WWE 2K21 Cancellation: What Future for the Series? – News

On April 15, 2020, several rumors concerning the WWE 2K franchise and borne by Justin Leeper (author on three games in the series) made their way onto the canvas. The latter mention the outright cancellation of WWE 2K21 as well as the existence of another project. A few days later, on April 24, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) spoke and confirmed the cancellation when it presented its results for the first quarter of 2020. Following this announcement, a legitimate question remains unanswered. What future for the series? The editorial staff of igamesnews.com enters the ring.

A letter of intent

It doesn't take long for the tongues (or rather the feathers) to loosen. An open letter from 2K to players in late April 2020 partially lifts the veil on the future of the WWE 2K series. This gives more information about an editor's plans for WWE 2K20's more than mixed reception. Despite numerous updates and extensions to “2K Originals” aimed at correcting the situation, the episode released in 2019 fails to convince.

The health crisis of Coronavirus (or Covid-19) which is currently hitting the world and the end of collaboration with Yuke’s, studios specializing in wrestling games since its creation in 1995, suggest an uncertain future for the franchise. To reassure fans, 2K takes the floor and responds positively to one of their requests… to keep WWE 2K19 servers active until a new episode is released. WWE 2K21 is indeed dead, long live WWE 2K2X, but also WWE 2K Battlegrounds.

WWE 2K2X

When speaking on the official website of the franchise, Take-Two Interactive confirms the start of construction of a new WWE 2K game (which we will name for more practicality WWE 2K2X) for a release during the third quarter of 2021 and places at the controls of this Visual Concepts opus, the studios in charge of the series since WWE 2K14. In order to put the odds on its side and to attract a demanding community of fans, the American editor wishes to give more time to the studios to develop this title. The structure is also recruiting Patrick Gilmore as “Franchise Executive Producer”. This game industry veteran who has worked in the past for Disney Interactive, Dreamworks, Electronic Arts and Amazon is overseeing the development of the next WWE 2K episode with the mission of enhancing the show's crest.

WWE 2K2X, according to the president of Take-Two Interactive, would jointly target fans of the franchise AND neophytes. To achieve its goals, Visual Concepts is working on a cross-generation episode, understand here that it will be available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. As for the many and justified critics around WWE 2K20, its continuation cannot fall in the same shortcomings. The studios in charge of the project must transform the gameplay in depth, ensure a visual and technical achievement worthy of the name (via the use of another game engine?) And reduce the impact of virtual currencies on the experience. .. these are the challenges before them.

WWE 2K Battlegrounds

Will wrestling enthusiasts bite their brakes in 2020? Yes and no !!! In parallel with the development of WWE 2K2X by Visual Concepts, another “WWE” project is proving to be on track. Take-Two Interactive thus reveals the existence of WWE 2K Battlegrounds, an arcade action game designed to appeal to the general public with its accessible gameplay, its Over-the-Top staging and its cartoon design. The title developed by Saber Interactive, the studio behind the NBA Playgrounds series, retains the “relaxed” spirit of the basketball game and is somewhat reminiscent, according to fans, of a certain WWE All Stars. WWE 2K Battlegrounds will be released in the fall of 2020 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

Will the WWE 2K series make an explosive comeback or, on the contrary, will it be forgotten? It will take a few months to get the first response.