In case you haven’t noticed, the road to WWE 2K25’s release is in full swing with a raft of details being released quicker than Ludwig Kaiser’s tenure in this year’s Royal Rumble.
Roman Reigns was just unveiled as this year’s cover star and the February 3rd episode of Monday Night Raw tried to slither in multiple nods to the upcoming video game that were as subtle as a chair shot to the face – Iyo Sky and Liv Morgan’s in-ring ratings were revealed (89 and 91, respectively), while a paused Triple Threat match could be seen on a TV behind The Judgement Day during a backstage conversation. Well, I can divulge a lot more about WWE 2K25 as I’ve spent a few hours with it at publisher 2K’s London office recently and so far, it’s shaping up to be one hell of a slobber knocker.
Last year’s iteration of the annual brawler took the series to a new height when it comes to realism as the visuals were unbelievably lifelike and the wrestling itself felt just as authentic. Unsurprisingly, WWE 2K25 does exactly what you’d expect from a yearly sports game in that regard and gently fine tunes everything. The sweat looks sweatier, everyone’s facial expressions are slightly more faithful and minor tweaks like the electronic ringside barriers smashing and distorting after you launch someone into them adds an extra layer of fidelity.
Inter-gender wrestling is also available in WWE 2K25
2K
Then there’s the return of chain wrestling, where a mini-game is triggered at the beginning of certain match types, and the introduction of a third-person camera viewpoint in the ring (which I didn’t get to try) as well as during a superstar’s entrance. With the latter, it’s easily activated by clicking a button and you’re given the freedom to observe the likes of Rhea Ripley or LA Knight coming to the ring from almost any position; it really reflects how the WWE is broadcasting its shows in real-life now with the use of drone shots and alternative camera angles. In the game, it’s a gimmick, ultimately, but a nice touch nonetheless.
The addition of NXT Underground matches is also superb – they’re stripped back to focus on the art of wrestling, disqualifications are automatically disabled (but can be switched on if you wish), the ropes are nowhere to be seen and a raucous ringside crowd batters the mat whenever you pull off an impressive move.
While all of those are healthy inclusions, the series really needs something extra to spice it up beyond glossier graphics or an expanded roster and it delivers on that front too. I, for one, have yearned for the goofier side of wrestling to come back in its video games and WWE 2K25 delivers with revamped backstage brawls.
“We’ve nailed the simulation part of professional wrestling video games” Lynell Jinks, creative director at developer Visual Concepts, tells me. “But we want to make sure we’re not sacrificing the fun factor, so these backstage brawl environments allow us to play with destruction and brutality in a fun way” he explains.
Expanded areas such as the NXT Parking Lot allow you to jump off of cars and an ambulance, whereas the WWE Archives is a huge space filled with easter eggs, including the giant Smackdown fist and Jimmy Hart’s megaphone – which you can use as a weapon – from across WWE’s history. It evokes the arcade-like nonsense and creativity from past games, like Here Comes The Pain, that has been sorely missing from recent 2K offerings.
I also played through two matches in this year’s Showcase mode which acknowledges (wink, wink) The Bloodline’s sprawling legacy. Anyone interested in wrestling’s lineage will revel in this as it demonstrates the extended Anoa’i family’s dominance, ranging from a fantasy Tables match pitting The Wild Samoans against The Dudley Boyz (which I sadly lost) to Roman Reigns’ brutal Universal Championship bout against Seth Rollins at 2022’s Royal Rumble (which I gladly won).
But the unique angle here is not the depth of history to be explored; instead it’s the presence of Paul Heyman, who guides us through the Bloodline dynasty before every match. Heyman is so engaging that most wrestling fans, myself included, would listen to him talk about paint drying and so he lends a compelling edge to Showcase that’s been missing previously.
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