WWE 2K22 is now out in the wild for Early Access players, with the standard game arriving tomorrow, March 11th. However, after a lengthy delay following 2K20's less-than-stellar launch, it turns out this latest entry could be the last WWE game from publisher 2K.
According to a currently-paywalled report by Fightful (thanks, Gamespot), WWE is considering a switch to publisher EA, who of course, develops a whole suite of sports games. Here's what Fightful's report says:
Multiple sources have stated that WWE has had preliminary discussions with EA about bringing the WWE Games line over to one of the top gaming publishers in the world...
It could be that the wrestling organisation is waiting to see how WWE 2K22 performs. After all, this year's title has switched developer — from Yuke's to Visual Concepts — in an effort to improve the game.
So far, that switch is proving fruitful, although this year's game is hardly receiving critical acclaim across the board. WWE 2K22 is definitely a step in the right direction though, and only time will tell whether 2K manages to hold on to the license.
Would you like to see WWE move into EA's hands? Let us know in the comments.
[source patreon.com, via gamespot.com]
Comments 11
That's a shame given that it seems they made some really good progress with the latest game.
I wonder if 2k would be interested in a publishing deal with AEW if they do lose the WWE license.
That would be HUGE mistake. Just look what happens to anything EA touches.
@MetalGear_Yoshi Some developer already working on AEW game. Wish could remember who it was.
@MetalGear_Yoshi Your comments are exactly what came to mind as I read this article!
It Seems like it could work for both AEW and 2K. 2K have done so much work on their game, I just can't believe that they would throw all that away, and AEW are coming out with a more modest game soon, but after that has released and 2K have an engine and experience it would seem like the way to go for their games going forward.
God no I don't need a wrestling game with microtransactions in it.
@JetmanUK @MetalGear_Yoshi I doubt AEW will want to work with 2K especially how bad they made the WWE games. That and the fact that they are working with Yukes who worked with 2K up until WWE2K20 due to development differences probably wouldn't be interest in working with them again.
@GuyinPA75 pretty much all the EA Sports games are amazing to be honest
@Tasuki I don't agree.
Remember that in spite of their pedigree Yukes actually made a lot those stagnant games for years for 2K.
2K had a transitional period of one bad game from a new studio who were thrown in at the deep end with a tight schedule. That went so badly that it forced them to miss a year to get things right.
By all accounts they have made a massive improvement (I have not played it, but I have played some of the modern WWE games and they were awful).
You are assuming that the Yukes AEW game will be good, now I do hope it is, but we don't actually know that yet.
If the AEW game is a success and they want to make more games then they may go to 2K for a more fully featured modern game. The Yukes game has been confirmed to be less flashy and more retro. I liked the old wrestling games, No Mercy etc, but time moves on, the new game might not measure up to how we all see the old game through rose tinted specs.
EDIT - Kenny Omega's comments on their game.
“We’ll never be able to compete with the production values of WWE’s game. 2K22 is absolutely gorgeous, I’m excited to see all their bells and whistles when it finally releases. For us, rather than pushing the envelope drastically or anything like that, we just want the wrestling to feel how it used to feel for the people who would play wrestling games back in the day and just have fun with fellow wrestling fans.”
This might change if they sell a lot of games and 2K have a studio just sat waiting to make a game, good deals could could be done. The retro style game they are making would not even be superseded as such, it would just be a different product.
@Tasuki 2K aren't exactly strangers to microtransactions themselves! Have you played one of their NBA 2K games? They're just as bad as EA.
Could be a good thing. These games need a massive overhaul and EA is the best sports game dev out
@GuyinPA75 It's Yukes funnily enough. The dev that made the games from Smackdown on PS1 through to the 2K games until they were dumped after 19 or 20. I don't think that would get in the way as to my knowledge they've just been contracted to develop the game for AEW. There's no publisher attached. It seems as though they wanted to get the ball rolling and didn't want to go the traditional route of finding a publisher to license their game. I'm not sure if it was simply to reduce the time it took to get a game out on consoles and expose their brand or if they also wanted more control than they might have with a traditional licensing deal or even are keen to self publish.
@JetmanUK Yeah, I don't see why they can't continue with their Yukes game and have that be a N64 AKI throwback and maybe be a bit cheaper and digital only and have 2K essentially re-skin their WWE game to be AEW and have that be their main AAA title with all the production values that entails. It could even benefit the Yukes game too as they might be able to share assets which takes a load off them.
If 2k are interested I think AEW would be fools not to strongly consider it. People want a good AEW game. There's no guarantee this Yukes game will deliver on any level and I have a suspicion that even if it's a solid game it won't meet a lot of fans expectations. I feel they have a much better shot at meeting expectations with 2k. They're not perfect but by the sounds of it they hit a decent level of quality with this latest game and an AEW version of that is bound to satisfy a larger demographic than I think the Yukes game will.
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