| WWE 2K23 | |
|---|---|
 Standard edition cover featuringJohn Cena | |
| Developer | Visual Concepts |
| Publisher | 2K |
| Series | WWE 2K |
| Platforms | |
| Release | March 14, 2023 |
| Genre | Sports |
| Modes | Single-player,multiplayer |
WWE 2K23 is a 2023professional wrestlingsports video game developed byVisual Concepts and published by2K.[1] It is the twenty-third overall installment ofthe video game series based onWWE, the ninth game under theWWE 2K banner, and the successor toWWE 2K22. It was released on March 14, 2023, forPlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,Windows,Xbox One, andXbox Series X/S.[2]
WWE 2K23 received generally favorable reviews upon release, and it is the highest-rated professional wrestling video game sinceWWE '13. The follow-up title,WWE 2K24, was released on March 8, 2024. The online servers forWWE 2K23 were shut down on January 6, 2025.[3]
Like its predecessor,WWE 2K23 features arcade and simulation wrestling gameplay.[4][5]WarGames is featured for the first time in a WWE 2K game, and theRoyal Rumble match now supports online multiplayer with up to eight players.[6]Referee voiceovers have been revamped with different voices and unique lines when thepinfall occurs.
Game modes such as MyFACTION, MyGM, Showcase, Universe, career mode MyRISE and a full creation suite return with new features.[7][8][9] Showcase features cover starJohn Cena and allows players to recreate key moments in Cena's career.
MyGM was revamped to feature four-player gameplay, five new GMs (Xavier Woods,Tyler Breeze,Kurt Angle,Eric Bischoff andMick Foley), two new brands (NXT 2.0 andWCW), mid-card championships, theSlammy Awards, which occurs at the end of a 25-week season, and a new main goal of acquiring 10Hall of Fame trophies across multiple seasons, which can be acquired by completing seasonal and lifetime objectives, in order to be inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame, in which, after a season ends, continue and start another season or retire and end a MyGM campaign.
MyRISE features two distinct storylines: "The Lock" and "The Legacy". The Lock follows a male wrestler making his debut on the WWE main roster. The Legacy follows a female second-generation wrestler rising through the ranks, aided by her aunt's rivalMolly Holly.[10]
According to Creative Director Lynell Jinks, the WarGames match type began development prior toWWE 2K22, and was made possible by the reworked engine following the failure ofWWE 2K20.[11]
Developer Andrea Listenberger told Fightful that the two storylines in MyRISE were written by former WWE writers.[12]
On February 15, 2023, 2K released entrance footage of returning characterLita, which caused controversy onsocial media. Fans were critical of Lita's character model, citing a perceived lack of quality and the reuse of an attire which had been used fromWWE 2K16 in 2015 toWWE 2K20 in 2019.[13] Lita's model received alterations to the face prior to the release of the game.[14] Lita '06 became a playable character as an answer to the criticism for the base model; an alternative attire is also available.
WWE 2K23 features 246 superstars. It is the first title in the WWE 2K series to assign different attires to a single slot, namely forRoman Reigns,AJ Styles, Lita and certain Cena models.
On January 23, 2023,WWE 2K23 was officially announced with John Cena as the cover star.Bad Bunny was also announced as a playable character for players that pre-order the game, or purchase the Deluxe or Icon editions.[2] The Bad Bunny edition was released on October 23, 2023, which includes all of the Icon Edition contents, as well as Bad Bunny'sBacklash 2023 attire, a Bad Bunny EVO MyFaction card, thePuerto Rican-themedLWO shirt, Bad Bunny-themed MyFaction customization items and 65,700 VC.[15] A similar bundle, which included the base game and both Bad Bunny packs, was released on October 18, 2023.
On January 30, 2K released behind-the-scenes footage ofCody Rhodes being scanned, who makes his first appearance under his real name since the 2014 gameWWE 2K15 following his return atWrestleMania 38, now under his nickname, "The American Nightmare".[16]
The Deluxe Edition includes aseason pass for futuredownloadable content, MyFACTION bonuses, and three days of early access on March 14. The Icon Edition features all Deluxe Edition content, as well as the "Ruthless Aggression Pack" which contains: classicOVW versions of Cena,Randy Orton,Brock Lesnar andBatista, theWrestleMania 22 arena, additional MyFACTION bonuses, and the John Cena Legacy Championship.[17]
On March 6, 2023, the downloadable content for the game was announced. Five content packs containing 24 playable characters these were released from April to August, including superstars fromRaw,SmackDown,NXT and Legends.[18] These characters include:Bray Wyatt,Wade Barrett,Eve Torres,Zeus,Harley Race, theSteiner Brothers,Pretty Deadly andHit Row among others.
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (PC) 79/100[19] (PS5) 82/100[20] (XBXS) 81/100[21] |
| OpenCritic | 83% recommended[a][22] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 7.5/10[23] |
| Digital Trends |    [24] |
| Game Informer | 8/10[25] |
| GameSpot | 8/10[26] |
| GamesRadar+ | [27] |
| Hardcore Gamer | 4.5/5[28] |
| IGN | 8/10[29] |
| NME | [30] |
| Push Square | [31] |
| Shacknews | 8/10[32] |
| TouchArcade | [33] |
| VideoGamer.com | 8/10[34] |
WWE 2K23 received "generally favorable reviews" according toreview aggregatorMetacritic.[19][20][21] OnOpenCritic, the game received a "strong" rating according to 83 percent of critics' recommendations.[22]
In a preview of the game, Dale Driver fromIGN observed that the game largely felt the same as its predecessor with a few improvements.[35]IGN noted greater flexibility and creativity in the game compared to its predecessors.[36]
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Sports Game of the Year | Nominated | [37] |