Summary
- WWE 2K's strong sales show relevance, but lack of Game Awards recognition due to game quality & niche appeal.
- Best Fighting Game Award history highlights series like Street Fighter & Smash Bros, WWE is still excluded.
- Recent WWE 2K games recovered after setbacks, possibly primed for Game Awards nod based on fan demand.
The Game Awards is one of the most popular award shows in the gaming industry, often thought of as the industry’s equivalent to the Oscars. The goal of this award event is to provide a platform to recognize some of the biggest and most successful games of that year, thereby further expanding their popularity. Up until 2023, WWE games had collectively sold over 95 million copies and thanks to WWE 2K, the number has only gone up since then. The next Game Awards are going to be held in December 2024 and at this point, it will be unfair to the WWE community if the stakeholders do not recognize their recent games' massive popularity, much like the 2023 Game Awards.
Fighting games have played a central role in the history of gaming since its earliest days. Whether it was through games like Street Fighter 2 finding a home in arcades throughout the world, or Mortal Kombat changing the course of gaming discourse. WWE 2K, on the other hand, is a professional wrestling sports simulation video game and while it has been popular among fans of wrestling and sports games, the franchise has yet to garner significant recognition in the form of high-profile industry awards.
WWE 2K24 Legend Gets Updated Model In Latest Patch
WWE 2K24 secretly updates the character model of one of the biggest and well-known legends with the release of the recent patch 1.05.
WWE 2K’s Relationship With The Game Awards
The Game Awards is known for lifting up deserving games with its prestigious awards, and that’s exactly why the yearly Game Award for Best Fighting Game has developed such a strong recognition over the years. Since its inception in 2014, the Best Fighting Game Award has gone to franchises like Street Fighter and Smash Bros., series that have played a major role in the growth of the genre, but WWE 2K has never received as much as a nomination (except for a NAVGTR 2023 nomination).
The series’ strong sales showcase how relevant the brand and series are now, particularly because WWE 2K22 performed better than its predecessors, and its sequels continued to have a positive reception. However, a variety of factors including the fluctuating quality of some of the games in the series (WWE 2K20) and the niche appeal of wrestling games compared to broader genres that drive other fighting games, could be considered a major reason behind its absence at Game Awards. The WWE games have, although, received recognition in more niche or genre-specific awards or from publications and platforms that cater specifically to sports and simulation gaming communities.
A Brief History of The Best Fighting Game Award
The first ever Fighting Game Award went to Super Smash Bros. For Wii U, an immensely popular game that remains widely played since its release. The pattern established by the awards continued in subsequent years, with Mortal Kombat 10 and Street Fighter 5 winning in consecutive years. This trend persisted up to the most recent awards, with titles like Street Fighter 6, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate all securing accolades. Given that these awards partially rely on public voting via the Game Awards’ website, the popularity of these games plays a significant role in their success — although the rest of it ultimately comes down to the jury.
WWE 2K’s Recent History and How That Could Impact Its Future Nominations
The WWE franchise has been producing games for over two decades and just like Call of Duty (which has released a game every year since 2005), the wrestling franchise has released an installment each year since 2000 (except 2021). The rebrand to just WWE from the SmackDown vs. Raw installments started with WWE 12, which was released in 2011 before its sequels began donning the 2K moniker. The brand’s recent history has been even more checkered, with WWE 2K20, in particular, getting special negative attention and bad reviews.
However, the WWE 2K series recovered quickly after this, the franchise canceled WWE 2K21 to go back to the drawing board and created the far more positively reviewed WWE 2K22, WWE 2K23, and the most recent WWE 2K24, all of which have been generally favorable. Now that the series is back at it with full force, it may be the perfect time for it to make an appearance at future Game Awards. At the same time, realistically speaking, its presence up there partially comes down to how much its fan base wants it!
WWE 2K24
- Released
- March 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
FORTY YEARS OF WRESTLEMANIA
WrestleMania is the biggest event in sports entertainment, where Superstars become WWE Legends. Experience a gripping retelling of WrestleMania’s greatest moments in 2K Showcase of the Immortals, where you can relive a collection of some of the most unforgettable, career-defining matches.
AN ICONIC ROSTER
WWE 2K24 boasts a star-studded roster featuring WWE Legends like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Undertaker, and Andre the Giant, alongside current WWE Superstars like “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and Roman Reigns, whose larger-than-life entrances and signature moves are heightened by ultra-realistic graphics.
NEW MATCH TYPES
From Guest Referee to Casket, Gauntlet, and Ambulance matches, there are a bevy of new match types to experience in WWE 2K24, including support for multiple Superstars in Backstage Brawl.
PROVE YOURSELF IN MyRISE
Unleash your raw talent and become the undisputed champ in MyRISE, featuring two thrilling career arcs and original storylines chronicling your ascent to WWE stardom from the men's and women’s divisions.
BUILD YOUR FACTION
Assemble your favorite WWE Superstars and Legends in MyFACTION. Acquire cards, build a dominant faction, compete in online multiplayer and the all-new ranked quickplay. Plus, earn exciting promotional and final rank rewards as you climb the new seasonal leaderboard!
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Visual Concepts
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
- Franchise
- WWE 2K
- Split Screen Orientation
- N/A (Shared Screen)
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Sports, Fighting
- Metascore
- 81
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-4 Players
