Beginning with WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006, the mode offered more variety to its single-player offerings. Similar to titles like the Football Manager series, many flocked to the GM mode for the opportunity to hire new superstars, handle the finances of the business, and even draft their own roster. No longer were WWE games almost exclusively designed with multiplayer in mind; They now had a balanced, in-depth single-player mode that was a time sink and power trip to occupy the weekends of fans across the globe.
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It’s an inclusion that many have sorely missed, as it largely served as a franchise mode like the ones present in most contemporary sports games, but with pro-wrestling drama sprinkled in. General Manager mode allowed the WWE games to separate themselves from other fighting games, and solidified the WWE as a legitimate source of sports entertainment. Now WWE 2K22 will be returning to that former glory, and hopefully it succeeds.
The Show Must Go On In WWE 2K22
More often than not, fans of WWE games are the same ones who tune in to the shows every week, and much of the appeal is what happens behind the scenes. Dubious alliances, corrupt corporate decisions, and overbearing bosses are vital to the WWE formula, so replicating this in the annual game releases is critical. Tightly written stories and carefully managed rosters are as important to the spectacle of professional wrestling as the brawls themselves, and opting to forgo the GM mode beginning with SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 left a significant void that hasn’t been occupied since. WWE 2K22 could learn a lot from the past, and the key to pleasing fans could be to leaning into nostalgia.
The WWE license saw a change of publisher in 2013, with Take-Two Interactive assuming control after THQ filed for bankruptcy. It was news that provoked significant alterations to the tested formula, not least a change to the traditional 2K title system as seen in Take-Two’s NBA games. Recent releases have ranged from promising to awful, like the maligned WWE 2K20, but as 2022 continues positive change may be on the horizon.
WWE 2K22 has confirmed the ‘MyGM’ mode will be included this time around. The roster will be different from the one present some 14 years ago, but the influx of new talent from Sasha Banks to Finn Balor should be enough to make the experience feel fresh for veterans.
Though WWE 2K22 does have the potential to disappoint, it’s hard to believe the inclusion of MyGM will be the root of the problem. This is a mode that many have wanted to return since it was discontinued, and developer Visual Concepts has had more than enough time to refine it in a way that appeals to both fans and newcomers alike - especially since Visual Concepts ditched its annual release schedule. Veterans are sure to have higher expectations though, as many still miss the mode’s inclusion in the SmackDown vs. Raw series.
General Manager mode, to many, was the sole reason each new WWE game was worth its price tag. As an inclusion entirely focused on the single-player experience, assuming the role of General Manager of one’s favorite weekly show was a slight - if well refined - glimpse into how the spectacle of professional wrestling continues to impress. For 14 years, General Manager mode was missed by many, and hopefully it delivers again in March 2022.
WWE 2K22 is set to release on March 11, 2022 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE: MyGM Mode is a Huge Step in the Right Direction
