Following pretty severe fan backlash to WWE 2K20, 2K Sports ultimately decided to cancel WWE 2K21 so that next year's game could get more development time. Meanwhile, to fill the gap, it's decided to release a cartoony, arcade-fighter called WWE 2K Battlegrounds, which is set to launch next month. With the WWE 2K Battlegrounds release date right around the corner, 2K Sports has revealed a new trailer featuring WWE's Paul Heyman that details the various game modes.
Paul Heyman kicks off the game modes trailer by confirming that the WWE 2K Battlegrounds roster will consist of over 70 current-day WWE wrestlers and legends, which players will have access to in the various game modes. Perhaps the most notable mode is standard multiplayer, which will allow WWE 2K Battlegrounds players to duke it out with friends either online or in local versus. The modes available include 1v1 singles matches, tag team matches, tornado tag team matches, triple threat matches, and fatal-4-way matches.
The WWE 2K Battlegrounds multiplayer mode may ultimately get the most attention from fans, but there will be other modes available as well. As revealed by Paul Heyman, WWE 2K Battlegrounds has a campaign mode with a story that centers around Heyman himself pitching a new WWE brand to Vince McMahon. Players are then able to take control of rookies fighting for this new brand, winning matches and unlocking new characters and levels.
When players have had their fill of WWE 2K Battlegrounds' campaign mode, they can check out the Battleground Challenge mode. In this mode, players create their own wrestler and compete in online tournaments to earn in-game currency. What exactly this currency will be used for remains to be seen, but one has to imagine that it will be used to purchase new cosmetic content so that players can further customize their created wrestlers.
And finally, there's the King of the Battleground mode. The trailer wasn't super clear about what King of the Battleground will entail, but it appears to be a last man standing, King of the Hill-style game mode.
So far, WWE 2K Battlegrounds' fan reaction has not been very positive, with most of the trailers being widely criticized online. The choice to feature WWE 2K Battlegrounds in a Nintendo Direct definitely didn't do the game any favors at a time when Nintendo fans are growing impatient for more news from the Big N, but there's still a chance that the game is actually fun. Fans will find out when it launches next month.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds launches on September 18 for PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch, and Xbox One.