While a worldwide pandemic may have bodyslammed 2K Games’ initial plan of a full-fledged WWE simulation experience for the year 2020 we do now know when its backup plan will hit the squared circle. The action-arcade brawler WWE 2K Battlegrounds comes out on September 18, 2020 for the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One family of devices, including the Xbox One X, Windows PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia. The game will retail for $39.99 MSRP and features a roster of more than 70 past and present WWE superstars, with many being revealed in the trailer that Sony slapped up on social media earlier today.
YES! WWE 2K Battlegrounds comes to PS4 September 18. pic.twitter.com/ttpX4Z7Fvb
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) July 8, 2020
Goats and GOATs such as Daniel Bryan aside, details on what kind of modes will launch with Battlegrounds were also revealed. To quote the all-knowing press release:
- Exhibition: Take part in Exhibition matches at home or on-the-go, anytime and anywhere, in local and online multiplayer action for up to four players;
- Campaign: Join the adventures of seven new WWE hopefuls – created exclusively for WWE 2K Battlegrounds – in Campaign mode and compete for the chance to earn a WWE contract. Along the way, you’ll unlock new arenas, inspired by locations such as the Everglades, a military-style Bootcamp, Mexico, New York, and Scotland, while receiving guidance from legendary personalities including “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Paul Heyman;
- King of the Battleground: Take on all comers in the King of the Battleground, an online, last-man-standing mode where four players start in the ring while four more waits outside to enter, challenging you to run the gauntlet and defeat them all;
- Online: Test your toughness in online tournaments and Exhibition matches.
For those that care, commentary will be handled by the odd couple pairing of NXT’s Mauro Ranallo and Jerry Lawler as wrasslin’ occurs across eight different locations. A Digital Deluxe version of the game will also be available at launch for $49.99 and gives fans access to recently returned legend Edge (who is also available to those that pre-order the basic edition of the game–as well as early access to Steve Austin, Rhonda Rousey, and The Rock. I suppose this confirms that wrestlers will be unlocked as you play, either through a method of using in-game currency that the WWE 2K series has employed in the past or perhaps through the aforementioned campaign mode.
As someone who was dead-tired of the bad simulation-style games from past years, I’m more than welcoming to an arcade fighter featuring the WWE. Here’s hoping its more than just a cheap, knee-jerk reaction cash-in when it launches in September of this year.
