Hey and welcome back to the Revelleution and the official first step on the road to WWE 2K23 with WWE and 2K unveiling a whole bunch of information including the official cover star for this years game. Talk about an info drop!
Earlier today WWE and 2K unveiled the first official look at this year’s cover with John Cena taking the spotlight for the standard, cross-gen, deluxe and Icon editions as this year’s official cover star.
Whilst it would have been cool to see some alternate cover stars as seen in previous years you can’t deny that both the deluxe and the icon edition especially look cool, with WWE artist Rob Schamberger stepping in to design the stunning WWE 2K23 Icon edition. As part of the announcement it was revealed that WWE 2K23 will hit shelves this coming March with an official release date of March 17th for those who purchase the standard and Cross-Gen editions of the game. It was also revealed as part of the official press release that Cena will also act as this year’s soundtrack producer for the game so maybe we can expect a Cena rap or two included in the mix?
As part of the reveal WWE and 2K revealed a first look teaser trailer with WWE Superstars and influencers all making a series of John Cena ‘You can’t see me’ gags which have also been teased in the last few days with fellow community creators such as SmackTalks and Nemesis LaCroix joining in the fun. The teaser also gives a brief look at one of John Cena’s many models for this year’s game as he performs an attitude adjustment to social media agitator Austin Theory who looks to be sporting his Money in the Bank attire.
Also featured in the trailer is this year’s Pre-Order bonus superstar, Bad Bunny who comes with both the Deluxe and Icon Editions of WWE 2K23 and pre-ordersof both the Standard and Cross-Gen Digital editions. Those who pick up the bad bunny bonus pack will also recieve a Bad Bunny MyFACTION Ruby tier card. If the trailer is anything to go by it looks as though WWE 2K23 will also see the return of both Triple H and Logan Paul who are also featured in the trailer alongside Cena, Bad Bunny and Austin Theory.
As mentioned previously there are four different editions of WWE 2K23 up for grabs this year, each with their own different price point and perks which well breakdown.
This year’s standard edition is available for players on PC, PS4, XBOX One as well as PS5 and Xbox Series X and S. The standard edition as always can be purchased as either physical or digital, with the PC edition up for grabs for £49.99, The PS4 and Xbox One edition retailing for £59.99 and the current gen edition coming in at £69.99.
This year’s Cross-Gen edition will be digitally availble for £69.99 on both the Xbox and Playstation consoles and includes the Standard edition of WWE2K23. Like last year the Cross-Gen edition allows players to play their copy of WWE 2K23 on a console of the same family for example PS4 to PS5.
This year’s Deluxe edition retails for £89.99 on all consoles with all consoles minus PC offering up both physical and digital editions. The Deluxe edition comes with the Standard edition of WWE 2K23 as well as the Bad Bunny Bonus Pack, The WWE 2K23 Season Pass and The MyRISE Mega-Boost and SuperCharger. The Deluxe edition also comes with a Ruby John Cena MyFACTION Evo Card, Gold MyFACTION Cards for both Edge and Asuka, an Emerald Bianca Belair MyFaction Card as well as three Basic Premium Launch Card Packs. As in previous years the Deluxe edition will also allow players to pick up the game three days earlier than those who pick up the Standard and Cross-Gen Editions, with the option to start playing from March 14th.
For players wanting the ultimate WWE 2K23 experience, they can purchase the WWE 2K23 Icon Edition which comes in at £104.99 on all consoles. The icon edition comes with the standard edition of WWE 2K23 as well as all bonus content featured in the Deluxe edition. If that wasn’t enough already the Icon edition also comes with the Ruthless Aggression Pack which celebrates 20 years of John Cena’s WWE Career. The Ruthless Aggression pack includes a “Prototype” John Cena as well as “Leviathan” Batista and rookie developmental versions of both Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton. As well as superstars the Ruthless aggression pack also comes with the John Cena Legacy Championship and WrestleMania 22 Arena where John Cena faced off against Triple H. Also included in the Icon Edition are three deluxe premium Launch MyFaction Cards as well as a Emerald Paul Heyman MyFaction Manager Card. As with the Deluxe edition, The Icon edition also allows players to pick up the game three days early, starting March 14th.
Fans of John Cena will no doubt be overjoyed by the sheer amount of Cena goodies on offer when it comes to WWE 2K23, and the goodies don’t stop there as the cover star also serves as the focus of this year’s showcase mode, with Cena’s 20 year career being highlighted in a series of classic matches. In a brand new spin on the classic game mode, this year’s showcase mode will see players take on the role of Cena’s opponents throughout his career in a bid to defeat the 16-time world champion. Throughout the mode Cena himself will provide narration as players experience seamless match to footage transitions thanks to 2K’s slingshot Tech, bringing these iconic moments to life.
Its also worth nothing that the press release revealed that a brand new trailer will air later this evening as part of RAW 30th Anniversary celebrations, going by the name of “Even Stronger Showcase Trailer”
Well if all that isn’t enough Cena for you then quite frankly I’m not quite sure what will be. I will say when I first heard that Cena was this year’s cover star I was a little taken a back, especially given that Cena hasn’t been around much the last few years but after the awesome covers and quirky trailer I’ve definitely come round to the idea and if nothing else Cena is money!
So that’s our quick breakdown of just a small fraction of today’s WWE 2K23 news but be sure to pop back later as we take a look at the first official screenshot of two of RAW’s greatest female superstars as well as some of the returning game mode.
