WWE 2K23: Six Fun and Interesting Things to Do

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WWE games are back on their regular rotation, now that they’re no longer quite the train wreck fans were given a few years ago. So everyone is asking the question, “is WWE 2K23 worth it”? The short answer: yes – it’s incredibly fun! If you’re someone who enjoyed any of the recent entries, this new installment feels like a polished version of last year’s offering.

Though the core gameplay is solid and the presentation is nearly pristine (minus some interesting hair physics), there’s quite a lot hiding in these square menu options. The great thing is that if someone doesn’t like a particular mode, there are plenty more to take its place. With everything there is to do, it can be a little overwhelming to new players. Even veterans of the virtual squared circle might miss some things early on, so let’s cover some basics that should be interesting to everyone.

Kick the Jukebox

Gone are the days of uploading your own music to an Xbox for the various wrestling games to use as entrance themes and to listen to between matches. These days, WWE entries feature a fairly interesting and eclectic mix of licensed songs to use. But be warned: players will be hearing this handful of tracks a lot, especially those putting real hours in. My suggestion is to go into the jukebox and customize the list of tunes, a fun way to switch things up. It starts with none of the wrestlers’ music selected to play, but you can change that. There are options for almost every era of the Federation, even multiple selections for the same superstar. So experiment, and maybe even get a few new favorites.

Beat Up John Cena

According to AJ Styles, “What’s more fun than beating up John Cena?” Apparently, the developers took this to heart with the current Showcase mode. Instead of playing the hero and struggling to win through a set of key matches, players learn about several bouts stretched out over a long career (narrated by Cena) where our main protagonist lost, and we’re here to help make that a reality. Whether it’s playing as RVD or The Undertaker, John Cena isn’t going to go down without a fight, but beating him comes with some easy goals. The path in this mode is a bit shorter and comes with a humorous reward at the end, as well as a few other unlockables. Plus you get to put some boots to a legend!

Run the Show

For those out there who love a good bit of micromanagement, GM Mode has returned once again. Being a wrestler is exciting, but having control over the entire show is a feeling of true power, where we get to draft our own roster, determine all of the matches, set up promos to elevate stars, and make money, all in an attempt to outperform the other brands. There’s a lot to it, where players must worry about revenue, injury, keeping the talent happy, and interference from other General Managers. It’s a tough mode and will require some time, especially for those who want to master their position, but some improvements from last year have fleshed it out a bit more and increased the level of engagement.

Rise Up, But Not Quite From the Bottom

People often look past story modes in wrestling games. Sure, there have been a few good ones – standouts that keep things interesting as we guide a superstar rise to prominence, but honestly those are mostly older PS2 titles. The last couple of entries have been quite the wild ride! They include more than few self-referential jokes, whether it’s poking fun at the developer or allowing custom-made character to compete in dream matches with various odd twists and turns. This year’s version is split into two different journeys: one where players will create a female superstar who must deal with her family member being a WWE legend, and one where a male superstar is created and is said to be the next big thing. Although both stories involve the player character being humbled, no one is starting from the absolute bottom. This makes the mode feel a little different, especially with branching narrative paths, dialog choices, and optional side quests.

The Creator of Worlds

For those with the urge to create their own superstar, this mode has always been a big draw. With a new year and fresh installment upon us, these create-a-wrestlers (CAWs) look much better, and developers have made it easier to get those personalized characters involved in more modes than before. There’s so much to do, and players can spend as little or as much time as they want to perfect their combatants. There are more elements to play with this time around, and things are a little easier to manipulate. So those who enjoy perfecting a look or making a stylish entrance will find themselves back in this creation suite. However, if that type of creativity needs to be outsourced, it’s possible to download other players’ CAWs online, where almost anything can be found after a while.

Explore Everything

This may sound broad, but there are a ton of little things that people are going to overlook at first. Some missed the addition of the ‘War Games’ match, a wonderful new setting that’s incredibly chaotic but lots of fun, especially with other players. There’s also ‘Backstage Brawl’, an unsanctioned battle that ends in knockouts more quickly and more often than you’d think, but it features a big area with plenty of environmental elements to play with. Figuring out how to use the spotlight was a huge rush! Tournaments (which we all love) are back, as well as several exciting options for classic face-offs, or simply playing around with the match options can make the boring feel fresh again. There are deeper options to tweak as well, such as AI Behavior Sliders that determine how superstars react in matches or even how the crowd treats them. Not happy that a certain favorite superstar got such a low rating this year? Change it. Wish Brock Lesnar wasn’t so highly rated? Drop him. There’s a huge benefit to just playing and exploring these menus in such a packed game.