WWE 2K23 revealed with John Cena on the cover and a March release date

2K have announced that WWE 2K is back for another season of wrestling action, this time with the global star John Cena on the cover. The game is coming to PC, PlayStation and Xbox on March 17, with early access granted for those who go for the Deluxe or Icon editions.

The game will provide players with the usual line up of modes and features, however WWE 2K23 features several franchise advancements, including a unique new take on the 2K Showcase, the WWE 2K introduction of the fan-favourite WarGames, and expansions to several marquee game modes.

If you have never heard of WarGames, it is a chaotic and action-packed WarGames makes its debut in WWE 2K23 and delivers heart-pounding 3v3 and 4v4 single player or multiplayer mayhem inside two side-by-side rings, surrounded by a double-steel cage.

For those looking to take on the champ, that is where the 2K Showcase Starring John Cena comes into play. Conquering John Cena in the ring is an accolade few Superstars can claim, so that is your goal in this new twist on the 2K Showcase, you will step into the boots of several of Cena’s toughest competitors with one goal in mind: defeat the man who will “Never Give Up.”

“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.”

— John Cena

Spanning his 20-year WWE career and narrated by Cena himself, this interactive sports entertainment documentary uses 2K’s unique Slingshot Tech for a seamless transition from gameplay to live-action footage to bring pivotal moments in each match to life.

As for who those fighters will be, that has not been revealed yet, however some of the opening roster has. The roster so far includes some WWE Superstars and Legends including Roman Reigns, “American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and more.

Here is a list of some of the other improvments and modes come to the game.

MyGM: Now featuring more GMs to choose from – or a player’s own custom GM creation – as well as additional show options, multiple seasons, expanded match cards, and more match types for up to four players. Players draft a roster, manage budgets, sign free agents, choose various match types, arena locations, production elements and more, with the goal of beating a rival GM in weekly ratings battles;
MyFACTION: Now featuring online multiplayer action, the team-building mode in which players collect, manage, and upgrade an array of WWE Superstars and Legends to create their ultimate four-person factions returns. Players can now take their faction online and compete for global dominance, or compete in Weekly Towers and Faction Wars, while new themed card packs and goals roll out regularly throughout the year**;
MyRISE: Aspiring Superstars walk through the curtain for their WWE debut in MyRISE and shape their career with the decisions made along the way. Featuring distinct men’s and women’s division storylines and the ability to import custom created Superstars, players journey from the humble beginnings of a Rookie, to being immortalized as a WWE Legend;
Universe: The ultimate WWE Universe sandbox that puts players in charge of their own version of WWE, from Superstar rosters, feuds, champions, weekly shows, and Premium Live Events! Updates to Universe include a reworked story system and more;
Creation Suite: A signature feature of the WWE 2K franchise, the creation suite returns with cross-platform community creations, including the ability to design custom Superstars, GMs, arenas, entrances, move sets, championships and more. Custom arenas are now playable online, and advanced customization has been added to created entrances.

“Much like our cover Superstar John Cena, the Visual Concepts team didn’t back down from the challenge to prove that the quality of the WWE 2K franchise is here to stay. WWE 2K23 takes a winning formula and adds so much more. We’re especially excited to see how fans react to the 2K Showcase and WarGames.”

— Greg Thomas, President at Visual Concepts

As for options on how you can get the game, there are three, just like in years past. There is the standard, the deluxe edition and the icon edition. For those on consoles there is also the cross-gen edition which provides the game on both generations of a single platform. Here is a breakdown on each edition.

Standard Edition

PC - $89.95
PS4/XB1 - $99.95
PS5/XSX - $119.95

Cross-Gen Edition

PS4/PS5 - $119.95
XB1/XSX - $119.95

Deluxe Edition

All formats - $149.95
It includes the game and the following
- Bad Bunny Bonus Pack
- Season Pass to all five post-launch DLC content packs
- the MyRISE Mega-Boost and SuperCharger; Ruby John Cena MyFACTION Evo Card
- Gold Edge MyFACTION Card
- Emerald Bianca Belair MyFACTION Card
- Gold Asuka MyFACTION Card
- three Basic Premium Launch MyFACTION Card Packs.

The Deluxe Edition will be available from March 14, 2023 – three days ahead of Standard and Cross-Gen Editions;

Icon Edition

All platforms - $179.95
Includes:
- Everything from the Deluxe Edition
- Ruthless Aggression Pack;
  - John Cena’s early “Prototype” character
  - “Leviathan” Batista
  - developmental rookie versions of Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton
  - the John Cena Legacy Championship
  - WrestleMania 22 Arena.
- Emerald Paul Heyman MyFACTION Manager Card
- three Deluxe Premium Launch MyFACTION Card Packs
- The Icon Edition will be available from March 14, 2023 – three days ahead of Standard and Cross-Gen Editions