Wrestling fans have been eating good over the last couple years with the WWE 2K series continuing on an upward trajectory. Last year’s installment iterated on the overhaul from 2021 and has been generally lauded for its improvements. This year, the 2K team is adding an ambitious new hub filled to the brim with activities and fun gimmicks. But the new Island mode isn’t the only interesting addition. Here are 15 notable things that players should know about WWE 2K25.
New ‘The Island’ Mode
The biggest addition is undoubtedly the new social activity hub called ‘The Island’. It’s divided into four districts sporting distinct themes. The Hero HQ district honors modern era WWE greats while The Temple of Ancestors sports a Lucha theme while paying reverence to the wrestling giants of yesteryear. The Deadlands is all things spooky and supernatural (expect some Undertaker and Kain challenges here), while my personal favorite, The Arcade of Tomorrow serves as a sci-fi cyberpunk-ish hangout.
The main point of The Island is progressing your MySuperstar fighter through unique challenges and customizing them with a bevy of cosmetics and skills. Competitive players also have the new PVP rank system to look forward to here. It’s been made very clear that this new mode serves as one of the main live service hubs for WWE 2K25, so there will be plenty of updated content as the seasons change. The Island doesn’t replace Showcase Mode or MyGM either, so players will have a lot to chew on with this year’s WWE title.
Biggest Wrestling Roster Ever?
2K has stated that this year’s game has the biggest roster in WWE history. While that statement appears true, based on the confirmed 300-plus fighters, it’s somewhat comparable to last year’s roster. 2K24’s roster topped out at 295 fighters, including the 50 DLC fighters, so this year gives players a tad more than that right out of the gate. From Macho Man Randy Savage to broccoli-haired influencers like Logan Paul, every era of WWE is represented with this year’s expansive roster.
New Create-A-Moveset Options
And the giant roster isn’t just for show, it seems. It’s now possible to fine tune the frequency and aggressiveness of AI moves for a majority of WWE superstars. Create-a-moveset returns from prior entries, letting you slot in hundreds of moves to any button, and the new AI move tuning tells fighters what phase of the fight to perform certain moves. Perhaps most importantly, you can tune how repetitive a move should be performed to avoid or encourage spam attacks.
Return of Chain Wrestling
The chain wrestling ‘mini-game’ is back from a 6 year hiatus by popular demand. This is not a mode or match type, but rather a hotspot mini game during the early phases of 1v1 matches. It’s basically meant to replicate the nuances of stance ‘holding’. Players alternate between driving to the ropes, switching to a new hold, and wrenching in the current hold. It’ll be interesting to see how improved it is from its much earlier incarnation.
New Underground Matches
Accommodating the return of chain wrestling are Underground Matches. This new match type completely removes the ropes from the stage, requiring a win through KO or submission only. But it’s off to the side of the ring where the bizarre fun happens. NPCs and other characters surround the ring and can interfere with the match in unique ways.
Interactive Environments
These new underground matches, in addition to Backstage Brawl, give us some of the most interactive stages to date. Wrestling fans always see shenanigans going on behind the stage, and the NXT Parking Lot and WWE Archives areas allow them to play those moments, to a degree. There’s a bunch of unique WWE memorabilia littered around these areas, including the large Smackdown fist and some poisonous Prime bottles to throw at wrestlers.
Over The Shoulder Cam
Enhancing interactivity further is the addition of a third-person over-the-shoulder camera angle. This new camera can be toggled during matches and entrances. Obviously, using this camera angle during intense matches results in a loss of control, since the right stick is used to move camera and perform moves. WWE 2K25 has accommodated this by pairing typical right stick moves with the right shoulder button so you can still move the camera with right stick alone if you wish. I’ve gotta say, I’m intrigued how the over-the-shoulder cam increases the challenge of multi-opponent fights.
Intergender Matches
Yes, that’s right, intergender matches are a thing now. Almost all match types support intergender mixups, and you can finally pit man against women in tag-team brawls without the need to switch out the gender to match the opponent. It’s worth noting that blood is turned off for intergender fights, but otherwise, both genders do indeed bleed during other matches.
Showcase Mode
The campaign-themed Showcase mode returns with not one, but three ways to influence the course of historic matches. You can revisit history, which is basically reenacting classic WWE bouts, change history, involving an alternative spin on these classics, and make history. Making history lets players pit older legacy fighters against contemporary champs in carefully curated matches commentated by none other than Paul Heyman. These matches have objectives tied to them, and now many of them are timed to add extra urgency. Of the new timer, a Visual Concepts dev says, “[We want to] give people a reason to either play it again or have an extra challenge.” citing Gran Turismo License tests as an inspiration.
Assigning Weapons
The classic weapon wheel from past games returns and is joined by another more precise option. Players can now assign superstars to specific weapons during matches. Many will delight in assigning fighters with their irl favorite weapon. Seeing the Undertaker grab the Urn instead of just another boring old table is going to be refreshing.
More Matches for Guest Referee Mode
Role-playing as a referee was one of the more promising features in last year’s WWE title, but it was limited to just one-on-one bouts. Well, this year opens that up a whole lot more. Players can guest referee in tag-team, hell in a cell, fatal four-way, and triple threat matches this time around.
Streamlined Reversal Moves
All three reversal types have been mapped to a single button for WWE 2K25. This change was done to streamline what is essentially a context sensitive action. Dodging and blocking used to be separate buttons, but now you just hold the button to block and press quickly to dodge. It’s a small change, but one of the iterations that can really make a fight more fluid.
Alternate Submission Mini-Game
Say goodbye to button mashing, well, unless you enjoy that. In addition to the usual button mashing submissions, a the Submission Wheel from prior entries returns. Names are now color-coded inside the wheel to easily differentiate between fighters. The main goal of this mini-game is to overlap the opponent’s slider in order to ‘trap’ or submit them. The wheel-based iteration of submissions has been critiqued in the past, but the added UI enhancements make it easier to parse what’s going on at least.
Virtual Currency
A majority of items and unlocks within The Island can be purchased with in-game virtual currency. Virtual currency in WWE 2K typically gets rewarded upon winning exhibition matches and progressing in the various modes of the game. VC is also one of the main forms of microtransactions in the game’s storefront. If it’s similar to last year’s game, 2K25 will separate the currencies between MyFaction and the rest of the game. If 2k25 is like prior years, you won’t need to spend any real money to have a full experience beyond the base price.
What Editions Are There?
Like most new games, WWE 2K25 retails for $69.99 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, while the PC, PS4, and Xbox One versions go for $59.99. There are currently two special editions available. The Deadman Edition comes with a host of bonus items for use in The Island, as well as personas and 15,000 VC, and retails for $99.99. The $129.99 Bloodline Edition includes everything from the Deadman Edition plus even more goodies and 32,000 VC. If you buy either of the special editions, you can play WWE 2K25 on March 7th, ahead of its worldwide March 14th release date.
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