A newWWE 2K23trailer gives fans a look at John Cena’s 2K Showcase mode, including glimpses of gameplay, as he faces off against folks like RVD, Batista, and The Undertaker. The next entry in the long-running franchise was announced early yesterday, with a live-action trailer confirmingJohn Cena asWWE 2K23’s cover star, and another one aired during Monday Night Raw last night - January 23.
Alongside general gameplay improvements, improvements toWWE 2K23’s MyGM mode, and new game modes like WarGames, the 2K Showcase is coming with a twist this year. The 2K Showcase highlights a superstar’s career, such as last year featuring some of Rey Mysterio’s biggest matches, but this involves usually playing as that wrestler. For John Cena’s showcase, players will be stepping into the shoes of his opponents instead, as a way of highlighting Cena’s “Never Give Up” mantra.
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Alongside a few glimpses at the new gameplay ofWWE 2K23, the trailer also confirms a few more entries on the roster. These playable characters are likely for general use as well, but they also represent some of the folks players will be in the Showcase Mode. This includes Batista, Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam (RVD), Batista, The Undertaker, and The Rock, though there are likely to be some more. Although not confirmed yet, there are plenty of other rivalries the game could dive into like John Cena vs. Edge, John Cena vs. Randy Orton, and/or John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar.
Furthermore, fans should be aware that the 2K Showcase will be narrated by Cena himself, so it’s a good chance for an insight into some of hisbiggest WWE rivalries. Concerning his role inWWE 2K23,Cena has said, “It is a pleasure to tell the story of my career through the WWE 2K23 Showcase. 2K has done a fantastic job capturing and invigorating the WWE 2K franchise through this concept, and I am honored to grace the cover of WWE 2K23.”
Overall, the early reception ofWWE 2K23seems to be going well, and fans will likely learn more about the 2K Showcase and other elements of the game in the coming weeks.WWE 2K23’s release date is slated for March 17(though the Deluxe and Icon editions can get it on March 14), and that means its marketing already has a limited window. However, the improvements discussed so far in conjunction with John Cena’s popularity should prove beneficial to the new game.
WWE 2K23releases on March 17 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
