown vs Raw was a successful series of WWE wrestling games in the latter half of the 2000s, ending with WWE SvR 2011. During these years, the developer Yuke's experimented with new game mechanics within each iteration that fans remember fondly, some becoming staples in the genre. However, some features haven't been seen since then, and these are some that fans miss the most. With a new entry on the horizon, and developer Visual Concepts riding solo once more, it could take a look back at some features to include, even modernizing some of them while the company is at it.
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WWE SvR 2006 introduced the Stamina system that is still used in recent iterations. Another feature allowed players to use up their special while laying on the mat to roll up their opponent in a sneaky pin attempt or use their special to copy their opponent's taunt, effectively draining their opponent's momentum meter. These were nice little touches added to the gameplay side, showing how important innovation is, though what fans are really hoping for in WWE 2K22 is the return of General Manager Mode.
WWE SvR 2006 introduced a beloved feature that was only later seen in WWE SvR 2008 and that was General Manager Mode. In this mode, players act as the general manager for Smackdown or Raw, managing their finances while contracting or releasing their own roster of superstars. Players will have to book matches, establish rivalries, and compete with the other brand to ultimately become General Manager of the Year by the seasons' end at Wrestlemania. GM Mode is by far the most requested WWE 2K22 feature and for good reason, as it allows players to see the other, arguably more interesting side of the business in a really entertaining way. With AEW announcing its own GM game for mobile, this could be the time to bring GM Mode back.
Another feature WWE 2K22 could take from the SvR series is the ability to use custom music. During a time, players could use custom music from their console (or music CD) for their created wrestler's entrance theme, but this was eventually scrapped. The ability to truly personalize every aspect of a created wrestler, or even update an existing wrestler with their current music, is lost if custom themes don't eventually make a return.
One last feature that is missed from WWE SvR 2009 was the ability to create a finisher. This feature allowed players to string up to 10 animations from 500 and create a deadly (or silly) looking finishing animation. With the flashy and creative new ways that pro wrestlers are coming up with to assault their opponents, this would allow fans to update the roster of available moves keeping their copy up to date.
For now, speculation and hope are all that there is for the upcoming WWE 2K22. It seems Visual Concepts is listening to the fans in some capacity, and with real competition on the front lines in AEW and its games, perhaps fans won't have long to wait to enjoy some of their favorite features again.
WWE 2K22 is still in development and will be released in 2021.