WWE & 2K Games Relationship Reportedly “Seriously Strained”

The future of 2K Games’ working relationship with WWE reportedly is currently in serious doubt, according to SportsGamerOnline.com.

It was reported that their sources within 2K Sports, developer Visual Concepts, and others close to the situation stated that the development team for WWE 2K22 have become concern over a few high-level decisions that were recently made for the game.

It was also reported that there has been infighting between 2K Sports and WWE over the direction and release for WWE 2K22. Many WWE officials reportedly wanted the game to be released during its normal Survivor Series launch window while 2K and Visual Concept officials wanted the game to be delayed due to various issues. In the end, 2K was able to get WWE to agree to delay WWE 2K22 to March 2022.

2K’s main issue revolved around the large amount of talent releases over the past year with one source stating that without a major delay, “this is shaping up to be the most outdated roster a game has seen.” Another issue revolved around WWE becoming harder to work with since the release and poor reception of WWE 2K20 with some within 2K recently talking of the need to move on from their WWE deal.

It was reported that WWE and Take-Two Interactive held multiple meetings earlier this year regarding the status of WWE 2K22. These meetings reportedly included threats from WWE about them being open to looking for a new publisher for their WWE 2K series. One source stated that “it was like threats to cancel cable. Threats would come out of them claiming to have interest from one company here or there. I don’t know how credible that was though, or just idle threats.”

It was also reported that the current feeling within WWE is that WWE 2K22 could be the final game of their current deal with 2K should it fail both commercially and critically.